Postgame Quotes vs. Grambling State
9/6/2025 7:08:00 PM | Football
No. 1 Ohio State 70, Grambling State 0
Sept. 6, 2025 – Ohio Stadium – Columbus, OhioÂ
Attendance: 100,624
Ryan Day, Ohio State head coach
On the matchup and getting what they wanted out of the game…Â
"We wanted to, like we talked about, be more explosive. You saw us play with tempo. That was good. The issues are always going to be there, it's just a matter of identifying what they are. It's no secret, this was not a matchup game. And a lot of respect for Coach. I thought their team played hard in this game. They were outmatched talent wise for sure. And I think he expressed that, but I give them a lot of respect for playing hard and playing for four quarters all the way to the end. So a lot of credit to how hard they played. I thought early in the game, it was good to get the ball pushed down the field. I thought Julian (Sayin) really had some accurate throws. The ball came out on time. The spacing and timing was good. The protection was good. Good to see the defense get some turnovers because that was an emphasis point for us to attack the ball. So, we'll take a look at the film, and we've still got a lot of work to do. We're in a race to get better, and that's it. I do think coming out of it, there was a lot of good things coming off of last week. It was heavy. Big groupings and running and huddling. This was a little bit more spread out in tempo, which it's good to know that we can do both."
On players getting the chance to play this week…
"I think there was a lot of guys that got in there on defense. Riley Pettijohn seemed to pop for sure. That was a big play in the backfield, which was great. Aaron Scott dove on a ball. I know they overturned it. That was still a great play. We have to look and watch the film some more on offense. It was good to see some of the tight ends get in there but also see the young running backs run. I thought Bo (Jackson) and Isaiah (West) both ran hard, and it was good to see them break some tackles and get some positive runs out there. And it was also good to get Lincoln (Kienholz) out there. I thought he looked good out there. He looked poised, made some nice throws, made a couple runs. Bryson Rodgers made a couple of nice plays catching the ball and hanging on to it, which was great. Mylan (Graham) had a nice catch. So, it was good to see a lot of those guys get on the field. And there'll be a lot of things that the coaches will look at to look to improve, but they deserve a chance to play, and it's good to get them out there. And the more depth we can build, as we know, it's going to be important. It's a long run this season."
On identifying and fixing issuesÂ
"Well, the issues are always there, and it's not about the result. If we're looking at the scoreboard, we're looking at the wrong thing. This is about if we have a discipline issue, or if we have a lack of execution, or we have an assignment issue, or a ball security issue, or a lack of execution that could, in a matchup game, come down to one play. If we're going to look at the scoreboard after a game like this, then we're setting ourselves up for failure. That's really bad. I don't think that's the way our guys are. I think they know. When you're not in a matchup game, you're going to get graded very critically, because when you are in matchup games, one play could cost you. Now, the good thing is, we played a game like that already, so it's not like we haven't done that where in past you get to about midway through the season, you haven't played a game like that. I think our guys understand that, especially the guys who have been around. You think about how we ended last year and how we started this year. These guys know. But all that being said, when you come out of games like this, you can't get a false sense of security because the issues are always there. It's our job to identify them and get them fixed."
Julian Sayin, Ohio State quarterback
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On the contrast from last week's opponents …
"The whole week we kind of have been talking about last week's done with and how can we improve and how can we get better. And I think this week of practice was very important for us. Showing up in this game, I think we took a good step forward and just getting better. It's all about how we can improve from week one to week two to week three, and just keep stacking base."
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On completing 16 straight passes …
"I don't think I've done that before, but when you get those completions kind of racking up, it builds confidence. The energy from the other players in the offense when they start seeing we're moving the ball down the field like that, you know, the other guys are bringing the energy."
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On the skill of the group …
"It's a huge impact, having the receivers that we do here. Having the offensive line being able to protect for that long, and then having the running backs who not only protect, but then also get out in the route tree. It was awesome to see. Those receivers today made some great plays and they were running great routes. They are always getting open."
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On the readiness at the line before the snap …
"There's definitely some pre-snap element to it, and that's from the preparedness that the coaches have for us. But you also have to let the defense kind of dictate where it goes based on their drops. So it's a little bit of pre-snap identification and then post that confirmation is what we say in the quarterback room."
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On being able to let loose …
"It was awesome. I had a lot of fun today. I can't say enough about the receiving room, the running backs and the offensive line. Just everyone doing their part, and I'm making the offense move."
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Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State wide receiver
On how it feels to make big play again…
"It feels good, especially with the game I had last week. I was pretty down, it was a pretty bad game for myself. It felt very special to get back in that zone today."
On Julian Sayin's accuracy…
"It's crazy. I've been seeing it since his freshman year, since last year – nothing surprises me at this point. He could make any and every throw like I said before, and he controlled the offense at a very good pace right now, so I'm very excited for him."
