The Grambling State Tigers stepped off the bus and into the north end zone of Ohio Stadium, eyes wide and phones raised to capture the moment.
The Horseshoe towered over them, a staggering contrast to the 19,600 who pack Eddie G. Robinson Memorial Stadium back home.
Spirits were high, and there was still the potential that they might do what Appalachian State did to Michigan 18 years ago–walk into a Big Ten stadium and knock off a juggernaut.
In the end, they did not, succumbing 70-0 to an overpowering No. 1 Ohio State team. It was the Buckeyes’ largest win margin since the last time they played an FCS opponent, blanking Florida A&M 76-0 in 2013.
Ohio State hadn’t faced a team ranked outside the top 10 in 280 days, and it took full advantage of the talent differential, scoring a touchdown on all but two possessions and tallying 651 total yards.
Despite the skill gap, Saturday was a good opportunity for players to gain experience and coaches to evaluate their depth.
“It’s good to see a lot of guys get on the field – they deserve a chance to play and it’s good to get them out there,” said head coach Ryan Day. “The more depth we can build is going to be important.”
Here is a look at how each position group fared.
Quarterbacks
In the season opener, Julian Sayin did just enough to lead the Ohio State offense past then-No. 1 Texas in his starting debut. Against Grambling, he showed why he was a 5-star talent.
The redshirt freshman delivered a first-half masterpiece, throwing for 306 yards, four touchdowns and completing his first 16 passes before a red-zone interception finally broke the streak.
Unlike the opener, when offensive coordinator Brian Hartline leaned on short, quick passes, in this game, Sayin was free to loft the ball downfield. The quarterback averaged 17 yards per completion and had three passes go 40-plus yards.
Sayin’s precision stood out. On his third touchdown pass, a blistered back-shoulder dart to Carnell Tate, the ball landed in a spot where only his receiver could catch it — a veteran throw from a freshman settling into his role.
“There were some plays where we had guys pretty open, and there were other throws that [were] pretty contested that he put on the money,” Day said.
Junior Lincoln Kienholz was under center in the second half and looked sharp, going six-for-seven with 71 yards and a touchdown. True freshman Tavien St. Clair also entered the game late in the fourth and commanded the offense to a touchdown during his first collegiate snaps.
Rushing attack
A week ago, Ohio State ran the ball 34 times for just 77 yards– its lowest average per carry since a 2023 win against Penn State.
On Saturday, the Buckeyes ran all over the Tigers, tallying 274 yards on 38 attempts and finding the end zone four times.
First teamers CJ Donaldson and James Peoples combined for over 100 yards, but it was freshman Bo Jackson who stole the show. He led all rushers with 108 yards and a touchdown – all in the second half.
The Buckeyes, who have a relatively inexperienced backfield, gained experience in Saturday’s game with five running backs carrying the ball.
Pass catchers
All week, the question lingered: When would Jeremiah Smith confirm he is college football’s most dominant receiver?
Held to 44 yards against Texas, the sophomore erupted against Grambling State. Smith racked up 119 first-half yards and two touchdowns, including an 87-yard catch and run that was the second-longest scoring play in school history.
Tate provided fireworks too, continuing to build chemistry with Sayin, as he reeled in five catches for 69 yards and a touchdown.
The Buckeyes’ tight-end room showed signs of life as well, with five different players catching passes for a total of 107 yards and two touchdowns. Senior Will Kacmarek led the way with 55 yards and the game’s first touchdown, a 47-yard dot from Sayin.
“He’s a great tight end,” Sayin said about Kacmarek, “we’re very deep at tight end and they all have different skillsets – but they have a lot of impact on our offense.”
For Sayin and Kienholz, it was pick your weapon, and whichever one they chose, Grambling had no answer.
Offensive Line
The Buckeyes were again dominant in the trenches, as they have 120 snaps to start the season without allowing a sack.
In addition to keeping a clean pocket for Sayin and Kienholz, they created a major push on the line of scrimmage to power the Buckeyes to nearly 300 yards on the ground.
Ohio State successfully ran outside of the tackles, specifically to the left side behind the back of captain Austin Siereveld.
For the Buckeyes’ offensive line, its most experienced position group – with four of the five starters serving key roles on last year’s team – continues to steady a new look offense and give their first-year quarterback plenty of room to grow.
Defense
Just as they did against Texas, Ohio State’s defense smothered its opponent from start to finish.
The Buckeyes completed their fifth shutout of the decade Saturday against the Tigers, coming away with two turnovers and nine tackles for losses.
While fielding an almost entirely new group and a new coordinator in Matt Patricia, the defense seems to be picking up from where it left off last year.
“It’s definitely different faces, different people, but I feel like the energy and momentum is still there,” said Caden Curry. “We’re definitely not putting our foot off the gas.”
There were some wrinkles.
Ohio State recorded just two sacks against an inferior offensive line, not creating the type of pressure that one would expect. The defense also recorded two offsides penalties, one of which came on third down and prolonged the Tigers’ drive.
Day said he knows that in a game like this, the scoreboard is not the key indicator of how the team performed.
“The issues are always there, and it’s not about the result,” Day said. “If we’re going to look at the scoreboard after a game like this, then we’re setting ourselves up for failure.”
Special Teams
When it comes to the Buckeyes’ special teams unit, there was not much to be said.
Ohio State punted once, late in the fourth quarter, and had no field goal attempts, instead trading in kicks for touchdowns.
