LINCOLN, Neb. — Storms rolled through the Midwest this weekend, but nothing topped the thunder and lightning brought by the #5 Ohio State Buckeyes (5-0, 2-0) in their 48-7 win over Nebraska (3-1, 1-1) Saturday night in Lincoln.
The thunder was the first-team Ohio State defense, which held Nebraska to zero points and 91 total yards through three quarters, while the lightning was the first-team Ohio State offense, which scored 48 points and posted over 500 yards of total offense before giving way to the backups. Junior running back JK Dobbins rushed for 177 yards on 24 attempts.
Ohio State head coach Ryan Day emptied the bench later in the third quarter, putting the second-team defense in the game. The first-team offense stayed out there a little bit longer following a Nebraska touchdown drive against that defense.
Prior to that Husker score, however, the Buckeyes had 48 points on the board and any doubts about Ohio State were quickly wiped away as they did whatever they wanted whenever it was needed.
On Nebraska’s opening drive, the Huskers drove the ball a bit, but Ohio State cornerback Jeff Okudah made a diving interception of Husker quarterback Adrian Martinez to stop the NU threat at the 50-yard line.
The first score of the night followed that interception, as the Buckeyes came up with a 15-yard scramble from sophomore quarterback Justin Fields. Fields dropped back to throw the ball, but found nobody open except the large path of green turf ahead of him. He turned upfield and dove at the goal line for the touchdown.
Ohio State scored on their next drive as well, which ended with an easy 2-yard touchdown pass to KJ Hill.
On the next Husker drive, Martinez thew a pass to freshman slot back Wan’Dale Robinson that went off of his hands and fell into the hands of Okudah, who made the interception while seated on the turf.
Ohio State took that change of possession and went 90 yards in 13 plays, using 7:04 of the clock in a drive that ended with a 23-yard field goal for Blake Haubeil.
Martinez’s third interception of the day came on Nebraska’s next possession and ended up in the sliding arms of senior safety Jordan Fuller at the 50-yard line. On OSU’s first play following the turnover, Justin Fields kept the ball on the read-option and went 41 yards up the right side before being taken out of bounds at the 9-yard line. Two plays later, redshirt freshman running back Master Teague went into the end zone from nine yards out to make it 24-0 midway through the second quarter.
Following a three-and-out on Nebraska’s next possession, Ohio State took over at their own 45-yard line. On first down, Justin Fields found Master Teague in the flats, which quickly became a 28-yard gain. On the next play, Teague went 26 yards over the left tackle down to the 1-yard line. Then on the next play, Teague finished the drive in the end zone to make it 31-0.
Ohio State’s next drive was capped by an 18-yard touchdown pass to Austin Mack, giving Ohio State a 38-0 halftime score. Mack caught three passes on the night for a team-high 66 yards.
The Buckeyes opened the third quarter with a 57-yard drive that ended in a 36-yard field goal from Blake Haubeil. Nebraska answered with a three-and-out, and Ohio State quickly responded with their final score of the night, which was a 6-yard touchdown pass to freshman receiver Garrett Wilson in the corner of the end zone.
Fields finished 15-of-21 passing for 212 yards with three touchdowns. He also rushed for 72 yards on 12 carries.
Nebraska’s lone score came against the Ohio State backups and was aided when Martinez escaped a sack and took off upfield for 56 yards on third and three. Running back Dedrick Mills finished the drive with a 9-yard touchdown run to make it 48-7.
Martinez was harassed all night long by Ohio State’s defense. He completed just 8-of-17 passes for 47 yards, getting picked three times and sacked four times. He rushed for 81 yards on 15 carries.
The Ohio State defense was led by linebackers Malik Harrison and Baron Browning, who both finished with a team-high seven tackles. Harrison added a sack, while Browning had two tackles for loss and a half a sack of his own.
Defensive end Chase Young notched one sack, which gives him eight on the season and at least one in each game this season.