Ohio State lost running back Ja’Kobi Jackson, its second-leading rusher, to Lisfranc foot surgery, so Bo Jackson now has to carry the backfield. Ja’Kobi hopes to return for the Michigan game on November 28, but he’s out for several games. Bo, a sophomore who ran for 1,090 yards as a freshman, now leads the room just as Ohio State travels to USC on Saturday, October 31, with a freshman quarterback. The Buckeyes’ run game has never mattered more.
Fans have heard a lot about Julian Sayin’s injury, but the running back news may matter almost as much. Here’s what happened and what comes next.
What happened to Ja’Kobi Jackson?
Ja’Kobi Jackson hurt his foot in the fourth quarter of Ohio State’s 45-16 win over Maryland on October 10. He was ruled out of the Indiana game on the first availability report, and the injury was later revealed as a Lisfranc injury, a serious mid-foot injury, that required surgery.
| Detail | What we know |
|---|---|
| Injury | Lisfranc (foot), suffered vs. Maryland |
| Status | Had surgery, out several more games |
| Return hope | The regular-season finale vs. Michigan on Nov. 28, and the postseason |
| Offensive coordinator Arthur Smith | Said he didn’t know the timeline |
ESPN reported he’d miss “a few weeks,” with a hope to return this season. Some observers think a return by late November is optimistic, so treat that date as a hope, not a promise.
What Ohio State is missing
Ja’Kobi Jackson is a seventh-year senior who transferred from Florida after getting a rare extra year of eligibility. He played in only four games for the Gators in 2025 before a season-ending shoulder injury.
At Ohio State, he quickly became one of the most efficient backs in the Big Ten:
- 59 carries for 354 yards and six touchdowns, a team high in scores
- 6.0 yards per carry
- Started the Iowa and Maryland games, and Ryan Day praised his physical running
Meet Bo Jackson
Bo Jackson is a 6-0, 217-pound sophomore from Cleveland (Villa Angela-St. Joseph) and a former four-star recruit. As a freshman in 2025, he ran for 1,090 yards and six touchdowns on 179 carries, plus 19 catches for 200 yards. He became the fifth Ohio State true freshman to top 1,000 rushing yards, earning Freshman All-American and second-team All-Big Ten honors.
| 2025 | 2026 (7 games) | |
|---|---|---|
| Carries | 179 | 107 |
| Rushing yards | 1,090 | 516 |
| Yards per carry | 6.1 | 4.8 |
| Rushing TDs | 6 | 4 |
| Receptions | 19 (200 yards) | 11 (71 yards) |
His average has dipped from last year, and he has only one 100-yard game this season: 107 yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries against Maryland, a career high in carries.
The Indiana game raised questions
With Ja’Kobi out at Indiana, Bo Jackson played a career-high 52 snaps but ran for just 56 yards on 18 carries, about 3.1 yards a carry. Indiana’s defense is one of the best in the country at stopping the run, so that’s not a shock, but it showed how hard life gets when defenses focus on Bo.
Who else is in the backfield?
- Isaiah West: Sophomore, 5-10, 222 pounds. He ran for 310 yards and two touchdowns as a freshman and was listed questionable for Indiana.
- Legend Bey: True freshman who practices full-time at running back and also handles kickoffs. Staff are still building trust with him.
- Anthony “Turbo” Rogers: Redshirt freshman who flipped from Alabama, known for speed and gadget plays.
- Favour Akih: True freshman with little experience so far.
Writers expect more snaps for West and Bey so Bo stays fresh for the stretch run.
Why the run game matters so much now
With Sayin out indefinitely and Luke Fahey or Tavien St. Clair taking over, Ohio State can’t lean on the same passing game that had averaged 337.8 yards. Arthur Smith has said “the expectations don’t change” and that the team will “lean into the strength of our team,” adding that a good run game matters no matter who plays quarterback.
A strong ground game helps a young quarterback in three ways:
- It shortens the game and keeps the offense on schedule.
- It sets up play-action throws to Jeremiah Smith.
- It keeps defenses from loading up to stop him.
The USC test
USC’s run defense allows 111.0 yards per game, 34th nationally, and the line is its best unit, led by true freshman Luke Wafle, Jide Abasiri and Jahkeem Stewart. USC’s pass defense, meanwhile, ranks 108th. That means Ohio State might still pass, but the run game has to keep the Trojans honest.
What Bo Jackson needs to do
- Stay efficient. A steady 4-plus yards per carry beats big plays that don’t come.
- Break tackles at the second level. Running backs coach Carlos Locklyn has stressed improving there.
- Catch passes. An easy outlet helps a young quarterback.
- Stay healthy. With few proven options, Ohio State can’t lose him.
What’s next
Ohio State’s first availability report for USC comes Wednesday, so check it for Bo, West and Rogers.
| Date | Opponent |
|---|---|
| Oct. 31 | at USC, 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC |
| Nov. 7 | Oregon |
| Nov. 14 | Northwestern |
| Nov. 21 | at Nebraska |
| Nov. 28 | Michigan |
My take
Bo Jackson is a talented back, but the Buckeyes need him to be better than he’s been so far this season. The run game is the safest way to help a freshman quarterback, and the next three games against USC, Oregon and Northwestern may show whether Ohio State has the depth to survive. If Bo can average close to 5 yards a carry and West and Bey chip in, the offense can hold together. This is my opinion, not a guarantee.
Can Bo Jackson carry the load? Tell me what you think in the comments, and subscribe for more Buckeyes coverage.
