Penn State Nittany Lions defensive end Garrett Sickels (90) sacks Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback J.T. Barrett.(Photo: Rich Barnes, USA TODAY Sports) Ohio State’s path to the College Football Playoff just got a whole lot tougher — but in the end, it still goes through Michigan. That is, if the Buckeyes can fix some of the major red flags that popped up Saturday night. Not only did the Buckeyes suffer their first loss — at Penn State, for their first true road loss under coach Urban Meyer — they did it in a particularly odd way, considering the teams and offensive firepower that have been synonymous with Meyer’s teams in recent years. In short, the Buckeyes offensive line could not control the line of scrimmage. In the fourth quarter, with the game on the line, Ohio State’s line could not protect quarterback J.T. Barrett long enough to give him time to make reads and the right passes. Almost every snap, he was pressured, hurried and/or sacked. That’s not how you win a game on the road against an aggressive and increasingly confident defense. That’s also not how you mount a final-minute comeback after suffering a special teams disaster — a blocked field goal…
Continue Reading: Ohio State shows flaws, and path to the playoff gets complcated
