RECAP: Sayin’s Second Half TDs Lead No. 1 Ohio State To 37-9 win over Ohio

Julian Sayin had a pair of long touchdown passes to offset top-ranked Ohio State’ red-zone woes when the Buckeyes pulled away from Ohio for a 37-9 victory before 105,765 fans in Ohio Stadium on Saturday night.

The Buckeyes (3-0) drove inside the 10 three times that resulted in two fields and a turnover on downsplus there was another possession stopped at the 20 that led to a field goal.Ohio (1-2) trailed 16-9 in the third quarter when Sayin connected with Jeremiah Smith for 47-yard score followed by a 49-yard TD catch early in the fourth quarter for Carnell Tate before Smith added 17-yard rushing TD to make it 37-9.Sayin was 25 of 32 for 347 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions.Smith madenine catches for 153 yards, Tate’s five catches went for 101 yards and freshmanBo Jackson ran for 109 yards on nine carries.FrustrationOhio State got off to a stunning start, not because the Buckeyes easily drove from their 25 to the 9 in just four plays but that they didn’t score in four tries from there and turned the ball over on downs.After a touchback on the opening kickoff, Sayin passed 10 yards to Smith to the 35. James Peoples ran up the middle for 5 and Tate’s catch for 9 moved the ball to the OSU 49.Sayin found Smith along the right line for 42 to the 9 and the Buckeyes were poised to score. Smith on the play became the fastest Buckeye ever to 1,500 receiving yards. He did it in 19 games, one fewer than Jaxson Smith-Njigba. CJ Donaldson had two carries for 5 yards and on third down, Tank Pearson broke up the pass intended for Tate in the left corner of the end zone.On fourth, Sayin was forced out of the pocket and sacked for a 5-yard loss by Anas Luqman.After an Ohio punt and a minus-2 return for Brandon Inniss to the 28, the Buckeyes went to work again with Donaldson opening the drive with runs of 8 and 9 followed by a 14-yard reception to tight end Max Klare to the Ohio 41.On third-and-5 from the 36, Smith gained 8 yards on the catch for the first down at the 28 and Sayin went back to him for 6 to the 22. But a false start, a Donaldson run for 1 and 6-yard completion to tight end Julani Thurman left the Buckeyes 2 yards shy of a first and Jayden Fielding kicked a 28-yard field goal at the end of a 10-play drive that took 6:19 to make it 3-0 at the 1:54 mark.After another Ohio punt, Tate had a 30-yard catch-and-run to the Bobcats 35 to end the quarter.Ohio State had 153 yards to 11 for Ohio with Sayin going 9 of 10 for 126 yards. OSU had seven first downs to one for Ohio.The Buckeyes marched to the 3 but were foiled one more time and had to settle for a 20-yard field goal by Fielding to make it 6-0 at 9:58.On third-and-2 from the 27, backup QB Lincoln Kienholz took the snap in the shotgun and ran left for 8 yards and a first. However, Tegra Tshabola was penalized 15 yards for a personal foul, pushing the ball back to the 34. Jackson then ripped off 15 yards to the19 and a first down. Former Ohio tight end Will Kacmarek had a 5-yard catch before Donaldson ran 11 yards to the 3.Again, the Bobcats stiffened. Sayin twice went to Smith unsuccessfully with Donaldson running for 1 in between. Pearson had the breakup of Smith on third down just as he did earlier in the game to Tate.For those keeping track, that was two drives going inside the 10 that used 21 plays, went 113 yards and used 11:36 off the clock to produce a mere three points.Ohio starter Parker Navarro left with an apparent wrist injury to be replaced by Nick Poulus. Navarro returned at the start of the third quarter.The Buckeyes then started from their 23 after a Magnus Haines 33-yard punt and finale breeched the goal line on a Max Klare 16-yard TD catch with 2:29 left in the half for a 13-0 lead.Jackson made a catch for 11 and Smith added to his totals with a 17-yarder to the Ohio 49. Jackson ran for 4 and Sayin scrambled for 3 for the 42 and Ohio was penalized for a late hit. Smith and an Ohio player had offsetting unsportsmanlike conduct infractions at the end of the play.OSU got the ball at the 27 and Jackson gained 11. After Peoples got nothing on a run, Sayin rolled right to buy time and found the tight end Klare in the back of the end zone for the Purdue transfer’s first Buckeye TD.Then it got interesting. Sayin’s pass was tipped at the line and Michael Mack II made the interception at the OSU 44 and returned it 4 yards with 1:20 left. On second down, Davison Igbinosun was penalized for holding, giving the Bobcats a first at the 29. A second-down pass to Max Rodarte fell incomplete after Jaylen McClain’s jarring hit and two plays later, Brack Peacock made a 44-yard field goal with 24 seconds for the 13-3 score.OSU led in total yards (278-28), passing (199-23), rushing (79-5), plays (39-22) and first downs (16-3). Sayin was 16 of 21 for 199 yards and Smith had six catches for 89 yards.Poor Start. Good FinishWith Navarro back, the Bobcats on the second play of the third quarter shocked the stadium with a 67-yard TD pass to Chase Hendricks, and that’s what Lorenzo Styles Jr. tried unsuccessfully to do after Hendricks made the catch over him at the OSU 41 and sprinted to the end zone to make it 13-9 after 53 seconds when Peacock’s extra point hit the left upright.The Buckeyes repeated their first-half failures when they got the ball back, squandering a 64-yard run by Jackson to the 11 on the first snap and were forced to kick a 22-yard field goal to go up 16-9 with 11:19 to go in the third.OSU thought it had a third-down 10-yard TD when Donaldson caught the ball at about the 7 and bulled his way into the end zone but a review showed he stepped out – by inches – at the 4.A defensive stop led to a 54-yard punt and a 28-yard return for Inniss to the OSU 41.Sayin decided enough with messing around in the red zone. On the fourth play, he placed the ball perfectly in the arms of Smith at the goal line for 47-yard touchdown to extend the lead to 23-9 at 6:16. Sayin’s pass traveled 55 yards.The final drive of the third quarter began for the Buckeyes at the 15 after a punt. Jackson’s catch went for 10 and later Smith hauled in a pass for 14 to the Ohio 48 to end the quarter.A Jackson run lost a yard but no matter, Sayin lofted a strike to Tate at the 2 and he went in for a 49-yard score with 14:14 to play. The drive was eight plays, 85 yards in 3:49.Sayin later was intercepted at the OSU 42 by Austin Mitchell as he tried to avoid being sacked but the Bobcats turned the ball over on downs at the 41.Peoples had consecutive runs of 11 and 17 yards to set up Smith’s end around to make it 37-9 with 6:36 left to complete the 59-yard, five-play, 2:53 drive.

