Proof Points From Ohio State's Win Over Ohio, Presented by High Bank Distillery

By Josh Poloha on September 14, 2025 at 12:15 am
Carnell Tate
4 Comments

Dominance with some ugliness mixed in, the perfect way to describe that game in the Shoe Saturday night.

High Bank Distillery Co.
Presented by High Bank Distillery Co.

On paper, the Buckeyes were dominant on Saturday night; while watching, it didn't seem as lopsided at times. That said, Ohio State still took care of business against its in-state foe, beating Ohio handily, 37-9, in OSU's final nonconference game of the regular season.

In a way, it's a perfect lead-up to the Buckeyes' first bye week of the season, as it gives Ohio State plenty to work on and perfect while still showcasing its dominance.

Let's take a look at some Proof Points from Ohio State's win over the Bobcats to advance to 3-0 on the season.

Julian Sayin Throws For 347 Yards, 3 Touchdowns

Sayin was slinging the ball all over the field, to say the least.

The redshirt freshman completed 25 of 32 passes for 347 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions against the Bobcats. In doing so, Sayin did two things that haven't been done in a few years by an Ohio State quarterback.

In all, eight different Buckeyes recorded a reception as Sayin completed at least two passes to seven of his targets. The quarterback also had touchdown throws of 16 yards (Max Klare), 47 yards (Jeremiah Smith) and 49 yards (Carnell Tate), the latter two of which were two of his best throws of the season.

While his two interceptions will be things to learn from, especially heading into the bye week ahead of the Big Ten season, Sayin had yet another solid game throwing the ball.

Jeremiah Smith has 170 Yards from scrimmage, 2 Touchdowns

Another game, another dominant showing by the best player in college football.

A touchdown through the air? Check.

A touchdown on the ground? Check.

No matter where it was on the field, Smith found ways to get open and Sayin found ways to get him the ball. The sophomore had nine catches for 153 yards and a touchdown and also ran in a 17-yard touchdown.

With the amount of great wide receivers that have made a pit stop in Columbus before heading to the NFL, especially recently, Smith proved yet again that he's already among the best as he surpassed 1,500 receiving yards early in the game, becoming the fastest OSU wideout to do so as Smith did it in only 15 games. Jaxon Smith-Njigba (20 games) held the previous mark.

Saturday night was the second straight game that Smith had over 100 receiving yards and the seventh time in his career that he notched triple digits through the air.

Carnell Tate Records 101 Yards, 1 Touchdown

The fact that Tate is WR2 is an embarrassment of riches for the Buckeyes, but Ohio State certainly isn't complaining. Time and time again already this season, Tate has shown that he could be the next OSU wide receiver selected in the first round of the NFL draft.

Against Ohio, the wide receiver caught five passes for 101 yards, including a brilliant 49-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter to give OSU a 30-9 lead.

It's the second time Tate has had over 100 receiving yards. The junior has had one touchdown in each of Ohio State's first three games to begin the 2025 season after only scoring four touchdowns a year ago.

Honorable Mention: Bo Jackson Runs For 109 Yards on Only 9 Carries

After not seeing the field in the win over Texas to begin the season, Jackson has certainly made the most of his opportunities in the two games since.

The freshman, who played as early as the first quarter, led Ohio State with 109 rushing yards on only nine carries. This comes one week after he led the Buckeyes with 108 rushing yards and a touchdown on only nine carries in a shutout win over Grambling State.

Whether it's Jackson's speed, burst, elusiveness, or simply his ability to make plays with the ball in his hands, he has made the most of his limited opportunities early on.

It's early, but Jackson seems to be proving that he deserves to be in the race for RB1 in Columbus even though he is only three games into his Buckeye career.

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