Proof Points From Ohio State’s Dominant Win Over Minnesota, Presented by High Bank Distillery

By Josh Poloha on October 5, 2025 at 12:43 am
Carnell Tate
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Smooth sailing, indeed.

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

There's something special about a game under the lights in The Shoe. It's even better when it comes with a dominant performance by the Buckeyes, as Ohio State made it look easy against Minnesota, beating the Golden Gophers, 42-3.

While the Silver Bullets dominated once again, much like the OSU defense has all season, it was Julian Sayin and the aerial attack that showed off its talent Saturday night.

Ohio State's stars shined brightest under the lights.

Let's take a look at some Proof Points from Ohio State's dominant win over Minnesota to advance to 5-0 on the season:

Carnell Tate Has 9 Catches, 183 Yards, 1 Touchdown

To put it simply, it was The Carnell Tate Game.

But, to dig more into it, the third-year wide receiver had his third career 100-yard game and is the second of the season. Before Saturday night, Tate's career-high was 102 yards in a win over Nebraska last October.

Just over 16 minutes into the game against the Golden Gophers, he already had five catches for 115 yards, surpassing his previous career high. In all, Tate finished with nine receptions for 183 yards and a touchdown on a night where he seemed unstoppable.

Tate's only touchdown of the night came on a 44-yard touchdown where he was wide open in the end zone. Part of the reason for that was due to Jeremiah Smith, but it was also because of a great move against one-on-one coverage.

Julian Sayin Completes 23-of-27 Passes, Throws for 326 Yards, 3 Touchdowns

At what point will Julian Sayin start to be part of the Heisman Trophy conversation?

Against Minnesota, the redshirt freshman completed 23-of-27 passes for 326 yards and three touchdowns, showcasing his deep-throw ability and accuracy throughout the win. Sayin continued to make plays all over the field.

In five games this season, the first-year starter has now thrown for 300-plus yards and three-plus touchdowns three times while continuing to showcase his ability to be the most accurate passer in the country.

While all of Sayin's throws 20-plus yards downfield were impressive, arguably his best pass of the night came on a 29-yard pass to Max Klare with a few minutes left in the third quarter. With a Minnesota defender running at him full speed, Sayin remained in the pocket and delivered a perfectly thrown pass to the tight end.

Jeremiah Smith Has 7 Catches, 67 Yards, 2 Touchdowns

While the star proved to make plays for his teammates even when he didn't have the ball (above), Smith proved yet again that he is an alien, or, in this case, that he is the best wide receiver in college football.

He finished with seven catches for 67 yards and two touchdowns, his fifth multi-touchdown game of his Ohio State career.

For his first touchdown, Smith showcased his fantastic ability as a route runner.

For his second touchdown of the game, the star showcased his hands and catching ability.

Honorable Mention

Ohio State Has Allowed Only 25 Points So Far This Season

The Silver Bullets dominated once again, much like they have so far this season.

Holding Minnesota to three points Saturday night, Ohio State has allowed only 25 points through five games this season, showcasing its dominance in all areas every step of the way.

Against the Golden Gophers, the Buckeyes allowed Minnesota to go down the field for a field goal on the opening drive of the game. But after that drive, Ohio State's defense was suffocating, to say the least.

Ryan Day's 88.2% Career Winning Percentage

With the win over Minnesota, the Ohio State head coach is now 75-10 in his career, having won 88.2% of his games leading the Buckeyes.

With that, Day surpassed Notre Dame legend Knute Rockne, Division I's all-time leader in career winning percentage with a mark of 88.1%.

Day isn’t yet the NCAA’s official leader in all-time winning percentage, as the NCAA requires a minimum of 10 years to earn a spot in its record book for all-time winning percentage. Nevertheless, his winning percentage speaks to just how consistently great the Buckeyes have been since Day became their head coach in 2019.

With Day as the head coach, Ohio State has yet to lose more than two games in a season, winning at least 11 games every year except 2020, when the Buckeyes played only eight games due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

He’s now won nine straight games dating back to last season, when the Buckeyes won four straight College Football Playoff games on their way to a national championship.

(Top photo: © Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images)

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