Jeremiah Smith stands 26 yards from becoming Ohio State’s career receiving leader, but Saturday is also about how the sixth-ranked Buckeyes respond after letting a 20-point fourth-quarter lead disappear at Texas.
Ohio State returned from Austin with the kind of loss that does not disappear simply because another opponent has arrived on the schedule.
For three quarters, the Buckeyes looked like the best team in the country. They controlled Texas defensively, built a 23–3 lead and appeared ready to earn one of the most impressive road victories of the young season. Then the fourth quarter changed everything. Texas scored three unanswered touchdowns, Ohio State’s offense went quiet, and a game that felt secure became a 24–23 loss in the final 25 seconds.
Now comes Kent State, an opponent Ohio State should beat comfortably and a matchup that will not answer every question created in Austin. The Golden Flashes cannot reproduce Texas’ talent, depth or environment. They can, however, give the Buckeyes an opportunity to reveal how they handled a difficult week.
Does Ohio State play angry without becoming careless? Does the offense use the afternoon to build a more dependable running game? Does the defense maintain its urgency after the starters leave? Can the Buckeyes put together four quarters that look connected instead of allowing another game to divide into two different stories?
The final margin will matter less than the habits Ohio State displays while creating it. Saturday should be a comfortable win. It also needs to be a productive one.
And somewhere early in the afternoon, Jeremiah Smith is likely to place his name at the top of another page in the Ohio State record book.
Ohio State is 3–0 all-time against Kent State. The programs last met in 2014, when the Buckeyes responded to a loss against Virginia Tech by defeating the Golden Flashes 66–0. There is an obvious parallel this week, although Ryan Day’s team needs more than an afternoon of taking out its frustration. It needs to begin correcting what allowed the Texas game to get away.
Know The Opponent:
Head Coach: Mark Carney
2026 Record: 1–1 (0-0)
Conference: MAC
Location: Kent, OH
Ohio State Preview
The danger against Kent State is not losing the game. Ohio State owns a 40–1 record against current members of the Mid-American Conference, defeated Ball State 56–3 two weeks ago and enters Saturday favored by more than seven touchdowns. Kent State already faced one Power Four opponent this season and lost 57–0 at South Carolina.
The real danger is allowing the talent difference to disguise problems that remain unresolved.
Ohio State’s first three quarters against Texas showed exactly why this roster can still compete for a national championship. Matt Patricia’s defense disrupted Arch Manning, limited explosive plays and repeatedly gave the offense opportunities to expand the lead. Julian Sayin attacked the Texas secondary, and Jeremiah Smith once again looked like the most difficult individual matchup in college football.
The final quarter showed why potential alone is never enough. The offense scored only three points after halftime and became increasingly conservative as the lead grew. The defense, after controlling the game, surrendered touchdown drives of 91, 72 and 73 yards. A missed field goal left points on the field, and the Buckeyes were unable to answer after Texas finally moved ahead.
Saturday should be approached as a chance to reinforce the mentality that disappeared late in Austin. Ohio State does not need to leave its starters on the field deep into a blowout, but it does need every group to play with the same expectations. If the first-team offense builds a large lead, the second unit must continue attacking. If younger defenders enter, they need to communicate and finish tackles rather than merely protecting the score.
The result against Kent State is unlikely to change anyone’s opinion of Ohio State by itself. The details can begin changing what Ohio State thinks about itself.
If there is one area Ohio State should be determined to establish Saturday, it is the running game.
The Buckeyes finished with only 94 rushing yards against Texas and averaged approximately three yards per carry. Some of that reflected the opponent. Texas has a physical defensive front and enough athleticism to close openings quickly. Yet the struggle also continued questions that surfaced in the first half against Ball State, when Ohio State managed only 35 rushing yards before halftime.
Arthur Smith was brought to Columbus in part because of his history of building physical, versatile rushing attacks. The Buckeyes have a talented lead back in Bo Jackson and an offensive line with experience, but that combination has not yet produced the dependable identity Ohio State will need when Big Ten play begins.
Kent State should provide an opportunity to work on the foundation rather than search for shortcuts. The goal should not simply be to produce a large rushing total through two or three explosive plays. Ohio State needs the ordinary carries to become successful: five yards on first down, a conversion on third-and-two and a touchdown near the goal line when everyone in the stadium expects a handoff.
The offensive line needs to create movement without relying on the play design to rescue every snap. Jackson needs to run decisively, and the other backs need meaningful work once the score allows Ohio State to expand its rotation. A productive afternoon would show up through consistency before it appears in the final total.
Ohio State will face stronger defensive fronts later in the season. It cannot recreate those matchups Saturday, but it can become more precise in the areas it controls: assignments, leverage, timing and finishing blocks.
Sayin’s final statistics against Texas—17 completions on 32 attempts for 278 yards, one touchdown and one interception—do not fully capture his performance. He made several high-level throws, helped Ohio State build its lead and repeatedly found Smith against a talented secondary. He also completed only five of 16 passes in the second half and threw the interception that ended Ohio State’s final possession.
