Gray defeated Scarlet 35-26 in Ohio State football’s Spring Game, with the defense putting on a strong showing alongside Tavien St. Clair and Chris Henry Jr. for the Buckeyes.

Ohio State’s Spring Game was played under gray skies and rainy conditions as the public got its first look at the 2026 Buckeyes. Today’s official attendance was 40,240, a strong showing from fans given the weather conditions.

The Silver Bulletin’s Spring Game coverage is presented by Schaffner’s Drive In, located in Baltimore, Ohio. 

Julian Sayin marched the first-team offense down the field and finished the drive with a 4-yard rushing touchdown. Sayin connected with Jeremiah Smith for a big gain during the thud portion, or else Smith would’ve scored a touchdown. The biggest takeaway from the opening possession was the offensive line’s blocking on run plays.

The second offensive possession resulted in a Connor Hawkins field goal before Tavien St. Clair found Chris Henry Jr. on a 40-yard touchdown to extend the lead to 17-5. St. Clair had a beautifully thrown ball as the Buckeyes continue executing through the air, as expected due to running back injuries.

Midway through the second quarter, the defense took the lead 23-17 thanks to a couple of sacks, stops, and a turnover on downs. Carter Lowe allowed back-to-back sacks at right tackle, as the depth offensive linemen experienced first-half protection struggles.

After drilling his first field goal attempt, Connor Hawkins hooked his second wide left from 43 yards in the rain. The missed kick ended the first half with Gray leading Scarlet 27-17.

The second half opened with Khary Wilder attacking Justyn Martin in the backfield. Ohio State’s offensive line had a tough day, as expected, with key injuries. So while the on-field product may have been lackluster at times, it’s not worth reading too much into until the starters return.

A bright spot offensively was Tavien St. Clair, who impressed in all phases. His deep ball has a soft touch, dropping it in the breadbasket as he did for Chris Henry Jr. in the first half and again to David Adolph over Cam Calhoun in the third quarter. Gray maintained its second quarter momentum, earning eight more points to widen the gap to 18.

Defensively, there were a lot more things to evaluate, starting with cornerback Devin Sanchez. He and Jeremiah Smith traded rep wins as Sanchez has clearly taken a step forward. Alongside Georgia transfer Dominick Kelly and Jermaine Matthews, the cornerback position is in good hands.

Finally, the defensive line was productive and active, getting into the backfield Saturday afternoon, affecting the quarterbacks and run game. While it means the offensive line did not have a good day, injuries play a factor. Still, the Buckeyes expect the defensive line to produce at that level and beyond this fall.

Of note, Ohio State’s jerseys featured gray heritage-stripe sleeves across all three jersey colorways. In the postgame, Ryan Day said safety Earl Little Jr. had a “clean-up procedure” on his knee and “will be back in a few weeks.”