Ohio State must have heard the rumblings about struggles at Purdue throughout the years as they put this game away early. The Buckeyes came out with two touchdowns to start the game as QB Kyle McCord found WR Marvin Harrison Jr. for the first touchdown, and on the next drive, backup QB Devin Brown found the endzone running from two yards out.
Multiple Buckeyes did not play on Saturday: TreVeyon Henderson, Emeka Egbuka, and Miyah Williams sat out.
Even with Henderson and Williams sitting out, the Buckeyes found the running game today, running for 150 yards plus on the day with Dallan Hayden leading the way.
The Buckeyes defense was stellar on a wet, soggy day against Purdue. They never allowed the Boilermakers to get any kind of rhythm on offense. Ohio State did an excellent job ironing out the issues before playing Penn State next week.
Kyle McCord threw three touchdown passes, and Dallan Hayden, stepping in for an injury-depleted running backs unit, rushed for 76 yards and a touchdown. This stellar performance led No. 3 Ohio State to a dominant 41-7 victory.
The Buckeyes (6-0, 3-0 in the Big Ten) secured their first road win in this series since 2013 and marked their second triumph at Ross-Ade Stadium since 2007.
Purdue (2-4, 1-3) suffered its second consecutive loss and fourth loss in five games, all while facing a severely understaffed Ohio State offense. Key players, including running backs TreVeyon Henderson and Miyan Henderson, and receiver Emeka Egbuka, were sidelined due to injuries. To compound the challenge, the Buckeyes lost running back Chip Trayanum in the first quarter after he took a hard hit and stumbled while crossing the field.
However, Hayden rose to the occasion, impressively carrying the ball 11 times for an average of 6.9 yards per carry. He shared the rushing load with receiver Xavier Johnson and backup quarterback Devin Brown.
Purdue struggled to find answers to slow down the Buckeyes. McCord initiated the scoring with a 14-yard touchdown pass to Marvin Harrison Jr., and Brown added a 2-yard rushing touchdown in Ohio State’s second series. Despite a fumble by Brown at the goal line, McCord connected with Cade Stover on a 4-yard scoring pass, extending their lead to 20-0.
Hayden continued the Buckeyes’ dominance in the second half with a 1-yard touchdown run, and Stover’s 14-yard touchdown reception made it 34-0 late in the third quarter. The only points Purdue managed to score were from a 6-yard touchdown pass from Hudson Card to Deion Burks early in the fourth quarter.
McCord completed 16 of 28 passes for 276 yards, while Harrison had six receptions for 105 yards, and Stover contributed with four receptions for 53 yards. On the opposing side, Card completed 13 of 32 passes for 126 yards, and Devin Mockobee carried the ball 18 times for 110 yards.
Ohio State: The Buckeyes showcased not only their formidable defense, having allowed just 58 points all season but also an increasingly resilient offense. Despite the injury setbacks, Ohio State appears to be hitting its stride, outscoring opponents 68-14 over the last three halves of football.
During the game, Ohio State’s Chip Trayanum had his helmet confiscated following a brief examination in the injury tent.
The upcoming matchup between Ohio State and Penn State is the most significant game of the season thus far. Ohio State, as the host, will have the opportunity to secure a leading position in the race to the Big Ten Championship Game. A victory would put Penn State at a two-game disadvantage compared to the Buckeyes, while a loss to the Nittany Lions would necessitate Ohio State receiving assistance to remain in contention for the Big Ten title. The noon game scheduled for next week will serve as a genuine test for Ohio State.
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