Ohio State walked into USC needing a steadier hand at quarterback and left with a lot more questions than answers.
In a 30-18 loss to the Trojans on a rainy night in Southern California, the Buckeyes looked disjointed from start to finish. The game was supposed to be a chance for freshman Luke Fahey to lean on the talent around him and survive the absence of Julian Sayin. Instead, Ohio State came apart in nearly every phase and now heads back to the drawing board after a result that tightens the pressure on its season.
The defeat drops the Buckeyes into second place in the Big Ten and leaves their College Football Playoff path hanging by a thread because of the earlier loss to Texas. After what unfolded Saturday night, the margin for error is basically gone.
The cleanest takeaway from the night is the simplest one: Ohio State made far too many mistakes. There were double-digit penalties, some at the worst possible moments, along with missed throws to open receivers, dropped passes, turnovers and a few coaching choices that raised eyebrows. That’s a brutal mix for any team, but especially one trying to ease a freshman quarterback into the job.
Fahey did not help matters by throwing the ball inaccurately and mishandling some situations, but he was also put in spots a true freshman probably shouldn’t have been asked to handle. Still, this was his first road start against a very athletic opponent, and there were moments where he showed poise and some command of the offense.
If he has already done enough to move ahead of Tavien St. Clair, there’s clearly something there.
Coaches and players inside the program praise his moxie and competitiveness, and that suggests he can grow into the role. The problem is time is running out fast.
One thing Ohio State clearly needs to do better is feature Jeremiah Smith when the game starts slipping away. With a freshman quarterback, an offense still searching for identity and a defense not at its sharpest, the Buckeyes still didn’t lean enough on the player who can change everything.
Smith finished with ten catches for 83 yards and one touchdown, but he wasn’t targeted nearly enough. Even when he looks covered, the ball probably needs to find him more often because he can dig the offense out of bad spots.
The red zone issues were just as damaging. Ohio State entered the scoring area four times and came away with only one touchdown, settling for four field goals instead.
That kind of waste is hard to overcome, especially when the offense is already fighting itself. The Buckeyes actually outgained USC despite all the miscues and still had a chance to win if they had finished a couple of those drives.
The most glaring example came when Ohio State had first-and-goal inside the one-yard line and got too cute instead of simply punching it in with a quarterback sneak.
That’s why the playoff picture looks so fragile now. Ohio State still controls its own fate in the Big Ten race with only one conference loss, which means it also controls its own path to the Big Ten Championship Game and, by extension, the College Football Playoff. But one more loss could wipe out both goals.
Before any of that gets sorted out, though, the offense has to get fixed in a hurry. Fahey is not ready yet, and the Buckeyes can only go as far as their quarterback takes them.
Whether that means St. Clair gets a shot or not, the reality is the same: Ohio State has more problems than answers right now.
In Other News...
Lincoln Riley Explains Tense Ohio State Exchange After USC Statement Win
USCs 30-18 win over Ohio State ended with more than just a statement on the scoreboard, as Lincoln Riley and Buckeyes athletic director Ross Bjork were involved in a brief verbal exchange on the field afterward. It was the kind of postgame moment that can linger a little longer than the game itself, especially after a result that carried real weight for both programs.
Riley brushed it off in his press conference, calling it a non-issue and saying the emotions of the moment spilled over before the two sides moved on quickly. He did not get into what set it off, leaving the scene as one of those tense little footnotes that follows a big win and invites a little more curiosity than the coach was willing to satisfy. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio States Oregon Upset Hopes Suddenly Rest On An Unplanned Change
A late change at quarterback has turned Ohio States trip to Oregon into a very different kind of test. Freshman Luke Fahey will get the start in place of the injured Julian Sayin, and the Buckeyes now have to lean on a new face in a game that could shape how the rest of their season is viewed. At 6-2, Ohio State still has plenty to play for, but the margin for error gets thinner when the offense is adjusting on the fly.
For the Buckeyes to keep pace with Oregon, the formula looks straightforward even if the execution is not. Fahey has to be protected, Jeremiah Smith needs to be part of the offense early and often, and the defense has to make life uncomfortable for Oregon quarterback Dylan Raiola. Oregon enters at 5-3, and with both teams trying to steady themselves, this matchup suddenly feels like it could hinge on how well Ohio State handles an unplanned pivot. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Just Got A Brutal CFP Wake-Up Call
The first 12-team College Football Playoff rankings delivered an early jolt to the race, and Ohio State came out on the wrong side of it. The Buckeyes landed at No. 12, just outside the current field, after a recent loss and a quarterback injury helped push them down in the eyes of the selection committee.
Notre Dame checked in one spot ahead of Ohio State at No. 11, leaving both programs with work to do if they want to climb back into position. For the Buckeyes, the path forward is about more than style points now - they need to steady the season and make the committee reconsider before the bracket starts to harden. [Read more 🡒]