This was meant to be the year Ohio State would assert its dominance in the Big Ten and enter the College Football Playoff as a top contender for the national championship. However, after a tough 32-31 loss to the top-ranked Oregon and a narrow 21-17 win at home against Nebraska, it’s clear the Buckeyes (6-1, 3-1) have serious issues to address.
As Ohio State prepares to face undefeated Penn State (7-0, 4-0) in Happy Valley this week, head coach Ryan Day knows his team needs to show considerable improvement or risk an embarrassing defeat. The Buckeyes struggled against a Nebraska team that had just suffered a 56-7 blowout at the hands of Indiana. Coming into Columbus, the Cornhuskers were still reeling from that loss.
But once the game kicked off, Nebraska surprised everyone with a formidable defensive display that few anticipated. Ohio State was caught off guard as Nebraska effectively shut down their running game, a capability they hadn’t expected.
Day and offensive coordinator Chip Kelly need to quickly assess what went wrong against Nebraska and devise a strategy to fix it. With talented running backs like TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins on the roster, the coaching staff must find a way to revitalize the ground game and maximize their potential.
Ohio State running game has to come to life
Judkins and Henderson both struggled to make an impact against Nebraska. Judkins managed just 10 carries for 29 yards, with a longest run of only 7 yards. Henderson, also with 10 carries, gained a mere 25 yards, including a single 15-yard run; the rest of his attempts fell flat. As a team, the Buckeyes averaged just 2.1 yards on 31 carries, totaling 64 yards.
A major issue for the Buckeyes was the offensive line, particularly at left tackle. Josh Simmons is out for the season due to a previous knee injury, and Ohio State lacks a suitable replacement.
Typically, elite programs like Ohio State have a deep bench of capable blockers ready to step up when a starter is injured, but that’s clearly not the case this year. Zen Michalski struggled throughout the game until he sustained an injury in the fourth quarter, leaving the Buckeyes in a tough spot.
Michalski was seen on crutches as the game wrapped up, meaning Ohio State currently lacks an adequate fill-in as they gear up to face the third-ranked Nittany Lions.
In addition to the issues with the running game, pass protection was also a challenge. Quarterback Will Howard put up decent numbers, completing 13 of 16 passes for 221 yards, with 2 touchdowns and 1 interception, but he faced pressure for much of the game. He was sacked twice and felt the heat from the pass rush on six other occasions.
Day is aware that solutions are urgently needed. “It’s not good enough,” he said. “We have to be able to run the football, and we didn’t do that today.”
Coaching has to step up and get results
Ryan Day seems to possess all the tools necessary for success at a prestigious program like Ohio State, yet the Buckeyes have lost some of their shine.
With a defeat to Oregon and a troubling performance against Nebraska—a team they were expected to dominate—their once-stalwart reputation is wavering.
The era of overpowering their archrival Michigan appears to be fading, as they’ve now dropped three consecutive matchups. Although Michigan has shown vulnerabilities in its first year without Jim Harbaugh at the helm, if Ohio State fails to break the losing streak this season, Day will face serious scrutiny for the shortcomings.
This program is at risk of being exposed this year, having lost to an elite opponent on the road and nearly falling to a solid but not exceptional team at home.
As they gear up for major tests against Penn State, undefeated Indiana, and a crucial home game against Michigan, Day faces a daunting path ahead. Surviving this challenging stretch may prove to be a significant hurdle for him and the Buckeyes.
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