Ohio State’s trip to USC already comes with enough uncertainty, and now the Buckeyes may be waiting on two more defenders before kickoff.
Ryan Day said this week that the status of Jay Timmons and Kenyatta Jackson won’t be settled until later in the week. He didn’t offer much beyond that, saying, “We'll see how this week goes.
I think we'll get a good portion of them back, but probably not all of them. Most of the ones you're talking about, we'll probably go to the end of the week, and as we get closer to the game, we'll get an idea.”
That leaves open the possibility that neither player is fully ready when Ohio State takes the field Saturday night in Los Angeles. Jackson was helped off the field at the end of the game, while Timmons was unavailable for the final few snaps of the fourth quarter.
The bigger concern would be Timmons. The true freshman cornerback has already made his presence felt in a big way, forcing turnovers in both ranked games he has played. He also missed the Iowa game because of injury.
Jackson has had a quieter season by comparison. He has 22 tackles and three sacks so far, along with a sack-fumble against Iowa, but he hasn’t quite been the steady edge threat Ohio State was hoping for. Even so, having him available would still matter.
The injury question comes at a time when the Buckeyes’ schedule has taken on a different look than expected. What was supposed to be a brutal three-game stretch now appears far more manageable. USC is coming off a bad loss to Wisconsin and already has two defeats, and the Trojans’ defense has looked lost.
After that, Ohio State gets Oregon, which has three losses and will be without Dante Moore, who is officially out for the year. Before that, the Buckeyes already handled Indiana. The road ahead looked intimidating once upon a time, but that has changed.
For now, though, Ohio State can’t afford to look past USC. Getting a win there would bring a boost of confidence into the stretch run, and it would also strengthen the belief that this team can still chase a national championship with a backup quarterback in charge.
If Timmons and Jackson can suit up, that would only help.
In Other News...
Ohio State Could Revisit A Familiar Ole Miss Transfer Path
The transfer pipeline from Oxford to Columbus has already worked once for Ohio State, and it could be a path worth watching again if Ole Miss running back Kewan Lacy decides his future is elsewhere. Quinshon Judkins made the jump from Ole Miss to Ohio State in 2023 and quickly became part of the Buckeyes productive backfield rotation, giving the program a clear example of how a proven SEC runner can fit into its system.
Lacys shoulder injury has only added more uncertainty around his next move, with speculation swirling about whether he could eventually enter the transfer portal or even look toward the NFL Draft. For Ohio State, the interest is obvious if he becomes available, but for now it remains just that, a possibility rather than a pursuit, with the Buckeyes and everyone else waiting to see how his situation unfolds. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Just Got A New Warning About USC Trip
USCs offense hit an unusual wall against Wisconsin, and that should at least sharpen Ohio States attention ahead of its trip west. In a loss that doubled as the lowest-scoring outing of the Lincoln Riley era, the Trojans were held to seven points and 241 total yards, with Wisconsin making a clear point of attacking the run game first and then getting after quarterback Jayden Maiava.
For Ohio State, the lesson is less about copying Wisconsin and more about seeing a workable blueprint. USC still has the pieces to stress a defense in a hurry, but when the running game gets bogged down and Maiava feels pressure, the whole operation can stall. That gives the Buckeyes a useful warning before they walk into the matchup, because stopping the early rhythm may matter just as much as dealing with the explosive plays everyone expects. [Read more 🡒]
Carson Hinzman Suddenly Holds The Key To Ohio States Offense
With Julian Sayin out for the rest of the season, Ohio State is turning to true freshman Luke Fahey at quarterback and leaning hard on the veteran presence in front of him. That puts center Carson Hinzman in a far more important spot than usual, because the Buckeyes will need his experience to steady the offensive line, handle protection calls and help keep the operation smooth for a first-time starter.
The plan now is to trim things down and make life easier for Fahey, with a simpler playbook built around quick throws and a heavier dose of the run game. In that setup, Hinzman becomes more than just a blocker in the middle - he is one of the players most responsible for making sure the offense gets lined up properly and stays on schedule while Ohio State tries to adjust on the fly. [Read more 🡒]