Will Howard, Buckeyes Shake off Early Jitters, Cruise Past Akron

The 2024 Ohio State Buckeyes kicked off one of the most anticipated seasons in recent memory hosting in-state Akron for a 3:30 kick in the Shoe and while there were some anxious moments early, the Buckeyes settled in and cruised in the 2^nd half, scoring touchdowns on all three of Will Howard and the first team offense’s possessions after halftime to roll past the Zips 52-6, winning their 25^th straight home opener to move to 1-0. The highly anticipated debut of a quartet of new Buckeyes, namely Howard, Quinshon Judkins, Caleb Downs and freshman Jeremiah Smith did not disappoint as all 4 contributed in a big way throughout this one. Smith became the first Buckeye freshman since 1996 to score a pair of TD’s in his debut, while Judkins got in the end zone in his first game as a Buckeye and Downs picked up a sack as part of a dominant overall defensive performance. Howard shrugged off a slow start to finish 17-28 for 228 yards and 3 TD’s in an impressive debut.  The Buckeyes took just a 17-3 lead into the halftime locker room, but despite the defense playing at a high level all day, ultimately turning the Zips over 3 times, 2 for touchdowns, and picking up 5 sacks on the day, the offense took a half to find their rhythm. After the half things fell into place as Ohio State flexed their muscle and scored on drives of 3 plays, 8 plays and 4 plays to pull away and bury the overmatched Zips, sending the MAC foe back home 0-1. 

Akron won the opening toss and deferred so Ohio State would open the season on offense and after the opening kick, the Buckeye offense took the field at their own 32. The first offensive play of the season went to Treveyon Henderson, who rumbled right off a Will Howard pitch for 9 yards, but after the highly touted freshman wide out Jeremiah Smith dropped a quick slant in his hands, Smith committed a false start penalty pushing Ohio State behind the chains and the 3^rd and 6 pass went incomplete forcing the Buckeyes to punt.

Akron proceeded to advance the ball to the Ohio State 22 fueled by a late hit on the QB by Davidson Igbinosun and a 3^rd down conversion. A high snap and a JT Tuimoloau sack pushed Akron back to the 40 before a 3^rd down screen advanced the football to the OSU 31, setting up a 38 yard field goal, putting the Zips up 3-0. The drive lasted 10 plays and 47 yards chewing up just over 5 minutes giving the visitors the early advantage.

Ohio State took over at their own 25 after the ensuing kickoff and after a pair of incompletions, a 3^rd and 10 pass was converted from Howard to Smith for 11.  The Buckeyes picked up another 19 on the following play as Howard found Emeke Egbuke for 19. Ohio State converted yet another 3^rd down when Howard eluded the Zip pressure and found Smith for a first down and after penetrating the red zone to the 16 yard line, on third down, Howard threw a fade to the left corner of the end zone, finding Smith for his first career touchdown and Ohio State grabbed a 7-3 lead. The drive took 6 minutes, covering 75 yards on 14 plays as the Buckeyes took their first lead.

The Zips took over after the kick and after converting one first down, CJ Hicks beat protection up the middle for a sack forcing 3^rd and 15. An incomplete pass forced 4^th down and a punt that went just 25 yards giving Ohio State the ball with field position at their own 41.

Henderson took the first play on misdirection for 13 years, but the drive would stall and the Buckeyes failed to convert a 4^th down turning the ball back to Akron at the 25. On the Zips 2^nd play from scrimmage, Denzel Burke jumped a curl route and picked off the Zip pass giving the ball back to the Buckeye offense at the Akron 28. The Buckeyes picked up 11 on their first play from scrimmage on a Henderson run, but 3 straight incompletions forced the Buckeyes to settle for 3 and when Jayden Fielding’s 40 yarder split the uprights, Ohio State led 10-3.

