Sophomore wide receiver and, Chicago native, Carnell Tate (17) dives into the end zone for the first of his two touchdowns against Northwestern. The Buckeyes defeated the Wildcats 31-7 Saturday at Wrigley Field. Credit: Sandra Fu | Photo Editor
Ohio State and Northwestern had played 18 minutes of football in the friendly confines of Wrigley Field, and little about the game had gone the Buckeyes’ way.
Sure, they won the coin toss and recovered a first-quarter fumble, but the Wildcats had driven down the field twice, and their second effort left Ohio State in an early hole.
That, combined with Northwestern’s slow-down offense that held the Buckeyes to just one drive in more than a quarter of action, meant it was put-up or shut-up time for Ohio State.
Good teams find a way to stay in contention, but great teams find a way to dominate.
And No. 2 Ohio State did just that, scoring 31 unanswered points in front of a scarlet-filled stadium and thumping the Wildcats 31-7 in its final regular-season road contest.
“Great to see Buckeye Nation traveling like this,” head coach Ryan Day said. “I even looked up and saw the stands from across the street, just saw red up there. We just really appreciate them supporting us in an environment like this, but a great venue to play something like this in a historic stadium like Wrigley.”
Northwestern appeared to be in control of the game early.
On its first drive, the Wildcats coughed up an unexpected fumble in Ohio State’s red zone but finally punched in a score on its second possession, taking a 7-0 lead and exposing the Buckeyes defense’s need for adjustments.
The Wildcats’ first two offensive drives amassed 151 yards, more than half of their per-game average. Day said he expected the Wildcats to try taking control of the game from the jump, and even pondered taking the ball instead of deferring to the second half after winning the opening coin toss.
“[Northwestern] really controlled the first quarter of the game,” Day said. “I thought about taking the ball early in this game because I knew that would be their plan and decided to continue with what we’ve been doing.”
As Ohio State was desperate for momentum, the Buckeyes first put forth a 12-play, 85-yard scoring drive, serving as a sigh of relief to knot the game at seven.
That was until the middle of the second quarter, when running back Quinshon Judkins scored twice in three plays, both 1-yard touchdowns.
“Overall, I thought we settled down once those first couple drives hit,” Day said.
Then came the Wildcats’ punt blunder.
Northwestern long snapper Will Halkyard lofted the ball over the head of punter Luke Akers, who sprinted backward to recapture it. Ohio State wide receiver David Adolph blocked his kick, sending it out of bounds on the Wildcats’ 1-yard line to set up Judkins’ second touchdown.
The Buckeye defense forced a second consecutive three-and-out before the offense before the offense scored its 21st consecutive point thanks to a 25-yard deep ball to wide receiver Carnell Tate, a Chicago native.
Ohio State took a 21-7 lead into the half.
Quarterback Will Howard said three touchdowns in the “middle eight minutes” proved the difference-maker.
“It changed the game,” Howard said. “Today, we really won it at the end of the second quarter, beginning of the third quarter.”
More offensive fireworks opened the second half.
Howard squeezed a ball between two Wildcat defenders and found wideout Jeremiah Smith over the middle for a 68-yard gain before Tate struck again on an 8-yard touchdown catch to tally the Buckeyes’ 28th straight point.
“It was a lot of high emotions, but I had to manage it,” Tate said. “It means a lot to be playing back in my city, especially my first time being back since my freshman year of high school and especially being able to play in front of my family and friends.
Ohio State’s offense stalled out in Northwestern’s red zone on its next possession, but a 28-yard field goal from Jayden Fielding pushed the lead to 31-7 before the third quarter’s end.
