Ohio State Week 3 Preview: An Opportunity To Regroup On Defense
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In Week 2 against Texas, the Ohio State defense looked as good as it has in recent memory…until it didn’t. The first half was as good as humanly possible, all while having a little luck sprinkled in. Then, the offense sputtered, left the defense out to dry, and the 23-3 lead evaporated. It was a great comeback by Arch Manning and the Longhorns, but if Matt Patricia’s defense could have made one singular stop, we’d be talking about the 2-0, likely unanimous top-ranked team, with two Heisman Trophy favorites on offense.
Today, the Buckeyes are sitting at sixth in the AP Poll with the second and final MACrifice on the schedule quickly approaching. Kent State is next up, so what can the Buckeyes work on to make sure they are ready to roll for the first Big Ten matchup next weekend?
Ohio State Week 3 Preview: An Opportunity To Regroup On Defense
Running Wilder
Ohio State has had a run of having elite defensive linemen. We weren’t sure what the room was going to look like this year with so much turnover, but one thing is for certain: Khary Wilder needs more playing time.
Against Ball State, he earned 17 snaps. Against Texas, it was just five snaps. In those 22 snaps, Wilder hasn’t recorded a counting stat by way of tackles or sacks. Despite that, he’s had an impact. If you look back at the Longhorns, Wilder was in there head-up on the center – an odd alignment for a guy who is considered a defensive end, even in the “Rushmen” package – on two consecutive plays. On third down, he broke through, got a pressure, and caused an errant throw. That was one of Texas’s two failed third-downs on its final three drives. On the next play – fourth down, mind you – Wilder did the exact same thing, causing Manning to roll out, and successfully converted.
That was it.
He has four pressures in his young career on just 22 snaps. Considering his alignment, it’s like he’s more of a pass-rushing defensive tackle.
Like Bo Jackson last year, Wilder is a first-year player who almost certainly looks better than the rest of his positional group. Kent State provides a great opportunity for Wilder to break through. Ohio State, as a team, only has three sacks. Against Ball State, there was only one. Ideally, the defensive line can get back to sacking MAC quarterbacks a handful of times and really throw its weight around. That could begin with Wilder.
The Fringe May Have A Point…
So, it may be time to bite the bullet. We don’t make it a habit to agree with The Lunatic Fringe™, for many, many good reasons. No, we don’t think Ryan Day should be fired, nor do we think it’s okay to share his home address on social media following every loss. At the same time, we aren’t ready to throw Larry Johnson into a retirement home. No, where we share ground is that there may need to be some kind of shake-up at the linebacker position.
Right now, Payton Pierce (a captain) and Christian Alliegro man the linebacker spots. TJ Alford earned the start when the Buckeyes started with a 4-3 against Ball State. Also coming off the bench, Riley Pettijohn has flashed on a number of plays.
Is it time to switch things up a bit?
Through two games, Pierce leads the way with 93 snaps, Alliegro follows him with 80, Pettijohn is sitting at third with 67, and Alford has 60. Of course, Alford and Pettijohn led the way in the win over Ball State because most of the starters were pulled at half.
Pettijohn leads the team with two tackles for loss and is tied with Kenyatta Jackson Jr.. and Epi Sitanilei with one sack on the year. Alford popped against Ball State, including his interception (thanks to a pressure forced by Wilder…).
We trust that James Laurinaitis knows what he’s doing, but perhaps a more even snap split is the best route again? Pierce struggled against Texas, and he’d be the first to tell you.
The issue with playing Kent State here is that all four are going to get plenty of playing time and nothing is really going to change until we see a Big Ten foe.
Getting Back To BIA
Manning did a fantastic job in the Longhorns’ comeback; there is no getting around it. On the final three drives, he went 13/18 passing for 125 yards, one touchdown, and eight first downs. Of those eight, two came on third down, and two came on fourth down. Sure, there was one play in which the Buckeyes only had 10 on the field, but that’s not ideal.
Jay Timmons looks great. He came crashing down on the first play of the game and stole the ball for the game’s first turnover. Devin Sanchez looked good as well. When he was in man coverage, he allowed six receptions on seven targets for 27 yards and one touchdown. He got beat on a perfectly placed quick out in the end zone for that one touchdown. On the other side, Jermaine Mathews Jr. played well as well, flashing with a notable tackle for loss on fourth down in the first half.
It’s a mixed bag here. On one hand, the secondary let Manning lead three straight drives into the end zone. On the other hand, he only threw for 196 yards, and the secondary was able to hold up a couple of coverage sacks.
Ball State wasn’t able to find the end zone through the air. It took a perfect series of events for Texas to do so. This secondary is still very good. Another strong game against a lesser opponent should remind folks…hopefully.
The Task At Hand
The Kent State offense goes as Dru DeShilds goes. The fourth-year quarterback leads the way with 316 passing yards and one touchdown. On the ground, he paces the Golden Flashes with 101 yards and two scores. Of course, 235 of those passing yards and the lone touchdown came last week against the FCS’s Wofford. Against South Carolina, however, DeShields was held to 63 yards. He did throw two interceptions against Wofford, which is odd considering he only threw three in all of last year.
Looking at the Wofford game, we can infer what Kent State wants to do on offense. Whether or not it’ll be able to do it is another discussion. But DeShields and Brandon White ran the ball over 10 times, but White only managed 33 yards. As for notable receivers, DeShields had three receivers with four catches, led by one of the best names in college football: Da’Realyst Clark.
Of course, Ohio State is looking to replicate what South Carolina did and hold the Flashes to 179 total yards of offense.
The Bottom Line on Ohio State vs Kent State
Where: Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
History: Ohio State 3-0 Kent State
Last Matchup: Ohio State won, 66-0, in 2024
Last Kent State Win: N/A
Date and Time: September 19, 2026; 12:00 P.M.
How to Watch: FOX
Spread: Ohio State -52.5; O/U 59.5 (via FanDuel)
Prediction: Just like the Ball State matchup, there is a massive spread in favor of the Buckeyes. To this point, Ohio State is 2-0 ATS. Kent State, like Ball State, is not one of the better teams in the MAC. Let’s say Ohio State wins this one, 59-3.
More Ohio State News
- Ohio State Week 3 Preview: Breaking Records and Getting Right
- College Football Sunday Summary: Riding the Hype Train
- The 2026 Big Ten College Football Playoff Picture: Week 3
- The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly From Ohio State’s Loss To Texas
- The Best Matchups In The Big Ten Each Week: Weeks 0-6
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