COLUMBUS, Ohio – The college football pollsters were unimpressed by Ohio State’s 66-0 drubbing of overmatched Kent State Saturday.
The Buckeyes remained at No. 18 in the USA Today coaches’ poll but dropped one spot to No. 23 in the AP Top 25 media poll. The Virginia Tech Hokies – who handed Ohio State its only loss a week ago – fell at home to East Carolina, possibly impacting the pollsters’ opinion of the Buckeyes.
Florida State remained No 1 in both polls. South Carolina’s jump after beating Georgia gives the SEC seven teams in the top 16 off both polls.
In defeating the Golden Flashes on Saturday, Ohio State clearly took advantage of an inferior opponent to regain some self-esteem after get a lot of practice after the loss to Virginia Tech. While racking up impressive statistics, coach Urban Meyer’s young and relatively inexperienced players had ample opportunity to work out on a team that acted at times like a group of 11 tackling dummies.
“I like it as a first game normally. You can’t forecast when he’s making the scheduling that you’re going to have a new quarterback and a young offensive line, but this is what the doctor ordered when you do have young people that you have to get ready to play,” he said after the game.
The win was the 39th in a row over an in-state opponent for the Buckeyes (2-1), who haven’t lost since a 7-6 setback to Oberlin in 1921.
Ohio State came out strong, scoring on seven of its first eight possessions on the way to a 45-0 halftime lead.
“We’ve all been in those games where you’re just sloppy for the 30 minutes, and it just wasn’t the case,” Meyer said.
By the time the day was done, the offense had 87 plays, amassing 628 total yards. Redshirt freshman quarterback J.T. Barrett, in only his third collegiate game, threw a school record-tying six touchdo9wn passes before handing the ball over to Cardale Jones for most of the second half.
Barrett’s performance earned him Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week and Freshman of the Week honors.
The defense, criticized for underachieving in the Buckeyes;’ first two games, held the Flashes to 126 yards of offense, gave up only 10 first downs (four of those via penalties) and prevented Kent State from converting 12 of its 14 third downs.
Ohio State has a week off to get ready for the more competitive Cincinnati Bearcats (Sept. 27, 6:00 p.m./BTN).
“Time to move on, a bye week, and then get ready. I watched Cincinnati last night and they’re a very talented team, so we’re going to put everything we can into it the next two weeks to win that game,” Meyer said.
The Buckeyes are liable to be without defensive end Noah Spence again. The junior was declared ineligible to play against Kent State because of what the Athletics Department called “a university and Big Ten Conference rule violation.”
Reportedly, Spence had again violated the substance abuse policy, just as he was due to return from a three-game suspension for the same offense that dated back to before last season’s Orange Bowl.
“I don’t know much other than he was declared he couldn’t play for this weekend, and what the future holds for him, I don’t know,” Meyer said.