Akron took over on their own 25 and the Buckeye defense forced a 3 and out, fueled by a 3^rd down Caleb Downs sack. The Zips drilled a 60 yard punt, returned by Brandon Innis for 7 yards giving the ball back to Ohio State at their own 25. The Buckeyes went to the ground with Quinshon Judkins picking up 17 yards on a pair of carries and after a Howard pass to Carnell Tate picked up 16, Ohio State had entered Zip territory. Howard used his legs to pick up another 19 and 3 plays later, Howard found Smith yet again, with a quick slant for 6 and after the extra point, Ohio State led 17-3 The drive took 4:30 and covered 57 yards in 9 plays to extend the Buckeye lead which is where the score would stay as the teams retreated to the locker rooms for halftime.  The Buckeyes converted 10 of 21 passes for 116 yards and 2 TD’s while rushing 18 times for 87 yards and converting 5 of 9 3^rd down opportunities. The Defense held Akron to just 90 yards through the air and -2 on the ground and got to the QB for 4 sacks in the first half en route to the 17-3 lead.

Akron opened the 2^nd half with the football and after converting a 4^th and short and another 3^rd and 6 for a pair of first downs, the drive stalled forcing the Zips to punt it back to Ohio State. The 52 yard punt was returned by Innis for 36 yards giving Ohio State great field position at the Zip 40. Judkins opened the drive with a 13 yard burst and on the 2^nd play, Howard found Smith deep down the left side for 45 yards down to the 2 and on the next play, Judkins ran it in for 6 and after the extra point, the Buckeyes led 24-7 after a drive that took just 3 plays and went 60 yards in 52 seconds.

The Zips got the ball back after the kickoff and on a 3 and 10 play, Hero Kanu stripped the Akron QB and the loose ball was retrieved by Ohio State safety Lathan Ranson, who took it 28 yards to the house to put the Buckeyes in front 31-3.

Akron answered with a 7 play 44 yard drive, keyed by a 29 yard completion, beating man coverage for their longest play of scrimmage on the day, but the drive stalled at the 32 and the Zips settled for a 49 yard field goal that sailed through the uprights to cut the lead to 31-6.

Ohio State started their next drive at their own 35 and after a swing pass to Henderson picked up 12, Henderson rambled 21 off right tackle to enter Akron territory after just 2 plays. A pass interference call on Akron saved a potential touchdown pass to Egbuke, but put Ohio State on the Akron 13. After a 9 yard completion to Bryson Rodgers, freshman James Peoples took his first carry of his collegiate career into the end zone, utilizing a Gee Scott block to roll in untouched on the last play of the third quarter and the Buckeyes were running away, now leading 38-6.

The Ohio State defense swarmed Akron for a sack on 3^rd down forcing a 3 and out and after a 42 yard punt was returned by Innis for 12, Ohio State took over at the Zip 47. 4 plays later, Howard found Tate on a hook and he took the 34 yard catch and run pass to the house as the scoring drive lasted just 1:53 over 47 yards to put Ohio State up 45-6.

The ensuing Akron drive resulted in one first down before stalling at the 42 and leading to a punt that was returned by Innis to the 31, but negated by a hold putting Ohio State back on their own 5 to start the drive with Devin Brown now under center. The drive stalled after a pair of first downs, led by 5 Peoples runs for 26 yards, but ultimately ending with the Buckeyes punting it away to Akron where the 41 yarder gave the Zips the ball at their own 26. On the 2^nd play from scrimmage, a deflected pass, landed into the arms of Buckeye linebacker Gabe Powers, who rumbled 32 yards to the house for a pick 6 which ultimately finished the scoring on the afternoon with the Buckeyes leading 52-6.

Ohio State finished the game with 404 total yards of offense. In addition to Howard’s aforementioned 228 and 3 TD’s, the Buckeyes picked up an additional 170 on the ground with 2 TD’s, led by Henderson’s 8/65 and Judkins rushed for 55 on 13 carries and a TD.

Defensively, the Buckeyes held Akron to just 177 total yards, 130 through the air and just 47 on the ground, while picking up 5 sacks and turning the Zips over 3 times. The Buckeyes were penalized 7 times for 45 yards and Akron took 5 penalties for 35 yards while converting 9 of 14 third down attempts and holding the Zips to just 4 conversions on 16 attempts.

It wasn’t always pretty, but once the early jitters cleared, Ohio State did what they were supposed to do and played efficiently on both sides of the football and cruised to 1-0.

Ohio State hits the gridiron again next Saturday, hosting Western Michigan in the Shoe for a 7:30 kick airing on BTN.

-Jason Harris