Ohio State came out flying, built a 14-0 lead, and then watched the whole thing unravel in a 41-28 loss to Oregon that dropped the Buckeyes to 6-3 overall and 4-2 in the Big Ten.
That opening burst was the only part of the afternoon that looked clean. Bo Jackson scored twice on the ground in the first quarter, the defense held firm, and Luke Fahey was getting the ball out quickly to the receivers and playmakers. For 15 minutes, Ohio State had the game exactly where it wanted it.
Then the rest of it hit.
The Buckeyes’ second straight loss leaves them on a two-game skid and wipes out any College Football Playoff hopes they had this season. It was also the second rough performance in a row for an Ohio State team that usually doesn’t have many of those.
The first quarter earns the only real bright spot here. After that, the grade falls off a cliff.
There were still a few individual efforts worth noting. Jeremiah Smith, Devin McCuin, and some others turned in good games.
But that only goes so far when the team loses in the kind of way Ohio State just did, especially after last week’s USC loss. That one still left the Buckeyes with something to play for.
This one did not.
After this defeat, 9-3 is the best Ohio State can finish.
There were moments when the Buckeyes looked like they might settle in. The run defense was decent, and the ground game did move the chains at times. But every time Ohio State pushed forward, Oregon answered with something that swung the game back the other way.
That included a third-and-long conversion by Oregon, the fake punt that changed the entire game, and Fahey missing open receivers on third and fourth down.
For one quarter, it looked like Ohio State had control. For the final three, Oregon took it away.
In Other News...
Jeremiah Smiths Frustration Just Raised A Bigger Ohio State Concern
Jeremiah Smiths frustration during Ohio States loss to Oregon was hard to miss, and it came in a game that already carried major weight for the Buckeyes playoff hopes. Even in defeat, Smith was one of the few bright spots, finishing with seven catches for 133 yards and a touchdown, but the bigger takeaway was how visibly the moment seemed to wear on one of the teams most important playmakers.
For Ohio State, the concern goes beyond one heated sideline reaction. Smiths production showed why he matters so much to the offense, but an analysts speculation that he might not play again this season only adds another layer of uncertainty around a team trying to steady itself after the 41-28 loss. For now, it leaves the Buckeyes with more questions than answers about how they move forward. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio States Big Ten Path Just Got A Lot More Complicated
Ohio States road to the Big Ten championship game is no longer just about what the Buckeyes do down the stretch. At 6-3 overall and 4-2 in conference play, Ryan Days team is now waiting on a chain of results elsewhere, with Michigans matchup against Oregon and UCLAs remaining schedule both carrying real weight in how the standings shake out.
For the Buckeyes, the margin for error has shrunk to the point where every conference result matters, even games they are not playing in. Day also said quarterback Julian Sayin is still recovering from elbow surgery and will not be back soon, leaving Ohio State to keep sorting through its own health questions while the bigger picture in the Big Ten keeps shifting around it. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio States Defensive Grades Expose Who Actually Showed Up Vs Oregon
Ohio States defense had a long afternoon against Oregon, and the film and grading only sharpened the picture from the 41-28 loss. Still, there were a few Buckeyes who at least held up their end, and Eddrick Houston stood out among them with five tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and two pressures while earning a Pro Football Focus grade of 75.4.
The rest of the defensive grades paint a more uneven story, with snap counts and performance varying widely across the unit as Ohio State tried to keep pace. For a defense that needed steadier play in a marquee matchup, the numbers make clear which players were active and which ones were left searching for answers. [Read more 🡒]