Game Preview: Ohio State vs Grambling
Coming off a heavyweight showdown against Texas, Ohio State shifts gears this week. After proving they can go toe-to-toe with the No. 1 team in the nation and come away with a hard-fought 14–7 win, the Buckeyes welcome Grambling State to the Horseshoe. It’s a matchup that pits one of college football’s modern powerhouses against one of the most tradition-rich programs in HBCU history.
Ryan Day framed the Texas win as both a benchmark and a building block: “When you play a game like that, I think it builds confidence. You went toe-to-toe with one of the better teams in the entire country, personnel-wise and schematically. There’s a lot to grow on, a lot to build on, but we got a lot of work to do.” The next step is taking that foundation and showing growth against a team Ohio State should dominate.
Know The Opponent:
Head Coach: Mickey Joseph (2nd season)
2025 Record: 1-0
Conference: SWAC
Location: Grambling, LA
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗿 𝗩𝗼𝗹. 𝟬𝟮 𝗙𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧 𝗧𝗢𝗚𝗘𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗥 🍿🔥🎥 pic.twitter.com/km3poT8652
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) September 4, 2025
Ohio State Preview
The Buckeyes proved plenty in Week 1 — toughness at the line of scrimmage, resilience in the red zone, and composure from a first-time starting quarterback. But Week 2 will be about showing polish.
Julian Sayin, the true freshman, was efficient against Texas. He completed 13-of-20 passes, avoided mistakes, and delivered a perfect strike to Carnell Tate for the game’s decisive touchdown. Day praised his maturity: “It wasn’t as clean as we would like it to have been, but that’s OK. It’s Week 1… I don’t think that rattled him. I think he kept playing and made some good throws.” Against Grambling, the expectation is to stretch the field, work through progressions, and gain confidence leading the offense in rhythm.
The running game remains a point of emphasis. CJ Donaldson and James Peoples ran hard against Texas, but neither broke a run longer than eight yards. “There are a lot of things we’re gonna grow from,” Day said. Fans could see freshmen Bo Jackson and Isaiah West make their debuts, giving Ohio State a chance to evaluate its future depth.
Defensively, Arvell Reese and Davison Igbinosun set the tone against Texas, helping secure a goal-line stand that Day called one of his favorite moments: “That moment, to step up and get a stop there on the 1-yard line was a big, big play for our team.” Facing Grambling will provide chances for younger linebackers like Payton Pierce and Garrett Stover to see extended time, while the secondary may give Jeremiah Smith reps as a punt returner — a wrinkle Day admitted “we were trying to keep quiet.”
The Buckeyes don’t just want to win this one. They want to execute sharply, dominate physically, and send their freshmen into the spotlight.
Grambling Preview
The Tigers aren’t strangers to the national stage, but they enter Saturday as overwhelming underdogs. Grambling is an FCS program still rebuilding after years of mediocrity, but it has a proud legacy built by the late Eddie Robinson, who won 408 games and helped transform the perception of Black college football. The Tigers’ modern strength comes more from their World Famed Marching Band than from their roster — but make no mistake, they’ll compete with pride.
In their opener, Grambling thrashed NAIA foe Langston 55–7. QB C’zavian Teasett looked poised, going 20-of-25 for 203 yards and three touchdowns. He has reliable targets in Tyson George (63 yards, 1 TD) and Barron Miles (37 yards, 1 TD). On the ground, Tre Bradford ripped off a 38-yard score, and four different backs found the end zone. Defensively, Tyrell Raby snagged an interception, while Bryce Cage led with four tackles.
But against Ohio State’s speed and depth, Grambling’s task will be survival. Their goals will likely center on limiting big plays, sustaining a few offensive drives, and giving their young roster a taste of elite competition. And while the game itself may get lopsided, the halftime show — when the World Famed Tiger Marching Band meets The Best Damn Band in the Land — will provide a spectacle worthy of the big stage.
Buckeye Spotlight
Julian Sayin. Can he put up his first 250+ yard day and multiple touchdown passes? This is his chance to show growth before conference play begins.
Tiger Spotlight
C’zavian Teasett. He’ll face relentless pressure, but his composure will be tested more in this game than any other this year.
Water Cooler Stat of the Game
1979. This week’s matchup marks just the second time in program history that Ohio State will face a Historically Black College or University (HBCU). The only other meeting came back in 1979, when the Buckeyes hosted Central State University in the Ohio Stadium Dedication Game, winning 35-14. Central State, located in Wilberforce, Ohio, is one of the nation’s recognized HBCUs, institutions founded to provide higher education opportunities for Black students during segregation and beyond.
While Ohio State hasn’t had many opportunities to square off against HBCUs on the field, the programs themselves boast rich football traditions. Grambling State, for example, is a storied program with legendary coach Eddie Robinson at its foundation, and its annual Bayou Classic against Southern remains one of the great showcases of HBCU football. Saturday’s game in Columbus will add a new chapter to that intersection of college football history.
Prediction
This feels like the week Ohio State’s offense finally opens up. Against Texas, Julian Sayin was asked to manage the game, protect the football, and show composure in a heavyweight bout. He did that — now, the staff will let him stretch the field. I expect him to eclipse the 200-yard mark comfortably and toss at least three touchdowns, his first true “stat-line” game as a Buckeye.
That will, of course, be helped by the emerging chemistry with Jeremiah Smith. The freshman looked like the best player on the field in stretches against Texas, and Grambling doesn’t have the corners to keep up with him. This feels like the moment Smith delivers his first 100-yard receiving game, with multiple highlight grabs that remind fans why he was the crown jewel of the recruiting class.
The backfield rotation will also be worth watching. CJ Donaldson and James Peoples gave Day’s offense steady production last week, but the story Saturday could be the next wave of backs. Expect both Bo Jackson and Isaiah West to find the end zone for the first time in their Ohio State careers, flashing the explosiveness that will make them household names down the road.
And then there’s the defense. Matt Patricia’s unit just made Arch Manning look human; against Grambling, the expectation is suffocation. I’d be surprised if the Tigers top 150 yards of total offense. The Buckeye defensive line should live in the backfield, and the secondary is likely to add another interception or two.
All told, this has the makings of Ohio State’s first offensive explosion of the season. The Buckeyes should surpass 50 points, play their freshmen liberally in the second half, and send Grambling home with a paycheck and a story. My final score prediction: Ohio State 59, Grambling 3.
Ohio State 63 – Grambling 3
Photo Credit: Gregory Shamus / Getty Images