COLUMBUS, Ohio – People often mock non-conference games for being nothing more than money grabs for lesser teams and tune-ups for better teams, but there is a reason that they are played. Ohio State showed the effects of months upon months of rust in their season opener against a conference foe, Nebraska (0-1) but were still much behind the arm and the legs of quarterback Justin Fields in a 52-17 win for the Buckeyes (1-0).
The Ohio State junior quarterback would complete 20 of 21 passes for 276 yards and run for 54 yards and a 17-yard touchdown, spin-move and all for the victorious Buckeyes. Master Teague would come out and start at running back and would have 12 carries for 41 yards and two scores while Trey Sermon would have 11 carries for 55 yards.
In the receiving game, Garrett Wilson would have seven receptions for 129 yards and a score while Chris Olave would have six for 104. Olave would leave the game after apparently getting his bell run.
Scott Frost's Huskers were led by the quarterback run as Adrian Martinez would rush for 77 yards on 12 carries and his understudy, Luke McCaffrey would also see time as a designated runner, going for 87 yards on nine carries.
Martinez the pass was not as much of the story, and while he was efficient in 12 of 15 passing for 105 yards, and would give way to McCaffrey in the fourth quarter. The Huskers were bound and determined to try and exploit this new-look Ohio State defense on the ground and led on the ground most of the way before the Buckeyes overtook the edge 222 yards to 217.
Many felt that Wan'Dale Robinson might be the key offensive weapon in this game for the Huskers but he was held in check to the tune of six receptions for just 49 yards and no rushes.
Things did not get off to a smooth start for the Buckeyes after the Huskers won the toss and took the ball first. Scott Frost's team would march 75-yards on four plays including a 47-yard run by back-up QB Luke McCaffrey to put the Buckeyes in an immediate 7-0 hole. Not exactly the way that a young defense wanted to enter the season.
The Buckeyes would match this with a more deliberate 75-yard drive of their own, this one going 11 plays and culminating with a one-yard Teague touchdown dive to tie things up at seven-all.
Frost's team would only rack up 106 total yards for the rest of the half but would find the end zone again, this time on a 10-yard run by Martinez, the actual starting quarterback.
Ohio State would come roaring back on its next possession, going 76 yards this time around, with a 42-yard connection between Fields and Garrett Wilson.
Dedrick Mills would tie it up once again with a three-yard rush for the Huskers and knot the score up at 14-all. Those would be the last points of any significance for the Huskers.
Ohio State moved the ball well in the game but did have a drive stall in the redzone due to an illegal formation call and had to settle for a 34-yard Blake Haubeil field goal, putting the Buckeyes up 17-14 at that point. The Buckeyes would get one more first-half crack after a miserable Nebraska offensive series and would go 46-yards with Teague capping it off on a six-yard touchdown run, his second of the day. Ohio State would take a 24-14 lead to the locker room.
The second half was a much better one for the Buckeyes, even if things were not perfect the whole way through. Fields would electrify the crowd of 1,344 at Ohio Stadium with an electric 17-yard touchdown scamper that would see him evade the Husker defense with the spin move, putting Ohio State up by 17 at that point.
Ohio State would finally get on the board with its defense as Martinez would put the ball on the ground and Sevyn Banks would scoop and score from 55-yards out.
The Buckeyes may have saved their best for last as Jaxson Smith-Njigba made what could end up being the catch of the year for the Buckeyes as he contorted his body at the back of the endzone to get a foot down and review would award the freshman receiver his first touchdown as part of the team.
A big question was answered in this game as Jack Miller came in as the second-team quarterback and led the Bucks on one final touchdown drive,, calling his own number on a two-yard dive.
The Buckeyes are on the road next week, traveling to Happy Valley to take on Penn State, while the stadium will be just as empty as it was on Saturday, it will still take some adjusting for young players on the team and the Buckeyes won't be able to absorb some of the same body blows that they took in their opener.
