Short-handed Buckeyes Handle Spartans, 52-12

Saturday, December 5

East Lansing, Mich.

Ohio State

5-0 , 5-0

Michigan State

2-4 , 2-4

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Ohio State

Michigan State

Short-handed Buckeyes Handle Spartans, 52-12

12/5/2020 3:44:06 PM | Football

Box Score

Following game cancelations in two of the last three weeks, No. 4 Ohio State returned to action Saturday a bit short-handed but handled its business nonetheless, topping Michigan State, 52-12.

The now 5-0 Buckeyes were led once again by standout QB Justin Fields, who went 17-24 for 199 yards and two touchdowns on the day. Playing behind a makeshift offensive line because of COVID-19 roster impacts, Fields also had 104 yards on the ground and a pair of touchdowns.

The Buckeye rushing attack, No. 1 in the B1G coming into the game, wracked up 322 yards as Trey Sermon led the way with 112 yards on 10 totes, including a 64-yard touchdown.

The Silver Bullet Buckeye defense was stout throughout. Ohio State allowed only 80 total yards in pitching a first half shutout. Defensive tackle Haskett Garrett recorded his first career interception and touchdown, batting and picking off a Spartan pass in the endzone.

Ohio State is scheduled to conclude the regular season at noon next Saturday vs. rival Michigan in Ohio Stadium (TV: FOX).

The Buckeyes forced a three-and-out on Michigan State’s first possession and jumped out ahead of the Spartans on their first drive. Benefiting from a personal foul on a third-and-seven to keep the opening drive alive and surviving some shaky QB-center exchanges, the Buckeyes marched 83 yards in 12 plays in 4:37 for the 7-0 lead.

Fields moved the chains with several scrambles and completions to Chris Olave (10-139-1). Master Teague put the Buckeyes in position to score with a 22-yard run to the Spartan one-yard-line before Fields took it in on another scramble.

On the drive, Teague accounted for 31 yards on six carries. A 44-yard dash by Fields on the first play of the Buckeyes’ third possession set the tone for a quick scoring drive that ended with a Fields to Garrett Wilson 28-yard TD toss down the right sideline. The possession covered 72 yards in just 3 plays in 0:41.

The Buckeyes held Michigan State to just 32 yards of total offense in the period.

Fields gets the Buckeyes on the board

Wilson hauls in the scoring strike from Fields

The Buckeyes picked up where they left off to start the second quarter. A Fields to Wilson 24-yard connection kick-started a 10-play, 75-yard scoring drive to put Ohio State up by three TDS. Fields sprinted in from the one after a Sermon 25-yard jaunt set the Buckeyes up inside the Spartan five.

The Silver Bullets were the next to strike as Garrett batted and intercepted a Rocky Lombardi pass in the Spartan end zone for a 28-0 lead.

Ohio State limited Michigan State to 80 yards total in the half with only 12 on the ground.

Fields TD run No. 2

Garrett’s Pick 6 in the endzone

Come for the pick six in the end zone, stay for the Big Man TD Celebration at the end. @Haskell_808 | @OhioStateFB pic.twitter.com/yf7Bfz7HOa

— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) December 5, 2020

Sermon squirmed off a tackle and scampered 64 yards for six points to open second-half scoring. His run capped off a 5-play, 87-yard drive in a little over two minutes.

The Spartans answered quickly as Payton Thorne found Jayleen Reed for a 55-yard connection to setup Thorne’s 20-yard TD run for Michigan State’s first points of the afternoon.

Blake Haubeil tacked on three points with a 27-yard field goal. The kick tidied up a nine-play, 77-yard drive in three and a half minutes. Fields accounted for 36 yards on the ground in the drive.

Sermon Sprints for 6

To close out the scoring for Ohio State, Fields lobbed a 41-yard touchdown pass to Olave on a one-play drive and backup QB C.J. Stroud sprinted 48 yards for a TD. The Buckeyes allowed a safety on a bad snap near the conclusion of the game.