For just the third time in program history, Ohio State vs. Marshall takes center stage in The Horseshoe. The Buckeyes have never lost to the Herd but it did take an Ohio Stadium-record 55-yard field goal as time expired in 2004 to get the first win.
Ohio State enters the game 2-0 after a pair of dominant wins over MAC foes. The former MAC program of Marshall enters at 1-1 and is also coming into the game from an off week.
Fresh off the bye, the Buckeyes have an opportunity to iron out any of the kinks in their game before kicking off a nine-game Big Ten schedule. While both wins have been as commanding as any in the country, Ohio State believes it still has things to work on.
Ohio State vs. Marshall: Last Chance to Iron Out Issues Before Big Ten Play
Keep Building Confidence
Aside from not knowing what Will Howard was going to be, the offensive line was the most concerning heading into the 2024 season. After the Akron game, those concerns felt a bit well-founded. Then, the Western Michigan game quelled those issues a bit.
However, the biggest thing was the fact that All-Big Ten guard Donovan Jackson did not play in either for precautionary reasons. Against Marshall, he should be back. In the presser on Wednesday, Ryan Day believes the unit is “building confidence” moving forward.
Despite the pessimism, the offensive line has been solid through two games. It took the Buckeyes’ offense until about nine minutes to go in the third quarter of the WMU to have a negative play. Even then, that play was a wide receiver screen, so it was not on the offensive line. The first offensive line-relevant play came in the fourth quarter when Devin Brown was sacked. The Buckeyes went nearly two full games without allowing a sack. The starting five still have yet to do so.
On the ground, the offensive line has both had incredible reps while also having ugly losses on tape. Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson have rushed for 294 yards and five touchdowns already. The two backs are averaging just over seven yards yards per rush. That’s also not including an 80-yard touchdown by Judkins that was called back for holding.
Marshall is in the lower half of FBS teams in rushing defense and was gashed for 208 yards and two touchdowns against Virginia Tech two weeks ago. In pass defense, The Herd has amassed eight sacks, led by stud defensive lineman, Mike Green.
Continue Defensive Dominance
The defense for Ohio State vs. Marshall should be a strength of this team, just as it was last year. The offense is good thus far, but the defense is one of the best yet again.
Just as Marshall has forced eight sacks, the Buckeye defense has eight sacks split between nine different players. Plus, through two games, the Ohio State defense has forced three turnovers and has scored twice.
Small sample size and strength of schedule caveat aside, the Buckeyes’ defense has been one of the elites thus far. Ohio State is tied for best in the nation in scoring defense and is the sole leader in total defense with just 138.0 yards allowed per game. Tennessee, the second-best total defense, is a distant second while allowing 160.7 yards per game.
The run defense has been incredible, led by defensive tackles Tyleik Williams and Ty Hamilton. Ohio State has only allowed 37.5 rush yards per game, good for second-best.
In the passing game, Akron and Western Michigan struggled against this defense but they both had solid game plans. Both teams used quick passes to neutralize the pass rush. Even then, the Buckeyes clock in with 100.5 yards per game, good for third in the country.
Take Care of Business
For the first two games of the season, the keys to the games have been to take care of business against perceived lesser opponents. Marshall should unequivocally be included in that.
Stone Earle comes into this one as the starting quarterback for The Herd and he’s been struggling thus far. Earle has only passed for 228 yards and three touchdowns while completing just 44.2% of his passes. A.J. Turner is in the middle of a breakout season at running back, however. Through two games, he’s filled the shoes of Rasheen Ali well with two 100-yard games already. Jim Knowles’ defense is well aware of his talent and should be prepared.
While the offense of Ohio State vs. Marshall will lean on Judkins and Henderson — rightfully, so, considering their talent — the Buckeyes should try to continue pushing the ball down the field with Howard and freshman phenom, Jeremiah Smith. In terms of 12 regular-season games, Smith is on-pace for 66 receptions for 1,266 yards and 18 touchdowns…and that’s without taking into consideration a possible Big Ten Championship and/or College Football Playoff run. Is he going to have another monster performance?
Marshall has been solid against the pass thus far, only allowing 144.0 yards per game (27th-best in FBS).
All in all, nine Big Ten games lie in wait after this one. Ohio State must take care of business before turning its attention to Michigan State.
Hopefully, this off-season, Marshall doesn’t poach any players with head coach Charles Huff’s enticing NIL proposal.
