No. 4 Ohio State Stages Late Comeback, Defeats Nebraska 21-17
10/26/2024 1:36:00 PM | Football
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- No. 4 Ohio State (6-1, 3-1) staged a fourth-quarter comeback to defeat Nebraska (5-3, 2-3) 21-17 Saturday at Ohio Stadium. Down 17-15 late, the Buckeyes scored the final points of the game on a Quinshon Judkins touchdown catch to put the Buckeyes back on top. Ohio State’s defense then held the Cornhuskers without a score the rest of the way for the win. Quarterback Will Howard completed 13-of-16 passes for 221 yards and three touchdowns. He found three receivers for scores with Jeremiah Smith, Carnell Tate and Judkins finding the endzone. Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson each rushed 10 times for a combined 64 yards. Cody Simon led the Ohio State defense with eight tackles. Ohio State travels to face Penn State next Saturday in State College. Fox Sports will televise the noon matchup between the Buckeyes and Nittany Lions.
First Quarter
No. 4 Ohio State 7, Nebraska 0
Ohio State won the coin toss and elected to defer to the second half. Nebraska elected to receive the opening kickoff. The Huskers muffed the opening kickoff and recovered at their 9. Ohio State’s defense pushed Nebraska back to its 5 after a sack by Tyleik Williams. The Huskers then punted, a 31-yard kick out of bounds at the Nebraska 36. Quarterback Will Howard completed a pass to Emeka Egbuka for 9 yards and short of a first down. The Buckeyes faced a fourth-and-1 at the Nebraska 37 and were stopped to turn the ball back over to the Huskers on downs. Nebraska did not earn a first down and punted it back to the Buckeyes, a 45-yard effort to the OSU28 Ohio State did not produce a first down in its next possession. Joe McGuire came in to deliver a 47-yard punt that was fair caught at the Nebraska 19. Nebraska moved to its 39 before calling timeout faced with a fourth-and-2 situation. The Huskers then elected to punt, a 52-yarder to the OSU9. Running back TreVeyon Henderson then carried for 15 yards to the OSU 24 to start the drive. Aided by a pass interference penalty on the Huskers, Ohio State moved to the OSU43. Henderson then rushed for 6 yards before Gee Scott Jr. caught a pass for 11 more to the NEB40. Howard then connected with Carnell Tate right down the middle for a 40-yard touchdown pass and a 7-0 Ohio State lead with 29 seconds left on the opening quarter clock. The drive covered 91 yards on six plays over three-minutes and two seconds.
Second Quarter
No. 4 Ohio State 14, Nebraska 6
After a touchback and one play to end the first quarter, Nebraska started the second with the ball on its 27. The Huskers fumbled after a short pass over the middle but recovered at their 47. After a pair of incompletions, quarterback Dylan Raiola rushed up the middle for 38 yards to the Ohio State 15. Nebraska lost 4 yards on the next two plays and called its second timeout facing third-and-14 at the OSU19. The Huskers then lost another 2 yards before kicking a 39-yard field goal to make it 7-3 Buckeyes with 10:21 left in the half. The drive covered 54 yards on 10 plays over 5:08. After a touchback, the Buckeyes started from their 25 and wasted no time getting back in the endzone. Howard rushed for 6 yards for a first down to the OSU40 before freshman receiver Jeremiah Smith broke free down the middle for a 60 yard touchdown grab and a 14-3 Ohio State lead. The drive covered 75 yards on four plays over 2:00. Following a touchback, Nebraska was denied a first down and punted. The Buckeyes took over at their 44 after a 38-yard punt and 8-yard return. Howard found Scott again, this time for 9 yards to the Nebraska 47 on the first play of the possession. Henderson rushed for 4 yards before a 17-yard gain on a pass to Tate to the NEB26. The drive stalled and the Buckeyes missed a 42-yard field goal. Nebraska took over at its 24. The ball moved to the NEB 39 after Ohio State was called for pass interference just before the two-minute timeout. Emmett Johnson then rushed for 14 yards before a Raiola pass went for another 8 to the OSU39. The Huskers called their final timeout after a 3-yard rush on third-and-1 for a first down to the OSU35. The Buckeyes called a timeout with 15 seconds left with Nebraska facing a third-and-5. Nebraska was called for a pass interference penalty after the break moving the ball back to the OSU45. After a completion for 9 yards to the OSU36, The Huskers then converted on a 54-yard field goal to end the half with Ohio State leading 14-6.
Third Quarter
No. 4 Ohio State 14, Nebraska 9
The Buckeyes started the second half with the ball at the Ohio State 19 after a 15-yard return by Brandon Inniss. The Buckeyes were forced to punt after three plays. McGuire came in and hit a 61-yard punt to the Nebraska 13. Raiola directed the Huskers to the OSU33 after plays of 14, 12, and 12 yards. The Buckeyes were called for pass interference to move the ball to the Ohio State 24. Ohio State’s defense tightened and after a JT Tuimoloau sack at the OSU29, the Huskers made a 47-yard field goal to make it 14-9 Buckeyes. Nebraska’s drive covered 58 yards on 12 plays while using 5:51. Howard started Ohio State’s next possession from its 21 after an 18-yard Inniss return. Howard was intercepted by Malcolm Hartzog Jr. at the OSU41 on Ohio State’s first play. Hartzog Jr. then returned it 34 yards to the OSU7. The Buckeyes then stopped the Huskers on fourth-and-2 to get the ball back after Davison Igbinosun and Cody Simon made the stop near the goal line. Ohio State then had to punt deep from its territory. McGuire hit for 36 yards to the OSU45. Nebraska returned it 3 yards to take over at the OSU32. Raiola was sacked for a loss of 7 on third down back to the OSU 39 by Ty Hamilton. The Buckeyes took over at their 20 after a touchback following a 39-yard punt. The quarter ended after the Buckeyes were stopped on a third-and-1 at the OSU29.
Fourth Quarter
No. 4 Ohio State 21, Nebraska 17
McGuire opened the quarter with a 46-yard punt to the Nebraska 26. After a rush play of 19 yards, Raiola connected with tight end Thomas Fidone II for 33 yards to the OSU 22. Raiola converted on third-and-7 with an 8-yard pass to Fidone to the OSU11. Nebraska then earned a first down inside the OSU1 on a 7-yard pass play before a 1-yard touchdown rush up the middle. The Huskers then converted on a 2-point conversion pass to take a 17-14 lead with 10:47 to play. Howard found Tate for 37 yards to the Nebraska 38 on Ohio State’s first play of the next possession. Quinshon Judkins rushed twice and Howard once for 4 yards to the Nebraska 29. Howard converted on fourth and short on a pass of 3 yards to Egbuka for the first down. Judkins rushed up the middle for 7 yards followed by Howard for 10 yards over the left side to the NEB9. Howard and Judkins then teamed up for a 9-yard touchdown pass to regain the lead at 21-17 with 6:04 remaining. With 4:44 to go, Ohio State’s defense forced a Nebraska punt, a 40-yard effort to the OSU 37 The Buckeyes had to punt on its next possession after a Nebraska timeout with 3:36 to play. After a 45-yard punt, the Cornhuskers started from their 24. Nebraska was called for pass interference on their first play moving the ball back to the NEB 12. The Buckeyes were called for targeting on the next play to move the ball to the Husker 46 after a pass completion to the NEB 31. The Huskers were called for a false start for a 5-yard loss before a 3-yard gain on a pass to Emmett Johnson to the NEB 38. The play led to the two-minute timeout After the break and two plays later, Jordan Hancock intercepted Raiola with 1:16 to play at the OSU45. The Buckeyes ran out the clock to secure the win.
