The Ohio State Buckeyes came out fast Saturday night inside Ohio Stadium, but the Oregon Ducks owned everything after that.
Ohio State jumped to a 14-0 lead after the first quarter in a game the Buckeyes needed to win to keep their season alive. That opening burst was as good as it got. From the second quarter on, Oregon took control and never let go.
The turning point came early in the second quarter on 3rd and 9, when Ohio State dropped an interception. It was a moment that swung the game hard, and once that turnover slipped away, Oregon seized the opening.
The Ducks followed with a perfectly executed fake punt that turned into a 30-yard pass and a first down. Four plays later, Oregon was in the end zone, and the tone of the night changed in a hurry. From there, the Ducks kept answering everything Ohio State tried.
It was also a rough night for Jeremiah Smith, who was a complete non-factor for much of the game. He finished with five catches for 63 yards. Devin McCuin led the Buckeyes in the passing game with nine catches for 84 yards.
Quarterback Luke Fahey struggled throughout the night. He looked like the true freshman he is, missing throw after throw and, for whatever reason, never really looking toward Jeremiah Smith.
Ohio State’s passing game never got going, and once Oregon took away the run, the Ducks forced the Buckeyes to keep throwing into a bad situation. That only made things worse.
The numbers told part of the story, but the bigger one was the stretch that followed Ohio State’s early lead. The Buckeyes gave up 38 unanswered points, something that had not happened to the program in 28 years.
For the second straight week, Ohio State was not just outplayed. It was outcoached, too.
In Other News...
Ohio States Oregon Collapse Exposed A Problem Buckeyes Fans Feared
Ohio States loss to Oregon in Columbus had the feel of a game that started with promise and then slipped away in plain sight. The Buckeyes came out strong, but the rest of the afternoon turned into a reminder that early momentum only matters if it can be sustained, and this one quickly exposed some of the same concerns fans have been carrying for a while. Jeremiah Smith was not used nearly enough, and the offense never seemed to fully settle into a rhythm as the game changed around it.
Luke Faheys performance only added to the unease, while the defense looked far removed from the unit Ohio State expected to lean on in a matchup like this. The bigger frustration, though, was the lack of clear adjustment as Oregon kept finding answers and the Buckeyes did not. For a team with playoff ambitions, a home collapse like this does more than count as one bad result - it raises the kind of questions that can linger well beyond a single Saturday. [Read more 🡒]
Jeremiah Smiths Frustration Just Raised A Bigger Ohio State Concern
Jeremiah Smiths frustration was hard to miss in Ohio States loss to Oregon, a defeat that left the Buckeyes staring at a tougher path to the playoff. Even in a game that slipped away 41-28, Smith still produced, finishing with seven catches for 133 yards and a touchdown, which only underscored how much Ohio State leaned on him when the offense needed a spark.
The bigger concern now is what his visible irritation might say about the state of the Buckeyes season and how they handle the fallout from a damaging setback. One analyst even raised the possibility that Smith might not play again this year, though that remains unconfirmed, and for a team trying to steady itself after the Oregon loss, any uncertainty around its top playmaker only adds to the pressure. [Read more 🡒]
Urban Meyer Just Added Fuel To Indianas CFP Debate
Urban Meyer gave the College Football Playoff debate a fresh jolt by questioning how the committee is sorting Ohio State and Indiana. The former Buckeyes coach pointed to the Buckeyes head-to-head win over Indiana and said he did not understand why No. 12 Ohio State sits eight spots behind No. 4 Indiana, especially when the discussion turns to how teams are being judged beyond the loss column.
Meyer also took aim at the committees handling of nonconference scheduling, arguing that Ohio States ranking does not match what it has shown on the field. Indianas case is strong in its own right at 8-1, with wins over Michigan and Nebraska, but Meyer noted the Hoosiers have not beaten a ranked opponent, leaving the playoff conversation with a familiar tension: rsum versus result, and a gap in the rankings that still needs explaining. [Read more 🡒]