Despite a heartbreaking 24-23 collapse after blowing a 20-point fourth-quarter lead against Texas, Ohio State still saw several bright spots, with multiple players earning strong grades from Pro Football Focus.
After racking up eight receptions for 164 yards and a touchdown, junior wide receiver Jeremiah Smith earned the top grade among Buckeyes with an 84.0 mark in 37 snaps. No other Ohio State wideout or tight end earned a grade above a 60.0.
Sophomore running back Bo Jackson (74.5) was the only other player on Ohio State’s offense to earn above a 70.0 grade.
While he typically ranks among the top of Ohio State’s PFF grades, quarterback Julian Sayin finished with just a 64.1 grade. He had a 93.1 mark against Ball State in Week 1.
Ohio State’s line was led by backup guard Gabe VanSickle (68.9) and right tackle Phillip Daniels (68.4), while left guard Luke Montgomery was the lowest-graded at 54.7.
Linebacker Payton Pierce earned the team’s highest defensive grade at 75.4 across 67 snaps.
Other strong defensive contributors included defensive lineman John Walker (71.0) and cornerback Jermaine Mathews Jr. (70.3). The pair, along with Pierce, were the only three Buckeyeyes on defense to earn higher than a 70.0 grade.
Tight end Bennett Christian was Ohio State’s lowest-graded offensive player (41.1), while Khary Wilder was the worst on defense.
