Ohio State impressively controlled the game throughout its 42-0 win over Cincinnati. Offensively, the Buckeyes somewhat moved away from their reliance on pro-style, two-tight end personnel concepts from their opening win over Florida Atlantic to revert back to more shotgun pistol and college spread style concepts, including designed quarterback runs.

Ohio State did so to target the Bearcats’ defensive game plan. Cincinnati used tactics that opponents have frequently deployed against the Buckeyes since Urban Meyer’s arrival in Columbus; namely odd fronts mixed with overhang safeties cheating into the box to gain an arithmetic advantage in the run game, protected by a soft three deep cover three or quarter-quarter-half zone. This strategy’s goal is to outnumber the Buckeye’s tight zone read scheme while protecting against big plays.

But Ryan Day against showed himself willing to target the holes in that strategy. Rather than attempting to force the football downfield, the Buckeyes repeatedly threw underneath routes to the wide field against soft corner coverage. To do so, Ohio State used comeback routes to its outside wide receivers.