Ohio State Week 1 Preview: Matt Patricia’s Defense Reloads
NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...
The Ohio State defense was one of the best in the nation despite losing a handful of stars and its defensive coordinator. NFL pariah Matt Patrica won the job, much to the dismay of Buckeye fans online. However, he proved them all wrong by reloading and being even better. This year, Patricia will have to do the same after losing eight starters to the NFL yet again. If there is a team in the country that can just seamlessly reload after losing all that talent, it’s the Buckeyes.
With a handful of transfers and some young up-and-coming stars, the Ohio State defense is set to impress again. Thankfully, the unit isn’t immediately thrown into the fire against the number-one team in the nation this year. Ball State should be a fine tune-up before the big showdown in Austin next weekend.
Ohio State Week 1 Preview: Matt Patricia’s Defense Reloads
Replacing Caleb Downs
How do you go about replacing one of the best defenders in the program’s storied history? Very, very carefully.
Thankfully, Patricia can turn to a trio of veterans at safety to get the Buckeyes through. Jaylen McClain returns after starting last year alongside Caleb Downs. He’s a bit overlooked, but he was voted a captain this year by his peers. Alongside him, Ohio State brought in both Terry Moore and Earl Little Jr. from the portal.
So, how do you replace a player of Downs’ caliber? You don’t; you just hope to replace him in the aggregate. McClain, Little, and Moore are all going to be trusted on the back end. Little and McClain are expected to be the starters, but Moore and Leroy Roker will also earn snaps. All of the Buckeye safeties are fairly flexible, so don’t be surprised when any of the four come down as a box safety about as much as they do as a deep safety.
With the game in hand (ideally), keep an eye on the next wave of safeties. Simeon Caldwell and Blaine Bradford are first-year players who have been impressing in camp. Ohio State feels incredibly confident in its depth, and those two will do plenty to keep that belief afloat.
The Backerhood
The battle to be one of the two starting linebackers was fierce, but Payton Pierce and Christian Alliegro have won out. Pierce was picked as one of the seven captains for the Buckeyes this year. He was the first man off the bench last year and earned 262 snaps. Of course, losing two top-seven picks is going to leave massive shoes to fill.
Buckeye fans have been worried that the linebacker room is set for regression. Yeah, that tends to happen when you have to replace players as good as Sonny Styles and Arvell Reese. In Week 1, don’t expect anyone to be NFL-ready.
Pierce and Alliegro have shown the coaches that they can blitz, come downhill in run defense, and drop back into coverage. Both have shown great leadership and toughness; if we are to trust James Laurinaitis’s development, this should be a fine development.
Of course, behind them, you have Cincere Johnson, TJ Alford, and Riley Pettijohn. Ohio State is five-deep at linebacker. Against Ball State, all will get plenty of playing time, so don’t be surprised by some heavy rotation.
Rushmen Reloaded
Perhaps the biggest question mark on the Ohio State defense is up front. While Kenyatta Jackson Jr. returns, what will come of the many transfers? Will Eddrick Houston finally play up to that five-star billing? Who will be the go-to defensive end on the opposite side?
James Smith, Qua Russaw, and John Walker look to have plenty of run this year as the new faces up front. To this point, none have really taken that step to be hyped as an NFL talent, but with Larry Johnson as coach, each has high ceilings and high hopes.
On the edge, it looks like Beau Atkinson is going to start out the year as the second starter. The former North Carolina Tar Heel didn’t do much last year, with Caden Curry and Jackson taking up the most snaps. He looked to be a talent on the rise when he transferred in. However, Buckeye fans have been turning their collective eyes to the next men up. Epi Sitanilei and Zion Grady are both second-year players who have taken massive steps this offseason. Johnson mentioned that he wants the EDGE room to be six deep, so Sitanilei and Grady will have roles among Russaw, Atkinson, Jackson, and first-year Khary Wilder.
There may not be a standout superstar on the defensive line as there was in the past. Instead, if it can play as well as Johnson expects, the unit altogether will be a strength.
The Task At Hand
The Ball State quarterback has turned heads. No, not that grossly altered image put forth by one of those garbage, nonsensical prediction markets “totally not gambling” sites. But Keldric Luster is not the stereotypical quarterback. He’s five-foot-ten and 250 pounds. That’s a running back. He transferred in from Texas State and hasn’t had much run as a quarterback at the college level.
Outside, Ball State brought in six transfer receivers. At running back, TJ Horton returns with all of 180 yards and no touchdowns on 60 carries.
Altogether, the Cardinals offense struggled last year. This year, there are not many folks in the know expecting much more.
The Bottom Line on Ohio State vs. Ball State
Where: Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
History: N/A
Last Matchup: N/A
Date and Time: September 5, 2026; 12:30 p.m.
How to Watch: Big Ten Network
Spread: Ohio State -50.5; O/U 56.5 (via FanDuel)
Prediction: That is a massive spread. Ohio State hasn’t scored 51 points on an FBS opponent since it opened the 2024 season with 52 points on Akron and 56 on Western Michigan. Day likely isn’t going to run it up, but Ohio State is certainly 50 points better than Ball State. Let’s go with Ohio State winning this one, 62-10.
More Ohio State News
- Ohio State Week 1 Preview: The Arthur Smith Era in Columbus Begins
- What Does Ohio State Gain From Playing Cupcakes?
- The Ohio State Offense Goes As Its Running Backs Go
- Six Ohio State Freshmen Too Good To Keep Off The Field
- Ohio State To Open The 2026 Season With A Target On Its Back
Main Image: Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos