Ohio State Focusing on Fourth-Quarter Excellence for 2026 Schedule; Bo Jackson Snubbed in RB Rankings

Ohio State Focusing on Fourth-Quarter Excellence for 2026 Schedule; Bo Jackson Snubbed in RB Rankings Ohio State head coach Ryan Day and players stress the need to dominate the fourth quarter after last season's close losses.

Meanwhile, Bo Jackson's exclusion from a top running back list raises eyebrows, and roster questions persist at RB and along the offensive line.

Ohio State head coach Ryan Day emphasized the importance of fourth-quarter performance as the Buckeyes prepare for a challenging 2026 schedule.

Day stated that the team must be 'really good' in the final quarter to secure victories, noting the demanding schedule ahead.

2025 captain Brandon Inniss echoed this sentiment, pointing to last season's losses to Indiana and Miami as direct results of failing to close out games.

Inniss admitted the team did not finish properly and took responsibility for those defeats.

The pain from those losses has driven intense offseason workouts.

Linebacker Payton Pierce described the mindset as all-consuming under strength coach Mick Marotti, creating an edgy atmosphere that has even led to confrontations and fights among players.

Pierce believes this friction is beneficial, mimicking the chaos of fourth-quarter situations and requiring mature players to perform at their best.He expressed confidence that the team will be ready to dominate in the fourth quarter this season.

For Ohio State to achieve this, quarterback Julian Sayin must elevate his play.

Sayin's performances in the Big Ten Championship Game and Cotton Bowl were not up to par, falling short of the Heisman-caliber level he displayed earlier.

He acknowledged the team didn't start as desired but had opportunities in the fourth quarter that they didn't capitalize on.Sayin highlighted the excitement of playing in big-time, fourth-quarter matchups and two-minute drills, noting the offseason has been about building toward those moments.

The players have not moved on from last season's losses and do not want to; the team with national championship aspirations should not be comfortable after falling short.

The 2026 schedule will present numerous fourth-quarter tests.If the lessons from Indiana and Miami have truly stuck, if the edge described by Day, Pierce, and Inniss is genuine, and if Sayin performs as expected, Ohio State will be better equipped to handle those challenges.

In other news, Bo Jackson was surprisingly left off a ranking of college football's top 10 running backs entering 2026.Jackson, coming off a season with 1,090 rushing yards and six touchdowns, was placed in the Others Receiving Votes tier behind players like Georgia's Nate Frazier, Rutgers' Antwan Raymond, and Michigan's Jordan Marshall.

The top 10 list, in order, includes Kewan Lacy (Ole Miss), Jadan Baugh (Florida), Ahmad Hardy (Missouri), Mark Fletcher Jr.

(Miami), Isaac Brown (Louisville), Hollywood Smothers (Texas), Raleek Brown (Texas), Justice Haynes (Georgia Tech), LJ Martin (BYU), and Caleb Hawkins (Oklahoma State) and Nate Shepphard (Duke) tied for 10th.The omission of Jackson is considered a significant miss, as he is undoubtedly a top-tier running back.

However, questions remain about his backups at Ohio State.

Who will emerge as RB2? Isaiah West saw time late last season, but Florida transfer Ja'Kobi Jackson and freshman phenom Legend Bey are also in the mix.A committee may be used early, but the competition will be worth watching, especially with a key showdown at Texas on Sept.

12.

Additionally, Ohio State awarded Dudes of the Week honors twice this summer, with offensive lineman Luke Montgomery earning the recognition both times.

Montgomery was joined by Alabama transfer defensive end Qua Russaw, walk-on defensive back Ryan Rudzinski, and walk-on offensive lineman Jaxon Powell.Montgomery started all 14 games in 2025, logging 870 snaps with a 73.7 overall grade from Pro Football Focus, earning second-team All-Big Ten and second-team All-American honors.

The 6-foot-5, 312-pound senior is poised to start at left guard again, anchoring the interior line alongside Carson Hinzman.

The rest of the offensive line may feature combinations of Austin Siereveld, Phillip Daniels, Ian Moore, with Joshua Padilla and Gabe VanSickle also competing for the right guard spot.