Ohio State did exactly what Ohio State was supposed to do to Kent State on Saturday: pile up points, stack yards, and leave no doubt in a 59-3 win that stretched the Buckeyes’ streak to 55 straight victories over in-state opponents.
The offense flashed plenty of firepower in the lopsided win, rolling up 527 total yards. But the bigger takeaway was that this group is still carrying around some unfinished business. For all the explosiveness, the Buckeyes also showed the same issues that can turn into real problems when the competition sharpens.
Julian Sayin had his share of rough moments. He missed a big third-down throw into the end zone, took a sack on fourth down, and overthrew Jeremiah Smith on another fourth-down snap. Those are the kinds of plays a second-year starter, five-star talent, and Heisman finalist is expected to finish.
Still, Sayin’s final line was hardly a disaster. He went 18 of 22 for 241 yards and a couple of touchdowns, which is enough to keep the concern in perspective. He is not in any danger of losing the job.
The more glaring issue was Ohio State’s work on money downs. The Buckeyes converted only one third down, finishing 1 of 8.
They weren’t much better on fourth down, going 2 of 4. That kind of execution can slip by against Kent State, but it won’t hold up against Indiana, Oregon, or even Illinois next week.
The run game had mixed results as well. Ja’Kobi and Bo Jackson each had solid days, combining for 120 rushing yards and three touchdowns.
But as a team, Ohio State averaged just 3.8 yards per carry. That lack of consistency up front tied everything together - the missed throws, the stalled third downs, the limited room in the run game all pointed back to the offensive line not creating enough push.
There is still plenty of reason to believe this can get fixed. The Buckeyes have the players, the coaches, the talent, and the tools to clean it up.
But the clock is ticking, especially with a tough Big Ten schedule ahead. Problems like this can’t linger if Ohio State wants to be great.
The day’s best individual moment belonged to the freshmen wideouts. Brock Boyd turned in a ridiculous toe-tapping sideline catch late in the game, but Chris Henry Jr. delivered the play that stood out most: a 75-yard catch-and-run from Luke Fahey. The pass itself traveled only about five yards, and Henry did the rest, showing off the kind of speed and movement that can turn a simple completion into six.
Jeremiah Smith also made history again. He finished with five catches for 85 yards, enough to break Michael Jenkins’ career receiving yards record of 2,898, set in January of 2004. Smith now sits at 2,958 career receiving yards.
He’s also 21 catches behind Emeka Egbuka for the career receptions mark and five touchdowns behind Chris Olave for the career touchdown record. Smith’s Buckeye totals now stand at 184 catches and 30 touchdown receptions.
In Other News...
Jeremiah Smith Just Entered Rare Ohio State Receiver Company
Jeremiah Smith has already put himself in some rare Ohio State company, and the numbers behind it only underline how quickly he has become the centerpiece of the Buckeyes passing game. By moving past Michael Jenkins to become the schools all-time leading receiver, Smith added another mark to a resume that keeps growing even as he still has plenty of football ahead of him.
Smith has made clear he is not finished, either, saying he wants to chase more school records as Ohio State moves through the season. Ryan Day has been just as effusive, praising both Smiths production and the way he carries himself, and for a program that has seen its share of star wideouts, that combination is what makes this climb feel especially notable. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Fans Have A New Fox Frustration After Another Blowout
Ohio States latest rout gave fans another chance to notice something besides the scoreboard, and it was Foxs broadcast that drew the heat this time. During the Buckeyes 59-3 win over Kent State, play-by-play voice Gus Johnson was criticized for sounding unusually flat on several big moments, an odd fit for a game that spent most of the afternoon as a one-sided showcase.
The reaction picked up after Chris Henry Jr.s touchdown catch, when Johnson described it as Henrys first score as a Buckeye. Fans also pointed to the same muted tone on other big plays, including Jamir Perezs fumble return touchdown and earlier Ohio State scores, continuing a pattern that has followed Johnson through previous Buckeyes blowouts. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State's Most Unexpected Touchdown Came From A Player Fans Didn't Expect
Ohio States defense got an unexpected jolt in its rout of Kent State, and it came from a player built more for clogging the middle than finding the end zone. Freshman defensive tackle Jamir Perez turned a fumble recovery into a touchdown in the 59-3 win, a rare scoring moment for a position group that usually measures success in tackles and quarterback pressure rather than points.
For a Buckeyes team that cruised through the afternoon, Perezs run to the end zone stood out as one of the games most memorable moments. Ryan Day even had a little fun afterward when the play and the celebration came up, a reminder that sometimes the biggest surprise of a lopsided game is the one nobody saw coming. [Read more 🡒]