No one could have predicted the turn of events for Ohio State. Despite starting the season ranked No. 1 in the preseason polls, the Buckeyes’ playoff hopes all but died Saturday night at home against Oregon. Though both teams were without their starting quarterbacks, the Buckeyes seemed completely out of their element in their 41-28 loss to the Ducks, with fans and players alike looking miserable as the season slipped out of reach Saturday.
The last time the Buckeyes lost back-to-back games in the regular
season was 2011, the Luke Fickell year that resulted from Tattoogate. Though I can typically put a positive spin on things (even as recently as last week, when OSU lost to USC on the road), it is much harder to come up with “top plays” in a game that felt like rock bottom for the program. Instead, these are the plays that felt like they defined the game and, in some ways, the season’s outcome.
Bo Jackson’s second touchdown
Things could not have started off better for the Buckeyes. Running back Bo Jackson scored two touchdowns in the first quarter, including a 16-yard touchdown run on the first drive of the game. It was the second touchdown that felt like the Buckeyes were really in business Saturday, though, giving Ohio State a 14-0 lead before the end of the first quarter.
The game was mostly downhill from there. The Buckeyes wouldn’t put points on the board again until the fourth quarter, with their second and third quarter drives resulting in three punts, an interception, and two turnovers on downs.
In the first quarter, though, Jackson indicated what the Buckeyes are capable of when the talent on this team is given the opportunity to shine and plays to their potential. It is unfortunate that, due to a combination of play-calling and undisciplined football, we didn’t get to see more of it this season.
Oregon’s fake punt
As if Oregon’s fake punt—which then resulted in a 30-yard pass play–wasn’t frustrating enough on its own, the fact that Ohio State could have prevented it earlier in the drive had they pulled off an interception that nearly landed in their lap added insult to injury.
The entire play was equal parts inspiring (have the Buckeyes had any play-calling this inspired all season?) and infuriating (love to see it, hate to be on the receiving end of it), and it marked a turning point in the game. Oregon finished this drive with a touchdown to make the score 14-10, Ohio State, and from there, the Ducks continued to run up the score. The Buckeyes, on the other hand, wouldn’t put points on the board again until the fourth quarter.
Jeremiah Smith’s fourth-quarter touchdown
Perhaps one of the most frustrating things about this game was the ways in which the Buckeyes seemed to be allergic to getting the ball to Jeremiah Smith, the man who led the Heisman rankings as of just two weeks ago and was still ranked in the top three even after last week’s loss to USC.
Despite limited opportunities to help his team to victory, Smith still managed to finish the game with 133 yards and a touchdown on seven catches. The game was a record-breaking one for Smith, who beat Marvin Harrison Jr.’s record of most career games with 100+ receiving yards (Harrison had 15; Saturday was Smith’s 16th). That Smith didn’t touch the ball in the second or third quarters is unforgivable, and I wasn’t the only one getting upset watching. The usually cool-headed Smith was visibly frustrated by the fourth quarter, yelling at coaches and teammates in an uncharacteristic and, in my opinion, completely forgivable response.
How can you honestly have the best player in college football on your roster and then not look for ways to get the ball to him? If people are looking to me to fault him for losing his temper, look elsewhere because I won’t be one of his critics on this. He’s a competitor and a leader of the highest caliber, and I was furious on his behalf.
His touchdown, to me, is indicative of how egregious this game was on every front: The second the Buckeyes decided to get the ball to the best wide receiver in football, they scored. If they had done that all along, you have to wonder if the game would have been the blowout it was.
