The Oregon Ducks just came into Columbus and ended the Ohio State Buckeyes’ season in Week 10 of the college football season. Ohio State lost 41-28 at home, and it was an inexcusable loss for a program that already had its back against the wall.

Ohio State was already on the outside looking in on the College Football Playoff after last week’s loss to USC, a week after QB Julian Sayin went down for the season. Saturday’s result was the third loss of the year for Ohio State, and it shows how quickly things have unraveled in just a couple of weeks.

Ohio State is 6-5 over its last 11 games overall. That is a big red flag on coach Ryan Day’s tenure in Columbus. Coming out of this loss, three big things could be coming for the Buckeyes.

Jeremiah Smith may have played his last Ohio State game

First, Ohio State might have a Jeremiah Smith problem on its hands now. The star wide receiver very well could decide to sit out the rest of the season to avoid the risk of injury and prepare for the 2027 NFL Draft.

Smith has already rewritten Ohio State’s record book. With the Buckeyes letting their season slip away, his Heisman chances are likely out the window too. There isn’t much left for him to gain on the field this fall.

Smith was visibly angry multiple times against Oregon because of Ohio State’s inability to get him involved when the game was within reach. With not much left to play for, no one would blame Smith if he hung it up for the rest of the year and skipped games that don’t mean a whole lot. 

Coaching changes are coming  in Columbus

Changes to the coaching staff are on the horizon. Coaching staff changes are coming for Ohio State, and the real question is how drastic the Buckeyes want to make them.

The changes could start at the top. There are people calling for Day’s job after this stretch. At the very least, expect an overhaul of the offensive and defensive coaching staffs in some form.

The Ducks dominated the Buckeyes on both sides of the ball at home. Ohio State came in off an emotional loss to USC and had no answers. After leading 14-0, the Buckeyes allowed 38 straight points before scoring in garbage time. That’s a bad sign for where the coaches are leading this program.

Ohio State’s College Football Playoff chances are dead

Ohio State’s College Football Playoff hopes are finished. The Buckeyes were already sitting on the outside of a group of six teams that looked destined to take a spot in the field. This loss is the big blow for the Buckeyes’ 2026 season.

Ohio State will not be making the College Football Playoff in the final year of the 12-team format. That’s a tough pill to swallow for a program with national title expectations every year.

The last three games on the schedule now look a lot smaller than they did before kickoff against Oregon. The final thing the Buckeyes have left to play for is a win over Michigan. Past that, there’s not much else on the line.

We are talking about the most disappointing strand of weeks in Day’s tenure as the head guy in Columbus. Expect the fallout to be real coming from this one.