COLUMBUS, Ohio — No. 2 Ohio State took care of business on Saturday, dominating Purdue 45-0 to improve to 8-1 (5-1 Big Ten).
This was never much of a contest, as Ohio State’s defense tallied its second shutout of the season and got a fumble return touchdown from Jack Sawyer, while the offense moved the ball at will against the struggling Boilermakers (1-8, 0-6) and Caden Curry blocked a punt on special teams. The Buckeyes next play Northwestern at Wrigley Field before a pair of big games at home to end the regular season against No. 8 Indiana and Michigan.
Here are a few immediate takeaways after Saturday’s easy win:
Knowles experiments with the defense
Ohio State’s coaches may preach that they take every game as seriously as the top-10 matchups, but sometimes it’s evident they are experimenting a bit against an overmatched opponent. That was the case on Saturday against Purdue, which is winless in the Big Ten.
Defensive coordinator Jim Knowles arrived at Ohio State known for his ability to confuse offenses with a variety of looks, but that hadn’t been the case for his first couple of years in Columbus. On Saturday, he threw a lot at Purdue and even utilized his “Jack” position, which is a standup pass rusher on the edge of a three-lineman set. Ohio State had historically been a four-man defensive line defense, but Knowles changed it up on Saturday.
The Buckeyes had mixed results with the various looks early, but they ultimately gave Purdue plenty of trouble, especially on third down, as the Boilermakers converted just 2 of 12. Ohio State tallied four sacks in the game and held Purdue to 206 total yards, and quarterback Hudson Card completed only 9 of 19 passes for 108 yards with an interception by Lathan Ransom.
The meetings and conversations Ohio State had after the loss to Oregon are starting to pay off, as the Buckeyes’ defense has been transforming in the past few weeks, not allowing an offensive touchdown in either of the past two games against Penn State and Purdue.
If Knowles can continue to add to the looks he gave Purdue, this defense could take a big step as the postseason nears by making it harder to prepare for on top of the talent.
Scoop and score 👀
Jack Sawyer picks up the loose ball and returns it for an @OhioStateFB TD.#B1GFootball on @CFBONFOX 📺 pic.twitter.com/HxRq9EuRQT
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) November 9, 2024
Smith sets two Ohio State freshman records
Jeremiah Smith arrived on campus with expectations that seemed almost impossible to live up to. The top-ranked player in the 2024 recruit class, Smith was the talk of Ohio State’s offseason and has somehow exceeded the expectations.
On Saturday, Smith broke two Ohio State freshman records. After finishing the game with six catches for 87 yards and one touchdown, he now has 45 receptions for 765 yards and nine touchdowns this season, giving him the Ohio State freshman record for receptions and touchdowns.
Smith has quickly become not just the best receiver on Ohio State’s roster, but one of the best receivers in the country. His nine touchdown catches are the most of any freshman and tie Washington receiver Denzel Boston for the Big Ten lead as of Saturday afternoon.
The next record in Smith’s sights is the Big Ten record for touchdowns by a freshman, which is 12 by former Purdue receiver Rondale Moore.
JEREMIAH SMITH FOR THE TD 🔥
There’s just no catching the @OhioStatefb True Freshman 😤
(brought to you by @ATTBusiness #ATTBusiness #NextLevelNetwork) pic.twitter.com/JNCmw75XbN
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 9, 2024
Ohio State run game building momentum
Purdue came into the game with the worst run defense in the Big Ten, allowing 203 yards per game and 5.03 yards per carry. Ohio State took advantage of that and carried its momentum from the win over Penn State into another strong performance on the ground with its new-look offensive line.
The Buckeyes ran for 173 yards and averaged 4.9 yards per carry. TreVeyon Henderson led the way with 85 yards on six carries, including a 19-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.
Ohio State also seems set on the concept of running quarterback Will Howard more than it was early in the season. Howard ran the ball nine times after carrying the ball 12 times against Penn State. Three of those carries came in one red zone trip, which was capped by a 1-yard touchdown run. That touchdown was Howard’s fifth of the season — the most by an Ohio State quarterback since Justin Fields had five in 2020. Howard also had an efficient passing day, completing 21 of 26 for 260 yards and three touchdowns.
Offensive line injuries are something to watch
Ohio State can’t afford more injuries up front, and it got a major scare when Carson Hinzman went down holding his knee in the first half.
Hinzman, who has been playing left guard for the past two weeks, got rolled into just before Howard was sacked. He walked off the field under his own power and returned in the second half. He didn’t look hindered by the injury.
Next to Hinzman is Donovan Jackson, now playing left tackle, who was limping between plays in the third quarter but didn’t miss any snaps.
It’s a good sign that both played the rest of the game until the starters were subbed out, but their health and effectiveness is something to watch. Ohio State can’t afford to lose anybody else on the line with starting left tackle Josh Simmons out for the season and backup left tackle Zen Michalski out, as well.
GO DEEPER
Did Ohio State solve its offensive line problem against Penn State?
(Photo: Barbara Perenic / USA Today Network via Imagn Images)