On being motivated by his performance in the Texas game…
"It motivated me a lot, having a bad game. I dropped two passes and I'm very hard on myself. This week in practice, I was very hard on myself throughout the whole week – just focused on catching the football. That was the main point for me this week in practice."
On the mentality going into this game…
"Just go out there and dominate. That's one thing we've been preaching all week – don't play down to your competition. That was really the main thing for me personally, just go out there and dominate, because I know if we go out there and play down to the competition, that's when we make it a game. Go out there and dominate from the first play."
Caden Curry, Ohio State defensive end
On the effort of the full team…
"Getting out there and doing our job early gets us set up for those guys that work so hard day in and day out on the scout team. Getting to see them out there doing their thing and playing to their expectations is definitely what we always love to see."
On picking up where they left off last year…
"There are definitely different faces, different people, but I feel like the energy and the momentum are still there. We still play with that edge. We still play like we have nothing to lose. We have to keep showing up and keep doing our job every single day, but we're definitely not putting our foot of the gas."
On how the defense communicates…
"It's everybody. Our linebackers did a very good job, our other defensive lineman, and definitely our safeties and corners. We're all communicating and we're all making sure we're on the same page because if we're all wrong, we're all right. We're always just doing our job."
On the impact of Caleb Downs…
"He can always make us right. If we do something wrong, he can fix it for us, and he's definitely a football player. He goes out there and does his job to a high level and he plays the game."
Mickey Joseph, Grambling State head coach
On the matchup …
"This playing field is not even; there's levels to college football right now. They have a really good football team going. I'm sure they're going to be playing after January, but I'm proud of my team."
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On the experience of playing this game …
"It's fighting the uphill battle, because during the year we are going to be down, but the playing field is going to be even. It's not going to be like this, but it helps me understand that my kids will fight no matter what, my coaches will fight no matter what. That's what helped me with this."
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On facing the No. 1-ranked team …
"It was a great experience for my kids. This is a great memory for them. You know, everybody can't say they'll play the number one team in the country, so we got the opportunity. It probably ended the way some people thought it would end, but I'm proud of my kids. I'm proud of my coaches. They worked hard and the players played hard."
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On what makes Buckeye wide receiver Jeremiah Smith special …
"Just the route running, his speed and his hand, and he's tough. He's tough. He's a first round pick. He's an easy first round pick."
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On Ohio State head coach Ryan Day …
"Coach Day did a great job, just being respectful with it. After the game he told me, 'You're right, you're right, you're gonna have a good football team'. And I know I have a good football team on my level."
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Sept. 6, 2025 – Ohio Stadium – Columbus, OhioÂ
Attendance: 100,624
Ryan Day, Ohio State head coach
On the matchup and getting what they wanted out of the game…Â
"We wanted to, like we talked about, be more explosive. You saw us play with tempo. That was good. The issues are always going to be there, it's just a matter of identifying what they are. It's no secret, this was not a matchup game. And a lot of respect for Coach. I thought their team played hard in this game. They were outmatched talent wise for sure. And I think he expressed that, but I give them a lot of respect for playing hard and playing for four quarters all the way to the end. So a lot of credit to how hard they played. I thought early in the game, it was good to get the ball pushed down the field. I thought Julian (Sayin) really had some accurate throws. The ball came out on time. The spacing and timing was good. The protection was good. Good to see the defense get some turnovers because that was an emphasis point for us to attack the ball. So, we'll take a look at the film, and we've still got a lot of work to do. We're in a race to get better, and that's it. I do think coming out of it, there was a lot of good things coming off of last week. It was heavy. Big groupings and running and huddling. This was a little bit more spread out in tempo, which it's good to know that we can do both."
On players getting the chance to play this week…
"I think there was a lot of guys that got in there on defense. Riley Pettijohn seemed to pop for sure. That was a big play in the backfield, which was great. Aaron Scott dove on a ball. I know they overturned it. That was still a great play. We have to look and watch the film some more on offense. It was good to see some of the tight ends get in there but also see the young running backs run. I thought Bo (Jackson) and Isaiah (West) both ran hard, and it was good to see them break some tackles and get some positive runs out there. And it was also good to get Lincoln (Kienholz) out there. I thought he looked good out there. He looked poised, made some nice throws, made a couple runs. Bryson Rodgers made a couple of nice plays catching the ball and hanging on to it, which was great. Mylan (Graham) had a nice catch. So, it was good to see a lot of those guys get on the field. And there'll be a lot of things that the coaches will look at to look to improve, but they deserve a chance to play, and it's good to get them out there. And the more depth we can build, as we know, it's going to be important. It's a long run this season."
