Ohio State Football: 3 takeaways from tough loss to Oregon

3. Defensive woes continue for Buckeyes

Last week, Minnesota was able to dominate time of possession, be effective on third down, and rushed for over 200 yards against the Buckeyes defense. No harm, no foul as Ohio State was able to hold off the Gophers in the end for the win.

This week, we had a very similar scenario play out as Oregon ran wild on the Buckeyes in Columbus. The Ducks converted on 8-of-16 third-down attempts, and were perfect inside the red zone.

The Buckeyes allowed 269 total rushing yards on 38 carries (7.1 yards per carry) and three touchdowns from Oregon’s three-headed monster. Oregon kept going back to an outside zone run with Verdell in big moments. Despite the Buckeyes seeing it throughout the game, they could not defend against it.

Ohio State’s pass rush was non-existent, allowing Oregon quarterback Anthony Brown to play mistake-free football. Brown did not light up the stat sheet, but he managed the game beautifully and helped maintain the lead.

Some credit is due for the Buckeyes’ defense, as they stepped up to the plate when it was needed most. They forced three punts in the fourth quarter and gave their offense a chance to even up the game.

The Big Ten features some very talented running backs and offensive lines. If the Buckeyes want to get back into playoff contention, they will need to get their run defense fixed starting next week.