Ten Things People Will Be Saying After The Akron Game

Welcome to the day before the Buckeyes kick off their 2024 season against the in-state Akron Zips. As with most season openers, this one features a team with means facing off against a team looking for an end.

Ohio State is favored by seven touchdowns in this one, so there’s not a lot of drama expected. But there will still be plenty to talk about. And since society no longer has any kind of patience, I thought I’d go ahead and let you know what everybody is going to be saying after Saturday’s game. Warning: spoilers ahead.

“I forgot how good Emeka Egbuka is.”

Emeka Egbuka is one of just three true sophomores in Ohio State history to post 1,000 yards receiving in a season. He did it in 2022, the same year that Marvin Harrison, Jr. did it, and one year after Jaxon Smith-Njigba did it. That’s damn good company. He was a bit of a forgotten man last year because of an ankle injury. He’s healthy again and better than we’ve ever seen him. He’s going to show it on a week-in, week-out basis. By the time this season is over, he’s probably leaving as the school’s all-time receiving yardage and receptions leader. By this time tomorrow, people are going to remember just how good Emeka Egbuka is.

“I can’t believe we get three years of this.”

Saturday will be the first of possibly 48 games as a Buckeye for Jeremiah Smith. Tomorrow’s not the time to start counting them down, but it will be the time to start appreciating how much more you will get to see. Everything that JJ Smith has shown to this point has lived up to the hype and then required the hype to be taken even further. Ryan Day wants him to put on a show. They’re gonna give him that chance. You’re gonna have fun talking about Jeremiah Smith with your friends and family tomorrow who have not been paying as much attention as you have.

“This is the Jack Sawyer I’ve been waiting on.”

Granted, almost everyone said this during the Cotton Bowl last year, but most people have tried to wipe that day from their memories. So when they start saying it again on Saturday, there will only be a faint sense of deja vu. Jack Sawyer has been a ring leader for this team, and you shouldn’t expect that leadership to result in a lackluster performance in the first game of the year. “The standard is the standard,” and Sawyer is going to show that against Akron.

“I think we can win with this guy.”

Saturday is Will Howard’s official debut as Ohio State’s starting quarterback. He doesn’t carry the hype of Justin Fields or eventual expectations of CJ Stroud, but he does need to start producing right away. He won’t be asked to do anything crazy, simply deliver the ball to the Buckeyes’ slew of play makers. Howard’s entire athletic skill set may not yet be on display, but there may be some scrambles here and there that get fans excited. Howard should be effective and efficient in the passing game, and his receivers will make him look even better. The numbers may not be eye-popping but you’ll still have a sense of excitement for the future possibilities. Just keep in mind, I’m pretty sure I said Ohio State could win with Joe Bauserman after he opened the 2011 season against Akron by completing 12-of-16 passes for 163 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions. He also rushed for 32 yards and another touchdown. If Will Howard can post those numbers, nobody would complain. Though I may throw out an ill-timed reminder about putting too much stock in one season-opening performance against the Akron Zips. It’s just what I do.

“Marv was right about Carnell.”

A year ago, Marvin Harrison, Jr. raved about how prepared and professional receiver Carnell Tate was as a true freshman. Harrison said that Tate was basically a year ahead of him developmentally, which means now that he is a sophomore, he should be putting the same kind of fear in defenses that Harrison did last year as a junior. Akron’s worst starting cornerback is gonna have a challenging day tomorrow. So is their best starting cornerback.

“The offensive line looks better.”

Well, yeah. Anything is gonna be better than what we saw the last time they played. The Cotton Bowl against Missouri has stuck with a lot of people and is seen as a representation of what they think they’ll see on Saturday. Never mind the fact that two of the starters in that game are no longer on the team. The Buckeye offensive line may not yet be fully healthy on Saturday but the depth and the starters they do have should be able to operate just fine.

“The secondary was as advertised.”

If it’s an aggressive defense you’re looking for, you should be able to find it in the secondary. There are going to be some passes broken up tomorrow by the Ohio State cornerbacks. Akron quarterback Ben Finley has been a part-time starter at both North Carolina State and Cal. He’ll never see a better secondary than the one he’s throwing against on Saturday. Buckeye fans, you’ve got guys like Caleb Downs in your secondary. Enjoy it, because quarterbacks won’t.

“Sure, but it’s just Akron.”

You know who you are. Everybody knows that it’s just Akron. We can all see the schedule. Don’t you have some joy to kill about how you’re not going to get excited about Ohio State’s recruiting commitments until they sign their letters of intent? And then when they do sign, remind people that freshmen rarely contribute. And then, in two years when those players are sophomores and didn’t contribute much as freshmen, you call them busts.

“This won’t be good enough against Oregon.”

Is that right? The points from this game won’t carry over against the Ducks? Does Ryan Day know this? Is this a new rule?

“One down, 15 more to go.”

The journey of a thousand miles begins by going 1-0. (The journey of a thousand miles also describes Georgia’s entire travel schedule this year.) Ryan Day has preached to his team to leave no doubt this year. That goes for Akron as well. The Buckeyes are playing for a lot this year. Maybe most of all they’re playing for each other. The non-conference schedule is not exciting, but the Buckeyes should be. You won’t be stranded in the non-conference schedule for long, so you may as well enjoy the season while it’s here. It could be an all-timer.

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