No. 3 Ohio State is not invulnerable after all.
During Saturday’s game, the Buckeyes gave up a touchdown to Marshall running back Ethan Payne on the first drive — one that lasted nearly seven minutes and 13 plays.
It took three games and four weeks (Ohio State was on a bye week in Week 3) for an opponent to finally crack the Buckeyes’ shell in 2024.
It’s the first time since 2007 that it took at least three games for Ohio State to give up its first touchdown of the season. That year, it held Youngstown State and Akron to a combined eight points before giving up two touchdowns to Washington in Week 3.
Marshall went on to score again in the first half, with wide receiver Elijah Metcalf making a tip-toe grab in the back of the end zone in the final seconds before the half expired.
Though the 2007 coincidence may be unwelcome news for Buckeyes fans, the team — ranked No. 1 at the time — also went on to lose to then-No. 2 ranked LSU in the BCS Championship game later that same season.
Ohio State will be looking to break that trend and claim its first national title since the inaugural College Football Playoff in 2014-15.
This year’s expanded playoff, now 12 teams, provides Ohio State with ample opportunity to do so — especially with a roster valued at $20 million in NIL funds.
Marshall head coach Charles Huff actually (jokingly) tried to bribe Buckeye players with all-you-can-eat biscuit NIL deals if they transferred to his program.
It doesn’t sound like they listened because Ohio State recovered from Marshall’s early appearance in the end zone, taking a 28-14 lead into the halftime locker room.
