Ohio State’s Run Game: Still Searching for Consistency as CFP Looms
At this point in the season, Ohio State’s run game has become a recurring headline - and not for the reasons Buckeye fans would hope. It's been a rollercoaster: flashes of dominance followed by stretches of frustrating inefficiency.
And against No. 1 Indiana, that inconsistency came to a head in a way that could have major implications for the College Football Playoff.
Let’s call it what it was - the ground game never got going. The Buckeyes managed just 58 rushing yards on 2.2 yards per carry.
Even after adjusting for the five sacks they allowed, the number only climbs to 3.66 yards per attempt - a figure that would rank them 111th nationally if it were their season average. That’s not just a bad day; that’s a red flag.
“I felt like we were one play, one block, one gap, one inch away from just breaking (a big play) and establishing the run game,” said left tackle Austin Siereveld. “Up front, as an offensive line, it just sucks.”
And that’s been the theme all season - close, but not quite. The Buckeyes have had their moments on the ground, most notably thanks to freshman Bo Jackson, who’s put together a breakout 1,035-yard campaign.
But when you’re eyeing a national title, “moments” aren’t enough. You need reliability.
You need rhythm. You need balance.
Head coach Ryan Day didn’t sugarcoat it after the Indiana loss.
“We really didn't strike any balance,” Day said. “I think that's probably one of the things (that cost us the game).
I think we called 35 passes and 22 runs and didn't really get the run game going. We had five sacks.
And then third down in red zone certainly was not good.”
Day’s assessment hits on a critical point: balance isn’t just a buzzword - it’s the backbone of playoff-caliber offense. When you can’t run the ball, especially in the red zone, you’re asking your quarterback and receivers to carry the load in the tightest, most pressure-packed moments. That’s a tough formula to sustain deep into December.
To be fair, there have been high points. Against Michigan - a team with a top-15 run defense - Ohio State flipped the script.
The Buckeyes outrushed the Wolverines 186 to 100 and put together a 20-play, nearly 12-minute drive that was as physical and punishing as anything we’ve seen in that rivalry. That’s the version of Ohio State’s run game that wins championships.
But those performances have been the exception, not the rule. Overall, the Buckeyes rank 44th nationally in yards per carry (4.7) and 64th in rushing yards per game (162.8).
And the struggles haven’t just been against elite defenses. Against Texas, they averaged 2.3 yards per carry.
Against Wisconsin, 3.5. And then Indiana, where the numbers dipped even lower.
The postgame locker room after the Indiana loss was filled with a familiar refrain: “just one play short.” Left guard Luke Montgomery echoed that sentiment.
“At the end of the day, now we gotta go play for a natty. We’ve been here before.
It’s unfortunate. But it is what it is, we’ve gotta get back on the film,” Montgomery said.
“The issues were always there and they rose to the top today.”
Montgomery pointed to technique as a key culprit - not just effort or scheme, but the fundamentals of winning your matchup, play after play. And that’s not just on the offensive line. Tight ends, perimeter blockers, and even the backs themselves all play a role in the success - or failure - of the ground game.
Ohio State leaned heavily on 12 and 13 personnel against Indiana - formations that feature multiple tight ends and are typically used to establish physicality in the run game. But even those packages didn’t yield the intended results, especially in the red zone. The Buckeyes came away with just 10 points on four trips inside the 20, and were shut out on both of their fourth-quarter red zone opportunities.
Day pointed to a mix of issues: sometimes the play was blocked correctly but the unblocked defender made a great tackle. Other times, there were breakdowns at the point of attack, leaving defenders free to blow up the play before it had a chance.
“There’s ones I watched where we blocked them up and got it to the unblocked hat, and he got us on the ground at 5 or 6 yards,” Day said. “Then there were times where there was a couple unblocked guys near the line of scrimmage. So yeah, it was a combination of both of those things.”
As the Buckeyes prepare for the CFP, the coaching staff knows it has to find answers - and fast. Offensive coordinator Brian Hartline will remain the play caller through the playoff before heading to South Florida to begin his head coaching career. But Day, who took a more hands-on approach during last year’s title run, is expected to be deeply involved in game planning once again.
“Met on it today, and (Hartline) is going to continue with the same plan,” Day said. “I do think having three, four weeks to prepare for the game will be beneficial, and so we'll still have everybody involved with it. And we're going to work hard to put a game plan together and make sure that we're putting our guys in the best position to be successful.”
That’s the mission now - to turn the narrative around. Last season, the offensive line responded to a tough loss with a dominant stretch through the playoff.
This group has the chance to do the same. But the margin for error is gone.
In win-or-go-home football, being “one block away” doesn’t cut it.
“That’s how it works, again, in games like that,” Day said. “You can be one play away, one guy away, one block away.
That’s football. So all that matters is the success that you’re having.
So one block away ain’t going to get it done.”
The Buckeyes have the talent. They’ve shown the ceiling. But if they want to hoist the trophy, the run game has to become a strength - not a question mark.