At least Connor Hawkins had a good game for Ohio State (Photo by Ohio State Athletics)
Ohio State fans have seen the ghosts of the red zone offense and clock management cost them before
#4 Ohio State 18, #24 USC 30
It didn’t take long for things to get ugly in L.A. for Ohio State. The Buckeye defense got gashed by a 68-yard touchdown pass on the second play from scrimmage and trailed the Trojans 7-0. Luke Fahey would get his first career start down a touchdown. Fahey drove the Buckeyes 51 yards to the USC 21. A pass that was way over the head of Jeremiah Smith was intercepted, but the call was overturned by poor Big Ten officiating. The ball was clearly intercepted, but the call was overturned, and Connor Hawkins would hit a field goal for the Buckeyes.
The next USC possession would go the Buckeyes way with Jermaine Mathews Jr. getting a sideline interception of Jayden Maiava. This was a toe-tapping pick, just like SC pick of Fahey, and like that one, it was overturned. USC would punt on fourth and 14. Ohio State’s offense would get into USC territory on a 27-yard completion to Jeremiah Smith. The Buckeyes would stall out and punt the ball away. Another poor punt from Ohio State’s punter, as if there was any other kind from him, was returned past midfield. An overpaid Buckeye defensive end hit the return man late out of bounds, and USC started at the Ohio State 32-yard line. Four plays later, USC would take a 14-3 lead.
Second Quarter
The Bucks would continue a drive from the end of the first quarter and were deep in USC territory to start the second. Ohio State would get a substitution penalty that turned third and four into third and nine. Fahey would miss his receiver, and Ohio State would bring out Connor Hawkins. Hawkins would cut the USC lead to 14-6. OSU’s defense would struggle again, giving up a 21-yard run on a draw on third and 18. To Buckeye fans’ surprise, Matt Patricia’s defense looked more shaky than the new quarterback in the first half. USC would get a field goal and lead 17-6 after a 54-yard field goal.
The Buckeye offense would answer with a quick three-and-out. USC would get the ball and was driving into OSU territory when the Bucks forced a fumble, and Earl Little Jr. recovered it for the Buckeyes. This would be pivotal for Ohio State. They would need to respond with a touchdown drive, or things would become bad for the Buckeyes. The Bucks would get first and goal at the one-inch line and would meltdown. Another field goal would make it 17-9, and that would be the high water mark of the game for Ohio State. USC would get any easy field goal before halftime, and OSU would be down 20-9.
Second Half
It only got worse from there. Ohio State opened the second half with three straight runs and then punted. The Bucks would get the ball back, move it into SC territory, and instead of settling for a field goal this time, just turn the ball over. The defense would meltdown and allow another USC touchdown after a 71-yard catch-and-run from their tight end. Facing a 27-9 deficit and time running out, Ohio State would continue to crumble. Again they’d advance into USC territory running the ball and the clock, and again they’d fail as Ohio State’s awful offensive line would let Fahey get sacked to end the third quarter on third down.
Fourth Quarter
And instead of going for it on fourth down, trailing 18 to begin the fourth quarter, the brain trust coaches leading Ohio State decided to kick a fourth field goal. At least Connor Hawkins had a good game, being 4 for 4 in the rain! Other ghosts would haunt Ohio State but thanks to Hawkins not their kicking game ones. The defense would get the ball back to the offense, down 15 with 13:21 left in the game. Ohio State went three-and-out and, to add insult to injury to Buckeye Nation, punted the ball again. They would get the ball back and finally get it into the end zone, but they did so with absolutely no urgency. Even after that cost them the Cotton Bowl to end last season, they made the same mistake. So when they finally scored their first touchdown at USC since 1949, there was only 2:12 left. Ohio State decided to go for two then and failed to get it, trailing by two scores still.
The onside kick was so botched that USC almost returned it for a touchdown. Being in OSU territory already, SC got another field goal, making their lead 30-18. Ohio State would get in the red zone one last time, and one last time they’d fail to score, making six trips to the red zone and one touchdown. The red zone has been a plague on this team since 2019. Add in the time management from the Cotton Bowl last year, and some familiar ghosts and demons cost Ohio State on Halloween. So for the first time in 15 years, Ohio State enters November with two losses.
Up Next, Oregon
Oregon gave Northwestern only their second loss of the season this week. The Ducks are now 5-3 and have changed things, firing their old offensive coordinator. It worked, as they put up 34 on Northwestern. A loss here and it would be understandable that, with no possibility of the College Football Playoff, Jeremiah Smith sat the rest of the year to preserve his draft status. So the season will be on the line against the Ducks at home next week.
