When Ohio State plays a team like Tulane, the game is often as much about what you put on film as the final score. For the Ohio State offense, Saturday’s contest again demonstrated that, if a defense loads the box, the Buckeyes are willing to rely upon the pass game to stretch the field vertically and horizontally.

Tulane generally operated with an odd front, keeping seven defenders in the box and often playing man-free coverage, particularly on third down. Against this look, the Buckeye run game was efficient, if not explosive – particularly when using plays like G/T counter trey, which is quickly becoming the Buckeyes’ most consistent run play absent a quarterback run threat.

The run game is somewhat limited, however, by defenses seeking to hamstring Ohio State’s run game by placing additional defenders in the box. This is not a new defensive strategy against Urban Meyer’s Ohio State offenses.