Photo by Ohio State Athletics
Behind Chicago’s own Carnell Tate, the men of the scarlet and gray smashed through to victory over the Wildcats. After back-to-back blowout wins, Ohio State looks ahead to their third top-five matchup of the year against Indiana.
Carnell Tate
The sophomore receiver from Chicago had the exact kind of game one would want to in front of their hometown, family, and friends. Tate had four catches for 52 yards and two touchdowns. He had a big Red Zone catch that gave Ohio State 1st and goal at the one-yard line when he was being bracketed by defenders. After he secured the tough catch, Quinshon Judkins punched the ball in for the first touchdown of the game. Tate directly helped the Buckeyes get three of their four touchdowns. That’s why Carnell Tate is the Dwayne Haskins Player of the Game.
Ridiculous in the Red Zone
Offense
Ohio State’s Red Zone offense has been a tremendous asset this season and the win at Wrigley was no exception. Ohio State got into the Red Zone four times and scored three touchdowns and had to settle for a rare field goal. In 2024 they are 36 of 37 when they get inside the opponent’s 20 with a whopping 33 touchdowns and only three field goals. This is a credit to Coach Day as this had been an area of struggle in his tenure as Ohio State’s head coach until this year. Whatever he’s doing differently, he’s getting it right.
Defense
The defense has also been extra stout when in the Red Zone. Northwestern got into the Red Zone against Ohio State three times. Twice they came away with nothing. That has been a strength of the Buckeye defense all season. For the year, including this victory, opposing teams have gotten inside the Buckeyes’ 20-yard line 22 times. They’ve scored seven touchdowns, been held to five field goals, and been turned away with nothing 10 times! The emphasis that Ohio State has put on playing well when close to the goal line on both sides of the ball has been a difference-maker this year!
Silver Bullets
A big plus for Ohio State was a returning Tyleik Williams who missed last week with injury. No one benefited more from the play of Williams and Ty Hamilton than linebacker Sonny Styles. Styles is the Chase Young Defender of the Game with six tackles, two sacks that were also tackles for a loss, and two pass break-ups in coverage.
Safeties Caleb Downs and Lathan Ransom, each had big games making good tackles. Downs and Ransom close like heat-seeking missiles. Downs had six tackles including one for a loss and Ransom had four tackles, all of them solo, including one for a loss.
The only cause of concern for the defense was the scoring drive they gave up to Northwestern. It was a 13-play, 92-yard, 5:30 drive. They can’t afford to give up a drive like that to Indiana, that team up north, nor anyone else they may play the rest of this season.
The defense was bolstered by a fumble forced by Jack Sawyer, and for the second week in a row, a blocked punt. Jim Tressel would be proud of the difference special teams has made in these past two victories! The defense would have an emphatic day, keeping Northwestern to only 251 yards of offense, only 50 of them running the ball. They also stopped Northwestern on downs twice.
Judkins and Henderson
The best running back duo in America again had a good day. TreVeyon Henderson and Quinhon Judkins had a combined 130 yards and two touchdowns on the ground (Henderson had 74 yards, Judkins 76) with Judkins scoring both touchdowns at the goal line.
Jeremiah Smith
The freshman phenom had another big game for the Buckeyes. Smith had four catches for 100 yards for Ohio State. Including a 68-yard catch and run that was both a highlight and infamous as a Northwestern defender attempted to purposefully injure Smith. If it hinders Smith’s impact Ohio State and Buckeye Nation will be out for blood the next time they play Northwestern.
Will Howard
Howard continued his steady play completing 15 of his 24 passes for 247 yards and two touchdowns. Howard has been great at taking what defenses give him and yet still getting the Buckeye stars involved. He spread the ball around, going to Smith and Tate four times each and also a great seam route to Gee Scott, a couple of passes to Henderson, a couple to Emeka Egbuka, one to Judkins, and one to Brandon Iniss. On the year, Howard is 186 of 255 for 2,484 yards and 24 touchdowns passing and six touchdowns rushing.
Ohio State and Indiana
Indiana is the real deal. I’ve said it most of the season. People want to point out that their best wins are over Washington and that team up north who both have records near .500. But they’re for real. People outside the Big Ten don’t realize the miracle Curt Cignetti has worked in year one for the Hoosiers. They could not win again this season and it would be a historic and massively positive season for Indiana. Anyone who doesn’t take them seriously does so at their own peril.
