Game Thread Kent State at tOSU, Sept. 19th, 12pm ET, FOX
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Just sayin'; In case you didn't know...The O-Zone is still around.
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The hard part is over. At least for now. No. 6 Ohio State will return home Saturday afternoon for its final non-conference game of the 2026 season when the Buckeyes host Kent State at Ohio Stadium.
Kickoff is set for noon ET, with the game airing nationally on FOX. A week after Ohio State let a 20-point fourth-quarter lead slip away in a 24-23 loss at Texas, the Buckeyes will face a very different kind of challenge against the Golden Flashes. Kent State enters the game 1-1 after opening the season with a 57-0 loss to South Carolina before bouncing back to beat Wofford.
That makes Saturday less about whether Ohio State can win and more about what the Buckeyes can accomplish while doing it.
Ohio State has already shown what it can look like at its best this season. Now it has a chance to clean up some of the things that went wrong in Austin, get some younger players more involved and build some momentum heading into Big Ten play.
The Buckeyes controlled most of that game before failing to score in the fourth quarter and watching Texas erase a 23-3 deficit. Julian Sayin finished with 278 passing yards, one touchdown and one interception, while Ohio State’s offense struggled to consistently move the ball when the game mattered most.
Kent State will not provide anything close to the same test.
The Golden Flashes have allowed 409 yards per game through two games, compared to just 250.5 yards per game allowed by Ohio State. The Buckeyes are also averaging 521.5 yards per game offensively.
That does not mean Ohio State can simply show up and expect everything to work. It does mean this is an opportunity for the Buckeyes to get back to doing the things they know they can do before the schedule gets much more difficult.
The loss of Zion Grady against Texas created another variable in that rotation, with players such as Qua Russaw, Beau Atkinson and freshman Khary Wilder potentially taking on larger roles.
That is one of the reasons this game matters despite the obvious talent gap. Ohio State needs to figure out what its best defensive line combinations look like before Big Ten play begins. Saturday provides an opportunity to get those players on the field and see how they handle extended snaps.
The Buckeyes also need to get back to the kind of defensive performance they showed early against Texas. The fourth quarter exposed some issues that Ohio State will need to address, particularly up front. Kent State should give the Buckeyes a chance to do that.
Some of those players have already established themselves in the rotation. Others are still trying to find consistent opportunities.
Jay Timmons has become a regular contributor in the secondary, while players such as Legend Bey, Chris Henry Jr., Brock Boyd and Khary Wilder have all flashed early in the season. Saturday could provide an opportunity for some of those players to get more meaningful snaps.
The same applies to the linebacker position, where sophomores Riley Pettijohn and TJ Alford are behind Christian Alliegro and Payton Pierce but could see more work against Kent State.
Connor Hawkins missed a 45-yard field goal against Texas that became particularly costly when the Longhorns used the ensuing opportunity to complete their comeback. Joe McGuire also had a 26-yard punt from the Texas 39-yard line that failed to flip the field.
Ryan Day has continued to express confidence in the unit, but Saturday provides another chance to get those areas cleaned up. Legend Bey is also expected to return to his role as a kick returner after making a couple of questionable decisions against Ball State.
These are small things compared to what went wrong in Austin. But small things become much more important once Big Ten play begins.
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The question is how long Ohio State’s starters will remain on the field. If the Buckeyes can build a comfortable lead early, this becomes an opportunity to get some of those younger players meaningful snaps and give the coaching staff another look at the depth chart.
I expect Ohio State to do exactly that. The Buckeyes get back on track, the young players get plenty of opportunities and Ohio State heads into Big Ten play with some of the questions from the Texas game beginning to look a little less concerning.
Ohio State 59, Kent State 6
Ohio State vs. Kent State Preview: Buckeyes Look to Bounce Back, Build Momentum | The-Ozone
COLUMBUS, Ohio — The hard part is over. At least for now. No. 6 Ohio State will return home Saturday afternoon for its final non-conference game of the 2026 season when the Buckeyes host Kent State at Ohio Stadium. Kickoff is set for noon ET, with the game airing nationally on FOX. A week after …
theozone.net
Ohio State vs. Kent State Preview: Buckeyes Look to Bounce Back, Build Momentum
The hard part is over. At least for now. No. 6 Ohio State will return home Saturday afternoon for its final non-conference game of the 2026 season when the Buckeyes host Kent State at Ohio Stadium.
