COLUMBUS — The crowd in Ohio Stadium was more than patient with an Ohio State team that gave them nothing to cheer for more than a quarter, long after the enthusiasm of a hot start wore off. Then, when the Buckeye offense went three-and-out on its first possession of the third quarter, after Oregon’s third straight touchdown drive, the boos rained down.
They were deserved.
Ohio State, with its backs against the wall and its season on the line, no-showed at home in an embarrassing 41-28 loss to the Ducks.
The last time this program lost consecutive regular-season games was in 2011, after Jim Tressell’s resignation, with an interim coach leading a lost season. Before that, you’d have to go back to three straight losses in October 2004 to find the last time Ohio State lost consecutive regular-season games.
And now this: a loss to Oregon to kick off November after the Buckeyes wilted on the road last week at USC. It’s OSU’s third loss of the season. Barring a miracle (which would include believing this team doesn’t lose again in one of its three remaining games), there won’t be playoff football in Columbus this year.