Ohio State Buckeyes remain undefeated after victory over Washington Huskies

There are some things you just can't counter.

And, against a team ranked No. 1 in the nation for the fourth week in a row, one can never expect anything but a number of cards up their sleeve.

Every time the Washington Huskies tried to counter one thing, whether it be Ohio State's potential to shut down the quarterback run game or stop the Buckeyes from winning the battle of field position, Ohio State would come right back with another counter in a 24-6 victory on Saturday.

OSU's first game of Big Ten play saw it stay head-to-head with the Huskies, who nearly dropped 60 points on Washington State the week before, before they pulled away with 17 points to Washington's three in the second half.

"Some situational football we've been good at, we struggled in this one," Washington head coach Jedd Fisch said in a postgame press conference. "When you play the No. 1 team in the country, they know how to win, they've won a lot, they win every year, if you're going to be able to finish the game and be able to win those games, those penalties can't happen, those sacks can't happen, the mistakes that were made can't happen."

Sept. 27, 2025; Ohio State v. Washington. Credit: Adam Cairns, Columbus Dispatch. — Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Julian Sayin (10) hands off to running back Bo Jackson (25) during the second half of the NCAA football game at Husky Stadium in Seattle on Sept. 27, 2025. Ohio State won 24-6. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Some bend, but no break

Looks can be deceiving for a Washington squad that went 4-5 against conference opponents last season.

Washington led the nation in third-down conversion percentage with 75% going into the Big Ten bout, a full arm's length ahead of Florida State's 66.7%. Led by running back Jonah Coleman, the Huskies' rushing offense ranked ninth in the nation with 260 yards per game. Under the command of former Purdue head coach Ryan Walters, who stayed in Big Ten territory after being a Broyles Award finalist in 2022, Washington's defense limited the scoring of an OSU offense that featured some notable playmakers in the first half.

But, just as they have in years past, Ohio State showed some bend, but never truly broke against one of the conference's newest additions.

Despite a sputtering scoring start, Ohio State managed to seal the deal in the second half, as the Buckeyes maintained possession for more than twice the time of the Huskies. Buckeye receiver Jeremiah Smith got things rolling with some middle-eight momentum just before halftime off a short pass from quarterback Julian Sayin. The first-year starter for the Buckeyes notched just over 200 passing yards and two passing touchdowns against Washington.

"It would have been very easy to get discouraged," Day said. "We didn't. We hung in there, kept swinging, kept battling. We showed resilience, and that's a positive."

A pair of Ohio State's defensive linemen seemingly moved mountains to hit home on a number of plays in the opposing backfield. The duo of senior defensive end Caden Curry and junior lineman Kayden McDonald combined for five sacks and eight tackles for loss as they continuously fought past Washington's line.

Huskies quarterback Demond Williams Jr. had been sacked six total times entering the matchup, a total the duo nearly matched in just one day. OSU's excellent defense, which hasn't allowed more than nine points so far in four games played, could be just what it needs to keep building up Sayin and an offense that ranks eighth in the Big Ten in points per game.

Day mentioned McDonald, linebacker Sonny Styles, safety Caleb Downs and cornerback Davison Igbinosun as players who can be leaders in a defense led by former New England Patriots head coach Matt Patricia. Styles, Downs and Igbinosun combined for 14 tackles against the Huskies, including nine solo tackles.

"They're guys that are leading the way," Day said. "Quickly, these guys are following because they believe in them because they've seen it. You mix that in with the chemistry of the defensive staff, the game planning and the execution of it all, I think you're seeing that.

"We're not where we need to be down the road. I still think we have a lot of work to do in all areas. We have to continue to work to get better. But you're still seeing the potential of where we are."

The Buckeyes will move on to face the Minnesota Golden Gophers at 7:30 p.m. EDT on Oct. 4 in Ohio Stadium. The game will be broadcast on NBC and Peacock.