COLUMBUS, Ohio – In the final nonconference game, the Buckeyes predictably took care of business against Miami (Ohio).

Ohio State would win the game 76-5, but the Buckeyes played sloppy early before taking control. Let’s take a look back at what we learned from the fourth blowout victory of the season.

For the fourth consecutive week, Justin Fields has found the end zone with his legs. He would finish the game with two rushing touchdowns and 36 rushing yards.

Although the number of rushing yards is not up to the standard set by Braxton Miller, who averaged just under 85 rushing yards a game as a quarterback, Fields flashed moments of elusiveness that were similar to the dynamic playmaking of Miller.

On the seven-yard touchdown run to give Ohio State its third touchdown on the day, Fields was able to plant his foot and make a defender miss before scampering his way into the endzone. On the next drive, he would follow this up with another rushing touchdown that displayed a mixture of speed and balance.

Ryan Day has not dug into the bag of tricks to fully maximize Fields’s potential on the ground, but his special ability to make defenders miss has flashed early in the season.

It seems almost impossible that Chase Young is continuing to build upon each of his performances, but that is exactly what he has done so far.

Young would finish the game with two sacks, both resulting in forced fumbles recovered by Ohio State, giving the junior seven sacks on the season. He is now halfway to the Ohio State single season record of 14 set by Vernon Gholston.

This is the fourth time in Young’s career that he has recorded at least two sacks in a game. The two fumbles forced by Young doubled his career total coming into the matchup against the Redhawks.

Young was able to use a mixture of speed and strength to get around the edge and into the Miami (Ohio) backfield, and this was done without the presence of Jonathon Cooper, Robert Landers and Tyreke Smith. The return of these individuals should only help Young’s production, which is already at a ridiculous pace.

The theme throughout camp had been the defense’s ability to produce takeaways, and after three games, the defense had only forced four turnovers.

Thanks in a large part to the dominant play of Young, the defense would tally three takeaways on the day. Each of the three turnovers would lead to offensive touchdowns for the Buckeyes.

Young would cause the two forced fumbles, and it was a diving interception by Jeff Okudah in the second quarter that would open up the defensive playmaking. The interception would be the first pick of Okudah’s career.

The play against Miami (Ohio) can be added to the growing list of impressive performances from the Ohio State defense this season, and as the defense continues to gel and get healthier, the play should only improve and the takeaways continue to increase.

The special teams for Ohio State was impressive against Miami (Ohio). While this is often an overlooked aspect of football, especially when the offense and defense have been so impressive, the special teams can make the difference against more challenging opponents.

For the third-consecutive game, the special teams has recorded a block. It was Sevyn Banks who was able to record the block on a punt in the second quarter against Miami (Ohio). The good field position would lead to touchdown for the Ohio State offense.

Later in the game, it was a 52-yard punt return by Garrett Wilson that would set the offense up inside the red zone. This would result in an Ohio State touchdown.

Once the games begin to get tighter, a special teams play could make all the difference, and Ohio State has the players to deliver that momentum-shifting play.