Everybody knows Ohio State football has been one of the most dominant teams in all of sports over the last decade. Seeing them struggle is rare but has been something relatively common this year.
The most questionable part of the Buckeyes has been the quarterback position. Kyle McCord was named the starter for the Buckeyes after week one and has started every game this year.
“The quarterback play is the worst it has been over the last decade,” Buckeye fan and senior Luke Siefker said. “Our offense is completely different now.”
McCord has thrown for 11 touchdowns and only one interception this year. Hearing those stats, one may think he is having a pretty good season. But that doesn’t tell the whole story. While he has missed some throws, they are still an undefeated team.
“It seems he really lacks the experience in the big games that JT Barret and Justin Fields provided us,” Siefker said. As a first year starter, this is expected of McCord.
With the lack of experience, there comes a lack of confidence. McCord has two of the best receivers in the nation with Marvin Harrison Jr. and Emeka Egbuka. Harrison Jr. had 77 catches and 1,263 receiving yards in 2022, proving he will catch just about anything thrown his way.
Looking at the roster outside of the quarterback position, this team is one of the best they have had in years. “They are national championship contenders,” Sieker said. “This defense is playing the best it has in a long time and they have two of the best receivers in the nation.”
Ohio State’s defense allowed ranked Notre Dame to only score 14 points on them, which was a very good showing. The most points they have allowed is 17 points. Over the years, Ohio State has had to rely on their offense to win, but this year their defense seems to be the game changers.
Many questions have surrounded head coach Ryan Day. Living up to legendary buckeye coach Urban Meyer is not an easy task, as Day has struggled with ranked teams since taking the job as head coach.
Nevertheless, Day gets the job done. After a huge win against No. 9 ranked team Notre Dame, Day was interviewed on the field. “What he said about our team, I cannot believe. This is a tough team right here,” Day said. “We’re proud to be from Ohio. It’s always been Ohio against the world.”
It is not often someone sees a head coach say things like this, especially in the loud, angry tone that Day did. “The interview really showed how Day felt about the team,” Buckeye fan and senior Dominic Lee said.
That game was won by the Buckeyes in the last seconds of the game, as Chip Traynum ran into the endzone with one second left. That game would set momentum for the Buckeyes as they would beat No. 6 ranked Penn state a few weeks later. They look to finish out the season undefeated and look forward to the rivalry game between Michigan on Nov. 25.
