Menace2Sports with Zach Smith

Ryan Day's Team Had "Uncomfortable Conversations" | Menace2Sports

Ohio State is 6-2, ranked 12th in the first College Football Playoff rankings and the first team out of the projected field. This Saturday the Buckeyes host Oregon in Columbus at 3:30 p.m., after a 30-18 loss at USC. Zach Smith and Kris Drew dig into what "uncomfortable conversations" inside Ryan Day's locker room could mean, and whether the Buckeyes can fix their problems fast enough to save the season.

In this week's Wednesday media availability, Day told players to speak up if "there's conversations that you...

Hunter Yurachek Put Ryan Day 12th And Alabama 5th | Menace2Sports

The first College Football Playoff rankings of 2026 are out. Ohio State debuted at No. 12 at 6-2, the first team out of the projected field. That's after the Buckeyes' 30-18 loss at USC, where true freshman Luke Fahey made his first start with Julian Sayin out. Alabama, also 6-2, landed at No. 5. Indiana, which lost only to Ohio State, sits at No. 4. Zach Smith and Kris Drew break down what the committee did, what it means for Ryan Day's season, and why Saturday against Oregon is now...

Ohio State's loss to USC is still lingering, and the reaction isn't slowing down. The Trojans beat the No. 2 Buckeyes 30-18 at the Coliseum, handing Lincoln Riley the biggest win of his USC tenure and leaving Ryan Day with the toughest stretch of his coaching career.

Ohio State outgained USC 464 yards and held the ball for nearly 40 minutes, but settled for four field goals, went 2-of-10 in the red zone, and didn't reach the end zone until 2:12 remained. The Buckeyes were playing without Julian Sayin, and true freshman Luke Fahey threw for 260 yards in his first career...

Ohio State lost 30-18 at USC, and the Buckeyes' offense left a lot on the field. Luke Fahey missed Devin McCuin deep four times, and we put the film on to show exactly what happened.

Fahey, the true freshman starting in place of the injured Julian Sayin, finished 21-of-38 for 260 yards, one touchdown, and no interceptions. Ohio State outgained USC 464 yards and held the ball for nearly 40 minutes, but the Buckeyes settled for four field goals and went just 2-of-10 in the red zone. McCuin, the UTSA transfer Ryan Day said is "as good as we've had...

Lincoln Riley just got the biggest win of his USC tenure, and it came against Ryan Day. The Trojans stunned No. 2 Ohio State 30-18 at the Coliseum, handing the Buckeyes their second loss of the season in their first game without Julian Sayin.

USC set the tone on the second play from scrimmage, when freshman Trent Mosley turned a screen into a 69-yard touchdown against a defense that hadn't allowed a play longer than 36 yards all year. Ohio State actually outgained USC 464 yards to roughly 300 and held the ball for nearly 40 minutes, but the Buckeyes settled for...

Luke Fahey Is Starting For Ohio State Against USC | Menace2Sports

Ohio State is headed to the Coliseum without Julian Sayin, and Luke Fahey, a true freshman from Mission Viejo, California, is the quarterback in the spotlight. Zach Smith and Kris Drew break down what a Fahey start means for Ryan Day, the Buckeyes' playoff hopes and the Saturday night showdown with Lincoln Riley's USC Trojans.

Sayin hurt his throwing arm in Ohio State's 19-15 win over Indiana on Oct. 17, and the school has said he is out indefinitely. Fahey replaced him late in that...

Luke Fahey's longtime quarterback trainer says Fahey is "the next star at Ohio State," and that Fahey is "as good, if not better, than any of them that I've been around." The trainer is Ryan Porter, who has also worked with Jayden Daniels, the Washington Commanders quarterback.

Porter is the founder of QB Cavalry and has trained Fahey since eighth grade, including coaching him on the seven-on-seven circuit. Fahey is a true freshman from Mission Viejo, California, and would be making his first start at USC on Saturday, Oct. 31, at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC. As of...

Ryan Day is being very careful about what he reveals at quarterback ahead of Ohio State's Halloween night showdown at Lincoln Riley's USC. Starting QB Julian Sayin, a Heisman finalist last season, left the win at Indiana with a throwing-arm injury and Day has shared very few details about his timeline.

