The Ohio State football team runs out of the tunnel prior to the Ohio State-Purdue game Saturday. Ohio State won 59-31. Credit: Mackenzie Shanklin | Photo Editor
After struggling performances against Penn State and Nebraska in which Ohio State only won by nine points in each contest, the No. 4 Buckeyes bounced back with a big 59-31 victory against No. 19 Purdue — but it wasn’t as close as the final score may imply.
The offense in those two games struggled to finish drives with six points, having to settle for field goals inside the 20-yard line.
This week, though, the Buckeyes scored touchdowns on each of their first six drives, with three coming in the red zone, flexing their offensive prowess to score 50 points for the fifth time this season. Here’s what we learned Saturday.
Garrett Wilson had a stellar performance in his return
Ohio State junior wide receiver Garrett Wilson (5) stiff-arms Purdue junior defensive end George Karlaftis (5) during the Ohio State-Purdue game Saturday. Ohio State won 59-31. Credit: Mackenzie Shanklin | Photo Editor
Junior wide receiver Garrett Wilson missed last week’s game against Nebraska with an injury, and he came back with his hair on fire, showing off for the 10 NFL scouts in attendance.
After a 16-yard punt from Purdue freshman punter Jack Ansell, Ohio State’s offense was set up at the Boilermakers’ 39.
First pass went to who? Wilson — and that was only the beginning for him.
Three plays later, a crossing route led to Wilson being wide open on the boundary side of the field, beating junior safety Cam Allen to the pylon for his first touchdown of the day.
His next touchdown was a 12-yard lofted pass from redshirt freshman quarterback C.J. Stroud, making an outstanding acrobatic catch before taking a 51-yard jet sweep to the house midway through the second quarter.
Wilson’s fourth score of the day came on a quick slant, racing to the center of the field before stopping on a dime and cutting back to the pylon to get into the south end zone for six.
His four-touchdown performance was the first such performance since J.K. Dobbins scored four on the ground against Michigan in 2019.
Side-to-side offense helped spring offense after back-to-back struggling performances
The Ohio State football team celebrate during the Ohio State-Purdue game Saturday. Ohio State won 59-31. Credit: Gabe Haferman | Assistant Photo Editor
Putting up 624 yards of offense and 59 points may imply that the Buckeyes’ offense was dynamic and bombing the ball down the field every play.
It was not so much the case.
They opened with a lot of up-tempo pace, keeping Purdue’s defense on its heels and utilizing horizontal play designs.
Ohio State’s three longest plays were on nonvertical plays.
The 57-yard touchdown run from freshman running back TreVeyon Henderson was bounced off tackle before he accelerated to the second level, out-running defenders.
Wilson’s 51-yard scamper to the end zone came on a jet sweep, going in motion from right to left before taking the handoff all the way.
Sophomore wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s 49-yard completion is misleading. He went in motion pre-snap and caught the pop pass from Stroud, getting the edge and turning a 1/2-yard throw through the air into 49 yards down the field.
Who was Ohio State’s leading rusher?
Ohio State redshirt freshman running back Miyan Williams (28) runs the ball down the field during the Ohio State-Purdue game Saturday. Ohio State won 59-31. Credit: Mackenzie Shanklin | Photo Editor
At the end of the first quarter, Henderson had two touchdowns — including a 57-yard tote with five minutes to go in the frame.
But, he was out-rushed by redshirt freshman running back Miyan Williams for the first time since Week 2.
Henderson exited the game, going to the locker room for an undisclosed reason, allowing for Williams to take a big chunk of carries in the second quarter.
Williams took full advantage, running for 22 and 12 yards on back-to-back plays, leading to 117 yards on 14 carries — which was also a team high.
Henderson still managed to eclipse 1,000 yards on the season with his 13-carry, 98-yard performance.
Tackling was hit or miss — literally
Ohio State sophomore safety Ronnie Hickman (14) goes for the Purdue runner during the Ohio State-Purdue game Saturday. Ohio State won 59-31. Credit: Mackenzie Shanklin | Photo Editor
Early in the first half, the Silver Bullets were flying around to the ball, driving Purdue’s offense into the ground.
It was some of the best all-around tackling from the unit on the season, cracking the Boilermakers hard in an old-school, hard-nosed, smash-mouth, Big Ten-football manner.
With other plays, however, the defense left heads being scratched after whiffing on what turned into long plays for the Boilermakers.
Freshman cornerback Denzel Burke led all defenders with a career-high 11 tackles — his next highest total was five against Tulsa Sept. 18.
The next two weeks the Buckeyes face solid running backs in Michigan State junior Kenneth Walker III, Michigan sophomore Blake Corum and senior Hassan Haskins, so solid tackling is a must for success.
Aidan O’Connell had an impressive day against Ohio State secondary
The Ohio State defensive line charges through the Purdue line during the Ohio State-Purdue game Saturday. Ohio State won 59-31. Credit: Mackenzie Shanklin | Photo Editor
Ohio State’s defense entered its game against Purdue with the third-worst pass defense in the Big Ten, allowing 247.1 yards per game.
After Saturday, both those marks got worse.
Purdue fifth-year senior quarterback Aidan O’Connell — who has continued to climb the Big Ten ranks in passing — picked apart the Buckeyes’ secondary, collecting a lot of yards due to the Boilermakers’ pass-happy approach while trailing.
O’Connell’s 390 yards are the second-most the Buckeyes have allowed, after letting Tulsa redshirt junior quarterback Davis Brin total 428 through the air.
In the previous three weeks, opposing quarterbacks have combined for a 91-for-135 clip, 999 yards and six touchdowns.
Ohio State’s 261.1 passing yards allowed per game is second worst in the Big Ten, and its 128.88 opponent-passer rating is ninth in the conference.
