Ohio State is heading into its biggest test since the Texas game, and the Buckeyes are taking a hit before they even get to Bloomington. With a top-five showdown against Indiana on deck, the running back rotation has suddenly opened up in a major way.
Ja'Kobi Jackson is out, according to the Big Ten availability report, and that changes the picture for Ohio State in a hurry. Jackson had become the most steady back on the roster, so his absence in one of the most important games of the Big Ten season is a real shock. He didn’t appear to be banged up against Maryland, though the source of the issue is reportedly something that happened late in that game.
That leaves Legend Bey in position to get a real look. Bey has not exactly won complete trust from the staff, and his past off-field issues have played a role in that. But with Jackson unavailable and Isaiah West listed as questionable, Ryan Day may have little choice but to put Bey on the field for meaningful snaps.
Bo Jackson remains the starter and should handle most of the workload. He finally cracked 100 rushing yards against Maryland, and that performance should keep him locked in as the lead back against Indiana. Still, Bey’s role is now impossible to ignore.
This could be the kind of game that changes how Ohio State views him. The expectation is that he’ll get at least seven to eight touches, and what he does with them could shape the rest of his season.
The Buckeyes need more than Jeremiah Smith, even if Smith is the best player in the country and the biggest part of the offensive plan. Right now, he is carrying too much.
There’s also another complication. Austin Siereveld is out, which leaves the offensive line short-handed again.
That makes life harder for everyone in the backfield, but it also sharpens the spotlight on Bey. If he can produce behind a patchwork front and create a few explosive runs, the coaching staff will have a hard time sending him back to the background.
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Ohio State Heads Into Indiana Showdown With Big Lineup Questions
Ohio State heads into its matchup with Indiana facing some early lineup uncertainty, with offensive lineman Austin Siereveld ruled out because of a non-football illness and running back JaKobi Jackson unavailable after suffering an ankle injury. Those absences alone would matter in a Big Ten game this size, but they are part of a larger injury picture for the Buckeyes, who have several other players still listed as questionable.
Indiana, meanwhile, has a much shorter injury report, with only two players listed. For Ohio State, the challenge now is less about the opponents health and more about how much flexibility the Buckeyes can preserve as they sort through the final availability questions before kickoff. [Read more 🡒]
Jeremiah Smith Just Gave Ohio State Fans A New Ranking Debate
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Jeremiah Smith made the cut as the lone active college receiver on the list, which is already a notable honor for a player still early in his career. For Buckeyes fans, it is the kind of recognition that says plenty about how high Smiths ceiling already looks, even if the bigger conversation around where he fits historically is still very much ongoing. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Could Benefit From A New Eligibility Fight
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWines latest executive order could open an interesting new front for college sports in the state, and Ohio State is watching closely. The order would allow Ohio colleges and universities to grant an extra season of competition to student-athletes from the high school class of 2022, a group that has been squeezed out of any additional eligibility under the NCAAs current five-year clock.
The NCAA has already pushed back, saying eligibility rules should stay uniform and be handled nationally while lawmakers continue to debate broader changes through the Protect College Sports Act. Ohio officials frame the move as a fairness issue for that 2022 class, and for a program like Ohio State, any shift in the rules could ripple into roster planning, depth charts and the way coaches evaluate older players who might otherwise be out of options. [Read more 🡒]