True freshman Luke Fahey stepped in against Indiana and is widely expected to start at USC, a homecoming for the Southern California native. But Day hasn't handed him the job outright, and five-star sophomore Tavien St. Clair is still in the mix. Is it a strategic...

Luke Fahey's first start could come against Lincoln Riley and USC in the Coliseum on Halloween. Zach Smith and Kris Drew break down what Ohio State needs from a true freshman quarterback in a road game.

Ohio State plays at USC on Saturday, Oct. 31, at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC. Julian Sayin is out "indefinitely" after hurting his throwing arm in Ohio State's 19-15 win at Indiana on Oct. 17. Ryan Day said Fahey "has been ahead of Tavien" St. Clair, but also said, "We're going to play the guy that gives us the best chance to win."...

Ryan Day says officials missed calls on Jeremiah Smith in Ohio State's 19-15 win at Indiana, and Zach Smith and Kris Drew react. Is Jeremiah Smith being held to a different standard because of his size, or is this a coach working the refs?

Ryan Day said two plays in the Indiana game, both involving Jeremiah Smith, were ones where Ohio State "didn't get calls," calling them "game-changing plays." He said that "a tug, a pull or a bump on Jeremiah, based on almost anybody else in the country would look a lot different," and that "a...

Josh Pate says Ohio State will miss the College Football Playoff without Julian Sayin. In this video, Zach Smith and Kris Drew react to his take, and you can hear for yourself whether they agree with him. Is it a fair read on the Buckeyes, or an overreaction to a backup quarterback situation?

Sayin hurt his throwing arm in Ohio State's 19-15 win at Indiana on Oct. 17. Ryan Day said Oct. 20 that Sayin is out "indefinitely" and gave no timeline. ESPN reported that Ohio State plans to play the rest of the season without him, and Day...

Julian Sayin's Alleged Elbow Surgery Changes Everything

Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin is out "indefinitely," Ryan Day said Tuesday, and the Buckeyes are now planning for him to miss the rest of the regular season. Day also said the team is putting together a plan in case Sayin can't return this fall at all. What hasn't been confirmed is any diagnosis or surgery: as of Oct. 21, Ohio State has not announced either. Luke Fahey has been ahead of Tavien St. Clair, but both get reps during the bye week before Ohio State plays at No. 16 USC on...

The Real Reason Julian Sayin Got Hurt

Ohio State beat Indiana 19-15, but the bigger story was Julian Sayin leaving in the fourth quarter. He was sacked just past midfield, fumbled, went to the locker room and came out with his right arm in a sling. Ryan Day says Sayin will be out "at the least several weeks," and Ohio State is still going through testing. The Buckeyes are off this week, then play at USC on Oct. 31.

What actually happened on that play? Zach Smith and Kris Drew go through the film to look...

Julian Sayin Is Out. Now It's Fahey Or St. Clair.

Ohio State beat Indiana 19-15 to end the Hoosiers' 22-game win streak, but the bigger story came in the fourth quarter. Julian Sayin was sacked, fumbled, left the field and returned with his arm in a sling. Ryan Day says Sayin will be out "several weeks." Redshirt freshman Luke Fahey replaced him against Indiana, and five-star Tavien St. Clair, the Bellefontaine, Ohio, product, is on the roster too. Ohio State now has a bye week before it travels to USC on Oct. 31.

Zach Smith and...

Does Indiana have an answer for Jeremiah Smith? Curt Cignetti didn't hold back this week, calling Ohio State's star receiver "a wow player" and saying "there is no one like him right now playing at this level." Zach Smith and Kris Drew on Menace2Sports break down what Cignetti said, what Indiana can realistically do about Smith, and what the Hoosiers' third-down struggles at Nebraska mean for Saturday's matchup in Bloomington.

In this video:
• Everything Curt Cignetti has said about Jeremiah Smith this week, including "He's a freak, and we're going to have to do a gr...

Is Legend Bey about to get his shot against Indiana? Ohio State's true freshman running back and kick returner is coming off his most involved game since the season opener, and Ryan Day says he's "starting to take some steps in the right direction for sure, and he's built a little momentum." With the Buckeyes heading to Bloomington this Saturday, Zach Smith and Kris Drew on Menace2Sports break down what Bey's role could look like against the defending national champions.

In this video:
• What Ryan Day said about Legend Bey's progress and his hope for "an...

