by It would be the seventh edition of an in-state rivalry between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Ohio University Bobcats. The Bobcats came into the matchup with a big upset win at home over West Virginia, while the Buckeyes came in at 2-0 following their 70-0 win over Grambling just the week before.
Good news for Ohio State fans, as the Buckeyes continued their high power dominance in Week 3. Pulling away with a 37-9 win in the end, Ohio State gave Ohio nearly no chance. The Bobcats had a total of 181 yards compared to 572 total yards for the Buckeyes.
Ohio State looked like themselves on the opening drive which featured Jeremiah Smith becoming the fastest Ohio State Wide Receiver ever to reach 1,500 yards in just 19 games, passing Jaxon Smith-Njigba who did it in just 20 games.
After the first quarter, it was all Buckeyes. The scoreboard didn’t show it at the time with it being just 3-0, but 153 yards total from the Buckeyes compared to 8 yards from the Bobcats through one is all you needed to know.
The saying “bend but don’t break” was in full effect for the Bobcats defense early on. Three straight drives the Buckeyes moved the ball effortlessly down the field to start, only to be stopped on 4th down, and be held to back-to-back field goals.
“They’re a good team. They’re going to make some plays.” Head coach Ryan Day said after the game.
It was one of the only positives for the Bobcats in the first half as they even had to replace their starting quarterback Parker Navarro after the second drive due to injury. Red-shirt Senior Nick Poulos would even find himself struggling against Ohio State’s defense as well.
For the Buckeyes, they would finally find the end zone following a 16-yard touchdown pass between Julian Sayin and Max Klare. The 8-play 66-yard drive by Ohio State brought it down to just 2:29 left in the first half. With the Buckeyes defense on lock down tonight, they would get one more chance at a drive following a sack by Caden Curry who had himself a career night.
But OU would finally get a break they needed with a tipped pass going for an interception by Graduate cornerback Michael Mack. The turnover would help get the Bobcats on the board with a 44-yard field goal making it a 13-3 game as halftime rolled around.
The Bobcats needed something to keep it a game in the second half. And boy did they, coming up with a 2-play, 75-yard drive. It was sparked by Navarro re-entering the game and dropping a 67-yard touchdown pass to Junior Chase Hendricks who is coming off back-to-back 100 yard games to enter the season.
“Bend but don’t break” was still the story for the Bobcats defense. Following a 64-yard run by freshman Bo Jackson, the Buckeyes were once again held to another field goal, their third of the night making it a 16-9 lead with 11:19 left in the third quarter.
“Bo Jackson has some big play ability, and he can catch the ball out of the backfield,” Day said. Which could remind a lot of fans of TreVeyon Henderson who was a home run type of back during his time at Ohio State.
The Buckeyes would respond in a big way their very next drive thanks to Jeremiah Smith pulling in a 47-yard pass in the endzone to give Ohio State a 23-9 lead as it seems like time was slowly beginning to run out on OU.
Julian Sayin was feeling it on his deep ball tonight, as he responded again the next drive with a 49-yard touchdown pass to junior Carnell Tate as the Buckeyes took a commanding 30-9 lead. Three drives, three scores to start off the second half was exactly what Day was looking for.
Outside of the opening 75-yard touchdown drive for OU to begin the second half, there was absolutely nothing coming from the offense.
The Bobcats would end up coming up with two interceptions on Sayin when it’s all said and done. Something that the defense can ride into next week. “It’s like a game of golf. You could have a great day. ” Ryan Day said following the game. “But if you hit two balls in the water, that ruins your round.”
One final drive for the Buckeyes starters would officially put the game away which was capped off by a 17-yard run by Smith, putting Ohio State up 37-9 which would be the final score in the end.
