Ohio State played its spring football game today in Ohio Stadium. They overcame the second-half rain and the injuries to the running backs. We did learn some things about the team, and there were some stars.
The most important aspect of the game was the emergence of a couple of players who the Buckeyes need to fill important roles in the coming season. Taven St. Clair and Chris Henry Jr. were the big winners from the spring game. How many games do you think Ohio State will win this season?
Ohio State Spring Game Overview
The gray team won the Ohio State Spring Football game 36-26. This was a pretty meaningless score, though there were some good stats in the game, and we did learn some things. We learned that the Buckeyes’ backup quarterback will be St. Clair. We learned that Henry Jr. is good and should be the third wide receiver for the team. We learned the defense is going to be good, and we learned the Buckeyes have a placekicker, finally
40,240 fans attended the spring game, and the best damn band in the land performed at halftime. Seattle Seahawks wide receiver and Super Bowl champion, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, rang the victory bell before the game. Several other former Buckeyes were at the game, including several players who are assumed to be high draft picks in the 2026 NFL Draft.
OSU Spring Game Stars
There were four big stars from the Ohio State spring football game, though it is worth mentioning here that presumptive starting QB Julian Sayin scrambled for a 4-yard touchdown. It is desired that he run more, so his scrambling for a touchdown was good. He may have been limited by the weather and the rules from running more.
St. Clair made several nice throws and clearly established himself as the second-string signal caller. Henry Jr. was also a star of the game. He had four catches and 96 yards receiving. He likely solidified his grasp on the third receiver position, behind Jeremiah Smith and Brandon Inness.
The third star of the Ohio State spring game was the Ohio State defense. They prevented the offense from scoring in two of the four quarters of the game and turned the ball over several times. There were questions about the defense, but most of those were answered. They looked great.
A highlight of the game was the first takeaway by the defensive team. Will Smith Jr., the son of deceased Buckeye star Defensive Lineman Will Smith, tipped a pass, and it was intercepted by Beau Autkinson. The collaboration among the defensive linemen was great to see, as defensive line depth is a major question for this team.
The final star of the game was the new Ohio State placekicker Connor Hawkins, who looked good. In the second half, he dealt with adverse conditions, but clearly had a big leg. Ohio State fans have been burned in the recent past by bad placekicking. This guy, a transfer to the program, has a big leg. Let us hope he can withstand the pressure.
Last Practice
The spring game marks the last practice for Ohio State until the summer. It is a good thing as we got some answers today. It seems like a long time until the summer, and it is, but it will go fast. The then Buckeyes will play one of the most demanding schedules in college football.
They play the second game of the year at Texas, and then they face a three-game stretch of Indiana, USC, and Oregon. They could easily lose two of those games. That will be odd, a Buckeye football team that loses regular-season games.
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