No. 3 Buckeyes Handle Spartans in First Road Test

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Freshman phenom Jeremiah Smith recorded a pair of touchdowns, the Ohio State defense surrendered less than 250 yards of total offense, and the No. 3 Buckeyes (4-0, 1-0 Big Ten Conference) took care of business against the Michigan State Spartans (3-2, 1-1) in their opening road conference game by a score of 38-7.

Speedy Sensation

With a slim 10-7 lead nearing the halfway mark of the third quarter, the team needed a boost—and Smith provided just that. Showcasing his elusive speed, Smith ignited the crowd with a crafty end-around run that resulted in a 19-yard touchdown.

As the half drew to a close, the talented first-year pass-catcher delivered more fireworks, making a spectacular play on the receiving end. Channeling his inner Odell Beckham Jr., Smith hauled in two-straight one-handed snags out of thin air with as he waltzed into the end zone.

There have been some phenomenal wide receivers to wear the scarlet and gray, and it’s clear that Smith is poised to add his name to that list. Don’t be surprised if the 18-year-old standout finds himself on some end-of-the-year awards lists at his position.

Redzone Woes

Give credit to Michigan State for hanging tough against one of the top teams in the nation. Unfortunately, their carelessness proved to be their undoing. Three trips into the red zone during the first half offered a glimmer of hope for the Spartans’ offense, but what followed was far from encouraging. A pair of fumbles and getting stuffed on fourth-and-short created too steep a hill to climb against a team like Ohio State. If the Spartans are going to secure bowl eligibility, finishing drives must become a top priority.

Buckeyes Takeaways

Following No. 2 Georgia's (3-1, 1-1 Southeastern Conference loss to No. 4 Alabama (4-0, 1-0) on Sept. 29, the Buckeyes will likely find themselves ranked second. While Ohio State's opponents in the first month of the season have left much to be desired, the Buckeyes have accomplished their goal: winning convincingly. Obviously, much larger fish await on the horizon, but for now, the Buckeyes are smothering their opponents with a ferocious, hard-nosed defense. Not to mention, but Ohio State has the playmakers offensively to make some serious noise nationally.

QB Will Howard, who briefly exited the game in the first half due to a hard hit, finished 21-of-31 for 244 yards. He connected on a 3-yard touchdown pass to Gee Scott in the first quarter and later threw a 33-yard touchdown pass to Emeka Egbuka on a crucial fourth-and-5 late in the third quarter. Fortunately, it seems like Howard won't miss any time moving forward.

Spartans Takeaways

A year ago, the Spartans were wrapping up a dismal 4-8 season. The noise surrounding former head coach Mel Tucker's departure was messy to say the least. Fast forward to present day, and the improvement that is taking place under first-year man Jonathan Smith is evident to say the least. Yes, MSU is likely still a couple years away from competing for a Big Ten crown, but the foundation is being built by Smith. Overall, things are looking up in East Lansing, Mich.