COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Ohio State is looking to finish the season undefeated at home Saturday against Minnesota. Follow along at NBC4i.com for updates during the game, and watch live the postgame news conference with Ohio State coach Ryan Day. Third quarter • That didn't take long. Receiving the second-half kickoff, Ohio State handed off [...]
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Ohio State is looking to finish the season undefeated at home Saturday against Minnesota.
Follow along at NBC4i.com for updates during the game, and watch live the postgame news conference with Ohio State coach Ryan Day.
• That didn't take long. Receiving the second-half kickoff, Ohio State handed off to TreVeyon Henderson on its first play. He found room up the the middle and then broke free to the left, starting off on a 75-yard run to the end zone. OHIO STATE 20, MINNESOTA 0, 14:48 REMAINING
• Ohio State got another big break on Minnesota's first snap at the 25-yard line. Jack Sawyer sacked the Gophers' Athan Kaliakmanis, and the ball popped free. JT Tuimoloau picked it up and rumbled his 270-pound frame to the 6-yard line. With field position like that, the offense finished the job. Kyle McCord found Marvin Harrison Jr. three plays later for a 4-yard touchdown pass. OHIO STATE 27, MINNESOTA 0, 13:53 REMAINING
• And another big break. Facing third-and-8, Kaliakmanis launched a pass that was intercepted by Jordan Hancock, who returned it 40 yards to set up Ohio State at the 14-yard line. A series of unsportsmanlike conduct penalties on multiple Ohio State players after the return put the start of the drive at the 29. McCord found Henderson for a 13-yard gain on first down, but the Buckeyes could gain only 2 more yards after that. Jayden Fielding came in and made a 32-yard field goal. OHIO STATE 30, MINNESOTA 0, 11:30 REMAINING
• Kyle McCord fired a quick pass down the middle to Emeka Egbuka for a 26-yard gain and to put Ohio State into Minnesota territory at the 29-yard line. McCord then targeted Marvin Harrison Jr. on consecutive plays but was barely incomplete each time. A third-down attempt to find Egbuka was nearly intercepted, setting up a 47-yard field goal by Jayden Fielding. OHIO STATE 10, MINNESOTA 0, 13:05 REMAINING
• Aggressive defense by the Buckeyes led to a 4-yard loss on first down, but on third-and-14, Gophers quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis found Corey Crooms open for a 32-yard gain to cross midfield. But Minnesota moved only 5 more yards before having to punt.
• McCord found Marvin Harrison Jr. and Egbuka on consecutive throws for gains of 6 and 8 yards, with a facemask call on Minnesota giving Ohio State the ball at its 42-yard line. McCord went to Egbuka again for a 23-yard gain as the Buckeyes found ways to move the ball without turning much to Harrison. Another short pass to Egbuka turned into a long gain as he picked up 21 yards to give Ohio State a first down inside the 10-yard line. Unable to find the end zone, Ohio State turned to Jayden Fielding, who converted a 26-yard field goal. OHIO STATE 13, MINNESOTA 0, 4:51 REMAINING
• Finding more success in the passing game, Kaliakmanis went to Daniel Jackson and Elijah Spencer for first-down gains of 9 and 6 yards. But it ultimately got the Gophers no farther than their 43-yard line, as the Buckeyes kept up the pressure up front and the coverage in the secondary.
• Getting the ball of their 3-yard line with 1:55 to go, Ohio State went to TreVeyon Henderson on three straight carries to reach the 21-yard line, but a penalty sent the team back 5. From there, McCord was hurried on an incomplete pass to Henderson, found Cade Stover for a 3-yard completion and then was dropped for a 7-yard on a loss on a sack, a forgettable end to the half. OHIO STATE 13, MINNESOTA 0
• Second quarter stats favored the Buckeyes heavily. They outgained the Gophers 113 yards to 51, and the defense limited Minnesota 1 yard rushing.
• After the Golden Gophers were unable to convert a first down on their opening possession, the Buckeyes leaned heavily on TreVeyon Henderson, who carried the ball on their first three plays to gain 26 yards, and then he caught a pass from Kyle McCord to gain another 13. Chip Trayanum had carries of 10 and 11 as the offensive line established early dominance. A 9-yard gain by Henderson to the left capped off an 85-yard drive. OHIO STATE 7, MINNESOTA 0, 9:22 REMAINING
• A 16-yard catch by Cade Stover on the first Ohio State possession put him over 1,000 career receiving yards, making him the Buckeyes' third tight end to gain that many.
• Minnesota opened with back-to-back carries by Zach Evans to pick up a combined 17 yards, but on the second carry, he remained down on the field injured. Jordan Nubin stepped in and gained 7 yards over two straight carries. But facing third-and-7 from their 45-yard line, Nubin attempted to cut left, but the Buckeyes' Cody Simon found him right away and stopped in after a 1-yard gain.
• A Minnesota punt pinned Ohio State's offense at the 3-yard line, with the Buckeyes unable to convert a first down. Starting at its 45-yard line, Athan Kaliakmanis completed a 10-yard pass to Corey Crooms, the Gophers' first completion of the game. But on second-and-7, Jordan Hancock blitzed and Kaliakmanis got off a quick pass to Nubin, who was met immediately by Jack Sawyer for a 3-yard loss on the play. Two plays later, the Gophers punted.
• The Buckeyes picked up 25 yards to reach the 38-yard line before the quarter ended. They dominated in a way the score didn't show, outgaining the Gophers 119 yards to 39. Henderson's touchdown run was the 35th of his career. OHIO STATE 7, MINNESOTA 0
• Defensive tackle Mike Hall and safety Lathan Ransom are among the Buckeyes listed as being out on the injury report.
• StormTeam 4 Meteorologist Ben Gelber said conditions will be clear for the game, with temperatures in the upper 40s for kickoff and falling into the upper 30s later on.
• The most points the Buckeyes (10-0) have given up in a home game was the 17 they allowed to Maryland in a 20-point win on Oct. 7, and the defense is second in the nation in points allowed.
• Minnesota (5-5) is looking to snap a two-game losing streak, and it needs a win in one of its final two games to become bowl-eligible. The last time the Golden Gophers missed out on a bowl was the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.
