FOR OHIO
Ohio State overcomes a slow start to beat Ohio 37-9 in the Horseshoe.
Presented by HOMAGE
| Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 Ohio State | 3 | 10 | 10 | 14 | 37 |
| OHIO | 0 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 9 |
| SEPT. 13, 2025 • Ohio STADIUM • COLUMBUS, OHIO | |||||
The game was closer than it should have been for a while, but Ohio State ended non-conference play with a comfortable win over an in-state foe.
Ohio State scored touchdowns on just two of its six trips to the red zone and Julian Sayin was intercepted twice, but the Buckeyes finished the game with 24 unanswered points to pull away for a 37-9 win over Ohio.
Ohio State had 278 first-half yards of offense compared to just 28 for Ohio, yet took a lead of just 10 points into halftime. The Buckeyes turned the ball over on downs and settled for two field goals on their first three possessions. They scored their lone first-half touchdown on a 16-yard pass from Sayin to Max Klare on their fourth possession, but an Ohio interception off a tip-drill on OSU’s fifth possession set up a field goal for the Bobcats before halftime.
The Bobcats made it a four-point game less than a minute into the second half on a 67-yard touchdown pass from Parker Navarro to Chase Hendricks that was followed by a missed extra point. Ohio forced a field goal on Ohio State’s next possession to keep it a one-score game, but the Buckeyes finally pulled away on their next three drives as Julian Sayin connected with Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate for long touchdowns and Smith ran for a 17-yard touchdown.
| Qtr | Time | Team | Result | Play Details | OSU | OHIO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1:45 | OSU | FG | 38-YARD FIELD GOAL, JAYDEN FIELDING | 3 | 0 |
| 2 | 9:58 | OSU | FG | 20-YARD FIELD GOAL, JAYDEN FIELDING | 6 | 0 |
| 2 | 2:29 | OSU | TD | 16-YARD PASS, JULIAN SAYIN TO MAX KLARE | 13 | 0 |
| 2 | 0:24 | OHIO | FG | 44-YARD FIELD GOAL, BRACK PEACOCK | 13 | 3 |
| 3 | 14:07 | OHIO | WR | 67-YARD PASS, PARKER NAVARRO TO CHASE HENDRICKS (MISSED XP) | 13 | 9 |
| 3 | 11:19 | OSU | FG | 22-YARD FIELD GOAL, JAYDEN FIELDING | 16 | 9 |
| 3 | 6:16 | OSU | TD | 47-YARD TOUCHDOWN, JULIAN SAYIN TO JEREMIAH SMITH | 23 | 9 |
| 4 | 14:14 | OSU | TD | 49-YARD TOUCHDOWN, JULIAN SAYIN TO CARNELL TATE | 30 | 9 |
| 4 | 6:36 | OSU | TD | 17-YARD TOUCHDOWN RUN, JEREMIAH SMITH | 37 | 9 |
Key Moments
Q2, 2:29: Klare scores his first touchdown as a Buckeye
After Ohio State failed to score touchdowns on its first three drives of a game – turning it over on downs on its first possession and settling for field goals on each of its next two – the Buckeyes finally scored their first touchdown with 2:29 to play before halftime. Max Klare caught a 16-yard pass in the back of the end zone on a long-developing play for his first touchdown as a Buckeye.
Max Klare has his first @OhioStateFB TD.
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) September 14, 2025
: Peacock pic.twitter.com/ONfB2ZDIGg
Q3, 14:07: Ohio scores a 67-yard touchdown
After getting on the board with a field goal in the final minute of the first half, Ohio made it a one-score game less than a minute into the second half as Bobcats quarterback Parker Navarro – who missed most of the first half with a hand injury – returned to the game and connected with Chase Hendricks, who outran Lorenzo Styles Jr. all the way to the end zone for a 67-yard score.
What a way to start the second half @ChaseHendricks_ | @OhioFootball | #MACtion pic.twitter.com/ysaY4xqpAW
— MACtion (@MACSports) September 14, 2025
Q3, 6:16: Sayin and Smith connect for 47
After allowing the Bobcats to claw back into the game, the Buckeyes seized control of the game back with a 47-yard touchdown pass from Julian Sayin to Jeremiah Smith with just over 21 minutes to play.
Sayin Smith
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) September 14, 2025
Jeremiah Smith reels in Julian Sayin's deep ball to extend No. 1 @OhioStateFB's lead.
: Peacock pic.twitter.com/9BONayPPA4
Q4, 14:14: Sayin and Tate connect for 49
Sayin completed another deep bomb on Ohio State’s next drive, hitting Carnell Tate with a perfect pass for a 49-yard touchdown to make it a three-score game.
