The first offensive firework in a game filled with offensive fireworks came on 4th-and-1, on the Buckeyes’ second offensive possession. The Buckeyes would start would great field position, and it didn’t take long to strike.
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Despite losing 16 starters from previous year, these Buckeyes sensed they had something special in training camp.
“I don’t know what [Kendall] could’ve been watching, to be quite honest with you”, Stoops said Monday during his weekly news conference. “There’s enough of them still here that we’ve got to be able to make plays”. The lead grew to 14-0 on Baker’s interception three minutes later. Some of it might be pure hunger.
This was a professional ass-kicking by a young-and-fearless team that’s taking a cue from its coach. He’d have to wait a year to validate an offseason of hype and expectations after making play after play in practices. After losing Eli Apple, Darron Lee and Tyvis Powell to the NFL, Malik Hooker, Marshon Lattimore and Damon Webb have been outstanding against the pass.
“I hope it is”, redshirt sophomore defensive end Sam Hubbard said.
“The big thing is, you can’t give up the big plays”.
After the game, several Ohio State players held up a sign that said “Basic defense”.
You could on Saturday. J.T. Barrett hit Noah Brown for one, two, three, four TD passes.
Though the Buckeyes outgained the Sooners by only 40 yards, there was little doubt nearly from the start which was the better team. Underscoring its supremacy across the board, Ohio State dropped off 35 points in the first half, the most Oklahoma had surrendered in a first half since USC scored 38 against the Sooners in the 2004 BCS championship game. The Sooners got right back into the game just seconds later after Joe Mixon returned the kickoff 97 yards for a score.
No. 5 Clemson 59, South Carolina State 0: Deshaun Watson threw three early touchdown passes in Clemson’s rout in the game that both coaches made a decision to shorten. Ohio State came into the game having intercepted seven passes through two games while Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield had yet to throw an interception.
The only convincing part of Ohio State’s two blowouts against overmatched opponents to open the season may have been its final margins of victory. The Hawkeyes (2-1) ran for just 34 yards on 25 carries.
It’s awesome how different things look now for Urban Meyer, who is now 19-0 on the road, and the Buckeyes than it did to start this year.
“This was the coming-of-age game”, he said. They capitalized on my mistakes and our turnovers. The Buckeyes defense may be dominating for most of the game so far, but their offense was on another level in the second quarter. That is why so many of them are willing to fight for their head coach. Freshman quarterback Jalen Hurts threw for 158 yards and ran for 146 more, but it was unlikely touchdowns from Jonathan Allen, Da’Ron Payne and Eddie Jackson that proved to be the biggest plays for the Crimson Tide (3-0, 1-0 Southeastern Conference).
Ohio State didn’t let them enjoy that moment for very long.
Limiting younger players media access may seem like an aggressive reactionary move, but like Stoops mentioned, he’s protecting Oklahoma from comments like Kendall’s.
I mean, records don’t lie.
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The conference has four members among the top 11 (five in the top 18 if you delve into the also-receiving-votes addendum), all unbeaten and all but No. 4 MI carrying impressive wins over Power Five opponents. But they won’t be getting guys, either.
