Ohio State came into this game with momentum and a renewed focus. Miami would provide the perfect challenge and would be a good barometer for how well the Buckeyes developed in three weeks.
If tonight was any indication, Ohio State has a long way to go.
Miami stormed out of the gate and took it to the Buckeyes. Much like in Madison last year, Ohio State was behind the eight ball early and the result was the same. The Hurricanes gave the Buckeyes their first loss of the season.
Miami for their part, made big plays early. Ohio State’s defense made many mental mistakes. They continue to miss tackles and some lapses in coverage led to big plays early. However, the Silver Bullets rebounded well. They played much better for the rest of the game and that is an accomplishment considering they were on the field for most it.
The Buckeyes’ offense didn’t do the Silver Bullets any favors.
Ohio State could not get anything going in the air offensively. Joe Bauserman wasn’t stellar and that’s putting it lightly. While there were several drops, he seemed to take too long making decisions and he did overthrow several receivers. At this point, he doesn’t seem to be the answer.
Meanwhile, Braxton Miller struggled, but he also helped the offense gain momentum. When he’s in the game defenses must account for his running ability, which at the very least should give Ohio State the chance to find areas to exploit. Still, Miller is a work in progress. He had two fumbles (one lost) and one interception.
At least the offensive line and Jordan Hall showed up.
The line did a great job generating push up front and Hall ran like a wild man. He provided the Buckeyes with a boost and helped the offense move down the field.
It was puzzling the coaching staff abandoned the running game in the first part of the second half. Instead, they tried to generate a passing game but to no avail.
So what is there to make of the Buckeyes?
Clearly, they are not as talented as past seasons. However, it wasn’t lack of talent that cost them the game. It was mental mistakes by both the coaches and players. Miami is a good team but they weren’t far above the Buckeyes. If Ohio State executed better on both sides of the ball, the outcome could have been completely different.
Going forward, Ohio State has many questions to answer.
Tonight revealed Ohio State doesn’t have a reliable quarterback, the defense has a tendency to allow big plays and the coaching staff (especially on offense) doesn’t seem to know what to do. When you add all of these factors up, it’s easy to see why Buckeye Nation may worry about the rest of this season.
Photo by Joel Auerbach/Getty Images
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