On identifying and fixing issuesÂ
"Well, the issues are always there, and it's not about the result. If we're looking at the scoreboard, we're looking at the wrong thing. This is about if we have a discipline issue, or if we have a lack of execution, or we have an assignment issue, or a ball security issue, or a lack of execution that could, in a matchup game, come down to one play. If we're going to look at the scoreboard after a game like this, then we're setting ourselves up for failure. That's really bad. I don't think that's the way our guys are. I think they know. When you're not in a matchup game, you're going to get graded very critically, because when you are in matchup games, one play could cost you. Now, the good thing is, we played a game like that already, so it's not like we haven't done that where in past you get to about midway through the season, you haven't played a game like that. I think our guys understand that, especially the guys who have been around. You think about how we ended last year and how we started this year. These guys know. But all that being said, when you come out of games like this, you can't get a false sense of security because the issues are always there. It's our job to identify them and get them fixed."
Julian Sayin, Ohio State quarterback
Â
On the contrast from last week's opponents …
"The whole week we kind of have been talking about last week's done with and how can we improve and how can we get better. And I think this week of practice was very important for us. Showing up in this game, I think we took a good step forward and just getting better. It's all about how we can improve from week one to week two to week three, and just keep stacking base."
Â
On completing 16 straight passes …
"I don't think I've done that before, but when you get those completions kind of racking up, it builds confidence. The energy from the other players in the offense when they start seeing we're moving the ball down the field like that, you know, the other guys are bringing the energy."
Â
On the skill of the group …
"It's a huge impact, having the receivers that we do here. Having the offensive line being able to protect for that long, and then having the running backs who not only protect, but then also get out in the route tree. It was awesome to see. Those receivers today made some great plays and they were running great routes. They are always getting open."
Â
On the readiness at the line before the snap …
"There's definitely some pre-snap element to it, and that's from the preparedness that the coaches have for us. But you also have to let the defense kind of dictate where it goes based on their drops. So it's a little bit of pre-snap identification and then post that confirmation is what we say in the quarterback room."
Â
On being able to let loose …
"It was awesome. I had a lot of fun today. I can't say enough about the receiving room, the running backs and the offensive line. Just everyone doing their part, and I'm making the offense move."
Â
Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State wide receiver
On how it feels to make big play again…
"It feels good, especially with the game I had last week. I was pretty down, it was a pretty bad game for myself. It felt very special to get back in that zone today."
On Julian Sayin's accuracy…
"It's crazy. I've been seeing it since his freshman year, since last year – nothing surprises me at this point. He could make any and every throw like I said before, and he controlled the offense at a very good pace right now, so I'm very excited for him."
On being motivated by his performance in the Texas game…
"It motivated me a lot, having a bad game. I dropped two passes and I'm very hard on myself. This week in practice, I was very hard on myself throughout the whole week – just focused on catching the football. That was the main point for me this week in practice."
On the mentality going into this game…
"Just go out there and dominate. That's one thing we've been preaching all week – don't play down to your competition. That was really the main thing for me personally, just go out there and dominate, because I know if we go out there and play down to the competition, that's when we make it a game. Go out there and dominate from the first play."
Caden Curry, Ohio State defensive end
On the effort of the full team…
"Getting out there and doing our job early gets us set up for those guys that work so hard day in and day out on the scout team. Getting to see them out there doing their thing and playing to their expectations is definitely what we always love to see."
On picking up where they left off last year…
"There are definitely different faces, different people, but I feel like the energy and the momentum are still there. We still play with that edge. We still play like we have nothing to lose. We have to keep showing up and keep doing our job every single day, but we're definitely not putting our foot of the gas."
On how the defense communicates…
"It's everybody. Our linebackers did a very good job, our other defensive lineman, and definitely our safeties and corners. We're all communicating and we're all making sure we're on the same page because if we're all wrong, we're all right. We're always just doing our job."
On the impact of Caleb Downs…
"He can always make us right. If we do something wrong, he can fix it for us, and he's definitely a football player. He goes out there and does his job to a high level and he plays the game."
Mickey Joseph, Grambling State head coach
On the matchup …
"This playing field is not even; there's levels to college football right now. They have a really good football team going. I'm sure they're going to be playing after January, but I'm proud of my team."
Â
On the experience of playing this game …
"It's fighting the uphill battle, because during the year we are going to be down, but the playing field is going to be even. It's not going to be like this, but it helps me understand that my kids will fight no matter what, my coaches will fight no matter what. That's what helped me with this."
Â
On facing the No. 1-ranked team …
"It was a great experience for my kids. This is a great memory for them. You know, everybody can't say they'll play the number one team in the country, so we got the opportunity. It probably ended the way some people thought it would end, but I'm proud of my kids. I'm proud of my coaches. They worked hard and the players played hard."
Â
On what makes Buckeye wide receiver Jeremiah Smith special …
"Just the route running, his speed and his hand, and he's tough. He's tough. He's a first round pick. He's an easy first round pick."
Â
On Ohio State head coach Ryan Day …
"Coach Day did a great job, just being respectful with it. After the game he told me, 'You're right, you're right, you're gonna have a good football team'. And I know I have a good football team on my level."
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