Blake Biscardi shares his thoughts on Ohio State’s decisive victory over Western Michigan where the running game and defense impressed.

Ohio State beat Western Michigan 56-0 in The Shoe in one of its most complete performances since 2019. The offense was electric on the ground and through the air. Defensively, the Silver Bullets flew around, playing fast, physically, and downhill. 

The Buckeyes started fast, putting up 21 points in the first quarter, which was something Ryan Day and company have emphasized. In the last two seasons, Ohio State started slow and couldn’t get the offense going until later in the games. 

Ohio State didn’t look back; they had 683 yards of offense—410 yards through the air. However, the big story was how Ohio State ran the football efficiently for 273 yards, averaging 7 yards per carry. The Buckeyes found the endzone for six touchdowns in a phenomenal effort on the ground on Saturday. 

The offensive line blocked better, which I talked about after week 1. Ohio State’s wide receivers blocked better. Just look at the film study. I know it’s tough because competition is not equal. Ohio State will rise or fall on the offensive line; however, the offensive line determines the ceiling for this team. Josh Fryar had one of the best games of his career on Saturday on the offensive line for the Buckeyes. 

Will Howard was also involved in the run game. The duo of TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins is scary. It is the best backfield in the country. What Chip Kelly and Coach Lock have brought to the running back room emphasizes that running the football for Ohio State is physical. 

We saw them be physical on defense, too. Ryan Day is on record saying he wants us to be the most violent, hard-hitting team in America, and that’s what this defense is doing. They are flying around on the back end. Caleb Downs and that secondary are locking up the skill positions, and the defensive line has gotten into the backfield. They’re putting pressure on the quarterbacks. Everything is clicking for this team, as Western Michigan did not muster 100 yards of offense.

Ohio State was missing that fifth gear in the last couple of years. This year, it seems that they have found it, so now it’s a matter of continuing to build on that and then translating it to the big matchups when they go to Eugene to play Oregon, Happy Valley to play Penn State, and welcome Michigan to the Horseshoe and if they go to the Big Ten Championship. 

Ohio State has to bring this level of play they showed us through the first two weeks. The Buckeyes are legitimate National Championship contenders.