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Desmond Howard blasts Ohio State’s nonconference schedule: ‘They took the whole month off’
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Desmond Howard is not impressed with what Ohio State has done so far in 2024.
The Buckeyes played a very light nonconference schedule this year. They are 3-0 after picking up blowout wins over Akron, Western Michigan and Marshall to start the season.
Howard, a former Michigan great and current ESPN analyst, ripped Ohio State for its scheduling on the latest episode of College Football Live on Friday. He pointed out that Ohio State is the only ranked team who has yet to face a power-conference opponent so far this season.
“So pretty much, Ohio State took the whole month off, the whole first month off, and now they play Michigan State,” Howard said. “So finally, they’re playing a power-four team. Going on the road, playing against a Michigan State team that defensively, they lead the conference in sacks and tackles for loss. So watch that battle in the trenches.”
Of course, there is a bit of irony here in this comment coming a Michigan man. The Wolverines often played soft nonconference schedules late in the Jim Harbaugh era. Last year, Michigan faced East Carolina, UNLV and Bowling Green before getting into its Big Ten slate.
After ESPN’s Pete Thamel point out Michigan’s previous soft scheduling in nonconference play, Howard seemed a bit annoyed.
“Are you, a Buckeye defender?” Howard asked. “Why can’t we just say what’s happening right now?”
In any event, Ohio State and Michigan are both contenders for the Big Ten in 2024 — although the Buckeyes are currently favored to win the league in Vegas. Ohio State will host the Wolverines this year on No. 30.
Spenser is the news manager at Saturday Road and covers college football across all Saturday Football brands.