COLUMBUS, Ohio — Buckeyes extensive receiver Jeremiah Smith dashed previous the Tennessee protection for a 37-yard landing on the opening drive then high-fived Ohio State followers close to the tunnel. Moments later, Ohio State linebacker Cody Simon delivered successful on Nico Iamaleava so thunderous, it left the Volunteers quarterback with a cracked helmet.
Ohio State jumped to a three-touchdown lead within the first quarter and by no means regarded again on the best way to a powerful 42-17 win within the first spherical of the College Football Playoff, bouncing again from the crushing residence loss to Michigan three weeks prior.
“Proud of the best way they responded,” stated Ryan Day, who notched his first victory over an SEC opponent as Ohio State’s head coach. “You may inform from the soar they’d a glance of their eye that they had been going to win this sport.”
Ohio State did not simply win. With the skin stress on Day and the Buckeyes mounting following a fourth consecutive loss to the Wolverines, Ohio State throttled the Volunteers for its largest victory over an SEC foe, eclipsing the earlier report of 20 factors set towards Vanderbilt 91 years in the past, in response to ESPN Research.
“We did a hell of a job not letting off the fuel,” stated Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard, who performed solely 5 snaps within the fourth quarter earlier than giving option to the backups. “We may’ve let that turn out to be a sport. Being capable of maintain the foot on the pedal was big.”
Howard set the tone, rebounding from his worst sport this season with arguably his finest.
He threw two picks in Ohio State’s 13-10 loss to Michigan, because the Buckeyes failed to attain within the second half for the primary time in 13 years.
On Saturday night time, Howard accomplished 24 of 29 passes for 311 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 37 yards as Ohio State led 42-10 early within the fourth quarter earlier than substituting out its starters.
Offensive coordinator Chip Kelly famous that Howard was so dialed in, the quarterback was calling out performs earlier than Kelly may end sending them in.
“The credit score goes to the gamers,” Kelly stated. “They had been superior. They had been clicking on all cylinders.”
After catching just one go for 3 yards after halftime towards Michigan, Smith was just about unguardable towards the Volunteers. He completed with a game-high 103 yards and two touchdowns on six receptions, together with a 22-yard scoring seize on the primary drive of the second half.
“He’s the dude, man,” Howard stated of Smith. “I feel he is the most effective receiver within the nation. You see what the child does with the ball in his fingers. He’s simply the whole lot you need in a teammate and a receiver.”
Running again TreVeyon Henderson led the Buckeyes on the bottom, dashing for 80 yards and two touchdowns whereas including 54 receiving yards.
Defensively, Ohio State did not permit Iamaleava to finish a go till the 9:36 mark within the second quarter. By that time, the Buckeyes had been in command with a 21-0 lead.
“These guys have numerous satisfaction,” Day stated. “I feel this stated rather a lot about who our guys are to have the ability to reply like that in a giant method.”
The response arrange a rematch with Big Ten champion and No. 1 seed Oregon within the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day. The Ducks defeated the Buckeyes 32-31 in Eugene on Oct. 12. After Saturday’s sport, ESPN BET opened Ohio State as a one-point favourite over Oregon. The Ducks coated as 3.5-point underdogs in that October matchup.
Smith and Howard each made essential errors on the ultimate drive of that loss at Oregon. Smith was flagged for offensive go interference, which pushed the Buckeyes out of area purpose vary. Then, on the sport’s closing play, Howard slid following a scramble as time expired, stopping Ohio State from making an attempt a possible game-winning area purpose.
“Yeah, I’m excited, man,” Howard stated of going through the Ducks once more. “It’s going to be a heck of a possibility for all of us. We’ve all been trying ahead to this one and for one more crack at [those] guys. The method that final one ended does not sit proper with me. It nonetheless bugs me.”
