Bulletpoints: Ball State

Welcome to another year of Bulletpoints on 2StripesCPD! Bulletpoints is a pretty simple concept: It's just a collection of my takeaways from each Ohio State game in bullet point form. Since we're in a new season, I've decided to make this week's edition free for all to read. If you enjoy it –and aren't already subscribed– and want to read the full version of Bulletpoints columns as the season goes on, then I've got a deal just for you. Hit the button below to get your first month at 2StripesCPD for just $1:

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• Before I talk about the game itself, I have to start with how great it is to see the gray stripes back on the primary uniforms. This is how Ohio State should look when they take the field. The endzones look pretty damn good, too.
• Look, it's Ball State. There's no reason for Ohio State to not boatrace them, and that's exactly what they did. The most important thing I took away from this game was that they looked prepared. That may not sound like much given the opponent, but did you see how sloppy play was across the country this weekend? Roster turnover in the portal has almost shifted the first few weeks of the season into a pseudo-preseason where teams have to figure out how to play together in a live-game setting. There were things that weren't awesome - the run game and overall offensive line play in the first half, plus the usual special teams lapses we've come to expect. Overall, though? Ryan Day and Co.'s operation mostly looked pretty smooth as they ran through an overmatched opponent. It looks like they got out healthy, too, which is all you can ask for in an opener vs. Ball State.
• The Devin McCuin hype is real. What I liked most about his game was that he and Julian Sayin already look like they're on the same page. Certain defenses will make it a point to try and force Ohio State to beat them with anyone not named Jeremiah Smith as the year goes on. McCuin looks more than capable of feasting when they do, from both an efficiency and explosiveness standpoint. It's nice to see that Sayin already trusts him to make a play when they need it. His 18-yard reception with the team backed up inside their own five was the catalyst for the first touchdown drive:

• The early run game struggles looked like a team effort. Poor line play plus backs not being decisive equals 44 non-sack first half rushing yards.
• I'll be honest: I didn't understand the preseason hype the offensive line got. They aren't overly physical in the run game, nor are they athletic or look like they play with great technique in pass protection. Most importantly, I don't think the coaches feel fully comfortable with who their best five are yet. That's not the worst thing in the world early in the season. It's also a legitimate concern heading into Texas.
• Phillip Daniels had a rough day at right tackle. I expect a decent chunk of Day and Arthur Smith's week leading up to Texas being devoted to finding ways to help whoever's at that spot. Get ready to learn a lot of 12 personnel, buddy.
• Meet at Midfield user Gwimbly put together helpful graphic of how the line looked on each drive:

• Who do you think their best five are?
• I loved the pace of the offense. We'll see how it looks when the opponents are better and the games get tighter, but I don't think the talk about Arthur Smith mixing tempo was lipservice. They've got a veteran QB and too many playmakers to plod through games just because the clock rules have limited the amount of possessions teams get now.
• Great to see Sayin scramble for a touchdown. He doesn't always have to be a threat as a runner - he just needs to be willing to do it when it's there.
• My only real takeaway about the defense comes from something that was said on the broadcast. They noted Matt Patricia telling them that Ball State's offense is difficult to plan for because of the motions and misdirection they use. Given that they held them to three points and 2.7 yards per play, I think they did pretty well.
• Patricia didn't look interested in showing Texas much they could plan for.
• I'll have more to say about the defense after the Texas game. There wasn't anything glaring, and there wasn't anything I feel stood out in a major way, either. Forgive me for being captain obvious, but how they play against the Longhorns will be the true reveal of what exactly this defense is right now, and what they can be as the season goes on.
• The season's first TD going to Jeremiah Smith felt like a great tonesetter. Whatever you think of Day bringing in Arthur Smith –I can't say I loved it– I do think he's going to make it a point to get the ball in Jeremiah's hands, no matter how the defense is playing him. He's the best player in the country, and he needs the damn ball.
• This says it all:

• They'll lose to Texas if they play that sloppy on special teams again. Brandon Inniss fair-caught one punt with an excessive amount of room to run, then fumbled (and recovered) another. Phillip Bell's long punt return in the third quarter got called back for two separate holds. Legend Bey brought out two kicks from the endzone that he shouldn't have (more on that in a second). We didn't get to see place-kicking beyond the extra points, but Joe McGuire's punting was lackluster. It's easy to say it's not a big deal right now. It won't be when it bites them in the ass again in a crucial spot.
• On Legend Bey: His two poor kickoff decisions are the result of a young player desperately wanting to make a play. Day clearly wasn't happy about it and let him know. Hopefully that's a message that sinks in.
• It's understandable why Bey is so confident in his ability when you watch him do something like this:

• The clearest path to young players like Bey, Chris Henry Jr. and Brock Boyd seeing the field more is by doing things beyond what we know they're already skilled at. That's why the two long touchdown runs in the second half were my two favorite plays of the game. This is winning football from young receivers:

• As ugly as Bo Jackson's first half was, the above touchdown at least showcased that he might be able to break a few more tackles than last year.
• I'm not diving in to the discussion about Luke Fahey being QB2 over Tavien St. Clair because I don't think it matters much. They're in a rough spot with either if Sayin goes down for an extended period, despite the playmakers they have.
• Overall, there was a lot to like. The operation on both sides of the ball looked smooth for the first game of the season, which is what I wanted to see more than anything. Their biggest issues (offensive line, run game, special teams) are improvable, yet also legitimately worth being concerned about. I'm excited to get a clearer picture of who the 2026 Ohio State Buckeyes –especially the defense– are against Texas.