Ohio State locks down Michigan State in first Big Ten win of the season

Samantha Madar/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

This past Saturday, the Ohio State Buckeyes traveled to East Lansing to take on the Michigan State Spartans in their first Big Ten matchup of the season. In typical OSU fashion, it was a slow start to the game with only the only score being a field goal in the first quarter. However, the rest of the game was all Buckeyes.

The Buckeyes opened the second quarter scoring three touchdowns; one from Gee Scott Jr. and two from Jeremiah Smith, which paved the way for a 38-7 win to make the Buckeyes 4-0 on the season. 

OSU was clicking on all cylinders against MSU, with TreVeyon Henderson rushing for nearly 70 yards and Quinshon Judkins over 50 yards to Emeka Egbuka with 96 receiving yards and Will Howard throwing for 244 yards, the offense was electric.

However, it was the defense that looked most impressive. Not only did Ohio State only allow seven points, but the Buckeyes’ defense racked up two fumble recoveries, one interception, four sacks and seven tackles for a loss. Playing arguably the best they have played defensively this season thus far, if OSU is able to keep up this type of defensive intensity, they will be an incredibly difficult team to beat.

And while Ohio State’s defense was spectacular, the individual star of the game was Jeremiah Smith. To go along with his 83 receiving yards and two touchdowns, two of his five catches proved why he is the best freshman receiver in the nation. 

— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) September 29, 2024— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) September 29, 2024Now, Ohio State looks to get their fifth win of the season as they host the Iowa Hawkeyes on Saturday, October 5 at 3:30 PM EST.

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Brody Bitters

Brody Bitters is a graduate from Butler University, where he studied Sports Media and Strategic Communications for four years. Brody previously worked as a sports reporter in Zanesville, Ohio, where he covered all things athletics from high school football, baseball, and track & field to the NBA, NFL, and MLB. Born and raised in Columbus, Ohio, Brody played basketball, football, and soccer and is a diehard Buckeye. Moreover, Brody is a massive fan of the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Denver Broncos, which appear random on paper, but have very specific and unique backstories.