Big Ten power rankings Week 3: How shakeup at the top impacts Penn State Football
812. . 1-1 (1-0). Previous: 1st. Buckeyes . 3. team
No one expected what happened on Saturday to happen.
The Buckeyes fell at home 35-28 to Oregon.
Is Oregon a good team? Absolutely, they will likely run away with the Pac 12 this year and be in the consideration for the College Football Playoff. Regardless, Ohio State is considered a top three program in this sport and they just didn’t look like that on Saturday.
Quarterback C.J. Stroud played valiantly, going 35-54 for 484 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. Once Ohio State got down 28-14, he did put the team on his back and try to will them to victory. Unfortunately, Stroud’s interception would seal the game for Oregon with just 2:50 left on the clock.
While we can say Stroud and the offense got going too late, which they did, the defense is the bigger concern here.
The Buckeyes gave up 31 points to an average Minnesota team last week, and may have given up more had Ibrahim not gotten hurt, and now backed that up with giving up 35 at home. Allowing 66 points in two games is not something we’re accustomed to with Ohio State.
Alabama exposed this defense in the National Championship back in January and it looks like this group never really recovered. The offense will be fine, but if Ohio State wants to make it back to the playoff, they need to fix the defense.