Bo Jackson ran for 112 yards and a touchdown and James Peoples rushed for two scores when No. 1 Ohio State won 48-10 against overwhelmed and undermanned UCLA in Columbus, Ohio, on Saturday.
Julian Sayin completed his first 11 passes for 100 yards and guided the Buckeyes (10-0, 7-0 Big Ten) on scoring drives of 8, 11 and 12 plays for a 17-0 lead midway through the second quarter. It only got worse for the Bruins, who trailed 27-0 at the half en route to their third consecutive defeat.
Sayin completed 22 of 31 passes for 184 yards and a touchdown in three quarters.
UCLA (3-7, 3-4) quarterback Nico Iamaleava, the Bruins’ leading rusher, did not play due to a concussion, the school announced.
Redshirt sophomore Luke Duncan made his first career start and was 16 of 23 for 154 yards and a TD. His 51-yard pass to Rico Flores to the 19 late in the third quarter was the first time UCLA crossed midfield.
Two plays later, Duncan connected with Kwazi Gilmer for an 18-yard touchdown to make it 34-7.
Ohio State immediately responded with its first kickoff return for a TD in 15 years when Lorenzo Styles Jr. went 100 yards. It was also its first kick return of 100 yards since Ted Ginn in 2005.
Jackson’s 1-yard scoring run midway through the opening quarter made it 7-0. Peoples had a highlight-reel 19-yard TD run with 1:16 left in the half when he hurdled Cole Martin at the 10 and kept his balance along the right sideline to make it 24-0.
After UCLA punter Will Karoll shanked a punt behind the line of scrimmage at his own 14, Jayden Fielding kicked a 33-yard field goal with one second left before halftime.
The Buckeyes, who finished with 222 rushing yards, totaled 294 yards and 16 first downs in the first half compared to 50 yards and two first downs for UCLA.
Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith, listed as questionable before the game, had four catches for 40 yards and did not play in the second half. Teammate and fellow receiver Carnell Tate missed a second straight game with an undisclosed injury.
–Field Level Media
