Despite suffering a scare against Nebraska last Saturday, the Ohio State Buckeyes remain one of the best teams in all of college football.
In the grand scheme of things, Ryan Day’s boys are right where they need to be. As long as they take care of Big Ten business going forward, they have as good of a shot as anyone to win the national championship.
Having said that, an old rival thinks that Ohio State’s “soft” schedule has done nothing but hurt them this season.
That’s right. Former Heisman Trophy winner and Michigan legend Desmond Howard isn’t holding back on his assessment of the Buckeyes’ strength of schedule.
According to Howard, Ohio State’s relatively easy slate so far this season may not have prepared them for the intense competition that lies ahead.
“You get a false impression of how great you are when you’re going up and down the field against inferior opponents,” Howard said on ESPN.
After a strong start, the Buckeyes have shown signs of struggle, particularly on the defensive end.
Ohio State’s 32-31 loss to Oregon was a heartbreaker. Most fans recognize that if that matchup is played on a neutral field, the Buckeyes probably win 8 out of 10 times.
Regardless, the narrow escape against Nebraska caused some concern in Columbus.
Over their last two games, Ohio State’s defense has given up an average of 24.5 points per game – a stark contrast to the team’s early-season form, when they allowed just under seven points per game through the first five games.
Despite these challenges, Ohio State still boasts a 6-1 record and is 3-1 in Big Ten conference play.
Yet, with mounting pressure to capture the Big Ten title and secure a spot in the College Football Playoff (and beyond), fans and analysts alike are scrutinizing the Ohio State’s performance.
Day has remained confident in his team’s potential, but even former Ohio State coach Urban Meyer acknowledged the challenges.
Meyer has praised this year’s roster, calling it “the best” he’s seen in recent years, with highly skilled players like freshman wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, who has already hauled in 35 receptions for 623 yards and eight touchdowns.
Prior to the season, Meyer even stated that he wouldn’t be surprised if this year’s Buckeyes end up being the best team in program history.
While some Ohio State fans will laugh at the irony of a Michigan Man calling their schedule soft, Howard may have a point.
Ohio State’s early season wins came largely against non-conference teams, including Marshall, Akron, and Western Michigan. They also recorded blowout victories over Michigan State and Iowa prior to the close call against Nebraska.
As we know, schedules are set years in advance, and it’s not like Ohio State is the only powerhouse playing a comfortable early season schedule.
Regardless, Howard believes the soft slate is counterproductive and leads to false confidence and false growth.
“They have a lot of talent, and we saw that in the early part of the season,” Howard added. “Now there have been some question marks that’s come up, because of the way they have struggled defensively on the road.”
The real test of Ohio State’s championship potential will come this weekend, as they head to Happy Valley to face an undefeated Penn State team.
Not to sound overly dramatic, but Saturday is one of the biggest games of James Franklin’s life.
We all know the story with Franklin’s Nittany Lions. They beat up on the entire Big Ten. But when it comes time to fight the bullies of the conference – Ohio State and Michigan – they fold like a cheap tent.
We’ll see if Franklin and Penn State can change the negative narrative surrounding their program.
Both ESPN’s College GameDay and FOX’s Big Noon Kickoff will be in attendance in Happy Valley with kickoff for the epic clash set for noon EST.
Getting back to Howard, what are your thoughts on his comments? … Does he have a point???
