Jaylen McClain keeps stacking plays, and at this point it’s getting harder to treat him like a supporting piece. Ohio State’s captain has been everywhere lately, and he looked like the Buckeyes’ best defender again while helping steady a unit that needed it.
The safety started flashing early with an interception against Texas in Week 2, and since then he’s been on a clear tear. Over the last three games, McClain has posted four pass breakups against Illinois, an interception against Iowa, and eight total tackles against Maryland.
That pushes him to 28 tackles on the season. More than the numbers, though, he’s becoming one of the clearest tone-setters on the roster, on the field and in the locker room.
Bo Jackson gave Ohio State another welcome jolt against Maryland. After Ryan Day challenged the running backs to run angry ahead of Illinois in Week 4, the group has been trending up, and Jackson was the one who really broke through this time.
The sophomore handled 23 carries for 107 yards and two touchdowns, including a 25-yard run, and looked like a back who was hitting the second level with purpose. It was his best game of the year, and a good sign for the offense if he can keep that going.
Eddrick Houston also continued to move in the right direction. The defensive tackle didn’t open 2026 well, but he’s now turned in four total tackles in each of the last two games after managing just three tackles over the first four. He was aware of the criticism coming his way from fans and the media, and that clearly changed how he approached things.
There was also a notable boost for Marvin Harrison Jr. on the professional side. After a rough stretch with the Arizona Cardinals, in part because he didn’t get much opportunity, he was traded to the Houston Texans and reunited with C.J.
Stroud. Their college connection in 2021 and 2022 produced 88 receptions, 1,402 yards and 17 touchdowns for Harrison, along with All-American recognition and the Biletnikoff Award.
If that old rhythm comes back, his stock climbs right along with it.
Ohio State’s biggest issue from the Maryland game wasn’t talent. It was discipline.
Ryan Day said after the game that the Buckeyes made too many mistakes, and the penalties backed that up, with eight called against them. He was visibly frustrated on the sideline, including after a roughing the passer call on Beau Atkinson.
Day said those kinds of errors have to be cleaned up if the Buckeyes want to become the best version of themselves.
The passing game also took a hit beyond Jeremiah Smith. Brandon Inniss and Devin McCuin were both out with injuries, which opened the door for Chris Henry Jr., Brock Boyd, Phillip Bell and Kyle Parker, who made his Buckeye debut after missing the first five games.
Henry, Bell and Parker each caught one pass, while Boyd finished without a catch, though he was open for a score on Jeremiah Smith’s first touchdown. The rain against Maryland pushed the game toward the ground, but if Inniss and McCuin remain out against Indiana, Ohio State will need somebody else to emerge or the air attack could be limited.
Health remains a major issue overall. In addition to Inniss and McCuin, the Buckeyes were also without Austin Siereveld, Christian Alliegro, Jay Timmons and Phillip Daniels.
That’s six meaningful players missing, and Ohio State will want as many of them back as possible for Indiana and the stretch beyond. On Monday, Day said on 97.1 The Fan that he expects a “majority” of the group back, though nothing is settled yet.
The broader Big Ten picture is looking a lot messier than anyone expected. Oregon, which seemed set up for a huge run, has dropped to 3-2 after losses to Oklahoma State and UCLA, with an almost-loss to Boise State in Week 1 and Dante Moore still out after getting hurt against USC two weeks ago.
Penn State, meanwhile, is 3-3 after blowing a fourth-quarter lead against Wisconsin, getting blown out by Northwestern and falling to USC in the White Out. A team that looked like it had a path to the playoff now looks stuck in reverse.
And then there’s Michigan, which somehow managed to lose the bye week by announcing that Jason Beck will continue calling plays with Bryce Underwood at quarterback. The 3-2 Wolverines face Penn State this week at 3:30. Drop your thoughts on whether the game should be on Animal Planet, Cartoon Network or another option.
In Other News...
Marvin Harrison Jr And C.J. Stroud Just Revived A Buckeye Storyline
Marvin Harrison Jr. is heading from Arizona to Houston, and the move puts him back alongside the quarterback who helped make him one of the most electric receivers in college football. For Ohio State fans, it is a reminder of how quickly Harrisons Buckeye rsum came together, from big nights in the 2022 Rose Bowl and the 2023 Sugar Bowl to the kind of complete performance he delivered against Penn State in 2022.
The trade also gives Harrison a fresh chance after a difficult NFL start, and it arrives with a familiar face at quarterback in C.J. Stroud. For a former Buckeye star trying to reset his momentum, the reunion brings back the kind of setting where his talent looked at its most natural, and it leaves one obvious question hanging over the next chapter of his career. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Still Has One Problem Fans Cant Ignore
Ohio States special teams issues have become hard to brush aside, especially when games tighten and every point starts to matter more. The Buckeyes have already lived through missed opportunities in key moments, including a costly field goal miss in the previous Big Ten Championship, and the unit has remained a lingering concern even with Robby Discher brought in to coordinate the operation.
Connor Hawkins entered the season with a track record that suggested steadier days ahead, but his 2026 form has not matched expectations. For a program that usually expects clean execution in the kicking game, the continued uncertainty around field goals keeps showing up in the places Ohio State can least afford it, and until that changes, fans are going to keep watching this part of the team with unease. [Read more 🡒]
Ryan Day Faces One Big Lineup Question Before Ohio State's Indiana Test
Ryan Day sounded encouraged this week about Ohio States health heading into Indiana, saying most of the six starters who missed the Maryland game are expected back. That group included Brandon Inniss, Devin McCuin, Austin Siereveld, Phillip Daniels, Christian Alliegro and Jay Timmons, with some of those absences tied to non-football-related issues. Getting that much experience back would matter for a Buckeyes team trying to keep its rhythm intact as the season tightens.
Indiana, though, gives Ohio State little margin for error. Day pointed to the Hoosiers recent success and made clear they are not the kind of opponent to take lightly, especially with lineup questions still hanging over his own side. The Buckeyes should be closer to full strength, but this matchup still comes with one obvious layer of uncertainty: exactly how quickly those returning starters can settle back in and how much of the rotation changes with them. [Read more 🡒]