Howard Directs Buckeyes to 52-6 Win Over Visiting Zips

Saturday, August 31

Columbus, Ohio

3:30 p.m.

Ohio State

1-0 , 0-0

Akron

0-1 , 0-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Akron

Ohio State

Howard Directs Buckeyes to 52-6 Win Over Visiting Zips

8/31/2024 6:15:00 PM | Football

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COLUMBUS, Ohio – No. 2 Ohio State (1-0) got the 2024 season underway with a 52-6 win over Akron (0-1) Saturday at Ohio Stadium.

Will Howard, playing his first game at quarterback with the Buckeyes following a transfer from Kansas State, completed 17-of-28 passes for 228 yards and three touchdowns.

Freshman receiver Jeremiah Smith was Howard’s favorite target with six catches for 92 yards and two scores. Carnell Tate and Emeka Egbuka each had four grabs with Tate adding a score.

On the ground, TreVeyon Henderson (8), and Quinshon Judkins (13) combined for 120 yards on 21 carries. Judkins found the endzone once as did James Peoples.

Defensively, Latham Ransom led the Buckeyes with nine tackles. He also added a fumble recovery for a score.

Ohio State is back home at Ohio Stadium next Saturday against Western Michigan. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. on the Big Ten Network.

First Quarter
No. 2 Ohio State 7, Akron 3

After Akron won the toss and deferred to the second half, Will Howard directed his first drive as the Ohio State quarterback starting from the Ohio State 32.

The Buckeyes moved to their 36 before a Joe McGuire punt went 42 yards to the Akron 22.

The Zips drove into Ohio State territory, reaching the Ohio State 23 before a bad snap followed by a JT Tuimoloau sack sent Akron back to the OSU 41. A rush to the Ohio State 36 set up a Garrison Smith 48-yard field goal to put the Zips up 3-0 with 8:44 left in the opening quarter of 2024.\

The Akron scoring drive covered 42 yards on 10 plays over 5:18.

Ohio State started from its 25 on its second drive.

After a pair of incompletions, Howard connected with Jeremiah Smith for 11 yards for a first down at the OSU 36.

Howard found Emeka Egbuka for 19 yards two plays later to the Akron 44. Howard then rushed for 8 yards to the Zips 35 before an Ohio State timeout with 5:41 on the clock. Howard got the first down on the next play on a short rush up the middle.

Jeremiah Smith added a first down catch to the Akron 20 before Howard found Egbuka on the right edge of the endzone but the play was called incomplete after it was ruled Egbuka was not in possession when he came down near the sideline.

Two plays later, Howard got his first passing touchdown of his Ohio State career on a 16-yard back-shoulder throw to Smith just over the goal line on the left side. A Jayden Fielding extra point gave the Buckeyes a 7-3 lead with 2:44 left.

The Buckeyes used 14 plays covering 75 yards over six minutes for the first score of the year.

Akron gave the ball back to Ohio State on its next possession with a punt to the OSU 41.

TreVeyon Henderson rushed for 13 yards on the last play of the quarter to the Akron 46.

Second Quarter
No. 2 Ohio State 17, Akron 3

The Buckeyes drove to the Akron 25 and faced with a 4th-and-5, went for the first down but the Zips took over on downs after an incomplete pass.

Ohio State got the ball right back when Denzel Burke intercepted Akron’s Ben Finley at the Zips 33.

Henderson then carried to the Akron 22 but the Buckeyes could get no further before Fielding hit a 40-yard field goal for a 10-3 Ohio State lead with 11:23 left in the half. The drive covered 11 yards on five plays.

Tuimoloau and Caleb Downs sacked Finley to force a punt on Akron’s next possession. The Buckeyes took over on their 24 after a 60-yard Zips punt.

Howard then passed for a first down to Egbuka for 12 yards before a Quinshon Judkins rush for another 12 yards to the Akron 47.

Carnell Tate then got another first down with a 16-yard catch from Howard to the Akron 29.

Howard rushed on the next play for 19 yards to the Zips 10.

Two plays later, Howard connected with Smith across the middle for the 9-yard touchdown. Fielding’s extra point made it 17-3 Buckeyes. Ohio State’s drive covered 76 yards on nine plays while using 4:30.

Akron drove to the Ohio State 34 before turning the ball over to the Buckeyes on downs after a 1-yard loss to the 35.

The Buckeyes were then forced to punt on the next possession. McGuire connected on a 51-yard boot to the Akron 21 with 30 seconds remaining. Akron then ran out the clock to end the half.

Howard finished the half with 10 completions on 21 attempts for 116 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed four times for 28 yards.

Smith had both receiving touchdowns for the Buckeyes on four catches for 44 yards.

Third Quarter
No. 2 Ohio State 38, Akron 6

Akron started the second half with the ball at their 25 following a touchback. The Zips drove to their 44 before a 52-yard punt gave the Buckeyes the ball at their 40 after a 36-yard return by Brandon Inniss.

Three plays later Judkins scored on a 2-yard touchdown run up the middle. The big play of the drive was a 45-yard toss from Howard to Smith down the left side.

The scoring drive to put the Buckeyes up 24-3 covered 60-yards on three plays while using just 52 seconds.

Ohio State got back to the endzone quickly after a Zips fumble at the Akron 24 was picked up by Lathan Ransom and returned 26 yards for a touchdown and a 31-3 lead.

Akron put three points on the board on its next possession on a 49-yard Garrison field goal with 3:57 to go in the third quarter. The Zips used seven plays and covered 44 yards to make it 31-6 Buckeyes.

On Ohio State’s next possession, Henderson started with a catch for 12 yards followed by a rush for 21 yards and another reception for 6 yards to the Akron 36.

Judkins carried on the next two plays for 2 and 6 yards to the Zips 28.

Two plays later Egbuka drew a pass-interference penalty giving the Buckeyes a first down at the Akron 13.

Following a 9-yard grab by Bryson Rodgers to the Akron 4, James Peoples scored for Ohio State on a 4-yard rush up the middle to give the Buckeyes a 38-6 lead to end quarter. The Buckeyes traveled 75 yards on eight plays over 3:56 for the score.

Fourth Quarter
No. 2 Ohio State 52, Akron 6

After an Akron punt on its first possession of the final quarter, the Buckeyes started from the Akron 47 after an Inniss 12-yard return following a 42-yard punt.

Howard later found Carnell Tate over the middle for a 34-yard touchdown to give Ohio State 45-6 with 10:16 left. The four-play drive covered 47 yards over 1:53.

Ohio State got the ball back at its 5 after an Akron punt.

Devin Brown came in at quarterback for the Buckeyes and drove Ohio State to the OSU 36 before an Ohio State punt gave Akron the ball at their 23 with 3:10 to play.

The Buckeyes then scored on Akron’s second play when Zips quarterback Brayden Roggow was intercepted by Ohio State’s Gabe Powers for a 25-yard touchdown to make it 52-6 Buckeyes.