Ohio State’s 41-28 home loss to Oregon exposed problems that former Buckeyes star Beanie Wells says have been evident for weeks. After building a 14-point lead, Ohio State gave up 38 straight points; Wells called the team a “front-runner” and said its defense has struggled to contain explosive plays and pressure the quarterback.

By the Numbers
  • Oregon scored 38 consecutive points after Ohio State took a 14-0 lead.
  • Ohio State has lost 2 straight games.
  • The Buckeyes beat Indiana 19-15 on Oct. 17 and lost to USC 30-18 on Oct. 31.
Yes, But

Ohio State’s quarterback situation has been unsettled since Julian Sayin was injured against Indiana, leaving freshman Luke Fahey to start against USC. Wells argues, however, that the team’s defensive shortcomings predate those losses and were masked by narrow wins.

State of Play
  • Coach Ryan Day says the team needs accountability.
  • Wells defended Ohio State’s No. 12 spot in the first College Football Playoff rankings, saying the Buckeyes failed to answer the perceived slight against Oregon.
  • Wells reversed his earlier criticism of Oregon, calling the Ducks battle-tested after their comeback win.
Bottom Line

For Wells, the Oregon loss wasn’t an isolated collapse—it confirmed that Ohio State’s defensive and resilience issues have been hiding in plain sight.