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Paul Finebaum reveals his biggest concern for Ohio State after loss to Oregon
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Paul Finebaum joins the Matt Barrie Show every Sunday to discuss the college football action from the day prior.
Finebaum and Barrie had much to say after another wild slate in Week 7, including the Ohio State-Oregon matchup. When asked about Ohio State losing, Finebaum pointed to one specific area as his biggest concern for the team.
“The problem that we talked about before the season looks like it could still be a problem and that’s at the quarterback position,” said Finebaum. “You know, good decisions, bad decisions.”
While Finebaum thinks QB is the biggest problem, Barrie went another route.
“I find it alarming, though, how many times an Oregon receiver was left wide open for a big play,” said the analyst.
The Buckeyes’ secondary gave up 496 total yards of offense, with 341 of those coming through the air. Oregon QB Dillon Gabriel had arguably his best game of the year, throwing for 341 yards and 2 TDs.
Going back to Finebaum’s concern, Ohio State QB Will Howard had a decent game on Saturday. The QB completed 28 of 35 passes for 326 yards and 2 TDs. However, Howard was criticized for his handling of the final drive of the game.
With just 6 seconds in the game, and the Buckeyes needing a field goal, Howard took off from the pocket and slid down with no time on the clock. That’s how the game ended as the Buckeyes were out of timeouts.
Howard wasn’t bad against Oregon but the crucial mistake with time running out doomed the Buckeyes. If Ohio State wants to achieve its ultimate goals, Howard will need to be better all around and the secondary will also have to step up against elite offenses.
The Buckeyes’ next test will come in Week 9 against Nebraska after a bye in Week 8.
Bryce Lazenby covers college football for Saturday Tradition. A Nashville native, his previous stops include FanSided, Dimers, and The Leaf-Chronicle.