Scarlet Sunrise: Turnover margin season-long issue for Buckeyes, not just at Michigan

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Turnover margin season-long issue for Buckeyes, not just at Michigan

Ohio State recorded four defensive touchdowns in the regular season, tied for the sixth most of any team in the country. And the Buckeyes were a block away from another in the home finale against Minnesota when defensive end J.T. Tuimoloau tried for a scoop-and-score.

The four touchdowns are memorable: a Tyleik Williams fumble recovery and Jermaine Mathews Jr. pick-six against Western Kentucky in Week 3, a Josh Proctor pick-six against Maryland in Week 6 and a Jordan Hancock pick-six at Rutgers in Week 10.

But those plays, some of which were game changing, don’t tell the story of Ohio State’s turnover margin struggles this season. They distract from it, actually.

Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day repeated postgame that Ohio State lost the rushing battle and the turnover battle in its 30-24 loss at Michigan.

“We did neither of those things,” Day said.

“So if that’s not gonna happen, we’re not going to win this game.”

Ohio State actually lost the turnover battle in five of its nine Big Ten games — in other words, against Indiana in Week 1, Purdue in Week 7, Penn State in Week 8, Wisconsin in Week 9 and Michigan in Week 13. So there were three straight weeks where the Buckeyes were on the wrong side of that stat column.

During the three-game span, interceptions were only part of the equation — quarterbacks Devin Brown and Kyle McCord fumbled at Purdue, and a punt return fumble (ball bounced off Lorenzo Styles) took place versus Penn State. McCord’s picks, however, did the Buckeyes in at Michigan.

He threw one deep in Ohio State territory that Wolverines cornerback Will Johnson returned to the Ohio State 7-yard line, setting the stage for the game’s first touchdown. McCord’s second interception sealed the deal, but that turnover was less about decision making and more about the fact that he got hit while attempting the downfield pass in the waning seconds of the fourth quarter.

2023 OHIO STATE TURNOVER DIFFERENTIAL	TURNOVERS	TAKEAWAYS	WIN THE TURNOVER BATTLE?
WEEK 1 vs. INDIANA	1	0	X
WEEK 2 vs. YOUNGSTOWN STATE	0	1	✓
WEEK 3 vs. WESTERN KENTUCKY	2	4	✓
WEEK 4 vs. NOTRE DAME	0	0	N/A
WEEK 6 vs. MARYLAND	0	2	✓
WEEK 7 vs. PURDUE	2	0	X
WEEK 8 vs. PENN STATE	1	0	X
WEEK 9 vs. WISCONSIN	3	1	X
WEEK 10 vs. RUTGERS	1	1	N/A
WEEK 11 vs. MICHIGAN STATE	0	0	N/A
WEEK 12 vs. MINNESOTA	0	2	✓
WEEK 13 vs. MICHIGAN	2	0	X

Ohio State has won the turnover battle only four times this season, and two of those instances were games against non-Power Five competition.

What’s more, the Buckeyes’ 11 takeaways so far are the fewest they’ve had in a season this century, according to Sports Reference. They’re flirting with the 12 Ohio State notched in 2005.

Ohio State’s defense is elite otherwise, at least it was leading up to Rivalry Week. But when the Buckeyes needed a stop Saturday, they couldn’t get one — not traditionally and not by way of Michigan turnover.

The Buckeyes, who also logged just 18 takeaways last year, are tied for 76th in turnover margin (-1) and turnover margin per game (-0.08) this season. That deficiency didn’t bite Ohio State until it did.

In The Game.

Report card: Grading Buckeyes latest rivalry loss to Michigan

Ohio State has lost three games in a row to Michigan for the first time since 1995-97. Now, the Buckeyes have to pick up the pieces, wait for their postseason fate and start preparing for what’s next, including a 2024 matchup with the Wolverines.

There will be a year’s worth of breakdowns for this iteration of The Game.

But Lettermen Row is starting with a report card of the Buckeyes’ latest rivalry loss, which featured a slow offensive start, special teams gaffes throughout and second-half defensive struggles.

Check out our grades here.

Ohio State drops out of top five in Week 14 AP Top 25

The stakes were high for this past weekend’s top-three showdown between Ohio State and Michigan. It was essentially a winner-take-all matchup, certainly for the Big Ten East division but likely for the Big Ten Championship trophy and a College Football Playoff bid as well.

The damage done from the Buckeyes’ defeat is already starting to surface.

Ohio State fell from No. 2 to No. 6 in the Week 14 AP Top 25. Day’s team is outside the top five for the first time since September.

Here’s how Ohio State has fared in the AP Poll so far this season:

• Week 1: No. 3
• Week 2: No. 5
• Week 3: No. 6
• Week 4: No. 6
• Week 5: No. 4
• Week 6: No. 4
• Week 7: No. 3
• Week 8: No. 3
• Week 9: No. 3
• Week 10: No. 3
• Week 11: No. 3
• Week 12: No. 3
• Week 13: No. 2
• Week 14: No. 6

For the entire Top 25 from this week’s AP Poll, head on over here.

Counting down

Buckeyes vs. Michigan: 369 days

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