The Ohio State Buckeyes improve to 5-0, 2-0 in Big Ten play, after a 42-3 beatdown at home against the Minnesota Golden Gophers.
The pass game erupted for 341 yards, 326 of which came from Julian Sayin on 23-27 passing. Sayin accounted for three Buckeye touchdowns, finishing leading receiver Carnell Tate twice and Jeremiah Smith once. Tate finished with 9 catches for 183 yards, while Smith racked up 7 catches for 67 yards.
Freshman running back Bo Jackson continues to shine as he put up 63 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries to lead the rushing attack.
The Buckeye offense amassed 476 yards while going 7-for-10 on third down conversions.
What’s proved to be the best defense in the country so far this season also stood tall. The Silver Bullets held Minnesota to only 162 yards of offense and 1-for-11 on third downs.
Ohio State currently leads the country in points allowed per game, and is the only team in the country to not allow double-digit points. They are third in the nation in fewest yards allowed per game.
TOP TAKEAWAY
Usually, we can nitpick and take away a lot more than one thing. There aren’t three big takeaways this week, but one massive development that deserves all of the spotlight.
This offense is DANGEROUS as it begins to go ‘Super Sayin.’
Okay, funny puns aside (come on, that was a good one, albeit overused), this offense finally started to flash its true potential, and it starts with Julian Sayin. It was a slow start, but like every game this year, he settled in and was dynamite. He was finally free to rip it on multiple occasions. Yes, the checkdowns and short routes were still very much prevalent, but a pair of deep shots to Carnell Tate was so refreshing to see, for multiple reasons.
The true version of this offense is starting to show itself, and Sayin is developing nicely. He leads the country in completion percentage at over 80% (the only QB in the country with a mark that high), his passer rating of 197.0 ranks third, and his QBR of 85.8 ranks 8th. None of those numbers show how well he’s getting protected, only 2 sacks all year, and his mobility in the pocket is great. He’s been near, if not a truly elite player.
There is still plenty of room for improvement. Obviously, more deep shots will come throughout the season. To nitpick, Sayin can learn to lead receivers a bit better and make reads faster. He still has moments where he misses open guys, and when he sees a man, he undershoots or throws behind them. These are few and far between, and asking for perfection is ridiculous. Yet, that’s the expectation when you play at Ohio State, and Sayin is well on his way.
The rest of the offense is so dangerous. Bo Jackson is emerging as the true No. 1 running back (like I knew he would), Carnell Tate finally had his big game, and everybody knows how good Jeremiah Smith is. The depth is great. The offensive line is playing well. This offense is turning into a steam engine; powerful and showing no signs of slowing down.
Side note: the defense is also playing out of their freaking minds, so that helps!
GAME RECAP
1st Quarter
8:05 – Minnesota FG: The Gophers open the game with a methodical 13-play, 67-yard drive. Ohio State’s defense stiffens in the red zone, holding Minnesota to a 27-yard field goal. (3-0 MIN)
4:38 – Ohio State Missed FG: Jayden Fielding’s 53-yard field goal sails wide left. (3-0 MIN)
0:13 – Ohio State TD: CJ Donaldson caps a balanced Buckeye drive that went 7 plays, 91 yards, with a 1-yard touchdown run. (7-3 OSU)
2nd Quarter
13:57 – Ohio State Big Play: Julian Sayin finds Carnell Tate on the first play of a drive for a 49-yard pass down the left sideline.
11:01 – Ohio State TD: Julian Sayin connects with Jeremiah Smith on a 6-yard touchdown pass to extend the lead. (14-3 OSU)
8:12 – Buckeye Defensive Stop: Ohio State’s defense stonewalls Minnesota on 4th-and-1 near midfield, taking over at the Gophers’ 44-yard line.
8:04 – Ohio State TD: One play later, Sayin fakes a reverse and hits Carnell Tate deep downfield for a 44-yard touchdown strike. (21-3 OSU)
5:10 – Defensive Sack: Caden Curry pressures Minnesota QB Drake Lindsey into a sack by Arvell Reese on 3rd down, forcing another Gopher punt.
2:32 – Ohio State Turnover on Downs: Lincoln Kienholz trips on a 3rd-and-short run attempt, and OSU punts for the first time. The half ends with OSU up 21-3.
3rd Quarter
7:31 – Defensive Stop: Buckeye defense forces another three-and-out to start the half.
5:45 – Ohio State TD: Bo Jackson muscles his way over the goal line for a 5-yard score. (28-3 OSU)
0:00 – End of Quarter: OSU drives deep again as Bo Jackson’s 10-yard burst sets up 1st-and-goal at the 9 to start the 4th quarter.
4th Quarter
14:55 – Ohio State TD: Sayin rips a 9-yard slant to Jeremiah Smith for his second touchdown of the day and third passing TD overall. (35-3 OSU)
9:26 – Minnesota Missed FG: The Gophers finally put together a long drive, but missed a 40-yard attempt wide right. OSU defense celebrates the stop.
3:49 – Ohio State TD: Backup QB Lincoln Kienholz caps a 9-play, 77-yard drive with a QB sneak from the 1-yard line. (42-3 OSU)
The Buckeyes will be back in action Saturday as they travel to Champaign, Illinois, to take on the No. 17 Illinois Fighting Illini on FOX’s Big Noon Kickoff game.
Listen live on 98.3 WPKO, as pregame begins at 10:30.
