Entering this season, the Buckeyes lacked rock stars – like Miller, Eli Apple and Darron Lee, among the other former standouts on the sideline – who made the 2015 team famous.
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Even before Ohio State’s Mike Weber ran for 136 yards in his collegiate debut, he had been compared with Buckeye great Carlos Hyde. Ohio State also showed elements of a fast-paced game to go along with the wildcat formation. “It’s a surgery and a season-ending (injury) is what I’ve been told”. Ohio State is different, man. “Fight to make plays because there’s a guy behind you who is going to try to take your spot”. Junior quarterback JT Barrett led the way by tying an OSU record with 7 total touchdowns, throwing for 349 yards, tied his own program record with 6 passing scores while rushing for 30 yards and a TD on nine carries, all after throwing a pick-6 on his second pass attempt of the game.
The 776 yards topped the 718 yards Ohio State put up against Mount Union in 1930. “A lot of things (have happened) in his football career already”.
The Falcons’ only touchdown came in the first quarter when Barrett’s second pass of the day was picked off by linebacker Brandon Harris and returned for a 63-yard touchdown. The Falcons had a short-lived 7-0 lead. Their offense produced only one score – a field goal – in the second quarter.
“The game of football’s insane”, center Pat Elflein said. “That stuff can happen anytime”. Dontre Wilson would be the recipient on the long drive while Curtis Samuel would take it 79-yards on the two-play drive.
“We just have a higher standard than a year ago”, Samuel said. “Coaches keep bringing up players from past year”.
OHIO STATE: The 77 points scored are the most by an Ohio State team since a 76-0 win over Florida A&M September 21, 2013.
“I feel like I always had the skill set and mentality to go out there and be a great player”, Samuel said. He’s just warming up right now.
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Starting defensive tackle Tracy Sprinkle left the game with a leg injury at the end of the first quarter. True freshman Demario McCall gained 54 yards and scored one touchdown on eight carries. The backup quarterback Burrow, in his first college game, completed 6 of 8 passes for 68 yards. “Let’s chat in about four weeks and see how we’re doing”. “It was just up to my coaches to feel whenever I was ready”. They were outscored by 67 in this game, which was the first for new head coach Mike Jinks. It is hard to take away too much from the performance, given the talent discrepancy, but the good vibes will certainly help to propel the Buckeyes forward as they look to get better every week.
