Ohio State did something great last night.

The Buckeyes (3-1, 2-0 Big Ten) used the legs of Jonathan Wells and yet another stellar defensive performance to beat No. 14 Northwestern (3-1, 1-1 Big Ten) in a game that was not as close as the final score, 38-20, indicated. The win was OSU’s 22nd consecutive victory over Northwestern.

The senior Wells — a week after his backup, freshman running back Lydell Ross, ran for 124 yards — ran for a career best of his own, 179 yards on just 22 carries.

Yards seven through 77 were Wells’ finest.

Taking a handoff from quarterback Steve Bellisari, Wells raced over the right tackle and would not stop until 71 yards later, diving into the end zone to give OSU a 7-0 lead just 55 seconds into the game.

In its only drive of note, Northwestern took its opening possession and raced 80 yards in 13 plays to knot the score at 7 on Damien Anderson’s eight-yard touchdown run.

In each of OSU’s last three games, the opposing team has taken its opening possession in for a touchdown.

And just like the last three weeks, the OSU defense toughened up from that point on.

The turning point of the game came with less than a minute to go in the first quarter. Northwestern running back Damien Anderson was stripped of the ball by OSU defensive end Will Smith. OSU safety Mike Doss scooped up the ball and raced 30 yards untouched for the touchdown.

From then on, the Buckeyes dominated.

Another two scores from Wells, a touchdown from Ross and a 44-yard field goal from freshman kicker Mike Nugent would provide OSU’s 38 points as they rolled to a 38-7 lead.

Nugent’s 44-yard kick was OSU’s first successful kick attempt this year, other than an extra point.

Northwestern would tack on 13 points in the fourth quarter to tighten the final score.

Anderson and quarterback Zak Kustok were held in check by the Buckeye defense. Kustok, who was sacked four times, threw for just 122 yards on 26 attempts and ran the ball 13 times for 19 yards. Anderson, who ran the ball 8 times for 52 yards on the game’s first drive, was held to just 13 carries and 28 yards the rest of the way.

Bellisari didn’t fair nearly as well as Kustok, completing just four of ten passes for 109 yards and one interception. However when he made enough big plays, mainly two completions of more than 40 yards to wide receiver Michael Jenkins, he helped secure a victory for the Buckeyes.

The Buckeyes host Wisconsin (3-3, 1-1 Big Ten) Saturday at 3:30 p.m.