The Ohio State Buckeyes had a big win on Saturday, and their performance had fans saying the same thing about Matt Patricia.
Ohio State defeated the Texas Longhorns 14-7, holding the visiting SEC team to 336 yards and only seven points. The strong performance came in Patricia’s first game as the Buckeyes’ defensive coordinator.
This was Patricia’s first game as a college football defensive coordinator after he spent the previous two decades in the NFL. His hiring was met with skepticism by many people, but fans felt Patricia proved the doubters wrong.
Many doubted the hire and in his first game as defensive coordinator Matt Patricia shutdown the number one team in the country. pic.twitter.com/MmzAAerEee
— The Scarlet and Gray Podcast (@TheSG_Podcast) August 30, 2025
Matt Patricia pic.twitter.com/vO3iOcjDLR
— Land-Grant Holy Land (@Landgrant33) August 30, 2025
Bad day to be a Matt Patricia hater, imo
— B.W. Carlin (@BaileyCarlin) August 30, 2025
Patricia has stoked optimism among Buckeyes fans.
I could not be more impressed with Matt Patricia. To have this Ohio State defense playing this well week 1 within his scheme is simply phenomenal. The scary part is they are only going to get better. We'll done Patricia.
— JBook. (@JBook_37) August 30, 2025
What Matt Patricia doing with that secondary is legendary. Have them all playing back and straight across, so Arch doesn’t know what coverage they’re in. Caleb Downs just lurking. This defense is SCARY!
— Tyvis Powell (@1Tyvis) August 30, 2025
Ohio State previously had Jim Knowles as their defensive coordinator, but he left for a pay raise from Penn State.
Patricia was once highly regarded thanks to his time as the New England Patriots’ defensive coordinator. But his stock went down after a bad stint as the Detroit Lions head coach, followed by an odd coaching situation with the Pats in 2022. Patricia didn’t even coach last season, so Ryan Day took a chance by hiring him. Just like all the Buckeyes fans said, Patricia proved the doubters wrong — at least for one day.