Indiana linebacker Isaiah Jones has a message for Jeremiah Smith and Ohio State: "We're not gonna let you beat us with the guy that's been torching the rest of the country." With the Buckeyes heading to Bloomington this Saturday, Zach Smith and Kris Drew on Menace2Sports break down what Jones said, how Indiana plans to slow down the most productive receiver in the Big Ten, and whether the Hoosiers can actually pull it off.

In this video:
• What Isaiah Jones said about Jeremiah Smith and how Indiana plans to defend him
• Why Indiana wants to b...

Is Kyle Whittingham pinning Michigan's struggles on Bryce Underwood? Menace2Sports breaks down Whittingham's comments about his quarterback, why the hosts think Underwood is taking the heat, and whether the Michigan coaching staff deserves just as much of the blame.

In this video:
• What Whittingham has said about Underwood since the opener, including "It's not infinite. At some point, we've got to turn the corner"
• Michigan's 20-14 loss at Minnesota, where Underwood went 10-of-21 for 101 yards and threw two interceptions
• Why the hosts see a pattern in how Whittingham talks about his quarterback
• How much...

Nebraska showed Ryan Day how to beat Curt Cignetti. The Huskers built an 11-point lead on No. 7 Indiana, the defending national champions, before losing 20-17 when the Hoosiers scored 14 points in 4 minutes and 48 seconds. Now Ohio State travels to Bloomington on Saturday, Oct. 17 (noon ET). We break down exactly what Nebraska did to take control, how it all slipped away in the fourth quarter, and what Ryan Day, Julian Sayin, and Jeremiah Smith can take from the tape.

In this video:
- How Nebraska built a 17-6 lead on Indiana's defense
- The fourth-quarter collapse...

Kirby Smart is one win away from burying the Big Ten. No. 2 Georgia heads to Tuscaloosa on Saturday to face No. 6 Alabama, both teams are 5-0, and the winner takes sole possession of the SEC lead and a huge step toward the College Football Playoff. We break down why this game matters far beyond the SEC, what a Georgia win would mean for the national title race, and what it means for Ohio State, Indiana, and the rest of the Big Ten. In this video: - Why Georgia at Alabama (Saturday, Oct. 10, 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC) could reshape...

Chris Henry Jr. is about to get his shot. With Brandon Inniss listed as questionable ahead of Ohio State's game against Maryland, the freshman receiver is set to see a bigger role on Saturday, and Buckeye fans have been waiting for this. We break down what Chris Henry Jr. brings to the Ohio State offense, how he and Brock Boyd could change the slot, what it means for Julian Sayin and Jeremiah Smith, and whether Ohio State finally gets a true WR2.

In this video:
- Why Chris Henry Jr. is in line for Brandon Inniss...

Ryan Day told Julian Sayin exactly how he wants Jeremiah Smith treated: "If he's single-covered, he's open. If he's double-covered, he's sort of open. If he's triple-covered, he's covered." That message lands after Smith torched No. 14 Iowa for 11 catches, 206 yards and two touchdowns in Ohio State's 31-14 win, and it raises a big question heading into Maryland: is Sayin forcing the ball to Smith, or is that simply the right way to play? We break it down, from the Ohio State records Smith is stacking up to the Heisman race and what it means for the rest of the...

Michigan's locker room is leaking text messages, and it's getting ugly in Ann Arbor. Screenshots allegedly showing a Michigan group chat have surfaced, with the author reportedly criticizing offensive coordinator Jason Beck, the offensive scheme, and the staff, right after the Wolverines fell to 0-2 in the Big Ten with a 20-14 loss to Minnesota. We break down what's been alleged, what hasn't been confirmed, and what it means for Kyle Whittingham's program.

In this video:
- What the leaked Michigan group chat allegedly says about Jason Beck and the offense
- Why the messages...

Jeremiah Smith just passed Chris Olave. In Ohio State's 31-14 statement win at Kinnick Stadium, Smith hauled in his 36th career touchdown catch to take the Buckeyes' all-time receiving touchdown record from Olave (35), then broke Emeka Egbuka's career receptions record on the same afternoon with an 11-catch, 206-yard, two-touchdown performance. We break down how Smith did it, what it means for his Heisman case, and how Ohio State's defense answered every question about the run game by holding Iowa to just 39 rushing yards, the fewest the Hawkeyes have managed since 2005.

