Ohio State junior quarterback Justin Fields falls into the end zone on a touchdown carry Oct. 24. Credit: Mackenzie Shanklin | Photo Editor
It was an unusual atmosphere at Ohio Stadium but the game result was familiar.
No. 5 Ohio State struggled out of the gates, but junior quarterback Justin Fields’ fast start allowed the Buckeyes to build a lead and never look back. Ohio State defeated Nebraska 52-17 to win its 21st consecutive season opener.
“The number one goal is to go 1-0,” Day said. “To beat a Big Ten team like Nebraska 52-17, I mean that’s a pretty impressive day.”
Although the Buckeye defense allowed the Cornhuskers to hang around for much of the first half, Fields kept the Ohio State offense in line.
Fields completed 12 of his 13 first half passes, with nine of those caught by either sophomore wide receiver Garrett Wilson or junior receiver Chris Olave. Fields had 187 yards and a touchdown through the air while adding 46 yards on 10 carries on the ground in the opening half.
Fields finished the game 20-for-21 with 276 yards and 2 touchdowns passing, adding 54 yards rushing and a touchdown on the ground.
“I thought Justin played well, he didn’t force anything, did a good job with his feet and was accurate,” Day said.
Wilson finished the opening half with five receptions for 104 yards and a touchdown, while Olave, who left the game after taking a hit to the head, snagged four catches and picked up 71 yards.
The two receivers finished the game with over 100 yards receiving each and 233 yards combined.
Fields said that Wilson’s ability to get into open space helps to alleviate some pressure in the passing game.
“Garrett’s just a great receiver all-around. I think him being in the slot and being able to work outside and inside and him being able to go different directions, I think that just makes him more dynamic,” Fields said. “Him being in that slot definitely makes our team better.”
Although Fields contributed in multiple aspects, redshirt sophomore running back Master Teague found the end zone twice in the opening half. Teague finished the game with 41 yards on 12 carries.
Ohio State’s defense struggled out of the gates, allowing a four-play, 75-yard drive to put the Cornhuskers up a touchdown within the first two minutes of the game.
Nebraska would use its rushing attack to tally 109 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries in the first half. The 2019 Buckeyes allowed only two rushing touchdowns through the first eight games.
The Buckeyes defense would allow 217 rushing yards in the game, more than the 2019 defense surrendered in any game.
Nebraska junior quarterback Adrian Martinez, who struggled against Ohio State a season ago, accounted for 105 passing yards and 77 rushing yards for 1 total touchdown, a 10-yard carry in the opening quarter.
However, Martinez shared the backfield with sophomore quarterback Luke McCaffrey at times, who had a disrupting presence in the run game. McCaffrey finished the game with 87 yards on nine carries, including a 47-yard carry that set up Nebraska’s first score.
Martinez fumbled the ball in the third quarter, resulting in a fumble recovery by junior cornerback Sevyn Banks who returned it for a touchdown.
The Cornhuskers coughed up the ball one more time in the fourth quarter when the game had already fallen out of hand.
Senior defensive end Haskell Garrett, who was shot in the cheeks less than two months ago, recorded the first sack of his career.
Defensive coordinator Kerry Coombs hugged Garrett after the game and called his return a “miracle.”
“I’m not going to tell you how he played — I don’t know that until I watch the tape, but I know having him on the field was a difference maker for the Buckeyes — in every way shape and form,” Coombs said. “You can’t undervalue the impact that has on his teammates and the defense in general, that experience he went through and how he got back on the field in such a short period of time.”
Sophomore defensive end Zach Harrison added a sack, as well.
Ohio State will play its second game of the year Saturday against Penn State. The game will kick at 7:30 p.m.
This story was updated at 4:41 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 24 with quotes from Ryan Day, Justin Fields and Kerry Coombs.
