It certainly wasn't a smooth walk through among the roses, but Ohio State got back in the win column after dropping two straight games when it beat Northwestern
28-19 on Saturday. The only time the Buckeyes trailed was when the Wildcats scored first on a field goal in the first quarter, but from there the Buckeyes had the lead despite several miscues and mental mistakes that surely frustrated all of Buckeye Nation.In fact, the score made things look a little closer than it was after Ohio State fumbled while running the clock out, and then the Wildcats took the ball down and scored a touchdown on the last play of the game (sorry, bettors). At the end of the day, it was a win OSU needed badly just to get some positive momentum with a freshman
running the show under center, and now it's time to build from here. Jeremiah Smith even added another record to his personal achievements.
After each Ohio State football game, we like to reflect on what we saw and what we can take away from the action, and so it is here too. Here are five things we think we learned about the Buckeyes after their 28-19 victory over Northwestern on Saturday.
Still too many mistakes by Ohio State
Lots of mistakes today, but that’s a great bounce back win by Ohio State. I really like how we played today.
— Sam LaCrosse 🇺🇸 (@realsamlax) November 14, 2026
Some of the mistakes we're seeing from this team are baffling, especially this late in the season. There are a lot of new guys becoming part of the culture and a lot of young guys trying to figure things out, but the list is pretty long on how many times the Buckeyes didn't keep their composure or simply made a bad play physically.
From Isaiah West fumbling the ball away while Ohio State was looking to run out the clock, to Legend Bey taunting the Northwestern sideline after he made several ridiculous moves for an eight-yard game, it made the game closer than it needed to be and could have spelled doom against a more talented opponent.
At this point, the team kind of is what it is, and I'm not sure these mistakes can all of a sudden turn off, but I guess we'll see.
Luke Fahey is still a work in progress but played better for Ohio State
Not sure what this was, Luke Fahey pic.twitter.com/spAtHzeOYC
— McNeil (@REFLOG18) November 14, 2026
Freshman backup quarterback Luke Fahey did show more composure this game as he continues to find his footing at one of the glamour positions of college football. It wasn't perfect by any means, but he seems to be gaining more confidence. Yes, he missed several throws and reads, but he finished the day 21-of-32 for 201 yards with three touchdowns and an interception.
Those stats aren't as good (arguably) as what he had in his first two starts, but he played better by looking for Jeremiah Smith more and by not taking so many check-downs. Ohio State still needs him to play even better, especially in Lincoln next week against Nebraska, but it was a step in the right direction.
The Ohio State defense bounced back
The Ohio State defense has Northwestern's number. Last three drives have been nine plays for five yards
— Matthew Shelton (@M_Shelton33) November 14, 2026
That was more like it for the Ohio State defense. The late score made things look worse as the Buckeyes were playing softer coverage, but giving up 19 points after allowing 30 and 42 against USC and Oregon, respectively, is more of what we've come to expect from the OSU defense and Matt Patricia.
Northwestern was the second-leading rushing team in the Big Ten, and Ohio State allowed just 53 total yards on the ground in this one. And while the Wildcats have more success through the air than you'd expect, the fact that the offense and special teams put the OSU defense in a bad spot on more than one occasion, and the reality that Chip Kelly was on the other sideline, means we say good job in this one.
Jeremiah Smith shouldn't lose anything in the Heisman race
Another one for No. 4.@OhioStateFB WR Jeremiah Smith is now the @bigten’s all-time leader in receiving touchdowns and receiving yards. pic.twitter.com/E8n9FlN9i4
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 14, 2026
Yes, No. 4 is still the best player in college football, and we're glad to see that the Ohio State coaching staff decided to get in Fahey's ear and remind him of that. Smith had a lot more targets than last week and finished with 11 receptions for 117 yards (10.6 ypc) and a touchdown. Those aren't eye-popping, but they are very good numbers that should allow him to be on top of the Heisman race.
I always hated how voters cast their votes for the Heisman by putting too much emphasis on teams winning, the stats, and the position the player plays. In this case, there's little doubt that Smith is the best player in college football, so just make sure he gets to New York and wins the thing. There's a lot of attention being paid to him on a weekly basis, and he's still putting up better numbers than almost anyone else.
Ohio State is playing tight still
OH NO CHRIS HENRY JR... pic.twitter.com/wBhuMoQ34a
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 14, 2026
Putting the Scarlet and Gray uniform on is like being in a fishbowl. You are expected to win every game, sometimes by multiple scores, and when any of those two things don't happen, the local media and fans are all over this team. Heck, the Buckeyes hadn't lost three regular-season games and two in a row since 2011, so things are at a fever pitch in Columbus with head coach Ryan Day, the coaching staff, players, and maybe even the water boy coming under the gun.
By watching this game, it sure feels like the players are feeling it. There were several dropped passes or interceptions, some mental mistakes, and guys trying to do too much instead of relaxing and just doing their jobs and allowing the coaching and talent of others to take over. It feels like how Ohio State played against Michigan for about a three-year run, and there's no doubt the players are feeling the pinch of criticism. The men in the arena need to put that aside and just play free and loose.
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This article originally appeared on Buckeyes Wire: 5 things we learned after the Ohio State victory over Northwestern
