LIVE UPDATES: No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes Cruise Past Minnesota Golden Gophers 37-3 on Senior Day
The No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes play their final game of the season on their home field on Saturday, hosting the Minnesota Golden Gophers on Senior Day.
Before the contest with the Golden Gophers, the Buckeyes will honor 21 fourth-, fifth- and graduate-year players whom will be playing the last game of their careers inside Ohio Stadium.
Ohio State enters the game with a perfect, 10-0 record, boasting wins against the then-No. 9 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (17-14 on September 23) and the then-No. 7 Penn State Nittany Lions (20-12 on October 21). Minnesota sits 5-5 with conference victories against the Nebraska Corn Huskers (13-10 on August 31), the then-No. 24 Iowa Hawkeyes (12-10 on October 21) and the Michigan State Spartans (27-12 on October 28).
The Buckeyes are 46-7 all-time against the Golden Gophers since the series began over a hundred years ago. Ohio State won that first battle with Minnesota on October 15, 1921 by a final score of 27-0.
The last win for the Golden Gophers came on October 14, 2000 in Columbus, Ohio. Minnesota defeated Ohio State on its home turf, 29-17.
Since then, Ohio State has won every meeting with Minnesota since 2001, including a 45-31 triumph in Minneapolis, Minnesota to open the 2021 season. Former Buckeyes quarterback C.J. Stroud made his debut as a starter during that game, completing 13 of his 22 pass attempts for 294 yards, four touchdowns and an interception.
The weather at kick-off is projected to be 50 degrees Fahrenheit, with sunny skies and no chance of precipitation. Over the course of the game, the temperature is set to drop to 41 degrees Fahrenheit by the end of the contest.
Live updates will appear below following the opening kick-off.
FIRST QUARTER
MINNESOTA PUNT
Golden Gophers quarterback Athen Kaliakmanis misses a wide-open receiver on second down, setting up a three-and-out to end Minnesota's first possession of the game.
Ohio State - 0, Minnesota - 0
Change of possession
OHIO STATE TOUCHDOWN
Buckeyes running back TreVeyon Henderson slices and dices through the Golden Gophers defense to get points on the board for Ohio State.
Ohio State - 7, Minnesota - 0
Change of possession
MINNESOTA PUNT
Golden Gophers punter Mark Crawford pins the Buckeyes deep in their own territory with a 53-yard punt.
Ohio State - 7, Minnesota - 0
Change of possession
OHIO STATE PUNT
Buckeyes quarterback Kyle McCord's pass intended for receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. is incomplete, bringing on punter Jesse Mirco for the first time today.
Ohio State - 7, Minnesota - 0
Change of possession
MINNESOTA PUNT
The Golden Gophers are forced to punt for the third time in the game, giving the ball back to Ohio State at their own 13-yard line.
Ohio State - 7, Minnesota - 0
Change of possession
END OF FIRST QUARTER: OHIO STATE - 7, MINNESOTA - 0
SECOND QUARTER
OHIO STATE FIELD GOAL
Buckeyes kicker Jayden Fielding splits the uprights with a 47-yard field goal, setting a new career-long for him while adding three points to the Ohio State lead.
Ohio State - 10, Minnesota - 0
Change of possession
MINNESOTA PUNT
The Golden Gophers' unfortunate trend of punts continues as they send the ball back to the Buckeyes with just over nine minutes left in the first half.
Ohio State - 10, Minnesota - 0
Change of possession
OHIO STATE FIELD GOAL
Fielding buries his second field goal of the game, this time from 26-yards out, to add three more points to the Buckeyes' total.
Ohio State - 13, Minnesota - 0
Change of possession
MINNESOTA PUNT
Crawford has another tremendous punt, sending the ball 54 yards down to the Buckeyes' three-yard line.
Ohio State - 13, Minnesota - 0
Change of possession
HALFTIME: OHIO STATE - 13, MINNESOTA - 0
THIRD QUARTER
OHIO STATE TOUCHDOWN
Henderson takes the first play of the second half to the house, scoring his second touchdown of the game off a 75-yard hand-off.
Ohio State - 20, Minnesota - 0
Change of possession
MINNESOTA FUMBLE
Kaliakmanis loses control of the football dropping back to pass, leading to Buckeyes defensive end J.T. Tuimoloau scoping it up and taking it 16 yards deep into Minnesota territory.
Ohio State - 20, Minnesota - 0
Change of possession
OHIO STATE TOUCHDOWN
Harrison Jr. takes an inside slant from McCord four-yards into the endzone for his first score of the contest.
Ohio State - 27, Minnesota - 0
Change of possession
MINNESOTA INTERCEPTION
Kaliakmanis' pass is picked off by Buckeyes cornerback Jordan Hancock, whom then takes the ball 40-yards deeper into Golden Gophers territory and setting Ohio State up at the Minnesota 14-yard line.
Ohio State - 27, Minnesota - 0
Change of possession
OHIO STATE FIELD GOAL
Fielding improves to three-for-three tonight, drilling a 32-yard try to extend the Buckeyes lead.
Ohio State - 30, Minnesota - 0
Change of possession
MINNESOTA PUNT
Crawford's leg gets more work as the Golden Gophers punter sends possession back to the Buckeyes with a 34-yard boot.
Ohio State - 30, Minnesota - 0
Change of possession
END OF THIRD QUARTER: OHIO STATE - 30, MINNESOTA - 0
FOURTH QUARTER
OHIO STATE TOUCHDOWN
Buckeyes tight end Cade Stover crosses the goal line as Ohio State continues to pour it on in early in the final period.
Ohio State - 37, Minnesota - 0
Change of possession
MINNESOTA FIELD GOAL
Golden Gophers kicker Dragan Kesich gets the first points on the board for his team with a 54-yard field goal.
Ohio State - 37, Minnesota - 3
Change of possession
OHIO STATE PUNT
Mirco's number is called for the second time tonight as the Buckeyes return the ball to the Golden Gophers late in the fourth quarter
Ohio State - 37, Minnesota - 3
Change of possession
MINNESOTA PUNT
Crawford records another solid punt, booting the football 40 yards back into the hands of the Buckeyes.
Ohio State - 37, Minnesota - 3
Change of possession
FINAL: OHIO STATE BUCKEYES - 37, MINNESOTA GOLDEN GOPHERS - 3
