Ohio State is reeling after a brutal Week 2 loss to the Texas Longhorns, a defeat that surely has them rethinking a whole lot of things. They’re heading back home next Saturday, undoubtedly itching to get that bad taste out of their mouths against Kent State before Big Ten play kicks off.
Kent State Rises From the Ashes, Illinois Goes Silent
Kent State’s season kicked off rough, getting shut out completely by South Carolina in Week 1. But hold up! They absolutely flipped the script in their Week 2 matchup, dropping 36 points on FCS opponent Wofford for a decisive 36-15 victory. What a turnaround! The Golden Flashes were actually down by a point at halftime, but then they slammed the door shut with a ridiculous 22 unanswered points in the fourth quarter. They are now sitting at 1-1, looking like a totally different team than the one that stumbled in their opener.
On the flip side, Illinois took a hard L at home, falling 31-27 to Duke. The Fighting Illini had a sweet 24-21 lead going into halftime, and their explosive offense looked like it was ready to put the game away. Then… nothing. They only managed to score three points in the entire second half, a tough blow that sealed their upset loss to the Blue Devils. Their quarterback, Katin Houser, actually had a solid day, completing 24 of 35 passes for 271 yards and three touchdowns. And Collin Dixon? He’s definitely Houser’s top target this season, already pulling in 11 receptions for 166 yards and three scores. But even with those individual numbers, they couldn’t close it out.
Next Up: Bounce Back or Bust?
So, Ohio State has a ton to sort out after that disappointing loss to the Longhorns. They are expected to be a strong favorite in these upcoming matchups, but they gotta tighten up. They’ll definitely be looking to fix any perceived weaknesses that showed up on tape. First up, Kent State at home next Saturday, then it’s Big Ten play opening up against Illinois the following weekend. They need to fix those weaknesses, and fast, because these next two games are all about getting back on track and showing what kind of team they truly are.
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.
Leave a Reply