One benefit of having a Thursday game is the ability to watch other games across the country on Saturday. After opening the season with a 45-31 win over Minnesota, Ohio State had Saturday off. But the other 11 Buckeyes' opponents were in action. Here's a look at how they fared on the first full weekend of the season.
Oregon (Sept 11 in Columbus)
The Ducks were tied with Fresno State until an Anthony Brown touchdown run gave them a 31-24 lead with 2:57 to play. That was the final. Oregon had a 21-6 lead, but the Bulldogs fought back and tied the game twice prior to Brown's run. Fresno State QB Jake Haener threw for 285 yards, which isn't a great omen as the Ducks get ready to face what very well may be the country's best receiving corps.
Perhaps the biggest issue for Oregon is the health of defensive standout Kayvon Thibodeaux. He was in street clothes and a walking boot in the second half with an ankle injury.
"I know it's a sprain, which we're very optimistic that it's nothing too serious," Oregon coach Mario Cristobal said.
Even so, his status for next weekend is in doubt.
Tulsa (September 18 in Columbus)
The Golden Hurricane was favored by 22 points and lost to FCS UC-Davis 19-17. It was the biggest upset Tulsa has suffered in 40 years. Neither team led by more than one score all day. Tulsa did run for 283 yards, but gave up 311 through the air. Not that this game was a huge concern before the season, but it looks even less so after week one.
Akron (September 25 in Columbus)
The Zips lost to Auburn 60-10. What happens in this game should be criminal in all 50 states.
Rutgers (October 2 in Piscataway)
Rutgers had perhaps the best week of anyone on Ohio State's schedule. The Scarlet Knights pounded Temple 61-14. The stats weren't as eye-popping as the final score. Noah Vedral threw for 138 yards and ran for a team-best 58. But Aron Cruckshank had 168 yards in kickoff and punt returns and the Rutgers defense had a pick six and set the offense up with five scoring drives of less than 30 yards in the beating.
Maryland (October 9 in Columbus)
The Terps held off West Virginia 30-24 in the season opener while piling up 496 yards of total offense. Taulia Tagovailoa threw for 332 yards and three touchdowns while Tayon Fleet-Davis led the ground game with 123 yards on 18 carries. Defensively, Maryland had two interceptions and held the Mountaineers to 48 yards rushing.
Indiana (October 23 in Bloomington)
The Hoosiers were down 14-0 to Iowa in the first three minutes and things never got better. Michael Penix threw three interceptions in his return from injury and Indiana was blown out 34-6 in Iowa City. The Hoosiers had just 233 total yards.
Penn State (October 30 in Columbus)
The Nittany Lions gave indications they can bounce back from a tough year in 2020 with a 16-10 road win at Wisconsin. The Penn State defense carried the day. The game was scoreless at halftime and PSU stopped four Wisconsin drives inside the 25-yard line in the second half. On the flip side, the Lions' offense had just one first down after halftime.
Nebraska (November 6 in Lincoln)
The Huskers got healthy after a week zero disaster against Illinois by thumping Fordham 52-7. The game was tied midway through the second quarter, but Nebraska ended up with 633 yards of total offense as the Rams offered little resistance.
Purdue (November 13 in Columbus)
The Boilermakers scored two touchdowns in the final five minutes to knock off Oregon State 30-21 in West Lafayette. Jack Plummer threw for more than 300 yards and David Bell and Payne Durham both topped 100 yards receiving.
Michigan State (November 20 in Columbus)
The Spartans rivaled Rutgers and Penn State for the best season opener of Ohio State's opponents. They jumped to a 21-0 lead and beat Northwestern 38-21 in the first game of Mel Tucker's second season. Kenneth Walker III had 23 carries for 264 yards and four touchdowns in what might have been the best individual performance in the country in week one.
Michigan (November 27 in Ann Arbor)
The Wolverines rolled Western Michigan 47-14, but like Oregon, the biggest news may be injury-related. Ronnie Bell had a 76-yard touchdown catch and a 31-yard punt return before leaving with a leg injury. Michigan awaits results of an MRI to find out the future of its top playmaker.
"What can you say other than you hope for the best, expect the worst, and wait until you get the MRI results?" Jim Harbaugh said. "But no matter what, he'll be back."
