Ryan Day’s team is not used to losing regular-season games. The Buckeyes went undefeated last season, a run that ended in the Big Ten Championship game. For the head coach, it’s equally important to bounce back from tough losses, and the Buckeyes have shown that under Day.

Ohio State has a relatively easier matchup against Kent State in Week 3. On the other side, the Golden Flashes’ head coach, Mark Carney, is looking forward to competing against the best.

“Full attention is on OSU,” Mark Carney said during a press conference, according to an X post by Eleven Warriors. “They’re a really good football team. They’re elite everywhere, starting with their coaching staff. Ryan Day has been the best in the country for a long, long time.”

“He’s got two coordinators that have been NFL head football coaches, and Arthur Smith on offense and Matt Patricia on defense. A really good special teams coordinator, Robby Discher. And he’s one of the hot names as far as special teams coordinators are going.”

Carney is still quite early in his tenure as the Kent State head coach. He took over in late 2025 after a period of instability. Carney arrived at the program as a tight ends coach under Kenni Burns in 2023. Within a year, he got promoted to OC. Last year, the program appointed him to an interim position before giving him the gig full-time.

The Golden Flashes finished 5-7 last season, a remarkable improvement over previous years. This season, Kent State started the campaign with a 0-57 loss against South Carolina, but followed it with a 36-15 win over Wofford.

The trip to Ohio Stadium will be an opportunity for many local players to showcase their talent against the Buckeyes. As Carney mentioned, 57 Kent State players on his roster are from Ohio. That includes wide receiver and kick returner Da’Realyst Clark, who had two kick return touchdowns last season.

But just like their game against the Gamecocks, the Golden Flashes enter the Week 3 matchup as heavy underdogs. Ohio State is a 52.5-point favorite. The Buckeyes have won their last three meetings against Kent State by 165-20. In 2014, it was a complete shutout (66-0). For Ryan Day’s team, the game is an opportunity to return to their standards. However, there are some injury concerns.

Ohio State’s depth will get tested in Week 3

Ryan Day is trying to move on from the Texas gut-punch, but he has a new issue to deal with before Saturday. Two Ohio State starters are expected to sit out the Week 3 game against Kent State, a matchup the Buckeyes are expected to win. Though the Buckeyes are No. 6 in the nation, entering the game without proven starters can make things tougher, even against a MAC opponent.

Ohio State is likely to enter the matchup against Kent State without right tackle Philip Daniels and defensive end Zion Grady, as both players suffered lower-body injuries. They have not practiced this week, with HC Day noting that the players are sitting out.

Austin Siereveld is the possible replacement for right tackle Daniels, as he stepped in at the position after Daniels left the Texas game. Gabe VanSickle could also see some work, as he had played right guard after Daniels went down, and he had already taken first-team snaps earlier in the season. With VanSickle expected to serve as a guard and Siereveld at right tackle, Joshua Padila brings another proven option at guard behind VanSickle.

“Those guys right now haven’t really practiced much this week,” Ryan Day said during a press conference, per Paul Keren of Sports Illustrated. “We’ll have to see coming out of tomorrow how it shakes out. I would say it’s probably trending toward them not being available.”

At defensive end, Ohio State has few options to replace Zion Grady. Beau Atkinson and Qua Russaw could get opportunities opposite Kenyatta Jackson Jr., while Eddrick Houston and James Smith could also see snaps on the edge. Epi Sitanilei and freshman Khary Wilder are also other possibilities, with Wilder getting an edge after recording two pressures on just five snaps against Texas.

Though Day took this as an opportunity to evaluate the depth behind starters, Daniels and Grady’s availability for the subsequent Big Ten opener against Illinois remains unclear.