Excitement was high amongst Buckeye nation as the new season kicked off against Indiana on the road. The Hoosiers tested the Buckeyes more than many expected with Ohio State struggled offensively, pulling away in a sense for a 23-20 victory.
Kyle McCord got the nod as the starter at quarterback for Week 1. He had an up and down performance but certainly showed flashes of the arm talent that made him a five-star recruit in the 2020 class. However, the Buckeyes struggled to put points on the board and only found the end zone twice.
Buy Buckeyes TicketsThe offensive line also had some struggles as the run game was inconsistent, in particular in short yardage. However, with three new starters replacing three now NFL players at both tackle spots and center, some inconsistency early in the season is expected.
The big bright spot for the Buckeyes was the defense. The unit was dominant holding Indiana to just three points and only 153 points.
The best thing about being 1-0…
O – H ‼️ pic.twitter.com/sLskasDdLv
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) September 2, 2023
The biggest issue for the defense last season was allowing explosive plays and it did a great job of preventing those today, allowing just one play of over 20 yards all day.
Indiana quarterbacks Brendan Sorsby and Tayven Jackson combined to complete just nine passes on 21 attempts for 82 yards. On the ground, the Buckeyes allowed just 2.2 yards per carry.
Hero Kanu got his first sack here. Just pushed his man back and grabbed the QB with one hand 😳pic.twitter.com/YRBGiePWto
— The Buckeye Nut (@TheBuckeyeNut) September 2, 2023
This was a frustrating watch for Buckeye fans with the offensive struggles, but ultimately, Ohio State still come away with a comfortable 20-point victory on the road.
All eyes move forward to next week now as Ohio State will play Youngstown State next Saturday at noon.
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