The good news: Ohio State is now 7–0 after dispatching Minnesota, 30-14, Saturday. The other news, the running game and defense are stressing folks out.
Let's focus on the 7–0 part for now, particularly after a weekend that saw Ls handed to a handful of top 10 teams. Here are 15 GIFs that tell the story of the Ohio State-Minnesota game.
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Ohio State held their annual “Pink Out” for breast cancer awareness and defensive tackle Rob Landers was all in.
Minnesota received the ball first, but their opening drive quickly ended up in the hands of Ohio State cornerback Kendall Sheffield. The pick was the second of the season for Sheffield.
Later in the first quarter, the Buckeyes would go up 3-0 on the Gophers, but Minnesota would answer with running back Mohamed Ibrahim capping an 11-play, 75-yard drive with this one-yard plunge to put the Gophers up 7-3.
On Ohio State's ensuing drive, with time winding down in the opening quarter, running back Mike Weber picked up a huge 4th-down with a second effort to get past the chains.
Quarterback Dwayne Haskins capitalized on the very next play, finding Terry McLaurin for a 41-yard touchdown to put Ohio State up 10-7. McLaurin, who finished with three receptions for 55 yards, made a great adjustment to go up and get a ball that was a tad underthrown.
Minnesota had an answer, going 75 yards again on a drive that was capped by another short Ibrahim touchdown plunge. The running back finished with 157 yards on 23 attempts against the Buckeye defense.
After stopping the Buckeyes on 4th-and-1, Minnesota, leading 14-10, started to drive again, quickly moving from their own 18 to midfield. That's when Ohio State safety Shaun Wade stepped up, stripping Gopher wide receiver Tyler Johnson. Wade's teammate, Jeffrey Okudah, was there to scoop it up.
Here's another look at the play. Saturday marked the thirst-straight game in which the Buckeyes forced a second quarter fumble that helped change the momentum in a game.
It took Ohio State a little over two minutes to make the Gophers pay for the turnover when K.J. Hill hauled in this ridiculous one-handed grab to put the Buckeyes back up. Hill would finish with 9 catches for a season-high 187 yards receiving.
Let's just admire this catch.
EVERYTHING STICKS TO K.J. HILL.
Kicker Blake Haubeil saw his first real action as a Buckeye with starter Sean Nuernberger out with an unspecified injury. He went 3-3 on field goals Saturday, including this 47-yarder to put the Buckeyes up 20-14.
Down nine, Minnesota pulled out a trick in the fourth quarter.
The trick may have worked, but like every other Gopher drive in the second half, they'd walk away without points. Here's safety Isaiah Pryor fielding a Zack Annexstad arm punt to kill the drive.
Finally, we have Ohio State's last touchdown of the day. Here's Hill again hauling in a pretty 27-yard pass to make it 30-14.
