Ohio State gets a win over Ohio with the help of great defense and the deep ball shots to its talented wide recievers.
Ohio State improved to 3-0 on the season with a 37-9 victory over Ohio on Saturday, though the performance was far from flawless. The Buckeyes never trailed and ultimately pulled away comfortably, but a sluggish offense at times and missed opportunities kept the game from being the type of dominant statement fans have grown accustomed to.
Still, the defense once again set the tone, limiting the Bobcats to just a field goal and a 2nd half score, while flashes from key playmakers on offense gave glimpses of the firepower this team can bring when clicking. It may not have been a masterpiece, but it was another step forward as Ohio State continues its push through the early season.
While Ohio State put up 37 points, the offense wasn’t always crisp. Drives stalled due to inconsistency in execution, and the rhythm wasn’t as smooth as it had been the week prior. The Buckeyes showed flashes of explosiveness, but they’ll need more consistency against tougher competition. Julian Sayin still threw for 350 yards and 3 touchdowns, but was unable to make some small plays that kept the drive going. His 2 INTs showed some of his youth, but those are learning curves you can afford against Ohio but not as much against Big Ten opponents.
Jeremiah Smith’s Heisman campaign continues with 9 receptions 153 yards and 2 total TDs (1 rushing). Carnell Tate also had 100 yards and 1 TD. The deep ball hit a couple of times this game which is exciting to see. I think Sayin builds off of this game and heads in to the bye week focused to have his first road game as the starter.
Defense Remains a Championship-Caliber Unit
The defense once again set the tone, holding Ohio to single digits and forcing the Bobcats into uncomfortable situations all afternoon. Strong play from the linebackers and secondary highlighted a unit that looks capable of carrying this team when the offense isn’t firing on all cylinders.
Arvell Reese and Caden Curry were two standout performers from today. Defense generated 4 sacks each by different player. The promising aspect was seeing Arvell Reese spying the mobile QB Parker Navarro and hold him to 3 rushing yards. He had near 100 last week against West Virginia and was not even a factor due to Arvell.
Lorenzo Styles did give up a long TD catch, but that should not distract Buckeye fans from his stellar play so far this season. This Matt Patricia led Buckeye Defense proves once again they can win games for us if needed.
Even in a less-than-pretty win, Ohio State was able to rotate younger players and continue developing depth across the roster. The backups saw meaningful snaps, and the experience will pay dividends as the season progresses. This game served as a reminder that while the Buckeyes are talented, building chemistry and maturity remains a work in progress.
Freshman Bo Jackson will be the talking point following this week. He looked like RB1 compared to the two older guys ahead of him. With back to back 100 yard and 1 TD games, he will look to add more playing time after the bye week. Riley Pettijohn is another Freshman that just looks to be next up very quickly. These early games are nice to see some young guys and depth pieces get some valuable play time because we will need them down the stretch.
Final Thoughts
Ohio State walked away with a 37-9 win over Ohio, moving to 3-0 on the season, but the performance wasn’t without its blemishes. The Buckeyes flashed plenty of big-play ability while the defense once again looked dominant, yet offensive inconsistency kept the game from being the complete performance fans might expect.
Still, early-season matchups like this provide both confidence and clarity, giving the staff plenty to build on as the schedule toughens and Big Ten play looms on the horizon. Bye week is up next, then the Buckeyes travel to Washington.
I’ve had the privilege of working across every corner of the sports media landscape—from covering Friday night lights as a beat writer for PrepRedzone, to reporting with the team at News Channel 4 WSMV (NBC affiliate), and diving deep into recruiting and scouting as an intern at Middle Tennessee State. During my time as a college student at MTSU, I also honed my broadcasting skills at the campus radio station, bringing live sports coverage and in-depth analysis to listeners across campus. My passion for sports runs deep, but nothing fires me up quite like Ohio State football. I can’t wait to bring my energy, experience, and Buckeye enthusiasm to this new opportunity!