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Ohio State has endured some heartbreak on the recruiting trail to start off the Early Signing Period.
Early Wednesday morning, 4-star safety Jordan Battle flipped his commitment from Ohio State to Alabama, a tough blow for the Buckeyes. But things got worse in Columbus on the recruiting trail.
Another 4-star prospect, pro-style quarterback Dwan Mathis, officially signed with Georgia on Wednesday morning. He became the second 4-star prospect the Buckeyes lost to the SEC for the day.
Mathis had been committed to Ohio State since the summer.
Urban Meyer’s decision to step down as head coach has likely been the key factor in the decisions of both Battle and Mathis. But considering the success Ryan Day had with Dwayne Haskins this fall, the Mathis departure seems like the more surprising flip.
Mathis, a native of Belleville, Michigan, was also a one-time Michigan State commit before giving his verbal pledge to the Buckeyes.
Ohio State entered the Early Signing Period with the second-best class in the B1G and the No. 10 ranked class nationally. The Buckeyes’ reign atop the B1G recruiting rankings — a seat they’ve occupied for eight years — is in serious jeopardy.
Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB