Ohio State took care of business at Wrigley Field.
In a road game that felt more like a home game as the Wrigley Field stands were filled with mostly Ohio State fans, the Buckeyes pulled away from Northwestern for a comfortable 31-7 victory in Chicago, improving to 9-1 entering a pivotal stretch of their season.
Carnell Tate and Quinshon Judkins scored two touchdowns each as Ohio State scored on five straight possessions for 31 unanswered points to turn a tight game early into a decisive blowout win.
| Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #2 Ohio State | 0 | 21 | 10 | 0 | 31 |
| NORTHWESTERN | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| NOV. 16, 2024 • WRIGLEY FIELD • CHICAGO, IL | |||||
The game got off to a shaky start for Ohio State’s defense as the Buckeyes allowed long drives on both of Northwestern’s first two possessions. Ohio State got off the field without allowing points on the first drive when Jack Sawyer forced a fumble on a third-down run by Northwestern quarterback Jack Lausch and Davison Igbinosun recovered the loose ball at the 16-yard line.
BALL IS OUT! @OhioStateFB recovers the fumble early pic.twitter.com/bIssKneKux
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 16, 2024
Jeremiah Smith nearly made a spectacular catch for a 38-yard touchdown on Ohio State’s first drive, but the Buckeyes punted after replay determined that the ball hit the ground. Northwestern proceeded to drive 92 yards in 13 plays, finishing its second possession of the game with an 8-yard Lausch touchdown run to take a 7-0 lead at the 12:34 mark of the second quarter.
Ohio State responded with a 12-play, 85-yard drive, which it capped with a game-tying 1-yard touchdown run by Judkins after Tate set up the score with a diving 14-yard catch in front of the goal line.
Chicagos own Carnell Tate. pic.twitter.com/TdhKuppWSi
— Josh Poloha (@JorshP) November 16, 2024
Ohio State got the ball back at the 1-yard line for its next possession when a botched snap set up a David Adolph punt block for the Buckeyes – their second in as many games – and Judkins powered the ball into the end zone again for another single-yard score to give Ohio State its first lead of the game.
This was a wild play
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) November 16, 2024
In the end, it's a blocked punt and No. 2 @OhioStateFB takes over at the 1-yard line.#B1GFootball on Big Ten Network pic.twitter.com/E4x0YBYfnT
The Buckeyes forced another 3-and-out on Northwestern’s fourth possession and Ohio State proceeded to drive for another touchdown before halftime with Tate, a Chicago native, making another diving catch for a 25-yard score in his hometown.
The lays out for the highlight-reel TD
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) November 16, 2024
Carnell Tate extends No. 2 @OhioStateFB's lead over Northwestern at Wrigley Field.#B1GFootball on Big Ten Network pic.twitter.com/kNgVa6LGZL
Ohio State picked up where it left off on its opening drive of the second half as a 68-yard catch-and-run by Smith set up an 8-yard touchdown for Tate.
BIG play from Jeremiah Smith and the Buckeyes! @OhioStateFB pic.twitter.com/iuHFWnZV1B
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 16, 2024
Carnell Tate touchdown!
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 16, 2024
His second of the day for @OhioStateFB pic.twitter.com/K44e7Ed4HG
Northwestern drove back into the red zone on its opening drive of the second half but finished without scoring for the second time in three trips inside the 20-yard line as Igbinosun broke up a 4th-and-10 pass attempt over the middle.
A trio of 14-plus-yard runs by TreVeyon Henderson and Judkins on Ohio State’s next drive set up a 28-yard Jayden Fielding field goal that extended the Buckeyes’ lead to 31-7 before the end of the third quarter.
Northwestern threatened to score again late in the fourth quarter, but Ohio State’s defense got its third red zone stop of the game as heavy pressure on Lausch forced a fourth-down incompletion.
Ohio State now returns to Columbus to prepare for its third top-five game of the season as the Buckeyes will host undefeated Indiana next Saturday at Ohio Stadium. Kickoff is set for noon with FOX televising.
Team Stats
| OHIO STATE | NORTWESTERN | |
|---|---|---|
| 420 | TOTAL YARDS | 251 |
| 173 | RUSHING YARDS | 50 |
| 33 | RUSHING ATTEMPTS | 30 |
| 5.2 | AVERAGE PER RUSH | 1.7 |
| 2 | RUSHING TOUCHDOWNS | 1 |
| 247 | PASSING YARDS | 201 |
| 15-24 | COMPLETIONS–ATTEMPTS | 21-36 |
| 16.5 | YARDS PER COMPLETION | 9.6 |
| 2 | PASSING TOUCHDOWNS | 0 |
| 19 | 1st DOWNS | 17 |
| 57 | TOTAL PLAYS | 66 |
| 7.4 | YARDS PER PLAY | 3.8 |
| 4-10 | 3RD DOWNS | 6-16 |
| 3-32 | PENALTIES | 2-10 |
| 28:00 | POSSESSION | 32:00 |
| 0 | TURNOVERS | 1 |
Game Notes
- Tyleik Williams returned to the starting lineup at defensive tackle after missing the Purdue game with an injury.
- Ohio State failed to score in the first quarter for the first time this season.
- Jeremiah Smith had the third 100-yard game of his freshman season.
- Carnell Tate had the first two-touchdown game of his Ohio State career.
- Jack Sawyer and Arvell Reese led the Ohio State defense with seven tackles each, a career-high for both of them.
- Sonny Styles had two sacks and two pass breakups.
- Gee Scott Jr. left the game with an injury in the third quarter and did not return, though it appeared the Buckeyes held him out of precaution as he remained on the sideline with his helmet.
- #2 Ohio State 31, Northwestern 7
- • Buckeyes Bash Wildcats, 31-7
- • Tate Shines in Emotional Homecoming
- • Styles Starting to Star
- • GameDay Headed to Ohio State-Indiana
- • Ohio State Postgame • Northwestern Postgame • Photos • After Carmen
- • Five Things • Notebook • Social Reax • Three Key Stats
