Ohio State had three young players perform at a high level in the Buckeyes’ rout of Grambling State 70-0 on Saturday.

Ohio State won in emphatic fashion, steamrolling Grambling State 70-0 in front of 100,000 plus on Saturday. The Buckeyes controlled the game in all phases behind Julian Sayin’s first half performance and the dominance of Carnell Tate and Jeremiah Smith.

This matchup was one we expected to see depth pieces see meaningful playing time and that is exactly what happened, Quarterback Julian Sayin had a phenomenal afternoon as did wide receivers Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate. They are the focal point of the Ohio State offense much like Caleb Downs and Sonny Styles who lead the defense.

The players mentioned above are the stars, so in this article let’s focus on the next wave of Buckeyes as the underclassmen contributed in notable ways on Saturday.

Three younger Buckeyes stood out with breakout performances: linebacker Riley Pettijohn, linebacker Payton Pierce, and running back Bo Jackson. Each made a statement about their readiness to play an even bigger role this season.

Riley Pettijohn

Pettijohn was everywhere for the Buckeye defense despite only talking 2 total tackles. Riley was flying to the football on defense and special teams. Pettijohn applied pressure on the quarterback and in the opening play of the 3rd quarter he had a scoop and score. Riley Pettijohn looked like a future leader of Ohio State’s defense and a player capable of making an immediate impact in big games.

Payton Pierce

Not to be overshadowed by Pettijohn’s performance linebacker Payton Pierce showcased his range and tackling ability. He led the Buckeyes with 6 total tackles, 2 solo tackles. Together with Pettijohn, Pierce gave fans a glimpse of the future core at linebacker.

Bo Jackson

Running back Bo Jackson stole the show. The freshman tailback churned out 108 rushing yards and 1 touchdown on just 9 carries, averaging nearly 12 yards per attempt. He displayed a rare combination of power and explosiveness. Jackson provided the exclamation point to Ohio State’s dominance, showing that coach Carlos Locklyn could use him in a bigger role this season.