Man, talk about a fall from grace. Remember back in August when Oregon and Ohio State were hyped as the preseason No. 1 and No. 2 teams in college football? Fast forward to Week 10, and it’s a completely different picture, with Oregon unranked at 5-3 and Ohio State sitting at No. 11 with a 6-2 record. This ain’t the “most highly anticipated game” anyone thought it would be, that’s for sure. The Ducks’ shot at the College Football Playoff is basically GONE, but here’s the kicker: Ohio State, even with two losses, doesn’t even have to win out to stay in the hunt. Why? Because their roster is still absolutely stacked.
Luke Fahey Steps Up at Quarterback, But the Drives Stall
The Buckeyes hit a major snag when starting quarterback Julian Sayin went down with a throwing arm injury. That immediately pushed true freshman Luke Fahey into action, and he definitely showed flashes in his first career start against USC. This kid, who surprisingly beat out 2025 five-star Tavien St. Clair for the backup gig, was solid, no doubt about it. He slung it for 260 yards on 21-of-38 passes, added a touchdown, and, crucially, no turnovers against the Trojans. That’s a huge positive for a true freshman jumping into the fire. But here’s the rub: they settled for four field goals, struggling to finish drives. You gotta turn those red-zone trips into seven points, not three, if you want to win big games. Fahey’s got some dual-threat ability too, and at 5-foot-11, 206 pounds, he’s got that knack for dropping back to see over the line. His arm isn’t the strongest, but his high school rep for accuracy and anticipation definitely popped up against USC. They lost that game to USC 30-18 back on October 31, but Fahey proved he’s got talent.
Bo Jackson’s Numbers Are Down, But the Blame Game Is Complex
Over in the backfield, Bo Jackson is still the bell cow, just like he was as a true freshman in 2025. This dude is a bruiser at 6-foot, 218 pounds, using that frame to shake off tacklers like it’s nothing. He’s got that physical-yet-nimble combo that makes him similar to Oregon’s Jordon Davison. The problem? His yards per carry are down from 6.1 last year to 5.0 this season. And frankly, it’s not all on him. The source says the running game as a whole is struggling. You can’t expect a back to consistently hit big numbers if the entire unit isn’t opening lanes. He’s tough to take down, and they need to figure out how to get him going for those crucial late-season pushes.
Jeremiah Smith Is the Real Deal
And then there’s Jeremiah Smith. We’re talking about the consensus top player in the entire sport at wide receiver. That’s it. That’s the tweet. When you’ve got a guy like that on the field, even with a freshman quarterback, he changes the game every single snap. The Buckeyes’ defense reloads every year, so you know they’re bringing the heat there too. Even with those two losses, this team is still absolutely stacked with talent. They’re going into Columbus on Saturday with a 12:30 p.m. PT kickoff, and while it might not be the clash of titans everyone expected, there’s still a whole lot of talent on that field ready to prove they belong in the College Football Playoff conversation.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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