Saturday’s matchup was a breeze for the Buckeyes. There was never a point where the game wasn’t in hand. Despite the dominant 48-10 victory, I found myself more frustrated than pleased. While Ohio State
has avoided any serious injury up until this point, it appears that the injury bug has decided to hit Ohio State at a bad time. Here are five things you need to know about Ohio State’s 48-10 win over UCLA.
1. Run game… arrived?
In a game where Ohio State did not have its typical air superiority and Sayin wasn’t as precise as usual, it was the Buckeyes’ ground game that stood out. Ohio State ran for 222 yards on 6.7 yards per carry and found the end zone four times. Bo Jackson broke the 100-yard mark again as he had 15 carries for 112 yards and a touchdown.
Isaiah West took eight carries for 61 yards and a touchdown. James Peoples had six carries for 42 yards and two touchdowns, including one where he hurdled over a defender for a highlight play. If Ohio State can establish this sort of run game moving forward, watch out.
2. Injured Stars
This is where the frustration was. Ohio State’s injury report is seemingly as secretive as the formula for Coca-Cola. About an hour before the game kicked off on Saturday, Buckeye fans were made aware that Carnell Tate would be missing his second straight game, and that C.J. Donaldson and Jeremiah Smith were questionable. Tate walked out in street clothes despite last Saturday’s absence being just “precautionary,” and Donaldson did not appear in the game.
As for Smith, he played in the first quarter and a bit in the second before he was promptly taken out. Smith would remain on the sidelines, helmet off, and walking with a noticeable limp for the remainder of the game. Ryan Day said in his post-game press conference that the injuries to Tate and Smith were not long-term concerns.
I hope that’s true. I also remember similar words uttered about JSN in 2022 after he got hurt against Notre Dame and never returned.
3. Wide Receiver Depth
With Tate and Smith out, this game was filled with opportunities for the more inexperienced Buckeye wideouts. Mylan Graham finished with three catches for 40 yards. Graham showcased a bit of his twitchy athleticism but also had some miscommunication with Sayin at times. Bryson Rodgers had two catches for 27 yards, including an improvised touchdown where Rodgers was able to separate on a broken play. True freshman Quincy Porter had a 14-yard catch as well.
Veteran Brandon Innis’ performance was notable as well. Innis, a junior and captain, is not as “inexperienced” as the aforementioned players, but he still receives a fraction of the attention that Tate and Smith do. Innis appeared to be Sayin’s security blanket as the game went on. He made a few really impressive catches in tight coverage and showcased his elite hands as he finished with six catches for 30 yards.
4. Special Teams
Ohio State’s special teams had their best game of the year on Saturday. The Buckeyes blocked (ish) a UCLA punt right before half to steal three points. Jayden Fielding connected on both of his field goal attempts, from 33 and 41 yards, respectively. But it was Lorenzo Styles’s kickoff return touchdown that stole the show.
Late in the third quarter, Styles fielded the kick and went untouched as he dashed for a 100-yard touchdown. That was Ohio State’s first kickoff return touchdown in The Shoe in over a decade.
5. Sanchez Struggles
There’s really not much to nitpick defensively, especially considering had just over 200 total yards and was held scoreless until the end of the third quarter. The one noticeable negative on the defense Saturday was Devin Sanchez’s performance. Sanchez has been one of the first few defensive backs off the bench for the entirety of the season.
He has flashed some good and some bad. Saturday’s performance is one he’ll likely want to forget. Late in the third quarter, UCLA was intentionally attacking him in coverage. On a quick slant, Sanchez got burnt for 51 yards; UCLA’s longest play of the game. Two plays later, they targeted Sanchez again on a crossing route and picked up an 18-yard touchdown.
These are learning moments, and precisely the type of game situations you want your talented Freshman to be put into. Sanchez will obviously get better from nights like this, but on a dominant defensive night, his play was worth noting.
