Ohio State and Arkansas State battle over the ball during the Ohio State-Arkansas State game Saturday. Ohio State won 45-12. Credit: Zachary Rilley | Photo Editor
College football is back.
After a weekend that saw three top-10 ranked teams in then-No. 6 Texas A&M, then-No. 8 Notre Dame and then-No. 9 Baylor take losses to unranked programs, one can be forgiven for not remembering No. 3 Ohio State played a football game.
Missing top wideout third-year Jaxon Smith-Njigba due to a Sept. 3 leg injury, the Buckeyes cruised to their second win of the season over the Red Wolves 45-12 behind 538 total yards of offense, including 351 yards and four touchdowns from third-year quarterback C.J. Stroud.
Ohio State head coach Ryan Day said postgame the Buckeyes are going to “keep building” on their performances. Even after scoring 45 points, Ohio State looks to clean up some aspects of its game before beginning Big Ten play versus Wisconsin on Sept. 24 in Ohio Stadium.
Here are the five key takeaways from Saturday’s game.
An embarrassment of riches on offense
Despite missing Smith-Nijgba and fellow third-year wide receiver Julian Fleming, the Buckeyes put forth an explosive offensive effort after being held to 21 points against Notre Dame.
Second-year wideouts Marvin Harrison Jr. and Emeka Egbuka were Ohio State’s top-two leading receivers for the second-consecutive week. The duo combined for 11 receptions, 302 yards and four touchdowns, with Harrison putting up his second-career three-touchdown game in only his third-career start.
The two-headed snake in the backfield consisting of second-and-third-year running backs TreVeyon Henderson and Miyan Williams combined for 18 carries and 133 yards with Henderson contributing two touchdowns on the ground.
The offensive line stood strong, only allowing one sack for the duration of the game for both Stroud and second-year signal-caller Kyle McCord, who completed three of four passes in the fourth quarter.
Simply put, if the Buckeyes have to continue sitting Smith-Njigba to ensure the wideout is fully healthy to play, they have more than enough talent on the offensive side of the ball to make up for his absence.
Stroud establishes Heisman candidacy
The Inland Empire, California, native did not produce eye-popping video game statistics in Week 1 against Notre Dame, but Stroud said the first game was just a taste of what the offense can do.
In the first-time matchup between the Buckeyes and Arkansas State, Stroud completed 67 percent of his passes and found six different receivers in the 33-point win.
Stroud looked more comfortable facing the Red Wolves, showing accuracy in the short, intermediate and deep passes he threw, going 16-for-24 with no turnovers. The signal-caller dropped in a few impressive passes before heading to the sidelines midway through the fourth quarter.
According to FanDuel Sportsbook, Stroud is the current Heisman Trophy favorite. If Stroud continues to take care of the ball and feed his receivers, he could be in the driver’s seat to be the first Buckeye to win the award since former-quarterback Troy Smith in 2006.
Watch out for Hall
Ohio State found a gem in second-year defensive tackle Michael Hall Jr. The Streetsboro, Ohio, native took Buckeye Nation by storm after he recorded two tackles for loss and a sack on Sept. 3 against Notre Dame.
Saturday, the lineman added to his impressive start with three tackles for loss and another sack in Ohio State’s win. After only two career starts, Hall looks to add himself to the long list of Buckeye defensive linemen drafted into the NFL.
Hall stands out on a defensive line that constantly substitutes in-and-out. Effective at the pass rush and stopping the run, Hall is off to a hot start in his young collegiate career, and he looks to be a cornerstone of the defense for the future.
Secondary a little shaky
Behind the defensive line, the secondary left a performance to be desired after Saturday’s game. The red zone defense looked much improved from last season, but big plays made by the Red Wolves receiving core made some Buckeyes fans sweat.
Arkansas State redshirt senior wideout Champ Flemings caught 10 passes for 105 yards, including a 58-yard reception in the second quarter that got the Red Wolves in the red zone.
After halftime, the Buckeyes only allowed 33 passing yards and held Arkansas State to three points. While it shows the ability of Jim Knowles’ defense to make halftime adjustments, they must start games better if they look to prevent high-octane offenses from scoring.
Need to clean up the penalties
Even though Ohio State won both of its games by double-digit margins, flags flew everywhere, signaling the team needs to clean up the penalties.
In Week 1 against Notre Dame, Ohio State committed seven penalties for 75 yards. On Saturday, facing Arkansas State, the Buckeyes managed to commit nine penalties for 85 yards, and their defense was responsible for seven.
The defense held firm and did not allow Arkansas State in the end zone, holding the Red Wolves to four field goals and never allowing head coach Butch Jones’ offense to get comfortable.
Ohio State through two weeks has beaten opponents by an average of over 20 points per game, yet it allowed 160 free yards through two games. If Ohio State finds itself in a College Football Playoff game, it must clean up the penalties now before it costs the Buckeyes wins.
