Opinion: Unpacking where the Buckeyes stand after Saturday's loss to Oregon

Graduate quarterback Will Howard (18) gets set to take the snap in the Buckeyes’ 32-31 loss to the Oregon Ducks Saturday at Autzen Stadium. Credit: Samuel Cipriani | Asst. Sports Editor

Many Ohio State fans are adopting an apocalyptic worldview following the team’s 32-31 heartbreaking loss to the Ducks in Eugene, Oregon Saturday.

No matter what, if there’s not perfection, it’s time to sound the alarms and find a scapegoat — it’s the Buckeye way.

There should never be excuses made for a loss; the Ducks outplayed the Buckeyes. It’s as simple as that.

But a top-three matchup, 2,450 miles away from home, in front of a record 60,129 fans at Autzen Stadium — that sounded twice as loud — was never a given.

Graduate Ohio State quarterback Will Howard looked the part though. He completed 28 of 35 passes for 326 yards and two touchdowns in probably the biggest game of his five-year collegiate career. It was easy to tell that it was his 40th career game. 

On the final drive, in which the Buckeyes ultimately came up short, Howard showed poise. It was a costly offensive pass interference by freshman wide receiver Jeremiah Smith that made the setback insurmountable — an inexperienced mistake, which pushed the Buckeyes back 15 yards and out of field-goal range.

Ohio State was one play away from the storylines being totally flipped upside down. But was one play, one kick, really going to be the difference as to whether or not the season is “over” in only the sixth game against No. 3 Oregon?

Remember, the new expanded playoff allows 14 teams to compete for a national championship, not just four.

Still, this outcome does make the Buckeyes’ Nov. 2 game in Happy Valley against Penn State much more significant. The Nittany Lions could walk into that game as a top-five team in the country, ranked higher than Ohio State.

If the Buckeyes lose that game, panic will and should ensue.

It would put Ohio State as a hopeful double-digit seed in the playoff, placing the team on the road for two games against top-seven teams before even reaching the neutral site semifinals.

But for now, chalk it up as two elite programs going at it. Someone had to lose. Both teams had plays they wanted back, but the Buckeyes just had a few more than the Ducks.

This loss may sting and linger for longer than usual, given the bye next weekend, but that’s going to help Ohio State down the line.

Letting a loss soak in will be meaningful for the team; they’ll use it as motivation moving forward, recalling how it felt to see Oregon fans storm the field because they just beat the Buckeyes.

With the new Big Ten, fans knew an expanded conference would make a potential undefeated season extremely tough.

So long as the Buckeyes beat Penn State on the road and take care of business at home against Michigan, all signs point to a Dec. 7 rematch between the Ducks and Ohio State at Lucas Oil Stadium in the Big Ten Championship.

Howard agrees.

“At the end of the day, this is a good team,” Howard said. “And we’re going to see them again.”