Jeremiah Smith ran for a touchdown and made two spectacular catches in the first half as No. 3 Ohio State defeated Michigan State 38-7 in East Lansing, Mich., on Saturday.
Quarterback Will Howard tossed two touchdowns and added a rushing score for the Buckeyes (4-0, 1-0 Big Ten).
After his 19-yard rushing score midway through the second quarter, Smith, the No. 1 ranked recruit in the 2024 class, produced a pair of highlight-reel catches to help Ohio State take a 24-7 halftime lead.
With the Buckeyes driving in the final minute, Smith made a stellar one-handed grab between two defenders at the Michigan State 17. The freshman delivered another spectacular one-handed catch, this one for a 17-yard score with 29 seconds left in the first half.
Smith’s touchdown catch came from backup Devin Brown, who had entered the game after Howard was hurt.
Howard re-entered the game in the third quarter and finished 21 of 31 for 244 yards with an interception.
Aidan Chiles was 13 of 19 for 167 yards with a touchdown and an interception for the Spartans (3-2, 1-1).
Ohio State jumped to a 10-0 in its first road game of the season after Howard’s 3-yard touchdown to Gee Scott Jr. less than a minute into the second quarter.
Michigan State made it 10-7 on a 12-yard scoring catch by Jaron Glover one play after Jordan Turner’s 36-yard interception return.
Smith began the Buckeyes’ ensuing drive with a 20-yard catch and finished it with his 19-yard end-around scamper to make it 17-7. He finished with five catches for 83 yards, and his touchdown run was his only carry.
The Spartans squandered multiple scoring chances in the first half.
Michigan State’s first drive ended on 4th-and-1 at the Ohio State 20-yard line, its next on a fumble at the Buckeyes’ 11. The Spartans still trailed 17-7 with 3:11 left in the first half after their second lost fumble inside the red zone.
Ohio State put the game away with a pair of third-quarter touchdowns to make it 38-7. The first was a 33-yard Emeka Egbuka catch, the second coming on Howard’s 6-yard rush after Denzel Burke’s 31-yard interception return.
Egbuka had a game-high seven catches for 96 yards.
Glover, who was injured and did not play in the 23-19 loss to Boston College in the previous game, had 53 yards on four catches.
The Buckeyes have beaten the Spartans nine straight times and are 20-5 all-time in East Lansing.
–Field Level Media
