I know the Buckeyes beat another MAC team. But after what happened today, I'm going to call this week of Ohio State's season, "Avoiding the landmine."
Bowling Green played the game of their lives, and made Penn State crap their pants in Happy Valley before coming up just short. The Nittany Lions should fall from the Top 10 after today.
Notre Dame? There was no luck of the Irish. They fell to Northern Illinois of all teams. If I remember correctly, that was the first win for the Huskies over a ranked team since 2003. A week after ND defeated Texas A&M at College Station in a prime-time game, NIU came to South Bend and made that win essentially meaningless. That's college football.
And if Ohio State hadn't been careful, and played with an all-business mentality, they could've been the third victim of a genuine scare or stunning loss. But it was clear after the slow start against Akron last week, that the Buckeyes weren't about to let that happen. From the get-go, Ohio State got after Western Michigan, and didn't let up for a second! They played like one of the best teams in the country. What did I see? Let's take a look!
Will Howard continues to grow
After his first start as a Buckeye last week, I was expecting Will Howard to keep building on things. And he did exactly that. There were still a few small moments where he missed his intended receiver, and might've had some miscommunication issues. The biggest example of that was where he could've had at least a second touchdown to Jeremiah Smith, but they weren't on the same page and got their timing messed up.
But overall, I loved how he was able to spread the ball around, be a facilitator for his teammates, and help the Buckeyes make full use of their talent. There's a saying in basketball that a point guard is like the quarterback of a team's offense. In this case, Will Howard was the football version of a point guard. He went 18-26 for 292 yards and a touchdown. It seemed like everywhere he slung the ball, he was able to make plays, or get his teammates in position to make plays. And I'd be wrong if I didn't mention one of Ohio State's biggest playmakers for the second week in a row...
Jeremiah Smith: Part II
Okay, Jeremiah the bullfrog might be a good friend of mine. But Jeremiah the wideout is a NIGHTMARE for anyone trying to cover him! I can't remember another freshman Buckeye as electrifying as this kid since probably Ted Ginn Jr, or even Maurice Clarett!
Time will tell if number 4 will eventually join those two Buckeye legends. But he's certainly well on his way if he keeps this up!
Again, let's keep things in perspective. He torched another MAC squad. Western Michigan was better than Akron, but they're still a MAC team. I'm not completely buying into this kid's hype until he roasts a bunch of Ducks, skins a bunch of Wolverines, or gives a bunch of Bulldogs the "Bob Barker Treatment."
But he's certainly showing why he was the top wide receiver recruit in the country coming out of high school. He's fantastic at running routes, and fast enough to beat opposing DBs in a straight-up footrace. He even managed to get completely behind WMU's defense. If Will Howard had been on the same page with Jeremiah on that play, he would've backpedaled right into the end zone for his second touchdown of the day. This kid certainly looks like he's the complete package. He finished the day with five catches for 119 yards and a touchdown.
But another bunch got in on the action tonight too!
Silver Bullets: Reloaded
In folklore, silver bullets are used to stop werewolves dead in their tracks. But in football, these silver bullets can stop an offense cold.
It didn't matter what the Buckeye defense did, it worked almost to perfection. They racked up three sacks, five tackles for loss, and held the Western Michigan offense to under 100 yards total (99).
Here's some more defensive stats for ya:
Western Michigan had only six first downs all game.
The Broncos were held to just 28 rushing yards.
They went just 3-15 (20%) on third down.
Tonight was the first time Ohio State pitched a shutout and scored 50+ in a game since 2017 at Rutgers.
It was certainly another tune-up game for Ohio State tonight. But I've seen the Buckeyes struggle against lower-level competition in the past. So seeing them put on this kind of performance was refreshing and reassuring.
Not every big team scarfed down their cupcake today. Notre Dame choked on theirs. And Penn State nearly had indigestion. To see the Buckeyes take care of business like this made me feel good about where this team is headed. Especially before we eventually get into the Big Ten schedule in three weeks.
The Buckeyes have next Saturday off before finishing the nonconference slate against Marshall. Then after facing the Thundering Herd, Ohio State travels north to East Lansing to battle the Michigan State Spartans in the Big Ten opener.
But right now, 2-0 is 2-0. And I can't help but smile. GO BUCKS!
Statistical Leaders
Will Howard: 18-26, 292 yards, TD.
Quinshon Judkins: 9 carries, 108 yards, 2 TDs
Jeremiah Smith: 5 receptions, 119 yards, TD
Source: ESPN
Picture Credit: ESPN
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