In this video:
- Jeremiah Smith...

Kirk Ferentz knows exactly what he's doing, and Ohio State just handed him the blueprint. After allowing 199 rushing yards to Illinois — including 113 to a single running back — the Buckeyes' defensive line walks into Kinnick Stadium against the deepest, most physical rushing attack in the Big Ten. We break down why Iowa is going to run the ball at Matt Patricia's defense over and over and over again on Saturday, whether Ohio State's run defense can fix its gap discipline in time, and what it means for the Buckeyes' playoff hopes if it can't.

In this video:
- Wh...

Phillip Daniels is healthy again, and Ryan Day still won't commit to giving him his starting job back.

Ohio State heads to Kinnick Stadium this Saturday to face No. 14 Iowa, and the biggest question up front isn't about scheme, it's about who starts at right tackle. Phillip Daniels was Ohio State's starter before a injury knocked him out, and Gabe VanSickle stepped in and played well enough that Ryan Day is now calling it a "good problem to have." We break down Day's actual comments on the competition, what it means that he said Gabe "hasn't done...

Ryan Day just told the world his defensive line needs to step up, and he's not being subtle about it.

No. 5 Ohio State (3-1) is heading to Kinnick Stadium to face No. 14 Iowa (4-0) this Saturday, October 3rd at 3:30 PM ET on CBS, and Ryan Day is publicly putting his defensive line on notice after Illinois gashed the Buckeyes for over 500 yards. We break down Day's actual comments about "taking all applications" on the D-line, what that really means for guys like Kenyatta Jackson, Jason Moore, and Eddrick Houston, and why the interior defensive line has been...

Hank Brown Has To Beat Ryan Day Next.

Hank Brown just knocked off Michigan on the road. Now he's got to do it against a top-five team. No. 14 Iowa hosts No. 5 Ohio State at Kinnick Stadium this Saturday, and it's the biggest game the Big Ten has produced all season.

On this episode we break down whether Iowa's low-mistake, run-first formula can actually hold up against a Buckeyes roster with this much talent, and whether Ryan Day has fixed what went wrong on defense after Illinois put up over 500 yards against them. We get into...

Hank Brown Beat Michigan. Ryan Day Is Next.

Hank Brown just threw the touchdown pass of the year. No. 17 Iowa went into the Big House and stunned No. 18 Michigan 20-19 on a last-second touchdown pass from Brown to Reece Vander Zee, and the Big Ten just got flipped upside down in Week 5.

On this episode we break down exactly how Hank Brown and Iowa pulled off the upset, what it means for Kirk Ferentz's team, and why Ohio State and Ryan Day should be very, very worried heading into Iowa City. We get into the...

Kirk Ferentz Is Waiting For Bryce Underwood — Here's the Trap He's Setting 🏈

Iowa travels to Michigan for the Big Ten opener, and Kirk Ferentz just told everyone exactly how he plans to attack Bryce Underwood: patience. No gimmicks, no exotic pressure packages — Ferentz is going to sit back, force the true freshman to beat him with his arm over and over, and wait for the mistakes that come with every young quarterback facing a hostile road environment for the first time. In this video we break down exactly what Ferentz said about Underwood and Michigan's offense, why this is...

Ryan Day Needs Arch Manning To Win At Neyland — Here's Why

Ohio State hosts Illinois this weekend, but there's a game hundreds of miles away that matters just as much to Ryan Day's season. No. 1 Texas and Arch Manning head into Neyland Stadium to face Tennessee in one of the biggest games of Week 4, and the result directly affects how Ohio State's loss to Texas gets viewed the rest of the season. If Arch Manning and the Longhorns go into Knoxville and win, that "bad loss" starts looking like a quality loss to the best team in th...

Ryan Day Says Ja'Kobi Jackson Ran Harder Than Bo Jackson — And That's a Problem for Ohio State's RB1

Ryan Day just said the quiet part out loud. Coming off Ohio State's Illinois press conference, Day publicly challenged his running backs to "run angry" — and made a point of saying Ja'Kobi Jackson has been running harder than RB1 Bo Jackson. That's not a throwaway comment from a head coach who's had a low red zone success rate and a lack of explosive runs all season.

On this episode we break down exactly what Day said, why he s...

