Just a few quick postgame notes for now....
1. Ohio State had just 11 first downs and the Buckeyes converted only 1 of 10 third down tries.
2. The Buckeye offense produced just 285 yards of total offense, and just 64 yards on the ground. The tailback combo of Henderson and Judkins had 20 carries for 54 yards (2.7 average) and no scores.
3. The Buckeye offense was particularly bad in short yardage situations. Here is a complete list:
| Down & Distance |
Play & Yardage |
Result of Play |
| 2nd-and-2 |
Sack for loss of 8 yards |
| 4th-and-1 |
Run for loss of 1 yards |
Turnover on downs |
| 2nd-and-2 |
Run for loss of 4 yards |
| 3rd-and-1 |
Run for gain of 6 yards |
First down |
| 2nd-and-1 |
Run for gain of 4 yards |
First down |
| 3rd-and-3 |
Incomplete pass |
Punt |
| 3rd-and-2 |
Incomplete pass |
Punt |
| 2nd-and-2 |
Run for gain of 1 yard |
| 3rd-and-1 |
Run for loss of 1 yard |
Punt |
| 4th-and-1 |
Pass for gain of 3 yards |
First down |
| 2nd-and-3 |
Run for gain of 10 yards |
First down |
So that's 11 short yardage plays for a grand total of 10 yards, 4 first downs, and one turnover on downs. That's how you [almost] lose games to inferior opponents.
4. Will Howard was 13/16 (.813) for 221 yards and 3 TDs, but two of his misses came on consecutive plays and both killed drives at the start of the second half when the Buckeyes had a chance to take control of the game: an incompletion on 3rd-and-3 to force a punt and then an interception on the very next offensive play. These miscues cost Ohio State only three points but they gave Nebraska all of the momentum and almost propelled the Huskers to victory.
5. Jeremiah Smith had a 60-yard TD reception, his third TD reception of 50+ yards for his Buckeye career. Only eight Buckeye receivers have more TD catches of 50+ yards: Ted Ginn Jr. (7); Devin Smith (7); Parris Campbell (6); Michael Thomas (4); Terry McLaurin (4); Chris Olave (4); Terry Glenn (4); and David Boston (4).
6. The Buckeye defense held Nebraska to 273 total yards; 5/17 (.294) on 3rd and 4th downs; made 13 TFLs including 3 from Cody Simon and 2 each from Denzel Burke, Tyliek Williams, and JT Tuimoloau; and forced a turnover to effectively end the game. Despite all the good, the Buckeye defense had some maddening breakdowns on pivotal plays:
On Nebraska's first FG drive, allowing QB Dylan Raiola to scramble for 38 yards on 3rd-and-10 from near midfield.
On Nebraska's third FG drive, committing a DPI penalty on 3rd-and-7 on the edge of FG range.
On Nebraska's lone TD drive, allowing a pair of 3rd-and7 conversions.
7. Place kicker Jayden Fielding missed a 42-yard field goal attempt. When the Buckeyes hired Urban Meyer back in 2013, one of our members made the comment that "Kicking ass >>> kicking field goals." While that is undoubtedly true, sometimes 3 points is the difference in the game (Georgia 2022; Oregon 2024) and it has been a consistent theme throughout the Meyer/Day regimes that routine field goals (that's inside 50 yards these days, even for college kickers) will be challenging. If I can fault Ryan Day for one thing above all others it is this: In big games he plays NFL style – give your team a chance to win in the final two minutes – but he has failed to recruit anyone who can actually make the big game-winning kick. Fielding continues this dubious tradition.
