No. 21 OSU back on track with victory over Wildcats
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COLUMBUS -- Jeremiah Smith said it would take a little time for him to build a connection with Luke Fahey after Julian Sayin was injured in Ohio State’s win at Indiana on Oct. 17.
It took a couple games, but the Heisman Trophy favorite and the freshman quarterback are on the same track.
Smith had 11 receptions for 117 yards and a score -- along with adding to his list of records -- and Fahey threw three touchdown passes as the 21st-ranked Buckeyes defeated Northwestern 28-19 on Saturday to snap a two-game losing streak.
Smith, who became the Big Ten’s career receiving yardage leader, wasn’t one of the players made available to reporters, but he did tell Fox Sports during a postgame interview on the field: "It's not easy, a lot of work goes into it. I'm blessed to have the record but today was all about the win. That was the main focus today."
Smith, who has 3,875 receiving yards, surpassed Purdue's John Standeford's Big Ten mark in the second quarter. He also tied Purdue's David Bell and Michigan's Braylon Edwards with his 17th 100-yard game.
His 2-yard catch during the fourth quarter was the 42nd touchdown of his career, the most by a college wide receiver in his first three seasons since 2000, according to Sportradar. Smith was tied with four players going into the game.
Ohio State has also launched Smith's Heisman campaign with players and fans waving "JJ 4 It All" foam fingers after the game.
"The No. 1 goal is to win, but we also have an obligation to this young man, what he's done for our program. He deserves the opportunity to touch the football," coach Ryan Day said. "Now that being said, we have a freshman quarterback that's still trying to find his way and we're just trying to get him to run plays well and keep the offense going knowing that you've got to get the ball to No. 4."
Smith, a junior All-American, was part of the game plan for all four quarters, a significant change from the losses to Southern California and Oregon. He was targeted 10 times and had seven catches for 67 yards in the first half Saturday after having eight catches for 81 yards in the first and second quarters the past two games.
"I definitely think the chemistry's coming along a lot more on getting more reps with him. He's a great player with a great attitude, so it certainly makes my job easy to target him and get him the ball," said Fahey, who completed 21 of 32 passes for 201 yards.
Bo Jackson had 114 yards rushing as the Buckeyes (7-3, 5-2 Big Ten) bounced back after losing two straight regular-season games for the first time since 2011. The sophomore lined up in a Wildcat formation and scored from 2 yards out to extend Ohio State's lead to 14-6 late in the second quarter.
Northwestern quarterback Nicco Marchiol had 225 yards passing and accounted for both Wildcats touchdowns, but it wasn’t enough as they lost their third straight game. Jackson Kleather kicked two field goals.
Luke Dehnicke made a nice 18-yard TD grab in the end zone on the last play of the game.
The Wildcats had a 3-0 lead after the first quarter before the Buckeyes went ahead 45 seconds into the second when Fahey rolled right and found an open Isaiah West in the end zone for a 4-yard touchdown.
BUCKEYES PUT IT AWAY
Marchiol’s 2-yard scramble around right end got Northwestern (6-4, 3-4) within 14-13 with 10:01 remaining in the third quarter before Ohio State took control. The Buckeyes went 83 yards in 13 plays on the ensuing drive, which was capped by Devin McCuin’s 8-yard TD catch. On fourth-and-1, Fahey rolled left and McCuin caught it at the 1 before he powered past Northwestern defensive back Ore Adeyi to reach the end zone.
Ohio State’s maligned special teams then came up with a big play when Dalton Riggs recovered a muffed punt by Drew Wagner at the Northwestern 10. Three plays later, Smith had his 15th touchdown of the season to put the Buckeyes up by two scores.
"Where this one really stings is you come into a hostile environment against a good team, position yourself well into the fourth quarter at times with momentum where you think you are going to break through but fall short. There were missed opportunities along the way," Northwestern coach David Braun said.
THE TAKEWAY
Northwestern: The Wildcats have not won in their last 16 trips to Ohio Stadium. Their last victory at The Horseshoe was 1971.
Ohio State: The Buckeyes maintain their slim College Football Playoff and Big Ten title game hopes with the win.
UP NEXT
Northwestern: At Minnesota Saturday.
Ohio State: At Nebraska Saturday.