Ohio State enters its bye week as Julian Sayin shows progress, Bo Jackson emerges, and the defense dominates ahead of Washington.

Ohio State heads into its bye week with momentum after a 37-9 win over Ohio, setting the stage for a pivotal trip to Washington that will close out September. The victory was far from flawless, but it revealed important truths about the Buckeyes as they continue to sharpen their identity.

The Buckeye offense looked sluggish in the first half, particularly in the red zone. Twice, Ohio State drove inside the five-yard line but failed to punch it in, an all-too-familiar issue for Ryan Day’s teams in recent years. While those missed opportunities will need to be cleaned up before facing a hostile environment at Husky Stadium, the second half showed promise.

Quarterback Julian Sayin displayed precision with his deep ball, the biggest offensive takeaway from the win. Despite tossing two interceptions, both on tipped passes, Sayin’s command of the passing game is trending upward. For a young quarterback, decision-making remains a work in progress, but the tools are evident.

The Rise of Bo Jackson

The running back room continues to sort itself out, but one name is quickly separating from the pack: Bo Jackson. I’ve said it before, and the evidence grows stronger each week: Jackson is Ohio State’s best running back.

With his speed, agility, vision, and burst, Jackson has strung together back-to-back 100-yard games on just nine carries each, adding two touchdowns in the process. He looks too dynamic to stay on the sidelines, and I’ll make the prediction now: Bo Jackson will be Ohio State’s starting running back before the season is over.

With one game left before his redshirt decision, the choice seems obvious. Jackson is already a vital piece of the offense, and his ceiling is sky-high.

While the offense works through growing pains, the defense continues to shine. Ohio State limited Ohio to just 181 total yards, 75 of which came on two plays to open the third quarter. Outside of that, the Buckeyes suffocated the Bobcats much like they did against Grambling and Texas earlier this season.

Caleb Downs and Sonny Styles remain the heartbeat of the unit, while the defensive line continues to elevate its play. The only concern was an injury to Lorenzo Styles, whose timetable remains uncertain. Even so, this defense looks every bit like a championship-caliber group.

Looking Ahead: A Road Test at Washington

The bye week couldn’t come at a better time, as Ohio State prepares for its first true road challenge against Washington. Husky Stadium is one of the toughest environments in college football. Washington’s dynamic quarterback, Demond Williams Jr.,  presents a legitimate test for the Buckeyes’ defense.

This isn’t a trap game, it’s a circle-on-the-calendar type of matchup. With extra time to prepare, Ryan Day has historically been excellent coming out of bye weeks. That bodes well for Ohio State as it looks to protect its No. 1 ranking.

At 4-0, the Buckeyes are still ironing out wrinkles on offense but boast one of the best defenses in the nation. If the red zone execution improves and Bo Jackson continues his ascent, Ohio State will remain the top team in America heading into the heart of Big Ten play.