Ohio State
4-0 , 1-0
Michigan State
3-2 , 1-1
Ohio State Wins Big Ten Opener in East Lansing, 38-7
9/28/2024 8:01:00 PM | Football
Ohio State Wins Big Ten Opener in East Lansing, 38-7
EAST LANSING, Michigan – No. 3 Ohio State (4-0, 2-0) took advantage of a couple Michigan State (3-2, 1-1) turnovers in the first half to build a 17-point lead before finishing off the Spartans in East Lansing, 38-7 Saturday at Spartan Stadium. Will Howard completed 21-of-31 passes for 244 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed for another score. Freshman receiver Jeremiah Smith scored once on five receptions for 83 yards and added another score on a 19-yard rush. Senior Emeka Egbuka finished with seven catches for 96 yards and one touchdown. Quinshon Judkins rushed 11 times for 54 yards and TreVeyon carried seven times for 69 yards. The Buckeyes return to Ohio Stadium next Saturday to take on Iowa. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. with CBS providing the national broadcast.
First Quarter
No. 3 Ohio State 3, Michigan State 0
Michigan State won the pregame coin toss and deferred to the second half. Ohio State started from its 25 after a touchback. After a short gain of 4 yards on a pass to running back TreVeyon Henderson, quarterback Will Howard connected with Carnell Tate for 29 yards to the 50. Another pass to Tate for 7 yards led to a completion to Quinshon Judkins for 12 yards to the Spartan 10. Howard kept it on a rush up the middle to the MSU6 before the Buckeyes were called for a personal foul backing Ohio State to the MSU21. Another Howard rush gained 4 to the MSU 12 before a Jayden Fielding 30-yard field goal put the Buckeyes on the board with a 3-0 lead. Howard was 7-for-7 through the air for 66 yards on the 11-play, 63-yard drive. Ohio State used 5-minutes, 45-seconds on its first possession. Michigan State drove to the Ohio State 29 before Spartan quarterback Aidan Chiles was sacked by Sonny Styles for a loss of 3. Michigan State got to the Ohio State 20 when on fourth-and-1, Jack Sawyer and Cody Simon clogged the middle to stop Chiles for no gain, turning the ball back over to the Buckeyes on downs. A couple completions from Howard to Emeka Egbuka moved Ohio State to the OSU 33. Another grab by Egbuka gained 19 to the MSU42. Gee Scott then gained 7 on a pass from Howard and after MSU was called for a late hit out of bounds, Ohio State gained another 15 on the play. The quarter ended with the Buckeyes at the MSU 9 after a completion to Jeremiah Smith for 6 yards.
Second Quarter
No. 3 Ohio State 24, Michigan State 7
The Buckeyes moved to the MSU 3 and went for it on fourth down early in the second quarter. Howard did not disappoint when he connected with Scott for a 3-yard touchdown pass and a 10-0 lead. The scoring drive of 14 plays covered 80 yards over 5:42. Michigan State started from their 25 after a touchback and after a couple long pass plays moved to the Ohio State 11 where MSU receiver Jack Velling fumbled after the ball was stripped by Jordan Hancock. The Buckeyes recovered the fumble (Styles) but turned it back over to the Spartans when Howard was intercepted by Jordan Turner at the 50. He returned it to the OSU 12. On the next play Chiles found Jaron Glover on the left side for a 12-yard touchdown completion. After a touchback, Howard connected with Jeremiah Smith for 20 yards to the OSU45 on the first play of the possession. After a holding call moved the Buckeyes back to the MSU 45, Henderson rushed up the middle for 37 yards to the MSU 28. After a 9-yard rush by Judkins, Smith took a pitch coming from the left side on an end around and rushed 19 yards to the right side of the endzone for the touchdown. The drive that put the Buckeyes up 17-7 covered 75 yards on five plays over 2:19. Chiles then drove the Spartans to the OSU 23 and two plays later Chiles fumbled when he was stripped of the ball by Lathan Ransom. Jack Sawyer recovered at the OSU16. The Buckeyes were forced to punt on the next possession from their 23. Joe McGuire delivered a 43-yard kick to the MSU 35 with under two minutes to go in the half. After MSU earned a 4-yard gain on a rush, JT Tuimoloau sacked Chiles back at the MSU 46. After a Spartan loss of 1 on a pass play, the Buckeyes got the ball back after an MSU 27-yard punt to the OSU 40. Howard then passed to Tate for a gain of 16 and then for 27 yards to Smith to the MSU 17. On the second of consecutive incompletions, Howard left the game after taking a hit. Devin Brown entered at quarterback with the Buckeyes facing a third-and-10. Brown then found Smith down the right sideline in double coverage who caught it one-handed and scored the touchdown to give Ohio State a 24-7 lead. Michigan State ran out the clock to end the half.