The Buckeyes (3-0) droveinside the 10 three times that resulted in two fields and a turnover on downs plus there was another possession stopped at the 20 that led to a field goal.

Ohio (1-2) trailed 16-9 in the third quarter when Sayin connected with Jeremiah Smith for 47-yard score followed by a 49-yard TD catch early in the fourth quarter for Carnell Tate before Smith added 17-yard rushing TD to make it 37-9.

Sayin was 25 of 32 for 347 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions.

Smith madenine catches for 153 yards, Tate’s five catches went for 101 yards and freshman Bo Jackson ran for 109 yards on nine carries.

Frustration

Ohio State got off to a stunning start, not because the Buckeyes easily drove from their 25 to the 9 in just four plays but that they didn’t score in four tries from there and turned the ball over on downs.

After a touchback on the opening kickoff, Sayin passed 10 yards to Smith to the 35. James Peoples ran up the middle for 5 and Tate’s catch for 9 moved the ball to the OSU 49.

Sayin found Smith along the right line for 42 to the 9 and the Buckeyes were poised to score. Smith on the play became the fastest Buckeye ever to 1,500 receiving yards. He did it in 19 games, one fewer than Jaxson Smith-Njigba.

CJ Donaldson had two carries for 5 yards and on third down, Tank Pearson broke up the pass intended for Tate in the left corner of the end zone.

On fourth, Sayin was forced out of the pocket and sacked for a 5-yard loss by Anas Luqman.

After an Ohio punt and a minus-2 return for Brandon Inniss to the 28, the Buckeyes went to work again with Donaldson opening the drive with runs of 8 and 9 followed by a 14-yard reception to tight end Max Klare to the Ohio 41.

On third-and-5 from the 36, Smith gained 8 yards on the catch for the first down at the 28 and Sayin went back to him for 6 to the 22. But a false start, a Donaldson run for 1 and 6-yard completion to tight end Julani Thurman left the Buckeyes 2 yards shy of a first and Jayden Fielding kicked a 28-yard field goal at the end of a 10-play drive that took 6:19 to make it 3-0 at the 1:54 mark.

