Ohio State defeated Ball State 56-3, but what did the resounding victory teach us about the 2026 Buckeyes offense? Here’s an instant reaction.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State opened the 2026 season with an emphatic 56-3 win over Ball State. But what did the blowout victory teach us about the Buckeyes offensively?

Is there a better way to start the year than Julian Sayin and Jeremiah Smith showcasing their chemistry and Smith’s freakish athleticism? The two capped a 7-play, 99-yard drive in the first quarter with a 48-yard touchdown strike that turned everyone’s heads. Jeremiah Smith hauled in the pass with one hand, while pinning it between his right shoulder pad and helmet.

Saturday was the first meeting all-time between Ohio State and Ball State, and the Buckeyes never looked back from the moment Smith got up from the turf of the north end zone. That final stat sheet for Ohio State looks satisfactory, but there’s more than box score watching from this matchup.

Offensive Line and Running Game

The offensive line did not have its best day and was concerning early in Saturday’s game. Phillip Daniels got beat and whiffed on blocks multiple times, impeding progress in the run game and forcing Julian Sayin’s timing to be off schedule due to a collapsing pocket. The consistency Ryan Day was looking for did not translate to the field for Daniels.

Cause for concern?

Ohio State believes it has depth up front and six starter-worthy players. That theory was tested when Daniels took a quick exit on the third series for Gabe Van Sickle, reshuffling the line. Van Sickle took over at right guard, and Swiss Army knife Austin Siereveld moved outside to right tackle for a few series.

Daniels later re-entered and played better, but in the immediate reaction, he was a liability for the Buckeyes. Ball State used a mix of blitzes and pressures to pressure the Buckeyes up front, causing trouble. Ryan Day said the adjustments came at halftime, which largely feels like they were experimenting with different personnel groups.

Despite posting massive numbers late in the game thanks to long explosive runs by Bo Jackson and Ja’Kobi Jackson, the consistency of the ground game remains a central point of discussion.

While individual big plays inflated the rushing stats, questions linger about whether the offensive line and running backs established a consistent, physical identity early on. Against a lower-tier opponent like Ball State, we are watching closely to see if blocking adjustments are needed before facing tougher, elite-tier competition, like Texas next week. 

Passing Game Mastery

The aerial attack from Julian Sayin was as advertised, beyond his connection with Jeremiah Smith. UTSA transfer Devin McCuin added six catches for 97 yards and a touchdown. He looks the part of an Ohio State wide receiver with precise route running and the ability to work in space. McCuin made an early case to be the WR2 for the Buckeyes, an encouraging sign of a reliable, productive option behind Jeremiah Smith to replace Carnell Tate.

Sayin was highly accurate with the football, and his chemistry and connection with No. 4 were on full display, highlighted by Smith’s early touchdown and a back-shoulder anticipatory throw and catch in the second quarter to the far side of the field.

“As you can imagine, when the game plans are being put together, [Jeremiah Smith] is very much at the front of Arthur [Smith] and the offensive staff’s mind. Not everything is designed that way, but I thought the game plan was suited to make sure that [Jeremiah Smith] touched the ball. He did a great job making some plays, and Julian [Sayin] did a good job of getting [Jeremiah Smith] the ball. – Ryan Day said of Jeremiah Smith’s performance

Outside of Smith and McCuin, Brandon Inniss added three catches for 36 yards, and Brock Boyd and Chris Henry Jr. saw a good amount of offensive snaps. Boyd was open on a few plays but, unfortunately, unseen by the quarterback. He did, however, make an impact as a blocker, which is a positive takeaway.

Bo Jackson broke loose for a 65-yard touchdown early in the third quarter, finally opening up the running game. The lead blocker all the way down the field? Brock Boyd. Again, that won’t show up on the stat sheet, but it’s highly impactful to the game and certainly pleased the coaches and his teammates. Those are the kinds of ways to affect the game without the ball in your hands that result in opportunities to get the ball put in your hands.

Ohio State showed enough through the air to believe the passing game can travel to Austin. Whether the Buckeyes can consistently run the football — and protect Sayin against a much better defensive front — is the question that now follows them to Texas.

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