At the beginning of the week, Ryan Day uttered the phrase that has come to haunt him time after time, “It’s going to be a 4-quarter game”, and admittedly I became worried.
I began questioning whether the culture Ryan Day was building was sustainable in establishing a Dynasty-Esque run like we saw during Nick Saban’s Alabama days.
What’s stopping Ohio State from walking into every game with the attitude that they’re the better team and it isn’t even close?
The beginning of this game felt like Ohio State believed it would have to take all 4 quarters to beat that Iowa team, until it didn’t.
Jeremiah Smith continued to do Jeremiah Smith things. The defense was able to get off the field. Bo Jackson Jr and Ja’Kobi Jackson started to get things going, and you saw two teams competing against each other with a noticeable gap in talent.
On the road, against an elite defense, in a tough environment, against the #15 team in the nation, and Iowa didn’t look like they belonged at all.
Jeremiah Smith had 200+ yards. The defense locked down the run game, holding Iowa to under 40 yards, and Devin McCuin, Bo Jackson, and Ja’Kobi Jackson provided sparks when they needed to.
This team still has a lot of growing up to do. The penalties that have plagued drives need to die. The running game needs to continue to be consistent, and the defense needs to apply pressure more consistently, but don’t sleep on this team. The potential is there, and the opportunity for them to prove themselves is on the horizon.
After Maryland this upcoming weekend, the schedule turns into a gauntlet. We will truly learn what kind of team the 2026 Buckeyes are. Here are the six remaining games on the OSU calendar outside of Maryland.
@ #7 Indiana
@ #19 USC
Vs #13 Oregon
Vs Northwestern (Only loss was to Indiana by 6)
@ Nebraska (Currently undefeated)
Vs TTUN
One thing I truly believe every great team has to go through in order to reach their full potential is adversity. It’s the reason they won the Natty after losing to TTUN 13-10 back in 2024. Texas felt like that loss to me this season, the gauntlet of their schedule will tell me whether this team has the attitude to bounce back like the 2024 team, or if the toxic mindset of every big game needing to be 4-quarters will prove to be yet another fatal mistake.
It ain’t gonna be easy. Some of the issues they’re facing right now can’t continue to exist against the elite teams on their schedule, but it isn’t impossible for this team to run the table and prove everyone that they are still the team to beat in the College Football world.
I can’t wait to see what this team continues to become.
O-H!
