Ohio State football can kiss its College Football Playoff chances goodbye.
The Julian Sayin-less Buckeyes dropped their second consecutive game in a 41-28 loss to Oregon in Week 10, likely ending Ohio State’s CFP chances. Ohio State allowed 41 unanswered points in the loss after leading 14-0 late in the first half. The Buckeyes did score a late touchdown with under a minute left to soften the blow, but the final score was not truly indicative of how badly Ryan Day’s team was beaten.
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The Buckeyes now have three losses, marking their first season with three losses since 2011. Sayin going down with an injury against Indiana has resulted in a catastrophic two weeks for Ohio State, with big losses to Southern California and Oregon putting the Buckeyes in territory they haven’t experienced in over 15 years.
The loss not only marks Ohio State’s second three-loss season since 2011, but also is only the program’s third season with three or more losses since 2001: Jim Tressel’s first season as head coach.
Jeremiah Smith’s Heisman Trophy candidacy is evaporating almost as fast as Ohio State’s national championship hopes, with the Buckeyes entering Week 10 as the No. 12 team in the initial CFP rankings. Ohio State was the first team out, and likely has no avenue back to becoming a top-11 team with Northwestern, Nebraska and Michigan remaining on the schedule.
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As good as Ohio State has been in recent years, the Buckeyes are also now a jarring 6-5 in their last 11 games. When was the last time Ohio State lost three or more games during the regular season? Fans will have to go back to the lowly 2011 season under interim head coach Luke Fickell.
Ohio State’s three losses, so far, in 2026 is the first time the Buckeyes have failed to win double-digit games since 2011.
The 2011 season was full of controversy for the Buckeyes, as Fickell took over for Tressel, who resigned after Ohio State’s infamous scandal regarding players receiving impermissible benefits. Ohio State finished 6-7 on the season, one of its worst in modern history.
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Ohio State can’t lose seven games like it did in 2011, but the 2026 season will still hurt for fans, especially with Smith’s potentially all-time season screeching to a halt without Sayin at quarterback.
Here’s a look at Ohio State football’s record in each season since its 6-7 finish in 2011:
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2026: 6-3 (4-2)
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2025: 12-2 (9-0)
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2024: 14-2 (7-2)
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2023: 11-2 (8-1)
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2022: 11-2 (8-1)
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2021: 11-2 (8-1)
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2020: 7-1 (5-0)
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2019: 13-1 (9-0)
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2018: 13-1 (8-1)
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2017: 12-2 (8-1)
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2016: 11-2 (8-1)
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2015: 12-1 (7-1)
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2014: 14-1 (8-0)
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2013: 12-2 (8-0)
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2012: 12-0 (8-0)
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2011: 6-7 (3-5)
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: With Oregon loss, Ohio State clinches worst season since this interim coach led Buckeyes
