It's been a frustrating November for the No. 20 Ohio State Buckeyes, as the offense hasn't been nearly as effective since quarterback Julian Sayin sustained a fractured right elbow in the 19-15 Week 7 win over the Indiana Hoosiers. The team finally got over the struggles on Saturday in Week 11 with a 28-19 victory over the Northwestern Wildcats, and Ryan Day is seemingly over the moon.
After the win was secured, the 47-year-old head coach admitted that it's been a rough go for his Buckeyes in recent weeks, according to Joey Kaufman of The Columbus Dispatch. Day claimed he was happy to see his players excited in the locker room about earning a win after losing two straight.
“The last two weeks haven't been fun, so it was good to see some guys smiling in the locker room,” Day said.
Two straight losses before Saturday's win give Ohio State three total losses on the season. While the Buckeyes technically still have a chance to clinch a spot in the College Football Playoff, the chances are incredibly slim. The program needs a handful of Big Ten opponents to lose in the coming weeks just to have an opportunity to pull off the near-impossible.
Things finally went Ohio State's way on Saturday. The defense played well against Northwestern, sacking quarterback Nicco Marchiol five times and forcing five punts in the contest. Additionally, the offense appeared to play a bit smoother. Jeremiah Smith finished with 11 catches for 117 yards and a touchdown, while running back Bo Jackson totaled 114 yards and a score on 20 rush attempts.
Article Continues BelowEven Luke Fahey seemed to play better, as he recorded 201 passing yards and three touchdowns while completing 65.6% of his pass attempts. He led the Buckeyes to outgain the Wildcats 369 to 278 in total yards of offense.
Ryan Day and Ohio State will have a chance to build upon this win in Week 12. The program is scheduled to face off against the Nebraska Cornhuskers on Saturday, November 21. The kickoff time is currently TBD.