That final play came with 25 seconds remaining, no timeouts and the Buckeyes needing to cover significant ground, so it should not become the defining image of his night. The more useful question is why the offense became so much harder to sustain after halftime.
Smith caught eight passes for 164 yards and a touchdown, but the rest of the receiving corps did not consistently punish Texas for the attention placed on him. Against Kent State, Ohio State needs to continue featuring its best player while helping the offense develop options beyond him.
Devin McCuin showed against Ball State that he can provide explosive production. Brandon Inniss, Chris Henry Jr. and the tight ends need opportunities to become dependable answers for Sayin. When an opponent brackets Smith or rolls a safety toward him, the quarterback should immediately know where the resulting advantage has appeared.
Saturday is also an opportunity to improve the quick passing game and screen game as extensions of the run. If Kent State crowds the line of scrimmage, Ohio State should be able to place the ball in space and make the Golden Flashes tackle. Those completions can help Sayin establish rhythm while giving the offense something it can carry into conference play.
Kent State Preview
Kent State arrives in Columbus at 1–1 under head coach Mark Carney. The Golden Flashes opened the season with a 57–0 loss at South Carolina before responding with a 36–15 victory over Wofford.
That opening defeat illustrates the talent gap Kent State faces Saturday, but the program is in a better position than it was during the depths of its recent struggles. Carney took over during the 2025 offseason, initially on an interim basis, and helped Kent State improve to five victories after the program went winless in 2024. The interim tag was removed during last season, giving the Golden Flashes a sense of continuity as they try to build something more sustainable.
Quarterback Dru DeShields gives Kent State mobility at the position and will be asked to create when the original structure of the play breaks down. That makes rush-lane discipline important for Ohio State. The Buckeyes should be able to generate pressure, but defenders cannot become so eager to chase a sack that they give DeShields a clear running lane.
Receiver and return specialist Da’Realyst Clark is another player Ohio State must locate. In a game where Kent State may struggle to assemble long offensive drives, field position and special teams become possible sources of momentum. The Buckeyes cannot allow an aggressive return or a coverage mistake to give the Golden Flashes a short field.
Kent State’s most realistic path to keeping the game competitive involves shortening possessions, avoiding turnovers and forcing Ohio State to work through early frustration. The Golden Flashes need DeShields to protect the football and their defense to prevent Smith or another Buckeye playmaker from immediately turning a short completion into a touchdown.
That is a demanding formula against a team returning home after a painful loss. Ohio State should have control of this game early, but Kent State can still test whether the Buckeyes are fully engaged.
Buckeye Spotlight
Jeremiah Smith enters Saturday with 2,873 career receiving yards, placing him just behind Michael Jenkins’ Ohio State record of 2,898 yards. Smith needs 25 yards to tie Jenkins and 26 yards to become the Buckeyes’ all-time leader.
At the pace he has established through the first two games, the record may not survive the opening quarter.
Smith began the season with eight receptions for 151 yards and two touchdowns against Ball State. He followed it with eight catches for 164 yards and a touchdown at Texas, producing against a defense that knew exactly where Sayin wanted to go with the ball. Through two games, Smith has 16 receptions for 315 yards and three touchdowns.
Those numbers are remarkable, but the speed of his climb is even more impressive. Jenkins accumulated his record over four seasons at Ohio State from 2000 through 2003. Smith is positioned to pass him in the third game of his junior year. He already became the fastest Buckeye to reach 100 receptions and each major receiving-yardage milestone through 2,000. Saturday should bring the largest record yet.
The moment deserves recognition because Jenkins was far more than a name sitting atop a statistical list. He was a central part of the 2002 national championship team and delivered one of the most famous plays in Ohio State history with his fourth-down catch against Purdue—“Holy Buckeye”—that kept the championship season alive. Passing Jenkins connects Smith’s extraordinary present to one of the defining eras in the program’s history.
There is little reason for Ohio State to manufacture the record. Smith has surpassed 150 receiving yards in both games this season and should reach the needed 26 yards naturally. A couple of early completions could allow the home crowd to celebrate the achievement before the offense expands its distribution and eventually its rotation.
Once Smith moves ahead of Jenkins, the record will become a moving target. Every additional catch extends a standard that may stand for a very long time. He is also continuing his pursuit of Ohio State’s career reception and receiving-touchdown records, giving the remainder of his junior season a historical dimension beyond the team’s championship goals.
Spotlight prediction: Smith breaks the record during Ohio State’s second offensive possession and finishes with six catches for 112 yards and two touchdowns before his afternoon ends early.
Golden Flashes Spotlight
Dru DeShields faces one of the more difficult assignments a quarterback can receive: taking a MAC offense into Ohio Stadium against an Ohio State defense that spent most of last Saturday looking dominant and has now spent a week hearing about the quarter in which it did not.
His mobility gives Kent State its best chance to create unscripted offense. Designed quarterback runs, rollouts and scrambles can force Ohio State’s linebackers and edge defenders to make decisions in space. If DeShields can turn a few broken plays into first downs, Kent State may be able to sustain possessions and keep its defense from being overwhelmed by volume.
