No. 3 Ohio State isn’t invulnerable in spite of everything.
Throughout Saturday’s sport, the Buckeyes gave up a landing to Marshall working again Ethan Payne on the primary drive — one which lasted practically seven minutes and 13 performs.
It took three video games and 4 weeks (Ohio State was on a bye week in Week 3) for an opponent to lastly crack the Buckeyes’ shell in 2024.
It is the first time since 2007 that it took at the very least three video games for Ohio State to surrender its first landing of the season. That yr, it held Youngstown State and Akron to a mixed eight factors earlier than giving up two touchdowns to Washington in Week 3.
Marshall went on to attain once more within the first half, with huge receiver Elijah Metcalf making a tip-toe seize behind the top zone within the last seconds earlier than the half expired.
Although the 2007 coincidence could also be unwelcome information for Buckeyes followers, the crew — ranked No. 1 on the time — additionally went on to lose to then-No. 2 ranked LSU within the BCS Championship sport later that very same season.
Ohio State shall be trying to break that development and declare its first nationwide title because the inaugural School Soccer Playoff in 2014-15.
This yr’s expanded playoff, now 12 groups, offers Ohio State with ample alternative to take action — particularly with a roster valued at $20 million in NIL funds.
Marshall head coach Charles Huff really (jokingly) tried to bribe Buckeye gamers with all-you-can-eat biscuit NIL offers in the event that they transferred to his program.
It would not sound like they listened as a result of Ohio State recovered from Marshall’s early look in the long run zone, taking a 28-14 lead into the halftime locker room.
