Kent State feels brunt of Ohio State vexation
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COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- Jeremiah Smith became Ohio State’s career receiving yardage leader, Ja’Kobi Jackson scored twice and the sixth-ranked Buckeyes rolled to a 59-3 victory over Kent State on Saturday.
Ohio State (2-1) took immediate control, scoring on its first four drives as it rebounded after last week’s 24-23 loss at No. 1 Texas where it squandered a 20-point, fourth-quarter lead.
“You’re looking for a response out of a group of guys coming off of last week, which I thought we did. And regardless of the opponent, you want clean execution on offense and you want a bunch of running and hitting on defense, and energy and passion and violence running around, which I thought we did,” coach Ryan Day said.
Smith had five receptions for 85 yards. The junior needed 26 yards to surpass Michael Jenkins’ 2,898 yards from 2000-03 and become OSU’s record holder and got it on his second catch of the game, when he hauled in a 23-yard pass from Julian Sayin midway through the first quarter.
“Put a lot of hard work into it. They said 33 games, so I’m blessed. But I got two more (records) to get,” Smith said.
Sayin completed 18 of 22 passes for 242 yards and two touchdowns. The Buckeyes had seven pass plays of at least 20 yards, including Chris Henry’s 75-yard TD on Luke Fahey’s pass during the fourth quarter.
Ohio State took the opening kickoff and scored 2:53 into the game on Jackson’s 11-yard run up the middle. The senior transfer from Florida also had a 1-yard TD in the third quarter.
Bo Jackson, the Buckeyes’ leading rusher with 73 yards on 11 carries, and Isaiah West also had rushing scores.
Kent State didn’t cross midfield until late in the first half, when Da’Realyst Clark connected with Wayne Harris for a 29-yard completion to the Buckeyes 21. The Golden Flashes came up empty on that drive through, turning it over on downs at the OSU 15 after an incomplete pass by Dru DeShields on fourth-and-4.
Kent State (1-2) avoided a shutout late in the fourth quarter on Sean Leonard’s 30-yard field goal. The score was set up when Tanner Mintz picked off a pass by Trevien St. Clair and ran it back 48 yards to the OSU 5.
“Never feels good to lose that way. I’m really proud of our guys and the fight and the compete they showed,” Kent State coach Mark Carney said. “There’s a lot of details we’ve got to clean up to be our best selves. I’m not sure we’ve gotten there just yet, but excited to keep building with this group.”
Kent State penalty sets up Ohio State’s Hail Mary
The Buckeyes were content to run out the clock in the first half before Kent State’s Joel Corboba was called for a roughing the passer penalty to move the ball to the OSU 36. Two plays later, Smith had a 15-yard catch to the Kent State 49.
After a Golden Flashes timeout, Sayin rolled right and heaved it toward the end zone, when Brandon Inniss caught it in the middle of a crowd of Kent State defensive backs to make it 35-0.
Big man score
Jamir Perez had an 11-yard scoop-and-score fumble return early in the fourth quarter to extend the Buckeyes’ lead to 56-0.
Linebacker Braxton Rembert forced Kent State quarterback Ethan Thanthanavong to fumble at the Kent State 18 after a high snap. Perez -- a 6-foot-3, 349-pound freshman -- picked up the loose ball and had a clear path to the end zone.
Perez was then mobbed by teammates in the end zone and did a big man dance while the sideline celebrated.
Is he the heaviest guy to ever score a touchdown in Ohio State history? He might, right?” Day asked. “When you get excited for someone else’s accomplishments almost more than yourself, then we have something. And to me that was most important there.”
The Takeaway
Kent State: The Golden Flashes, who received $1.9 million for their trip to Columbus, used four quarterbacks and had five players attempt passes. Clark, a wide receiver, had the longest completion of the day.
Ohio State: Day gathered the entire team before the start of the fourth quarter to reiterate how important it was to finish during the final 15 minutes.
“We know how important that these fourth quarters are going to be and it doesn’t matter what the score is, the game is or the opponent is. We want everybody up together recognizing where we’re at and what’s at stake,” Day said. “That’s something I’m going to continue because it’s about the team, our tribe. It’s about us coming together, playing for each other and what do you want to sacrifice for your teammate? I know that sounds like coach talking cliche, but it is more important to me now than ever.”
MARSHALL 30, MISSOURI St. 24
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) -- Carlos Del Rio-Wilson accounted for 249 yards and two touchdowns and Marshall held off Missouri State for a 30-24 win on Saturday night.
Missouri State rallied from a 24-10 deficit to get the score to its final margin. After the Bears’ 11-play, 86-yard drive that lasted three minutes, defensive lineman Javae Gilmore deflected Skyler Locklear’s pass attempt on fourth-and-goal at Marshall’s 7 with 1:59 remaining.
The Thundering Herd (2-1) scored points in their first three drives and never trailed.
Del Rio-Wilson threw a 39-yard scoring pass to TJ Lester for the first score on Marshall’s first possession.
Marshall’s second drive ended with 2:25 left in the first quarter when Jo’Shon Barbie crashed in from a yard out for a 14-3 lead.
The Bears closed to 14-10 when Locklear threw a 38-yard touchdown to Witt Edwards to close the first quarter. Following a Marshall field goal near the midway point of the third, the Thundering Herd made it a two-touchdown lead when Del Rio-Wilson ran it in from the 6 just after halftime.
Missouri State reduced the deficit to 24-17 when Breezy Dubar ran it in from the 1 a few minutes later.
Del Rio-Wilson threw for 176 yards with a touchdown and ran for 73 yards and a score.
Locklear threw for 309 yards and two touchdowns. Isaiah Myers caught seven passes for 141 yards.
SOUTH ALABAMA 41, OHIO 36
MOBILE, Ala. (AP) -- Jared Hollis threw for 192 yards and a touchdown. Keenan Phillips ran for a 116 yards and a touchdown and South Alabama beat Ohio 41-36 on Saturday night.
Phillips was part of rushing stable of four backs who amassed 266 yards on 50 carries and scored four touchdowns. PJ Martin ran for 80 yards on 21 carries and touchdown, Trae’veon Dunbar had 52 yards on six carries with two touchdowns and Jared Hollins recorded 18 yards on five carries.
South Alabama (2-1) built a 24-7 lead at halftime and never trailed.
Victor Rosa had a 33-yard touchdown run for Ohio to start the first half. Shortly after, Matt Vezza threw a 9-yard touchdown to Riley Neer to get the Bobcats within 24-21.
But Martin’s 1-yard plunge after a 10-play, 75-yard drive near the halfway point of the third, and Dunbar’s 5-yard run with 8:21 to play helped create safe distance.
True freshman Levi Davis threw a 21-yard scoring pass to Dom Dorwart as time expired for the Bobcats’ (1-2) last score.
Davis and Vezza, a New Hampshire transfer, each threw for two touchdowns for Ohio.