For Ryan Day, Saturday’s 28-19 win over Northwestern was about more than just getting another result on the board. Ohio State had to stop the bleeding after back-to-back defeats, and the Buckeyes did just enough to keep their playoff hopes alive. But the celebrations might be premature, as rules analyst Terry McAulay has questioned a crucial officiating decision that went Ohio State’s way.

Terry McAulay wasn’t about to let Ohio State’s performance go unexamined. While dissecting the Buckeyes’ showdown against Northwestern, he spotted a moment when Ohio State could have been flagged, but the officials somehow let it go unnoticed.

“I’m surprised this wasn’t reviewed for targeting. He takes aim for the purpose of attacking the head. He leads with the forearm. He makes forcible contact with the forearm to the head/neck area of a defenseless player,” wrote the analyst.

The sequence was far from ordinary. McAulay shared a video showing Northwestern quarterback Nicco Marchiol preparing to release a pass when Ohio State defensive end Kenyatta Jackson Jr. delivered a brutal hit. The contact came just as Marchiol was releasing the ball, leaving the quarterback relatively upright and exposed.

McAulay pointed out that Jackson Jr. appeared to lead with his forearm directly into Marchiol’s head and neck area, raising serious concerns about a potential targeting violation. The force of the collision sent Marchiol crashing to the ground. Yet, despite the severity of the contact, officials kept their flags in their pockets, and the play never triggered a targeting review.

The analysts also shared the NCAA rulebook, making the entire situation even more interesting. According to Article 4, defenders cannot target a defenseless opponent in the head or neck area using their helmet, forearm, hand, fist, elbow, or shoulder.

The rulebook goes a step further, explicitly identifying leading with the forearm to make forcible contact with an opponent’s head or neck as an indicator of targeting.

And there’s another crucial detail: a quarterback who has just released a pass is considered a defenseless player. That puts McAulay’s criticism of the no-call under an even brighter spotlight and raises serious questions about why the officials let the play go unpunished.

Officiating blunders have become an unfortunate norm this season, with one controversy after another threatening to overshadow the game itself. The latest incident only adds to the growing list of questionable calls, and with the season far from over, there could be more trouble ahead.

Meanwhile, Ohio State’s defence finally gave its critics something to cheer about against Northwestern. After managing just two sacks across their previous four games, the Buckeyes turned up the pressure in emphatic fashion, bringing down Wildcats quarterback Nicco Marchiol five times. Kenyatta Jackson Jr. led the charge with two sacks, giving Ohio State’s pass rush a much-needed spark.

Speaking of Kenyatta Jackson Jr., the defensive end was also penalised during the same game. Jackson was hit with a 15-yard penalty in the fourth quarter, adding another entry to his disciplinary record after previously being flagged for a five-yard defensive delay-of-game penalty on September 13, 2025, against the Bobcats.

Beyond that, his disciplinary record has been clean. So, one could argue that Ryan Day’s team was desperate to get this win, and the Buckeyes certainly left nothing to chance on the field.

Every weapon in their arsenal, from offence to defence, seemed to click. However, they will need to be more careful moving forward. They may have escaped a flag this time, but they cannot afford to be so fortunate every time.