Third Quarter
No. 3 Ohio State 38, Michigan State 7
The Spartans got the ball to start the third quarter from their 25 after a touchback. Michigan State moved to its 31 before electing to punt. Brandon Inniss returned it for the Buckeyes 10 yards to the OSU 24 after a 55-yard boot. Howard returned at quarterback for the Buckeyes in Ohio State’s first possession of the second half. Facing fourth-and-5 from the MSU 33, Howard found Egbuka over the middle for a 33-yard touchdown catch and run down the left side for a 31-7 lead. The drive took 7:11 off the clock while covering 76 yards on 14 plays. Ohio State got the ball back when Chiles was intercepted at the MSU43 by Denzel Burke, who returned it 31-yards to the MSU 12. Three plays later Howard scored on a 6-yard keeper over the left side to give Ohio State a 38-7 lead with 2:05 left in the quarter. After a touchback, Chiles was sacked on MSU’s first play of its next possession by Mitchell Melton back to the MSU17. The quarter ended with the Spartans facing fourth-and-11 from their 18.
Fourth Quarter
No. 3 Ohio State 38, Michigan State 7
After getting the ball back after a 58-yard MSU punt, Devin Brown returned at quarterback for the Buckeyes at the OSU 27. Brown moved the Buckeyes to the MSU49 before a McQuire punt of 34 yards gave the Spartans the ball at their 15. Michigan State punted it right back to Ohio State, which took over at their 27 after a 42-yard kick. Freshman Julian Sayin then took over at quarterback for the Buckeyes. He guided the Ohio State to the MSU49 before a McQuire punt of 32 yards gave the Spartans the ball back at their 9. The Spartans were not able to move the ball and punted it back to the Buckeyes, who took over at their 43 after a 50-yard punt. Neither team posed a threat on their respective final possessions.
Team Stats
OSU 3, MSU 0
OSU - Fielding,Jayden 30 yd field goal 11 plays, 63 yards, TOP 05:45
OSU 10, MSU 0
OSU - Scott Jr.,Gee 3 yd pass from Howard,Will (Fielding,Jayden kick) 14 plays, 80 yards, TOP 06:08
OSU 10, MSU 7
MSU - Glover,Jaron 12 yd pass from Chiles,Aidan (Kim,Jonathan kick) 1 plays, 12 yards, TOP 00:07
OSU 17, MSU 7
OSU - Smith,Jeremiah 19 yd run (Fielding,Jayden kick), 4 plays, 75 yards, TOP 02:19
OSU 24, MSU 7
OSU - Smith,Jeremiah 17 yd pass from Brown,Devin (Fielding,Jayden kick) 6 plays, 60 yards, TOP 00:44
OSU 31, MSU 7
OSU - Egbuka,Emeka 33 yd pass from Howard,Will (Fielding,Jayden kick) 13 plays, 76 yards, TOP 07:11
OSU 38, MSU 7
OSU - Howard,Will 6 yd run (Fielding,Jayden kick), 3 plays, 12 yards, TOP 01:19
