WILL TEXAS HANG OVER KILL 2026? / Ohio State Buckeyes LIVE 387

Ohio State Buckeyes LIVE 387 — “Will Texas Hang Over Kill 2026?” Voice of CFB / OhioStateVOCFB Host: Mark Rogers Guests: Steve Helwagen (Bucknuts 247), Tony Gerdeman (Buckeye Weekly / Buckeye Insiders), Steve Helwick (Underdog Dynasty / By the Belt) Opening: The 24-23 Texas loss and the two extremes 00:00–01:43 Ohio State is not a program that treats a road loss as a moral victory. A 24-23 result in Austin would have looked respectable in the offseason. The way it happened is the problem. Mark frames the spectrum: some say the sky isn’t falling after a one-point road loss to the new No. 1 team; others treat it as inexcusable. He wants a balanced take. 01:43–05:16 — Steve Helwagen’s preamble Week 1 vs. Ball State (56-3) looked like a team ready for Texas. First half vs. Texas: dominant, 20-3 lead. Felt like a statement win that would help CFP seeding. Second half: heat (92° air, ~110° on the field) + Ohio State offense going three-and-out starting mid-third quarter. Defense on the field too often. Texas three long scoring drives (91, 73, 71 yards, all double-digit plays) and three fourth-quarter TDs. Records: first time Ohio State lost after leading by 17+ at half; first time a No. 1 team lost after leading by 20 in the second half. Biggest blown lead in program history remains 21 vs. Nebraska in 2011 (lost season). This one hurts because 2026 was supposed to be a title-contender year. Glass half full: one-point road loss to a playoff-caliber team. Glass half empty: “You cannot ever lose that game.” Kent State preview (with Steve Helwick) 05:16–16:12 They pivot briefly because Helwick is the Group of 5 guy. Kent State snapshot Brutal non-conference “ride to hell” schedule every year. Last year: 172-24 combined losses at Oklahoma, FSU, Texas Tech. Still finished 5-7 after an 0-12 season. 2026: 57-0 at South Carolina, then trailed FCS Wofford 15-14 after three before 22 unanswered in the fourth. Sloppy (muffed punt, missed FG, turnovers on downs) but clearly better than Wofford. Offense is boom-or-bust, historically big-play dependent (Cade Wolford last year, now at Cincinnati). Conservative vs. South Carolina; some explosiveness late vs. Wofford. QB Drew DeShields (Beloit West Branch, Ohio): dual-threat. vs. Wofford: 16-of-25, 248 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT; 10 carries, 74 yards, 2 TDs. Already 2 INTs this year. Names to watch: Darylis Clark — MAC Special Teams POY last year (2 kick-return TDs), now WR, second-leading receiver. Rocco Nickel — 6-5 LB, boomerang transfer (Kent State → USF → back). Sound tackler, roaming. Historical OSU-Kent State: average score 55-7 in three meetings. Vegas: OSU -52.5, O/U 59.5. Helwick wouldn’t be shocked if Kent State is shut out. MAC overall: Helwick thinks it’s a down year. Western Michigan is the clear favorite (retained MAC OPOY, no portal losses after 10-1 finish). Bottom half (Bowling Green, CMU, Akron, Ball State, Kent State) is rough. Ohio State is playing two of the weaker ones. Purpose of the game for Ohio State Get starters in a groove, get young players snaps (like Fahey and St. Clair vs. Ball State), stay healthy for Illinois (Big Ten opener the following week). Helwick was in Austin for the Texas game (after covering UTSA and Texas State). Brief comments: Ohio State left meat on the bone in the first half (bad 4th-and-2 run call), coverage breaks on deep balls (Cam Coleman, Ryan Wingo drop). Pass rush and snap counts (Kari Wilder only 5 snaps, Pettijohn vs. Pierce) need fixing. Deep Texas autopsy with Tony Gerdeman 23:39 onward (Tony arrives after traffic) The goal-line decision 23:39–32:00 Mark: purist view is you stop them at the 1. Practical view: let them score with ~50 seconds left, give Julian Sayin the ball with timeouts. Tony agrees completely. Ryan Day was informed by past success stopping Texas near the goal line, but this defense had been on the field the entire fourth quarter in 110° heat. Discretion > valor. Pete (Pierce?) said they never even considered it. Tony’s point: without Caden McDonald (the “floppy belly” All-American DT), Ohio State almost never stops first-and-goal from the 1. Four cracks over center/A-gap was going to score. They should have pushed the receiver into the end zone on the previous play to get more time. Situational football failed: OSU 1-of-6 on third down in second half (5-of-8 first half), 2-of-5 red-zone TDs. Texas 4-of-4 scoring (3 TDs, 1 FG). Texas recovered 3 of 4 fumbles. Missed FG. Hook-and-ladder on the final drive. Any one of 10 plays flips it. Offense and Julian S