Ohio State starter made an admission you never want to hear right after the Buckeyes’ disastrous loss to USC
The Ohio State Buckeyes’ Week 9 loss to USC was dissapointing, and it looks a bit worse with what S Jaylen McClain had to say after the game.
The Ohio State Buckeyes lost 30-18 to the USC Trojans in Week 9 of the college football season, and the result was a head-scratcher. Ohio State outgained USC 464 yards to 338 and held the ball nearly 20 more minutes than the Trojans did.
Still, the Buckeyes walked away with a double-digit loss. Penalty issues and trouble in the red zone kept them out of the end zone for much of the game.
Going on the road and winning with field goals is a recipe for disaster. Ohio State made four of them and scored just one touchdown against USC. That wasn’t enough to leave with a win.
Starting safety Jaylen McClain’s postgame comments about the defense added another layer to the frustration.
USC’s opening touchdown set the tone
The defense didn’t play well, there’s no other way to put it. USC broke off chain-moving plays consistently against Ohio State’s defense, and it started on the Trojans’ second play of the game. Quarterback Jayden Maiava hit wide receiver Trent Mosley for a 69-yard catch-and-run touchdown. That was a tough look for the Buckeyes’ defense right out of the gate.
McClain didn’t dodge the play when he spoke after the game.
“I just feel like they made a good play. It was just a little bit of lack of effort on our end. They scored at the end of the day, can’t let that happen.”
The lack of effort is the issue here. Ohio State’s defenders looked like they were moving in quicksand while Mosley cut upfield and burned them. The defense was in a bad position on the play, and the effort to bring down the ball carrier was alarming.
Jaylen McClain and the Buckeyes’ pass defense struggled
It wasn’t a great game for McClain himself. He finished with four tackles in what was perhaps his worst game of the season from initial viewing. That included getting hurdled by USC tight end Mark Bowman on a 70-yard catch-and-run down the middle of the field.
Overall, Ohio State just wasn’t good enough against USC’s passing game. Maiava went 15-of-22 for 222 yards and a touchdown pass with no turnovers. The Buckeyes’ defense prides itself on being a top-10 unit, and it didn’t look like one against the Trojans.
Ohio State has no margin for error
Leading up to the game, the focus was on Ohio State playing better around its true freshman quarterback. The Buckeyes needed to do that to get the win and avoid dropping to two losses on the season. Plays like Mosley’s touchdown, where Ohio State didn’t put out good effort, made sure of it.
Now the Buckeyes have to regroup with a home game against the Oregon Ducks next week. Ohio State is in a tough spot. The Buckeyes have to play near-perfect football the rest of the way if they want to reach the College Football Playoff, and the lack of effort at times in Week 9 is a concern they can’t carry into that stretch.
