Ohio State is 2-1, but at no point during the Buckeyes' 56-3 win over Kent State in Week 3 did the crowd at the "Shoe" feel like celebrating.
There was an anxiety that persisted throughout the first half as Ohio State wasn't dominating the Golden Flashes thoroughly enough. The FOX announcers sounded far from blown away by the Buckeyes.
That was with a 35-0 lead in the first half. That was with 382 passing yards and Jeremiah Smith breaking the all-time program record for receiving yards. Nothing short of matching Dan Lanning's cocky 84-point win for Oregon against Portland State was going to satisfy the fans in the stands.
The blown 20-point fourth-quarter lead in the Texas loss was still on the mind, and the Kent State win did anything but make Ohio State fans forget about it.
Ohio State carries pent-up anxiety into the Illinois game
The worst part about the post-Longhorns loss period was waiting to get back in the win column against a Power 4 team. OSU is 0-3 against its last three ranked opponents dating back to last year's Big Ten Championship Game.
The Buckeyes got the Golden Flashes out of the way, but now Illinois awaits. Ohio State will be favored to win in Week 4, but that won't make fans' anxiety dissipate unless it's a true statement victory.
2026 is going to be an extremely difficult season. Though the MAC teams have been handled as expected, Texas already giving the Buckeyes a loss makes every Big Ten matchup a nail-biter going into it. That's especially true against Iowa, Indiana, USC, Oregon, and TTUN.
That's a lot of losable games, quite frankly. Ohio State fans are upset that the program is already carrying a loss, at minimum, into them.
Ohio State loses key players to injury in Week 3
The Buckeyes lost two players in Week 3 who were expected to be contributors this season. Their absences have varying projected timetables.
Legend Bey left the game with an ankle injury. While the freshman running back was pushing to get back into the game, he never made it. Bey is expected to be back sooner rather than later, though Ryan Day couldn't confirm postgame whether Week 4 was on the table.
Meanwhile, defensive tackle James Smith left the game with an arm injury. Smith was carted off the field. His return is even less clear.
Losing such important pieces certainly put a damper on the afternoon. Smith was lost when there was no need to have him on the field, so there are additional coaching questions there.
It was a disappointing afternoon for the Buckeyes' health, and it only contributed to the unfulfilled feelings fans are taking through this season.
2025 was the opposite of a championship hangover. Something happened in the postseason that changed everything, though. Ohio State still hasn't recovered.
Let's hope the Buckeyes get their act together before long. The Hawkeyes loom in early October. Perhaps the Fighting Illini aren't to be written off beforehand, either.
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