Ohio State has earned two wins and covered two spreads to start Big Ten play.
Beating a team by more than the number oddsmakers put on a game to get equal action on both sides isn't the determining factor in whether a given performance is impressive, but there are far more positive trends than negative ones with the Buckeyes through five games of their 2024 campaign. Concerns at linebacker that popped up during a 38-7 win at Michigan State were answered in a 35-7 domination of Iowa that probably would have been a vaster blowout if not for a few first-half OSU turnovers.
The offensive line, thought to be a question mark for Ohio State entering the season, has been a strength thus far. Even with two giveaways against the Hawkeyes, the Buckeyes are +4 in turnover margin this season. Strides have been made on special teams, even if there have been occasional lapses.
Ohio State's linebackers, its offensive line and its entire team face their greatest challenge thus far against No. 3 Oregon in Week 7. But everything's trending in the right direction for the scarlet and gray, and many outfits across college football wish they could say the same.
Stock Up
Sonny Styles
Styles was in the Stock Down section of last week's stock report after he was slow to react and out of position on a few instances against Marshall and Michigan State. The still-developing former safety answered with perhaps the best performance of his career to date against Iowa, racking up a team-high seven tackles and two tackles for loss. He tied his career-best for tackles and set a new career-best for TFLs.
“I thought I just played free,” Styles said after the game. “I started doing a tradition with my grandparents where I pray with them before games. I pray for confidence and them and God and things like that. I feel like when you play with that confidence, you just play more free and just go fast. Don't worry about anything.”
The Offensive Line
Ohio State averaged 7.3 yards per carry in the first half and 5.1 yards per carry for the game against the Hawkeyes, pounding the rock for 209 yards against the nation's No. 4 run defense. Iowa had not given up 100 rushing yards in a game yet this season. The Buckeyes also didn't give up any sacks and now rank No. 5 nationally with 6.2 yards per carry in 2024.
Tegra Tshabola solidified himself as the team's starting right guard as he played every snap with the first-team offense over Austin Siereveld. Ohio State is one of 11 teams in the FBS to allow four sacks or fewer this season. Thus far, Justin Frye's unit has answered all the questions posed to it entering a critical campaign.
A Chip Kelly scheme, better perimeter blocking, the nation's best running back tandem and a mobile quarterback have all aided in that progression, but the offensive line deserves credit for the substantial improvement it’s made.
Run Defense
Iowa running back Kaleb Johnson entered Saturday's game ranked second nationally in rushing yards. He had two 28-yard gashes against Ohio State – one came on a pair of missed tackles and the other came against the Buckeyes' defensive second-stringers – but managed a meager 30 yards on his other 13 carries. The Buckeyes' defensive line and linebackers passed their toughest run-game test thus far with flying colors.
“Run the football, stop the run,” Ryan Day said. “And it starts with the guys up front. I thought the offensive line played hard. I thought Justin (Frye) prepared them. I thought the plan was good with everybody on the offensive staff. I thought Chip put a good game plan together, called a good game. I thought our running backs ran hard again.”
Emeka Egbuka
Nothing like your first career three-touchdown performance to remind everyone that you're one of the best receivers in the country. Egbuka took home Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week honors alongside Indiana quarterback Kurtis Rourke after posting nine receptions for 71 yards and three scores against Iowa.
Bryson Rodgers
With Carnell Tate missing Saturday's game due to injury, most expected Brandon Inniss to fill in at wide receiver, having been the first Buckeye off the bench at the position previously. But it was Rodgers who was first into the game in Tate's place, and he played 41 snaps to Inniss' 21 as they rotated. Rodgers had one catch for 8 yards while Inniss had three for 29.
College Football Upheaval
Imagine telling someone in February that on Oct. 8 Indiana, Pitt, BYU and Iowa State would be undefeated while every team except Texas in the SEC would have lost at least once. Five teams in the top 11 of last week's AP Poll were upset on Saturday and it's indicative of a year with plenty of tumult atop the sport. As an admitted skeptic of the 12-team playoff, the race for the final handful of spots is going to be an awesome one to watch in November, and it's brought a level of fun to a lot of B-tier college football squads across the country. Here's to more chaos in the future.
Stock Down
Defensive Tackle Rotation
Kenyatta Jackson Jr. and Caden Curry played 19 and 15 snaps against the Hawkeyes as Ohio State’s top backup defensive ends, with some of their snaps coming as defensive tackles in the Rushmen package. As for the actual backup defensive tackles, Jason Moore played just seven snaps while Hero Kanu and Kayden McDonald played five and Tywone Malone played only three swapping in for Tyleik Williams and Ty Hamilton at defensive tackle.
McDonald has flashed this year at nose guard behind Hamilton and played at least 14 snaps in each of the Buckeyes' previous four games as a result, but his usage is in decline entering their biggest matchup to date this season. The lack of presence at 3-technique defensive tackle behind Williams was glaring when the star missed both the Marshall and Michigan State games and there's a lack of clarity as to who his top backup even is. Kanu started against Marshall but Malone made the most impact at the position in that game, then started against Michigan State only to not see the field until Iowa's final possession on Saturday.
There's no doubt Hamilton and Williams held down the fort against the Hawkeyes, a big reason for the stout run defense the Buckeyes showed. The Ty half of "TNT" racked up five tackles and a strip sack. But if defensive line coach Larry Johnson keeps his interior rotation short against the Ducks, it's going to be a major test for Hamilton and Williams' stamina.
Jayden Ballard
Rodgers' usage on Saturday confirms he's passed Ballard on the depth chart, and the redshirt junior receiver has also been relieved of kick return duties by Brandon Inniss.
Alabama
After besting then-No. 2 Georgia to vault to No. 1 last week, the Crimson Tide's defense crumbled as quarterback Jalen Milroe threw a pick-six in the ultimate letdown loss to Vanderbilt on the road. Alabama might still have an inside track to a playoff spot, but it's another example of why college football is the best sport on earth. In this writer's opinion, anyway.
Tennessee
A second undefeated top-five squad fell on Saturday when Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava fell to Arkansas' sod 14 yards short of the end zone with no time left on the clock. The Razorbacks outgained the No. 4 Volunteers by more than 100 yards in a 19-14 shocker.
Missouri
Missouri looked like a paper tiger – pun intended – in its first four games of the season and those worrying but winning performances proved prophetic this weekend. The Tigers dropped from No. 9 to No. 21 in the AP Poll and from the ranks of the unbeaten with a 41-10 dismantling against then-No. 25 Texas A&M.
Michigan, USC
Michigan and USC rounded out the list of five top-11 teams to lose over the weekend. Ironically, it was a win over the Trojans that somewhat boosted Michigan's resume, allowing the team to enter Week 6 at No. 10 in the AP Poll despite a decisive loss to current No. 1 Texas earlier in 2024. USC trailed UM by one spot at No. 11.
The Trojans lost 24-17 at Minnesota. The Wolverines fell behind at Washington, swapped in third-string quarterback Jack Tuttle after a 3-of-7 first-half from Alex Orji and were tossed aside 27-17 to fall to 4-2. Tuttle turned the ball over twice in the fourth quarter, setting up the Huskies' go-ahead and game-sealing drives with a fumble and an interception, respectively.
Both teams now find themselves on the precipice of CFP elimination with two losses already this season.
