After their stunning loss to Oregon, the Ohio State Buckeyes had a bye week to lick their wounds. The downside is that it’s led to a lot of extra time to criticize them about how they lost that game.
Few voices on that front have been more prominent than Nick Saban, as Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day’s former rival criticized the Ohio State defense for allowing the Ducks to score 32 points while failing sack Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel. Saban called the Ohio State pass rush “antiquated” and addressed how Gabriel completed 23 of 34 passes for 341 yards and two touchdowns while adding a massive rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter of the 32-31 win.
Day was in no position to argue with Saban here. Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Day conceded that it’s “accurate” to say that simply because it’s not working right now.
“When it doesn’t work, it’s accurate,” Day said, via Buckeyes insider Andy Backstrom. “It’s not working.”
Ryan Day, when asked about Nick Saban calling the Ohio State pass rush vs. Oregon “antiquated.”
“When it doesn’t work, it’s accurate. It’s not working.”
Day emphasized something needs to change, and that the #Buckeyes are working on it.
— Andy Backstrom (@andybackstrom) October 22, 2024
Many fans have criticized the Ohio State Buckeyes for starting the year off with an easy slate of games and not being tested by any opponents until they took on Oregon.
Ohio State returns to action this weekend against a Nebraska team that just lost by seven touchdowns to Indiana, but then kick off a November slate that is a bit of a slog.
Getty Images.
On November 2, the Buckeyes face rival Penn State in a meeting that will likely serve as a Big Ten Championship Game elimination game. They then play Purdue and Northwestern before a final two weeks against No. 13 Indiana and arch-rival Michigan.
A loss to any of their final six opponents likely spells the end of their Big Ten title ambitions, but may not exclude them from the College Football Playoff depending on how things play out.
How will Ohio State respond against Nebraska this week?
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