The main goal for Ohio State was to go 1-0 to start the season. Check, but things surely did not go perfectly for Ryan Day and his playmakers in this one. Despite the lopsided 56-3 score, the Buckeyes struggled at times on both sides of the ball, which is not ideal with the monster tilt with Texas next up on the schedule. Despite that, everyone can't just be gloomy after the final whistle, as there were still plenty of positives.
Despite a bit of a slow start on offense, Julian Sayin and Jeremiah Smith woke up midway through the first quarter, while Bo Jackson and Ja'Kobi Jackson also had The Shoe rocking in the second half with some long touchdown runs. Still, we've got our winners and losers from the action, and some of the guys on our list shouldn't surprise you
Jeremiah Smith (winner) gave Malachi Toney something to think about
To start us off, we've got to bring up the play of Smith, who started his final campaign in Columbus off with a 48-yard touchdown. The ball was on the money from Sayin, with Smith doing what was needed to make sure he came down with the pigskin.
There's been a ton of talk about Malachi Toney being the best wideout in the country, but Smith went ahead and said, hold the phone on that. Smith didn't have to be at his best against Ball State, but him reminding everyone he's superhuman was fun to see. On the day, he finished with eight receptions for 151 yards and two touchdowns.
Legend Bey (loser on special teams - winner on offense) has a lot of growing up to do for the Buckeyes
We're going to cheat a bit here with Legend Bey, giving him nods for both. In the second half, the true freshman looked electric, highlighted by his unreal touchdown reception. Fans saw his explosiveness, and he's got monster potential moving forward. However, it was his special teams work that left people scratching their heads and Day a bit annoyed.
On the opening kickoff, Bey took the ball out of the end zone despite wideout Brandon Inniss putting his hands up and telling him not to. Alright, no biggie, freshman mistake. However, later in the first half, Bey did the exact same thing AGAIN, which was unacceptable. He's a young man who's going to go through ups and downs, but when issues like this are repeated, it's inexcusable.
OH NO Legend Bey pic.twitter.com/VdIOflPWD8
— Pick 6 Pack (@Pick6PackFB) September 5, 2026
Devin McCuin made Ryan Day look like a genius in the Week 1 win
Earlier this summer, Day raised eyebrows when he said that Devin McCuin was 'as good as anyone we've had' at Ohio State. Against Ball State, McCuin, a UTSA transfer, thanked Day for those kind words by living up to the hype and showcasing the strong relationship he's built with Sayin.
In the win, the 6-0, 195-pound receiver was second on the team behind Smith with his six receptions and 97 yards for a touchdown. In order for the Buckeyes to make serious noise this fall, McCuin will need to play at a high level and keep being a reliable option for Sayin. So far, so good.
Tavien St. Clair (loser) appears to be the QB3 option for Ohio State for now
One of the biggest surprises from the big win for Ohio State was the fact that Luke Fahey was the one to lead the offense out onto the field in relief of Sayin. What?! The two have been in a battle for the QB2 job, but plenty of OSU supporters assumed St. Clair, a former 5-star prospect from the 2025 class, would win the job.
Instead, Fahey was the second QB in action, hooking up with Bey for a touchdown that's going to be replayed for the next few weeks. It's definitely way too early to think about St. Clair being on transfer watch, but if a true freshman beats him out for the backup role, what does that mean for his future if Day keeps the order this way?
Arthur Smith (winner) turned things around in the second half to get people off his back
Straight up, there were a ton of concerns with the way the offense was looking in the first half, particularly up front. The rushing attack in the first 30 minutes was non-existent, which had some people ready to hit the panic button while voicing their concerns about new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith.
Thankfully, whatever Smith told his offense at halftime worked, as the ground game alone was much better in the second half, with Bo Jackson and Ja'Kobi Jackson recording 83 yards and a touchdown each, with both TD scores coming after the halftime break. Adjustments were made, and more of the same will be needed from Smith with Texas up next.
Offensive line coach Tyler Bowen (loser) needs to light a fire under his guys
Yes, the offensive line looked improved in the second half, but man, what on earth was going on to start things off? Offensive line coach Tyler Bowen introduced a new lineup, but right tackle Phillip Daniels in particular didn't look ready to answer the call for this group.
In the past, Ohio State's offensive line has been a major problem, including last season. This can't be what holds the Buckeyes back in 2026, which is on Bowen to figure out. Against Ball State, from left to right, Ian Moore, Luke Montgomery, Carson Hinzman, Austin Siereveld, and Phillip Daniels were the starters. There's no guarantee that's going to be the case vs. the Longhorns.
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