Stock Market Report: Mistakes plague Buckeyes in loss to Oregon
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Ohio State gets called for a season-high eight penalties and loses to Oregon by one point.

The game that everyone anticipated all season has come and gone, and the No. 2 Buckeyes fell to the No. 3 Oregon Ducks 32-31 in Eugene.

The Buckeyes lost, and that is never fun. There are still things to be positive about and, of course, some criticism to dish out.

Here is who and what we are high and low on heading into the bye week...

---

Blue Chip​

Uniform matchup

I love a good uniform matchup. Plus, Ohio State lost this game, so it is hard to find the true silver linings. Ohio State brought back the all-whites for this one and Oregon had the all-black. With the game being played on the West Coast, it went from light to dark and made the uniforms pop even more.

It isn’t important, but it still looked cool.

---

Solid Investments ​

12-team playoff

Ohio State lost a game, but every single goal they have is still right in front of them. That is a new feeling and a good feeling. With the 12-team playoff and no divisions, Ohio State can still win the conference, beat Michigan, make the playoff and win a national championship.

They need to clean some things up on the field, no doubt, but realistically, every goal the Buckeyes have is still attainable, and that is a good feeling.

Will Howard

I understand people who are out on Howard, and they are mad that he slid down a second too late. However, overall Will Howard showed that he can lead this team.

He was 28-for-35 for 326 yards and three total touchdowns. He made the right decisions and made almost every throw throughout the game. It can be true that he made a bad decision at the end of the game, but he played great in general and proved he could play at a high level in the biggest games.

---

Junk Bond​

Defense

Howard and Ryan Day will take the brunt of the criticism for the loss, and there is plenty to go around, but the defense simply did not step up in this one. They had a chance to get one stop at the end of the game and win it, and they didn’t. In fact, in their last five games against ranked teams, they haven’t forced a punt in the fourth quarter. At all.

This isn’t good or championship-level. Something has to change with that unit.

---

Buy/Sell​

Buy: The running game

The running game was nonexistent in the second half of this game. They ran 12 times for 19 yards. Josh Simmons was hurt in the second quarter, and that likely affected the game plan moving forward. However, the Buckeyes will need the running game to show up as we move forward this season.

Chip Kelly is still calling plays, and TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins are still incredibly talented. I don’t have concerns moving forward.

Buy: Denzel Burke moving forward

I am going to die on this hill, and I accept that. I still think Denzel Burke can be a CB1 for the Buckeyes. He had the worst possible game that he could have, but he has bounced back before, and I think he will do it again.

This surely won’t look like a horrible take come January, right?

Sell: Injuries

One of the things Ohio State had going for them was a clean injury report coming into this game. Now, they are without Simmons for (likely) the rest of the season, and Tegra Tshobola is banged up. Also, Jordan Burch did not play for Oregon.

Injuries suck. You always want to see players healthy, no matter who they are.

Sell: Losing big games

Ryan Day is 2-6 against top five teams in his career. I do think all of those things need context, and a lot of bad luck has been involved, but the record is the record — and it isn’t good.

Penn State will very likely be in the top-five in three weeks when they play Ohio State, so he will have a chance to go to 3-6. For now, it looks bleak for the Buckeyes when the talent is level.

Continue reading...