Ohio State QB Makes Brutal Mistake on Final Play vs. Oregon

Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard made a brutal mistake on the final play of their loss to Oregon.

Oct 12, 2024; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard (18) runs the ball during the first half against the Oregon Ducks at Autzen Stadium. / Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images

Will Howard and the Ohio State Buckeyes came into tonight's matchup with the Oregon Ducks looking to make a statement.

As a team, Ohio State wanted to win and prove that they were the team to beat in the Big Ten. For Howard, he wanted to prove all of the critics listing him as the biggest weakness for the team wrong.

Unfortunately, neither one of those things ended up happening.

Despite the game living up to the hype between two national championship contenders, the Buckeyes were unable to come out on top. They ended up falling by a final score of 32-31.

On the final drive of the game, Ohio State looked to have some life. They were able to get all the way to Oregon's 28 yard line before freshman standout wide receiver Jeremiah Smith made a crucial mistake. He was called for a clear pass interference that cost his team 15 yards.

Even after that penalty, the Buckeyes had life. However, another brutal mistake was made on the final play of the game.

With just six seconds left on the clock, Howard took the snap. He had a timeout to work with and was trying to get Ohio State closer for a better field goal opportunity.

What happened next was a colossal error.

Howard took off running with the football. He kept running until the clock hit one second and then slid to the ground as the time expired. The game was over and his lack of clock awareness cost the team a chance at a field goal to win.

No one can blame this loss fully on Howard. But, not knowing the clock situation as a seasoned quarterback is an error that cannot be made. Howard did absolutely nothing to shut his critics down.

In fact, Howard is going to be ripped into for his mistake. A quarterback has to know the clock at all times. Howard's misake is inexcusable.

Thankfully, this loss will not mark the end of the Buckeyes' season. They're still very much in the College Football Playoff picture.

That being said, the road does get more difficult. Ohio State will be facing immense pressure to win each and every week from here on out. No more mistakes can be made if they want to ensure a pathway into the playoff.

Outside of his huge last-play error, Howard did have a strong performance. He completed 28 of his 35 pass attempts for 326 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions. Howard also scored a touchdown on the ground.

It's a shame that his performance was marred by such a brutal and bad mistake to end the game.