Ohio State got a real lift out of its win in Iowa City last weekend, the kind of result that can change the whole shape of a playoff chase. The Buckeyes still have a schedule with some land mines on it, but Maryland at home this week is not supposed to be one of them. What happens elsewhere in Week 6 could matter just as much for Ohio State’s path.
The most obvious game with ripple effects is Indiana at Nebraska. Indiana carries a 21-game winning streak into Lincoln, and the defending national champions have mostly looked the part again this season.
The one real scare came against Northwestern, and even that might say more about Northwestern than Indiana. Nebraska, meanwhile, is sitting at 5-0 after entering the year with low expectations, but the schedule has been soft enough that real judgment is still out.
The next two games are against ranked teams, and the Huskers finish with two more. Getting Indiana and Ohio State at home gives them a chance to build a playoff case fast, but they first have to show they belong in that conversation.
Then there’s the Red River Rivalry, with No. 1 Texas facing Oklahoma.
It’s one of the marquee games on the calendar every year, but this one could get strange in a hurry. Texas sits atop the AP poll, while Oklahoma has been the disappointment of the season so far.
Even so, this matchup has a habit of throwing out the script, so the Longhorns are hardly safe just because they arrive as the better team on paper.
Out west, the Big Ten’s biggest Week 6 matchup sends No. 21 UCLA to No.
13 Oregon. UCLA has turned itself into one of the season’s more interesting stories, jumping out to 4-0 and topping 45 points in three of those first four games.
Bob Chesny inherited the Bruins after going 23-6 at James Madison, where he replaced Curt Cignetti, who had left for Indiana and then guided the Hoosiers to an 11-1 season and a playoff berth. If UCLA can win in Eugene, the playoff talk gets a lot louder in Pasadena.
The Bruins don’t see another ranked opponent until USC closes their regular season, though nobody knows what version of the Trojans will show up by then. Oregon looked better against USC last time out, but questions remain on defense, and that side of the ball gets another major test here.
Dante Moore returned to practice this week, so his status for Saturday is still in the air. A loss would put the Ducks in a tough spot, likely needing to run the table, and they still have a trip to Columbus ahead.
Ohio State’s own game this week is a break from the bigger pressure points. Maryland comes to Ohio Stadium in what should be the Buckeyes’ last comfortable spot on the schedule. It also could be the final game of Mike Locksley’s tenure at Maryland.
LSU heads to Lexington for what is being billed as one of the biggest games ever at Kroger Field. Kentucky already has a notable win at Texas A&M, before the Aggies’ season really unraveled.
LSU’s playoff margin is thin enough that a loss here could knock the Tigers out of the picture, especially with Alabama, Texas, and Tennessee still waiting. If LSU is truly the team it spent on this offseason, it ought to handle business on Saturday night.
The heavyweight matchup of the week is Georgia against Alabama in Tuscaloosa, a rematch of last season’s SEC championship pairing. Alabama won in Athens last year, Georgia answered in Atlanta, and both teams wound up in the playoff.
They’re both 5-0 again, and this one feels massive for the bracket. The winner is close to a lock for the CFP.
Georgia still has Florida in Atlanta, Ole Miss, and Missouri coming up, while Alabama’s toughest remaining roadblocks are trips to Tennessee and LSU. Even if the Tide dropped both of those, they should still be in the final 12.
Kirby Smart has 21 losses in 11 seasons at Georgia, and seven of those have come against Alabama.
Another game that could slam a door shut is USC at Penn State. It has the feel of two teams teetering and daring the other to fall first.
Penn State may already be there after back-to-back losses to Wisconsin and Northwestern. If the Nittany Lions have anything left, the whiteout crowd in Beaver Stadium will need to help drag it out of them.
USC has not looked like the same team since the first half of the Oregon game. The Trojans beat Washington last week, but the defense was shaky against a Washington offense that had struggled to generate much early in the year.
A loss in State College would likely end USC’s playoff hopes, with Ohio State, Indiana, and UCLA still on the schedule.
In Other News...
Jeremiah Smith Is Giving Ohio State Fans New Rivalry Ammo
Jeremiah Smith has done more than look like Ohio States most dangerous pass-catcher. Through five games, the sophomore wideout has piled up 823 receiving yards, 44 catches and nine touchdowns, production that has made him the national leader among wide receivers and given Buckeyes fans plenty of ammunition in a rivalry that rarely needs extra fuel. With Ohio State humming near the top of the sport in scoring, passing and total offense, Smith has been a centerpiece of an attack that looks every bit as imposing as advertised.
Across the border, Michigans offense has had a harder time finding that kind of rhythm. Bryce Underwoods passing numbers have been modest by comparison, and the Wolverines have lingered near the bottom of the national rankings in several offensive categories, a sharp contrast to Ohio States efficiency. For Buckeyes fans, Smiths emergence adds another layer to the annual debate over which side has the better firepower, even if the most important chapter in that argument still waits to be written. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Has A New PFF Debate As O-Line Questions Linger
As Ohio State keeps sorting out its offensive front, the conversation has spilled into an old debate about how to judge line play in the first place. Left guard Luke Montgomery pushed back on Pro Football Focus, arguing that offensive linemen are too dependent on each other for individual grades to tell the full story. It is a familiar complaint in football circles, but it lands differently when the Buckeyes are still working through personnel and continuity issues up front.
Ryan Day has already acknowledged the line is in a stretch of adjustment because of Phillip Daniels' injury, and the staff is still trying to integrate him back into the mix. For Ohio State, that leaves the spotlight on both performance and perception, with the Buckeyes trying to stabilize a unit where communication and cohesion matter as much as any single snap. The grading debate may never go away, but it is especially loud when the line itself is still very much a work in progress. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Has A Growing Devin Sanchez Problem To Fix Fast
Devin Sanchez has been drawing too much attention for the wrong reasons over the last two games, with the sophomore cornerback flagged multiple times for pass interference and now sitting at five penalties on the season. It has become a real issue for Ohio States secondary, because the Buckeyes can live with aggressive coverage, but not the kind that repeatedly hands opponents free yardage and extends drives.
Ryan Day has already made clear the answer starts with better composure and cleaner technique, and secondary coach Tim Walton is working on a plan to address it in practice. The timing matters with Maryland coming next and a passing offense that will put Sanchez back in the spotlight, giving him a chance to show the kind of correction Ohio State needs fast. [Read more 🡒]