Ohio State Football: C.J. Stroud did not lose the Oregon game

The Ohio State football program is not used to losing, so when it happens there is typically blame thrown at anyone who might be responsible. C.J. Stroud was not perfect, but he did not lose the game for the Buckeyes.

Ohio State does not lose often. The last time the Buckeyes had more than one loss was in 2017. The last time the Buckeyes ended a season with more than two losses was in 2011. Between Jim Tressel, Urban Meyer, and now Ryan Day Ohio State has seen a two-decade run of success. So, when the team loses, the sky tends to fall in Columbus.

Now this team has plenty of flaws. It is hard to defend the defense after getting shredded on the ground for the first two games of the season. Equally perplexing was Ohio State’s inability to run the ball themselves. The team also could not convert on third and fourth downs which left several drives without points. These were all key factors in the Buckeyes’ loss.

What should not be included, but has been getting torn apart, was C.J. Stroud’s performance.

Stroud is not perfect, and he did not have a perfect game, but his performance was more than enough for Ohio State to get the win. Here is why Stroud should not be blamed for the loss and where he does need to improve.