This time, Julian Sayin goes deep to Carnell Tate for the @OhioStateFB TD.
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) September 14, 2025
: Peacock pic.twitter.com/nFGKtFni2l
Q4, 6:36: Smith runs for a score
Smith made it a four-touchdown game by taking an end-around for a 17-yard touchdown, the second touchdown run of his Ohio State career.
Might as well give Jeremiah Smith a TD run, right?
— Ohio State on BTN (@OhioStateOnBTN) September 14, 2025
: Peacock pic.twitter.com/gjdA1kLObQ
| Stat | Player | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Passing | JULIAN SAYIN | 25-32, 347 yards, 3 TD, 2 int |
| rushing | BO JACKSON | 9 Carries, 109 yards |
| receiving | Jeremiah smith | 9 receptions, 153 yards, 1 TD |
Team Stats
| OHIO STATE | METRIC | OHIO UNIVERSITY |
|---|---|---|
| 572 | TOTAL YARDS | 181 |
| 225 | RUSHING YARDS | 68 |
| 31 | RUSHING ATTEMPTS | 34 |
| 7.3 | AVERAGE PER RUSH | 2.0 |
| 1 | RUSHING TOUCHDOWNS | 0 |
| 347 | PASSING YARDS | 113 |
| 25-32 | COMPLETIONS–ATTEMPTS | 10-21 |
| 13.9 | YARDS PER COMPLETION | 11.3 |
| 3 | PASSING TOUCHDOWNS | 1 |
| 28 | 1st DOWNS | 9 |
| 63 | TOTAL PLAYS | 55 |
| 9.1 | YARDS PER PLAY | 3.3 |
| 5-9 | 3RD DOWNS | 3-15 |
| 6-50 | PENALTIES | 3-25 |
| 32:43 | POSSESSION | 27:17 |
| 2 | TURNOVERS | 0 |
What’s Next
Ohio State has a week off before traveling to Washington to play its first conference opponent and first road game of the year on Sept. 27.
Game Notes
- Ohio State is now 10-0 all-time vs. Ohio.
- Ohio State is 53-0-1 in its last 54 games against in-state opponents. The Buckeyes haven’t lost to an Ohio school since a 7-6 loss to Oberlin in 1921.
- Ohio State is 39-1 all-time against current MAC teams with 39 straight wins. The Buckeyes’ only loss to a current MAC team was a 12-6 loss to Akron in 1894.
- Ohio State basketball great Clark Kellogg was the pregame Victory Bell ringer.
- 10 Ohio State players, all backups, were unavailable due to injuries: TE Bennett Christian, CB Brenten "Inky" Jones, TE Max LeBlanc, DT Jason Moore, QB Mason Maggs, RB Anthony "Turbo" Rogers, DT Maxwell Roy, S Deshawn Stewart, DT Ahmed Tounkara and WR Preston Wolfe.
- Scouts from the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs and the Seattle Seahawks attended the game.
- Ohio State’s starters on offense: QB Julian Sayin, RB James Peoples, WR Jeremiah Smith, WR Carnell Tate, TE Will Kacmarek, TE Max Klare, LT Austin Siereveld, LG Luke Montgomery, C Carson Hinzman, RG Tegra Tshabola, RT Phillip Daniels
- Ohio State’s starters on defense: DE Kenyatta Jackson Jr., DE Caden Curry, DT Tywone Malone Jr., DT Kayden McDonald, LB Sonny Styles, LB Arvell Reese, CB Davison Igbinosun, CB Jermaine Mathews Jr., CB Lorenzo Styles Jr., S Caleb Downs, S Jaylen McClain
- Malone started the game in place of Eddrick Houston, who started at defensive tackle for the first two games.
- Ethan Onianwa replaced Tshabola at right guard after Tshabola committed two penalties in Ohio State’s first three drives, though Tshabola later returned to the lineup.
- Ohio quarterback Parker Navarro left the game after suffering a hand injury in the first quarter. He was replaced at quarterback by Nick Poulos for the rest of the first half, but returned to the game for the second half.
- Lorenzo Styles Jr. left the game in the third quarter with an apparent upper-body injury. Devin Sanchez replaced him in the lineup, though he lined up at cornerback while Jermaine Mathews Jr. moved inside to nickel.
- Jeremiah Smith became the fastest Ohio State wide receiver ever to reach 1,500 career receiving yards, reaching that milestone in 19 games. Jaxon Smith-Njigba was previously the fastest, hitting that number in 20 games.
- 105,765 people attended the game.
- The Ohio State and Ohio marching bands performed together at halftime.
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