On Off-Script Ohio, brought to you by Land-Grant Holy Land, Cole VanWiechen and Joey Gertz broke down Ohio State’s 37–9 win over Ohio and looked ahead to the challenges that await after the bye week.
It wasn’t the cleanest night in Columbus as the Buckeyes stalled in the red zone and Julian Sayin threw two interceptions, but his deep ball kept the offense afloat. He connected on multiple explosive plays after halftime, and Ohio State eventually pulled away comfortably. The stars showed up again, Jeremiah Smith dominated with nine catches for 153 yards and a touchdown, plus a 17-yard jet sweep score, while Carnell Tate added five grabs for 101 yards and another TD. Freshman running back Bo Jackson continued to look like the most explosive option in the backfield, rushing for 109 yards on just nine carries.
Defensively, the Buckeyes controlled the game. Linebackers kept Ohio QB Parker Navarro in check on the ground, while Caden Curry created constant pressure with seven hurries, a sack, and a deflection at the line. Arvelle Reese built on his Butkus Award buzz, and Beau Atkinson tallied his first sack. The lone blemish came when Chase Hendricks mossed Lorenzo Styles for a 67-yard touchdown, though he was otherwise quiet. For the Bobcats, safety Adonis Williams stood out with nine tackles and a highlight-reel stop on CJ Donaldson.
Position battles continue to evolve. Bo Jackson looks like the clear lead back, Ethan Onianwa’s snaps at guard sparked the run game, and depth questions at corner remain after Styles went down, with Jermaine Mathews moving inside and Devin Sanchez taking outside reps. The staff even mixed in Lincoln Kienholz in a wildcat package, a creative wrinkle to use his legs in short-yardage situations.
Around the Big Ten, UCLA dropped to 0–3 with a stunning loss to New Mexico, Oregon rolled past Northwestern, and both Penn State and Illinois won easily. Michigan dominated Central Michigan 63–3 behind QB Jadyn Underwood, while Wisconsin was overwhelmed by Alabama 38–14. Beyond the league, Georgia Tech upset Clemson, Georgia survived Tennessee in overtime, Texas A&M edged Notre Dame, and Vanderbilt shocked South Carolina.
Now Ohio State turns its focus to a bye week before a massive road trip to Washington. The Huskies own a 22-game home win streak, second only to Georgia, and haven’t lost in Seattle since 2021. With two weeks to prepare, the Buckeyes will look to clean up red zone efficiency and sharpen rotations before one of their toughest tests of the season.
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