The challenge will be avoiding the negative play. Ohio State should have advantages across the defensive front, and obvious passing downs will allow Patricia to vary pressure and coverage. DeShields cannot compound a sack with a turnover or attempt to rescue every possession with one risky throw.
For Ohio State, this is an opportunity to practice controlled aggression. Pressure the quarterback, maintain rush lanes and finish when the defense has a chance to get off the field.
Three Keys to the Game
1. Establish the run before the scoreboard removes the need
Ohio State could probably score quickly by spreading out Kent State and throwing the ball to Smith. The more useful goal is proving the Buckeyes can create steady rushing production while the game is still competitive and both teams are using their primary personnel.
I would like to see Ohio State average at least five yards per carry in the first half, convert short-yardage situations on the ground and avoid relying on one long run to inflate the total. This game should help the offensive line develop confidence and cohesion before the schedule becomes more demanding.
2. Play the third quarter like the score is tied
The third quarter may tell us more about Ohio State’s response than the first. The Buckeyes led Texas 20–3 at halftime and 23–3 entering the fourth quarter, but their urgency gradually disappeared. Against Kent State, Ohio State needs to emerge from halftime determined to win the next possession rather than protect what it already built.
The starters may not remain on the field for long, but the mentality should survive every substitution. This is a chance to demonstrate that the lesson from Austin was about finishing, not merely starting faster.
3. Create production beyond the established stars
Everyone knows Smith can take over a game. Ohio State should use Saturday to strengthen the supporting cast around him. McCuin, Inniss, Henry and the tight ends need targets. The reserve running backs need meaningful carries. Young defenders should receive snaps while still being held to the standard expected of the starters.
Depth is only valuable if it can function when a game becomes difficult. Saturday provides the repetitions needed to make that depth more trustworthy.
What I’ll Be Watching Saturday
When Smith breaks the record. He needs only 26 yards, making it one of the most likely early storylines. The crowd’s response should provide one of the afternoon’s memorable moments.
The first-half rushing average. Ohio State’s final total will probably be large. The meaningful number is how efficiently the Buckeyes run before Kent State tires and the game opens completely.
The offensive approach after halftime. Does Ohio State continue attacking, or does the play-calling become noticeably more cautious once the lead grows? The Buckeyes need practice maintaining their identity with an advantage.
The receivers behind Smith. The ball should be distributed more broadly once the record is secured. Sayin needs to continue building timing and trust with the rest of the rotation.
Defensive tackling. Kent State will look for yards through DeShields’ mobility and Clark’s athleticism. Ohio State should prevent short gains from becoming the kind of plays that extend drives.
Special teams execution. After a costly missed field goal and uneven field-position performance at Texas, every operation deserves attention. A game like this should allow Ohio State to clean up timing and evaluation across the unit.
Water Cooler
Can Ohio State prove it has fixed the fourth-quarter problem against Kent State?
Not completely. The pressure, opponent and game situation will be different. Ohio State cannot recreate the final quarter in Austin on command. What it can do is show that the coaching staff emphasized aggression, execution and consistency throughout the week. Playing a clean third quarter and maintaining focus through the reserve units would be a useful beginning.
Should Smith continue playing after breaking the record?
Long enough for the offense to establish a normal rhythm, but there is no reason to chase a huge individual total if Ohio State builds the expected lead. The Buckeyes know what they have in Smith. The more valuable second-half work belongs to the supporting receivers and younger players who may be needed later in the season.
Does the Texas loss significantly damage Ohio State’s playoff chances?
No, provided it does not become the beginning of a pattern. The loss came by one point on the road against the new No. 1 team in the country and does not affect the Big Ten standings. Ohio State still controls its path toward the conference championship and College Football Playoff. The margin for error is smaller, but the larger goals remain available.
What would qualify as a disappointing performance?
A comfortable final score can still contain concerning football. Continued trouble creating rushing lanes, multiple turnovers, repeated penalties or another flat stretch after halftime would deserve attention. Ohio State should not be evaluated only by whether it covers a 52.5-point spread, but it should look organized and motivated from the opening possession through the final rotation.
Buckeye50 Prediction
Kent State deserves credit for responding to its opening loss with a victory over Wofford, and Carney has moved the program forward from where it stood two years ago. This remains an overwhelming matchup problem for the Golden Flashes.
Ohio State has substantial advantages at every position, returns home motivated by a one-point loss and possesses a receiver on the verge of program history. Smith should secure the record early, Sayin should find success distributing the ball once Kent State shifts attention toward him, and the running game should produce its best performance of the young season.
The most important portion may arrive after halftime. I expect Ohio State to keep pressing, score at least twice in the third quarter and give its younger players an opportunity to finish the afternoon without allowing the standard to collapse.
Kent State may create one scoring opportunity through a scramble or special-teams play, but the Buckeyes should control the line of scrimmage and keep the Golden Flashes out of the end zone for most of the day.
Final Score: Ohio State 59, Kent State 7