Caden Curry (92) and C.J. Hicks (11) celebrate after Curry sacked Washington quarterback Demond Williams Jr. Curry finished with three sacks.
Credit: Liam Ahern | Sports Photo Editor
The No. 1 Buckeyes had one test to pass before they could silence some of their critics this season: prove they could win on the road.
They passed with authority.
Ohio State’s defense smothered a Washington offense that entered averaging 55.7 points per game, piling up six sacks and holding the Huskies to two field goals in a 24-6 victory Saturday at Husky Stadium. The win snapped Washington’s 22-game home streak and elevated the Buckeyes’ record to 4-0.
The Buckeye offense didn’t find its footing until midway through the second quarter, but once it did, it dominated the Huskies and controlled the final 35 minutes.
Redshirt freshman quarterback Julian Sayin did all that was asked in his first road start. He went 22-28, contributing 208 yards and two touchdowns. His 78% completion percentage leads the FBS.
“He’s got composure, he’s got poise,” head coach Ryan Day said. “He’s got a bright future ahead of him.”
Here are three takeaways from the win.
Buckeyes continue to own the ‘middle eight’
Day has consistently emphasized the importance of the “middle eight,” referring to the last four minutes of the first half and the first four minutes of the second. The Buckeyes used that window Saturday to seize the lead for good.
“So many games are won and lost in the middle eight,” Day said.
The emphasis isn’t just coach-speak. SportTank.com shows that teams scoring in the middle eight win 74% of the time.
Ohio State has outscored its opponents 45-9 in that time frame this season.
Punt return remains a red flag
The punt return has been a trouble spot all season, with Day calling the position a “red flag,” after the Grambling game.
That concern boiled over with 5:13 left in the first quarter Saturday, when Brandon Innis fumbled after a 32-yard punt return to give Washington the ball back just outside the redzone.
The defense bailed them out, but Ohio State must find an answer before those special teams miscues prove costly.
Day has floated the idea of using Jeremiah Smith or Caleb Downs as returners. Downs had the lone Buckeye punt return for a touchdown last year–a 79-yard rumble against Indiana–but hasn’t returned a kick yet this season.
Smith handled one return against Ohio University that went for negative yards, but Innis has fielded most of the punts.
So far, the Buckeyes have returned only five of 21 punts for 60 yards and a fumble.
Defensive line comes alive
Ohio State’s defensive front dominated Saturday.
Led by Caden Curry and Kayden McDonald, the defensive line racked up six sacks and bottled up dual-threat quarterback Demond Williams Jr.. Williams had just 144 total yards after averaging 332 per game coming in.
Curry and McDonald combined for five of the sacks; Curry finished with three and tied a Buckeye record with five tackles for loss.
The line opened the season with questions, having lost every starter from their championship roster to the NFL, but it is quickly creating its own identity.
“Our defensive line this year is just a bunch of no-names,” Curry said. “We just go out there and try to ball. We try to play as hard as we can.”
After a four-sack performance against Ohio, they raised the bar again Saturday, — proving they can disrupt a conference opponent and wreck games like their predecessors.
“We watched the great defensive line last year, all of our guys in the NFL now,” Curry said. “We just learn every day from them, and we want to keep that tradition alive.”
