Off-Script Ohio: Ohio State rolls past Ball State, but Texas is already looming

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Ohio State football is officially back, and if Saturday was any indication, the Buckeyes haven’t lost much of their swagger. The No. 1 Buckeyes opened the 2026 season with a 56-3 demolition of Ball State, piling up 671 total yards while holding the Cardinals to just 165. The Buckeyes scored touchdowns on eight of their next 11 possessions after going three-and-out on their opening drive, turning what was supposed to be a tune-up game into exactly that.

But as much as there was to like about Saturday, the real test is already here. Ohio State travels to Austin next Saturday to take on No. 5 Texas in a 7:30 p.m. ET kickoff on ABC.

Jeremiah Smith looked every bit like a Heisman favorite

Let’s start with the obvious one. Jeremiah Smith was ridiculous. The junior receiver finished with eight catches for 151 yards and two touchdowns, with both scores coming in the first half. His first was a 48-yard one-handed touchdown grab, while his second came on a toe-tapping catch in the back of the end zone with just 10 seconds remaining before halftime.

Eight catches, 151 yards and two touchdowns before halftime. That’s about as strong of a Heisman opening statement as you could make. Smith was the biggest star of the afternoon, but what stood out almost as much was how many different players Ohio State was able to get involved. Fourteen different Buckeyes caught a pass, while Bo Jackson and Ja’Kobi Jackson each finished with 83 rushing yards and a touchdown.

This offense has plenty of weapons. Arthur Smith’s first real game as Ohio State’s offensive coordinator showed that pretty clearly.

Julian Sayin looked comfortable in his first full game

The biggest question surrounding Ohio State entering the season was obvious: what would Julian Sayin look like as the full-time starting quarterback? The answer, at least against Ball State, was pretty encouraging.

Sayin completed 27 passes for 320 yards and three touchdowns while also adding a rushing touchdown. He looked comfortable operating the offense, made several impressive throws downfield, and showed some mobility that should make him even more difficult to defend as the season progresses.

Obviously, Ball State isn’t Texas. But Sayin didn’t need to do anything spectacular. He just needed to look like a quarterback who belonged in the driver’s seat of a team with national championship expectations, and he did.

The defense picked up where it left off

There was always going to be some uncertainty surrounding Ohio State’s defense after losing so much production from last year’s historic unit. Saturday offered a pretty encouraging first glimpse. The Buckeyes held Ball State to just 165 total yards and three points. The Cardinals never found the end zone, while Ohio State’s defense consistently made life difficult for the Ball State offense.

The most important thing wasn’t necessarily the final numbers. It was seeing some of the younger players and new pieces actually get on the field and begin establishing themselves.

This group doesn’t need to be last year’s defense. It just needs to become its own version of a great Ohio State defense. And Saturday was a pretty good first step.

The freshmen are already making their case

This was probably my favorite part of the game. Ohio State didn’t just blow out Ball State. It got young players meaningful reps.

Legend Bey scored his first career touchdown on a 25-yard catch-and-run, while Chris Henry Jr. scored on the first catch of his Ohio State career. Jay Timmons also saw significant action at nickel, while Khary Wilder moved around the defensive front and made an impact in pass-rushing situations.

For a team trying to reload rather than rebuild, that’s exactly what you want to see. The talent is there. Now it’s about figuring out which young players can turn those flashes into consistent roles.

The Ball State game was fun; Texas is the real test

And this is where the conversation changes. Ohio State did exactly what it was supposed to do Saturday. It dominated a lesser opponent, got its starters meaningful work, gave younger players opportunities, and escaped without any major drama.

But nobody is going to remember a 56-3 win in November if the Buckeyes aren’t ready for what comes next. Texas looked just as dominant in its opener, crushing Texas State 59-7 behind a four-touchdown performance from Arch Manning.

Now Ohio State heads to Austin for one of the biggest games of the young season. Saturday was about getting comfortable. Next Saturday is about finding out what this team actually is. And that’s where Episode 35 of Off-Script Ohio gets really interesting.

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