COLUMBUS — Ohio State's 30-18 loss to USC on Saturday was frustrating for several reasons, but perhaps none more than the number of mistakes the Buckeyes made along the way. Ryan Day's team moved the football, controlled the clock, and consistently put itself in position to score, only to squander those opportunities through penalties, dropped passes, and poor execution. And that's for all three phases.
Now, with Oregon coming to Columbus on Saturday, Day faces the challenge of getting his team to play the disciplined football necessary to beat quality opponents.
Ohio State outgained USC 464-338 and held the ball for nearly 40 minutes. The Buckeyes rushed for 204 yards, picked up 25 first downs, and repeatedly moved into scoring position. Yet they managed just one touchdown, relying on four Connor Hawkins field goals to account for most of their scoring.
The Buckeyes committed 11 penalties for 71 yards, several of which proved particularly damaging. An illegal substitution penalty at the USC 11-yard line disrupted a promising second-quarter possession, contributing to another drive that ended with a field goal. A second-half fumble by Isaiah West on a short reception ending a possession after Ohio State had advanced into USC territory.
Day didn't hide his disappointment afterward, particularly with the mistakes that complicated freshman Luke Fahey's first college start.
"There's just too many mistakes overall. You can't afford to do that, and that's, to me, the tale of today," Day said following the loss.
Fahey completed 21 of 38 passes for 260 yards and a touchdown, performing reasonably well considering the circumstances. The freshman made mistakes, but his teammates made more. Dropped passes and penalties repeatedly put Ohio State behind schedule, forcing Fahey into difficult situations that an inexperienced quarterback shouldn't have to overcome.
The problems extended beyond the offense. USC produced several explosive plays against a defense that had been one of Ohio State's greatest strengths, including a 69-yard touchdown reception by Trent Mosley in the first quarter. The Trojans needed only 50 offensive plays to score 30 points, another indication that the Buckeyes weren't executing consistently.
For Day, the challenge isn't necessarily finding an entirely different approach against Oregon. Ohio State's ability to rush for more than 200 yards and generate 464 yards of offense suggests there are plenty of things working. The problem is turning that production into touchdowns while avoiding mistakes that erase otherwise successful possessions.
Oregon enters Saturday's matchup at 5-3, coming off a 34-26 victory over Northwestern. The Ducks have enough talent to make Ohio State pay for the same mistakes that proved costly against USC, particularly if the Buckeyes continue settling for field goals after moving deep into opposing territory.
With two losses already on the schedule, Ohio State has little to no room for another setback if it hopes to remain in contention for the College Football Playoff. That puts additional pressure on Day and his coaching staff to address the mental mistakes and execution problems that contributed to Saturday's defeat.
The Buckeyes don't need to play perfect football to beat Oregon, but they cannot afford another afternoon where penalties and missed opportunities undermine the game plan. Getting Ohio State to play cleaner football must be Day's priority this week and going forward.