After another Ohio punt, Tate had a 30-yard catch-and-run to the Bobcats 35 to end the quarter.

Ohio State had 153 yards to 11 for Ohio with Sayin going 9 of 10 for 126 yards. OSU had seven first downs to one for Ohio.

The Buckeyes marched to the 3 but were foiled one more time and had to settle for a 20-yard field goal by Fielding to make it 6-0 at 9:58.

On third-and-2 from the 27, backup QB Lincoln Kienholz took the snap in the shotgun and ran left for 8 yards and a first. However, Tegra Tshabola was penalized 15 yards for a personal foul, pushing the ball back to the 34. Jackson then ripped off 15 yards to the19 and a first down. Former Ohio tight end Will Kacmarek had a 5-yard catch before Donaldson ran 11 yards to the 3.

Again, the Bobcats stiffened. Sayin twice went to Smith unsuccessfully with Donaldson running for 1 in between. Pearson had the breakup of Smith on third down just as he did earlier in the game to Tate.

For those keeping track, that was two drives going inside the 10 that used 21 plays, went 113 yards and used 11:36 off the clock to produce a mere three points.
Ohio starter Parker Navarro left with an apparent wrist injury to be replaced by Nick Poulus. Navarro returned at the start of the third quarter.

The Buckeyes then started from their 23 after a Magnus Haines 33-yard punt and finale breeched the goal line on a Max Klare 16-yard TD catch with 2:29 left in the half for a 13-0 lead.

Jackson made a catch for 11 and Smith added to his totals with a 17-yarder to the Ohio 49. Jackson ran for 4 and Sayin scrambled for 3 for the 42 and Ohio was penalized for a late hit. Smith and an Ohio player had offsetting unsportsmanlike conduct infractions at the end of the play.

OSU got the ball at the 27 and Jackson gained 11. After Peoples got nothing on a run, Sayin rolled right to buy time and found the tight end Klare in the back of the end zone for the Purdue transfer’s first Buckeye TD.

Then it got interesting. Sayin’s pass was tipped at the line and Michael Mack II made the interception at the OSU 44 and returned it 4 yards with 1:20 left. On second down, Davison Igbinosun was penalized for holding, giving the Bobcats a first at the 29. A second-down pass to Max Rodarte fell incomplete after Jaylen McClain’s jarring hit and two plays later,

Brack Peacock made a 44-yard field goal with 24 seconds for the 13-3 score.
OSU led in total yards (278-28), passing (199-23), rushing (79-5), plays (39-22) and first downs (16-3). Sayin was 16 of 21 for 199 yards and Smith had six catches for 89 yards.

Poor Start. Good Finish

With Navarro back, the Bobcats on the second play of the third quarter shocked the stadium with a 67-yard TD pass to Chase Hendricks, and that’s what Lorenzo Styles Jr. tried unsuccessfully to do after Hendricks made the catch over him at the OSU 41 and sprinted to the end zone to make it 13-9 after 53 seconds when Peacock’s extra point hit the left upright.

The Buckeyes repeated their first-half failures when they got the ball back, squandering a 64-yard run by Jackson to the 11 on the first snap and were forced to kick a 22-yard field goal to go up 16-9 with 11:19 to go in the third.

OSU thought it had a third-down 10-yard TD when Donaldson caught the ball at about the 7 and bulled his way into the end zone but a review showed he stepped out – by inches – at the 4.

A defensive stop led to a 54-yard punt and a 28-yard return for Inniss to the OSU 41.
Sayin decided enough with messing around in the red zone. On the fourth play, he placed the ball perfectly in the arms of Smith at the goal line for 47-yard touchdown to extend the lead to 23-9 at 6:16. Sayin’s pass traveled 55 yards.

The final drive of the third quarter began for the Buckeyes at the 15 after a punt. Jackson’s catch went for 10 and later Smith hauled in a pass for 14 to the Ohio 48 to end the quarter.

A Jackson run lost a yard but no matter, Sayin lofted a strike to Tate at the 2 and he went in for a 49-yard score with 14:14 to play. The drive was eight plays, 85 yards in 3:49.

Sayin later was intercepted at the OSU 42 by Austin Mitchell as he tried to avoid being sacked but the Bobcats turned the ball over on downs at the 41.

Peoples had consecutive runs of 11 and 17 yards to set up Smith’s end around to make it 37-9 with 6:36 left to complete the 59-yard, five-play, 2:53 drive.