Three big takeaways from Ohio State's win over Purdue

After a slow start in West Lafayette for No. 1 Ohio State, the Buckeyes cruised by the Purdue Boilermakers 34-10 in a dominant in-conference victory. A mix of one key starter being pulled right before kickoff and an early attempt to get something going in the run game made the Buckeyes’ win a slow burn.

Ohio State overcame those challenges by heavily leaning on their superstar receiver and his supporting cast, completely dominating the time of possession and potentially finding trust in one special teams player. Here are three key takeaways from Ohio State’s beatdown of the Boilermakers.

Smith, Pass Catchers Unfazed After Carnell Tate Ruled Out

Wide receiver Jeremiah Smith had one of his best games of the season Saturday, catching 10 passes from quarterback Julian Sayin for 137 yards, his best this season against a Big Ten opponent, and one touchdown. This elite performance came in light of an unexpected scratch for the Buckeyes, being Carnell Tate.

As both teams entered the locker rooms for halftime, coach Ryan Day was asked about Tate not appearing in game, giving a vague response and citing unease with allowing him to see the field.

“He’s not gonna play, we’re gonna hold him. Just kind of a thing before the game we just didn’t feel comfortable putting him out there,” Day said.

On top of another high-caliber outing for Smith, eight other Buckeyes caught at least one pass for Sayin’s remaining 166 yards, including three wide receivers, three tight ends and two running backs. With Tate pacing the sideline fully geared up with a smile, one can assume it is not a serious injury and that he will return next week. However, if Tate or Smith were to go down later in the season, Day now knows his team can push forward if need be.

Elite Clock Management from Ryan Day and the Buckeye Offense

Ohio State’s offense was on the field for over two-thirds of the matchup Saturday, preventing the Boilermakers from having a chance to put points on the board. When Purdue’s offense trotted onto the field, the top-ranked Buckeye defense would shut them down quickly, allowing 186 total yards and three third down conversations.

Sandwiched between a Boilermaker field goal to start the game and a touchdown to end it was nearly 41 minutes of Buckeye possession. Even with Ohio State having a down year in running back production, steady gains from the pass catchers and the occasional long run allowed the Buckeyes to have six drives lasting more than five minutes, including an eight-and-a-half-minute, 15-play, 68-yard drive in the third quarter.

Running back Bo Jackson did begin to produce yardage for the run game in the fourth quarter, breaking off multiple first down rushes to extend the Buckeyes’ possession, ultimately finishing the game averaging 5.4 yards per carry. If Ohio State can continue playing this form of suffocating football to finish out the season, expect them to hold their No. 1 ranking as they march towards the playoffs.

Buckeyes Might Finally be able to Rely on Their Kicker

In recent years, Ohio State has dropped huge games in large part due to their kicking situation. In 2022, Georgia beat the Buckeyes in the Peach Bowl off a missed 50-yarder from kicker Noah Ruggles. Last season, current kicker Jayden Fielding missed a pair of sub-40-yard field goals in a loss against Michigan 13-10.

During Ohio State’s victory Saturday, Fielding was perfect on extra point and field goal attempts, making both field goals from beyond the 40-yard line, including a new career-long of 49 yards.

Ohio State has yet to face an opponent that has pushed them to their limits and put their backs against the wall, meaning they have yet to rely solely on a kick to cut a lead or win a game. With Fielding making two long-distance field goals against Purdue, and making 85 percent of his field goals this season, the Buckeyes may finally be able to count on their kicker.