The Buckeye defense was abhorrent against the Ducks.
It was an ugly out for the defense. The numbers don’t tell the whole story, but they do tell a part of it. Ohio State came into the game allowing 95.8 yards on the ground. Oregon got 108, and OSU’s average is up to 97.1, which is 15th best in the nation.
The passing defense had been allowing only 177.8 yards per game and gave up 287 to the Ducks. That pushed Ohio State’s season total to 189.9 per game, 35th in the FBS. Their total yards allowed were only 272.3 per game, and Oregon put up over 120 over that average with 395 yards.
That put the Bucks' season average up to 287. That’s 14th in college football right now. The scoring was even worse. Ohio State had been allowing 15.9 points per game before giving up 41 to Oregon. OSU is now allowing 18.3 points per game, which is 21st in college football. The defense followed up a laid egg on the road with an even bigger screw-up at home.
Remove Ohio State’s three layup wins over Ball State, Kent State, and Maryland, and you get a more accurate picture. The rushing yards per game allowed become 112.7 per game, which would be near 28th, not 15th.
Their passing yards allowed would be 243.7, 114th instead of 35th. The total yards would be 356.4, which would put the ranking closer to 66th than 14th. The scoring defense would be adjusted to 23.8 points per game, which would be near 64th and not 21st.
What the defense needs to improve on
Find a way to pass rush. Ohio State is 119th in the nation in sacks, with nine as a team through nine games. They’re tied with Rutgers, Purdue, Western Kentucky, Middle Tennessee, Marshall, and Arkansas at 119th. It doesn’t help when your previous defensive coordinator, with whom your coach had a bad breakup, is leading the nation with 39 sacks recorded by his defense.
It would help to stop dropping a defensive end into coverage on every play and get away from zone defenses. Ohio State has never been good with zone defenses. The last time I can remember one being tried this hard was 2013, and it had about as much success.
Finally, find a way to pick off a pass. Dropping your best pass rushers into coverage and playing zone aren’t working in any way. Ohio State has four interceptions this year, which ranks 106th in the nation. When you remove dominating performances against bad teams, there isn’t much this defense is doing very well right now.
Defensive stat of the game
This is the first time the team has allowed 38 unanswered points since 1999, when Ohio State blew a 14-0 lead against Wisconsin, which was a contender for this dubious distinction. 2020 was the last time Ohio State gave up more points than this in a loss, which is another noteworthy stat.
I went with the difference in how Dylan Raiola played against UCLA at home and Ohio State on the road. Raiola put up 257 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions against one of the top programs on the road. At home against a new head coach and a team that’s been in the college football basement for decades, he was 6 of 19 for 43 yards and 2 interceptions.
It got him benched for third-string quarterback Brock Thomas. A competent coach held Raiola to 43 yards and two picks. Ohio State allowed 257 yards and two touchdowns.
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