Kickoff is set for noon ET, with the game airing nationally on FOX. A week after Ohio State let a 20-point fourth-quarter lead slip away in a 24-23 loss at Texas, the Buckeyes will face a very different kind of challenge against the Golden Flashes. Kent State enters the game 1-1 after opening the season with a 57-0 loss to South Carolina before bouncing back to beat Wofford.
That makes Saturday less about whether Ohio State can win and more about what the Buckeyes can accomplish while doing it.
Ohio State has already shown what it can look like at its best this season. Now it has a chance to clean up some of the things that went wrong in Austin, get some younger players more involved and build some momentum heading into Big Ten play.
Can Ohio State Get Back Into Its Rhythm?
The biggest question coming out of the Texas game is how quickly Ohio State can move on from it.The Buckeyes controlled most of that game before failing to score in the fourth quarter and watching Texas erase a 23-3 deficit. Julian Sayin finished with 278 passing yards, one touchdown and one interception, while Ohio State’s offense struggled to consistently move the ball when the game mattered most.
Kent State will not provide anything close to the same test.
The Golden Flashes have allowed 409 yards per game through two games, compared to just 250.5 yards per game allowed by Ohio State. The Buckeyes are also averaging 521.5 yards per game offensively.
That does not mean Ohio State can simply show up and expect everything to work. It does mean this is an opportunity for the Buckeyes to get back to doing the things they know they can do before the schedule gets much more difficult.
What Happens Along the Defensive Line?
Ohio State’s defensive line is one of the more interesting position groups to watch Saturday. Kenyatta Jackson Jr., Eddrick Houston and John Walker have been the primary interior pieces, while the Buckeyes have continued to work through their options on the edge.The loss of Zion Grady against Texas created another variable in that rotation, with players such as Qua Russaw, Beau Atkinson and freshman Khary Wilder potentially taking on larger roles.
That is one of the reasons this game matters despite the obvious talent gap. Ohio State needs to figure out what its best defensive line combinations look like before Big Ten play begins. Saturday provides an opportunity to get those players on the field and see how they handle extended snaps.
The Buckeyes also need to get back to the kind of defensive performance they showed early against Texas. The fourth quarter exposed some issues that Ohio State will need to address, particularly up front. Kent State should give the Buckeyes a chance to do that.
Will Some of the Young Players Get More Opportunities?
Ohio State entered the season with one of the youngest rosters in the country, and Ryan Day has already shown a willingness to get those players on the field.The Buckeyes played 21 true freshmen against Ball State.Some of those players have already established themselves in the rotation. Others are still trying to find consistent opportunities.
Jay Timmons has become a regular contributor in the secondary, while players such as Legend Bey, Chris Henry Jr., Brock Boyd and Khary Wilder have all flashed early in the season. Saturday could provide an opportunity for some of those players to get more meaningful snaps.
The same applies to the linebacker position, where sophomores Riley Pettijohn and TJ Alford are behind Christian Alliegro and Payton Pierce but could see more work against Kent State.
Can Ohio State Clean Up Special Teams?
Special teams probably would not be at the top of the list of concerns coming into this game. It might be now.Connor Hawkins missed a 45-yard field goal against Texas that became particularly costly when the Longhorns used the ensuing opportunity to complete their comeback. Joe McGuire also had a 26-yard punt from the Texas 39-yard line that failed to flip the field.
Ryan Day has continued to express confidence in the unit, but Saturday provides another chance to get those areas cleaned up. Legend Bey is also expected to return to his role as a kick returner after making a couple of questionable decisions against Ball State.
These are small things compared to what went wrong in Austin. But small things become much more important once Big Ten play begins.
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continued
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Score Prediction
This should be one of the more comfortable games on Ohio State’s schedule. Kent State has already shown it can struggle against a Power Four opponent, while Ohio State has a significant advantage at virtually every position. The Buckeyes should also be motivated to play well after what happened in Austin.The question is how long Ohio State’s starters will remain on the field. If the Buckeyes can build a comfortable lead early, this becomes an opportunity to get some of those younger players meaningful snaps and give the coaching staff another look at the depth chart.
I expect Ohio State to do exactly that. The Buckeyes get back on track, the young players get plenty of opportunities and Ohio State heads into Big Ten play with some of the questions from the Texas game beginning to look a little less concerning.
Ohio State 59, Kent State 6
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