Three Key Stats: Ohio State’s Special Teams Becomes a Plus, the Buckeyes’ Record Their Second Shutout of the Season and Emeka Egbuka Keeps His Catch Streak Alive

Ohio State clobbered Purdue 45-0 on Saturday to improve to 8-1 on the season. To do that, the Buckeyes needed to excel on offense, defense and special teams. In this edition of Three Key Stats, we look into how the Buckeyes shined in all three phases against the Boilermakers.

Special teams. Special plays. Special players.

On Wednesday, Ryan Day said special teams haven’t been a “plus” for Ohio State this season and that he wants to see the Buckeyes receive a proper return on their investment down the stretch. That return arrived on Saturday, as defensive end Caden Curry recorded Ohio State’s first blocked punt since Lathan Ransom had one in back-to-back weeks against Indiana and Maryland in 2022.

CADEN CURRY PUNT BLOCK pic.twitter.com/toUQam4Ohc
— Eleven Warriors (@11W) November 9, 2024

If Ohio State’s blocked punt was a “plus,” then its opponent’s two missed field goals were undoubtedly a “minus.” Purdue kicker Spencer Porath missed both of his attempts on Saturday, sending a 21-yard kick wide right and a 38-yard kick wide left. While the outcome of the game would not have changed had Porath made his attempts, the final score would have. Considering the Buckeyes’ blanked the Boilermakers — a result that marked the program’s first Big Ten shutout of the Day era — the misses made a difference in how we will view the game in the near and distant future.

Defense! clap, clap, clap Defense! clap, clap, clap

As we mentioned in the previous section, the Purdue game marked Ohio State’s first shutout of the Day era. In addition to the team’s 55-0 win over Western Michigan in Week 2, it also marked the first time since 2014 that the Buckeyes have blanked two opponents in a single season.

How did Ohio State accomplish such a feat?

Limiting Purdue to 206 yards of offense helped.

The Boilermakers’ 206 yards were the fewest the Buckeyes have allowed since their dominant win over the Broncos. It also ranks as the third-fewest yards allowed this season behind Western Michigan (99) and Akron (177). Ohio State’s other totals, in order from fewest to most, include Iowa (226), Michigan State (246), Marshall (264), Penn State (270), Nebraska (273) and Oregon (496).

Whew, that was a close one.

Entering Saturday, Emeka Egbuka had caught a pass in 33 consecutive games dating back to Ohio State’s win over Utah in the 2022 Rose Bowl. That streak almost ended on Saturday as Purdue held Egbuka without a reception until the 14-minute mark of the fourth quarter. To Egbuka’s credit — and to the Boilermakers’ dismay — the senior receiver took that reception 10 yards for a touchdown, increasing his season totals to 47 catches, 587 yards and eight scores.

Ohio State cannot be stopped! pic.twitter.com/CrkXezYQgf
— Eleven Warriors (@11W) November 9, 2024

With his streak at 34, Egbuka continues to rise the ranks in the Ohio State record book in that regard. However, we should note that the Steilacoom, Washington, native will be unable to break one of Ohio State football’s most unbreakable records: 48 consecutive games with a catch from Gary Williams (1978-82).

Jeremiah Smith, on the other hand…