The first two weeks of the college football season raised an unusual but not unreasonable question: Was Ohio State going to be less than its usual dominant self in 2021? In the season opener at Minnesota, the Buckeye defense was uncharacteristically leaky. The Gophers’ expected points added (EPA) per play was 0.08, then the fifth-highest number the Buckeyes had allowed in Ryan Day’s three seasons as head coach. Minnesota scored 31 points and had a second-half lead before the Buckeyes overwhelmed them with long touchdowns — a reminder that it pays off, especially in a sloppy performance, to have the most talented players on the field. The next week, at home against Oregon, the Buckeyes were gashed for 0.28 EPA per play, their second-worst number since Day took the big chair. The only team to more comprehensively destroy the Ohio State defense had been Alabama (0.38 EPA per play) in…
Continue Reading: Ohio State Turned Its Defense Around And Looks Like A Contender Again