Trinidad Chambliss Is Living In Lane Kiffin's Head — And He Just Proved It On National TV

Lane Kiffin came back to Oxford for the first time since leaving Ole Miss for LSU, and Trinidad Chambliss made sure he'll never forget it. No. 8 Ole Miss knocked off No. 7 LSU 32-24, and Chambliss didn't just beat his old coach's new team — he pointed right at Kiffin after sealing it with a game-winning interception.

On this episode we break down exactly how Chambliss torched LSU's defense, why he turned down the chance to follow Kiffin to Baton Rouge, and...

Julian Sayin Isn't Staring Down Jeremiah Smith — And That's Exactly Why Ohio State's Offense Works

Everyone assumes a quarterback with the best receiver in college football just locks onto him every snap. Julian Sayin doesn't — and on this episode we break down exactly why that's the most underrated part of his game right now.

We go through Ohio State's offense play by play to explain how Sayin is working full-field progressions, manipulating safeties, and still getting Jeremiah Smith the ball on his terms instead of forcing it and tipping off the defense. We also get into...

Urban Meyer, the man who never lost to Michigan as Ohio State's head coach, just showed up in Ann Arbor to support his best friend.

Meyer and Whittingham's bond dates back to Utah, where Whittingham served as his defensive coordinator before taking over the program when Meyer left for Florida. Now, with Whittingham stepping into the pressure cooker of Michigan's head coaching job, Meyer named him the one coach he's most excited to watch in all of college football in 2026, saying, "It's also what in the hell happened up there, you know? That's very un-Wolverine-like what's taking...

Ohio State has the most expensive roster in college football — and it still wasn't enough to beat Texas.

According to The Athletic's newly released 2026 roster spending estimates, Ohio State leads the entire sport at $49-54 million, edging out Texas' $40-plus million budget, yet it was Steve Sarkisian's Longhorns who walked out of Austin with a stunning 24-23 comeback win after Ohio State blew a 20-point fourth-quarter lead. It's a reminder that in the new era of $40-million-plus rosters, money alone doesn't guarantee results — coaching, execution, and closing out games still matter. In this video, we break down how...

Ryan Day just put the entire roster on notice — and one starter in particular should be paying close attention.

Following Ohio State's historic collapse at Texas, where the Buckeyes blew a 20-point fourth-quarter lead for the first time by an AP No. 1 team since 2004, Day admitted the loss is "going to force us to make some hard decisions." That's a serious statement from a coach who rarely airs internal doubts publicly, and it comes right as questions mount about middle linebacker Payton Pierce, who earned the most captain votes on the team but was PFF's lowest-graded starter on...

Oregon just suffered one of the biggest upsets of the season — and it might not have been a fluke. In this episode, we break down reports that Dante Moore and Oregon were tipping plays to Oklahoma State's defense before the snap, with Cowboys linebacker Tate Romney revealing exactly what gave his defense the edge. We cover Dan Lanning's testy response to the criticism, what this means for Moore's Heisman campaign, and whether Oregon can fix this glaring issue before Big Ten play heats up.

Topics covered: Dante Moore, Oregon Ducks, Dan Lanning, Oklahoma State, Big Ten football, Or...

What was shaping up to be one of Ohio State's most dominant wins of the season turned into the most historic collapse in modern college football history.

Ohio State led Texas by 20 points in the fourth quarter Saturday night, a spot AP No. 1-ranked teams had gone a perfect 197-0 in since 2004. The Buckeyes had personally won 115 straight games when holding a 20-point lead, the sixth-longest active streak in the FBS. Then it all fell apart — Texas ripped off three straight fourth-quarter touchdown drives, Ohio State turned conservative on offense, the defense couldn't get off the field in...

Vegas is disrespecting Ryan Day heading into Saturday's massive showdown — and the numbers don't back it up. In this episode, we break down why oddsmakers have installed Ohio State as 1.5-point underdogs against Steve Sarkisian's Texas despite the Buckeyes being the reigning national champion and No. 1 team in the country. We cover Sarkisian's 0-5 record against Day and Kirby Smart since 2024, both coaches' track records against top-10 competition, and why the betting line doesn't match the actual résumés heading into kickoff.

Topics covered: Ryan Day, Steve Sarkisian, Ohio State vs Texas, Vegas odds, Arch Manning, Big...