Since holding the then-No. 1 Texas Longhorns to just seven points, the Ohio State Buckeyes have only looked more and more dominant on defense.
This season, they are the only team in the entirety of the FBS to not allow a red zone score this year (zero touchdowns and zero field goals within the 20-yard line).
The Horns scored a throw-away touchdown toward the end of the fourth quarter on a 32-yard pass from Arch Manning, then the Buckeyes shut out the Grambling Tigers in a 70-0 win, and last week, Ohio State only let the Ohio Bobcats score on a 67-yard breakaway touchdown reception and a 44-yard field goal.
Simply put, the Ohio State defense has been the best in the country this year, dominating at the line of scrimmage, playing nearly flawless coverage in the secondary, and pressuring the quarterback anytime he holds onto the ball.
All of that is thanks to the Buckeyes’ new defensive coordinator, Matt Patricia, whom head coach Ryan Day hired during the offseason.
Matt Patricia’s resume before joining the Buckeyes
Patricia is best known for his time with the New England Patriots, where he won three Super Bowls under head coach Bill Belichick.
However, he started at the collegiate level, just like almost any other coach, working his way up from being a graduate assistant at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1996 to being the Patriots’ Defensive Coordinator in 2012 to becoming the Detroit Lions head coach in 2018.
Now, Patricia has returned to college as Ohio State’s DC, and it is clearly paying its dividends. Over the 3-0 start for the Buckeyes, Patricia’s defense has given up just 16 total points, outscoring its opponents by 107 combined points.
Up next, Ohio State faces the Washington Huskies in their first Big Ten game of the season. To put it lightly, the Buckeyes are once again expected to blow their opponent out of the water.
OSU and UW are scheduled to kick off on Saturday, Sept. 27, in Week 5. Kick off time has yet to be announced but the game will be aired on CBS and Paramount+.