Ohio State’s 56-3 win over Ball State on Saturday gave the Buckeyes a clean opener on the scoreboard, but the game still handed out a pretty clear set of winners and losers.
The biggest winner was Jeremiah Smith, and he wasted no time proving why the spotlight stays on him. After Miami wide receiver Malachi Toney put up 12 catches for 234 yards and three touchdowns in a 45-6 win over Stanford on Friday night, Smith answered in his first game with a statement of his own. By halftime, he had eight receptions on nine targets for 151 yards and two touchdowns.
His first score was Ohio State’s first touchdown of the season, a 48-yard strike from Julian Sayin down the sideline in the first quarter. Sayin found him again just before halftime on a 2nd-and-goal from the three-yard line, with 15 seconds left in the half.
Another clear bright spot was UTSA transfer Devin McCuin, who looks like a strong candidate to be the Buckeyes’ No. 2 receiver this season. McCuin turned in a big first half of his own, finishing with five catches on six targets for 80 yards and a 17-yard touchdown in the first quarter.
Not everything went smoothly, though, and true freshman running back Legend Bey had a rough day on special teams. He is Ohio State’s kick returner, but on the opening kickoff, wide receiver Brandon Inniss - also part of the return unit - was urging him to take a knee in the end zone for a touchback. Bey brought it out anyway and only got to the Ohio State 16.
The same thing happened again on Ball State’s second kickoff. After the Cardinals kicked a field goal late in the first half and sent the ball back to Bey, Inniss again told him to kneel, but Bey returned it and was stopped at the Ohio State 10.
Bey did show a little redemption later, though, when the backups were on the field and he caught a 25-yard touchdown pass.
The Buckeyes also had to deal with an uneven showing up front. Their offensive line and run game never really got going in the first half, when Ohio State managed just 34 rushing yards. A lot of that came from backs being met right at the line of scrimmage.
That’s the kind of issue that caused problems against tougher teams last season, and the first half didn’t do much to ease those concerns. But Ohio State’s ground game came alive after the break.
On the first drive of the second half, Bo Jackson broke loose for a 65-yard touchdown. On the next drive, Ja'Kobi Jackson added another long scoring run, this one from 49 yards.
If Ohio State wants the offense to hold up next week against Texas, the second-half version of the run game is the one it needs. The first-half version would make for a very long afternoon.
In Other News...
Ohio States Receiver Rotation Just Got More Complicated Before Week 1
Ohio States receiver picture got a little murkier heading into Week 1 after Kyle Parker was ruled out for the opener against Ball State because of an injury. Ryan Day had already flagged Parker as dealing with a minor issue, and now the Buckeyes will have to open the season without one of the players in their wideout mix.
Chris Henry Jr. and Brock Boyd are among the receivers expected to get more snaps with Parker unavailable, which only adds another layer to a position group already under the microscope in camp. For a team trying to sort out roles early, even a short-term absence can matter, and this one gives Ohio State an early look at its depth before the real tests arrive. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State's Week 1 Start Just Added Fuel To A Huge Debate
Ohio States season opener did plenty to reinforce why the Big Ten already feels like the league to beat, with Julian Sayin looking sharp in his first extended action and the Buckeyes setting the tone early against Ball State. Across the conference, Indiana also came out strong behind new quarterback Josh Hoover, while Rutgers, Michigan State and Nebraska each left a little more uncertainty on the board after mixed openings.
Curt Cignettis postgame comments about the Big Ten being superior to the SEC only added to a debate that has been simmering for months, and former Ohio State coach Urban Meyers praise for the leagues strength gave it even more oxygen. For Buckeyes fans, the opening weekend was less about settling anything outright than about reminding everyone that Ohio State is already in the middle of a bigger argument about where the sports best football is being played. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Opener Made One Position Battle A Lot More Interesting
Ohio States season opener looked comfortable on the scoreboard, a 56-3 win that still left enough rough edges to keep the coaching staff busy. Jeremiah Smith delivered the kind of opening performance that reminds everyone why he is already such a focal point of the offense, piling up 151 yards and two touchdowns on eight catches, and Devin McCuin also made his mark as the Buckeyes worked through stretches of inconsistency on both sides of the ball.
One of the more intriguing takeaways came away from the spotlight plays, where freshman Legend Bey flashed enough on offense to suggest there is something to build on. His night also came with some costly special teams errors, though, and that is the kind of detail that can reshape how quickly a young player gets trusted in bigger moments. At quarterback, the depth chart also appeared to settle a little further, with Tavien St. Clair looking more like he is chasing the No. 3 job than threatening the top of the line behind Julian Sayin. [Read more 🡒]