Watch: Braxton Miller takes out two Rainbow Warriors with one block
September 12, 2015Browns WR Dwayne Bowe inactive for Week 1
September 13, 2015For the second consecutive game, the Buckeyes offense started slow, especially their passing game. But this time, unlike last Monday in Blacksburg, the offense looked to be down a level the entire game. Luckily for the Buckeyes, they weren’t playing a very good team and were still able to win by a large margin. Even with a sluggish offense for most of the game, the Buckeyes still dominated the score and almost all other stats of the game (and almost covered the spread, for all of you bettors out there), which truly shows how lethal this 2015 Ohio State Buckeyes team could be. They ended up beating the Hawai’I Rainbow Warriors Saturday afternoon, 38-0.
Quarter by Quarter
First Quarter
- 9:46 – Fourth-and-13 – punter/holder Cameron Johnston botches the snap on the field goal attempt, not even giving kicker Jack Willoughby a chance to make a 46-yard field goal.
- 3:25 – First-and-goal – Ezekiel Elliott gets his second touchdown carry of the season, with a one-yard touchdown run. (7-0)
First Quarter Analysis
Not the first quarter score that many were expecting (really, only seven points?), but what do you expect when one team just played five days ago and only had two practices to prepare, and the other team had to travel 4,500 miles from Hawai’I to Columbus.
Braxton Miller was used a lot in wildcat in the opening 15 minutes, notching five carries for 31 yards (he was the leading rusher in first quarter). When Miller wasn’t in the backfield, Cardale Jones showcased his throwing ability and Ezekiel Elliot did what he does best, scoring another touchdown for the Buckeyes.
With Joey Bosa’s return from suspension, Ohio State’s defense looked lethal. The Bucks allowed just 61 yards in the first quarter, including a 29-yard pass from Max Wittek to Dylan Collie on the opening play of the game.
In the opening 15 minutes of play, the Buckeyes had the ball on offense for nearly 13 minutes, but only had seven points to show for it.
Second Quarter
- 9:13 – Fourth-and-24 – Cameron Johnston’s 40-yard punt is downed by a group of Buckeyes on Hawai’I’s two-yard line, putting the Rainbow Warriors in a very tough spot.
- 7:29 – Third-and-6 – Gareon Conley intercepts Matt Wittek’s pass, giving the ball Ohio State the ball on the Rainbow Warriors’ 35-yard line.
- Following the interception, Urban Meyer put J.T. Barrett in at quarterback.
- 4:03 – Third-and-goal – Ezekiel Elliott’s finishes Barrett’s first drive with a three-yard carry into the end zone. (14-0)
- 1:57 – First-and-10 – After the ball was tipped by an Ohio State player and then a Hawai’I player, Vonn Bell makes a very impressive tip-drill type interception, giving the Buckeyes the ball on their own 28-yard line.
Second Quarter Analysis
Whether it was the short week or not, Ohio State’s offense struggled again in the second quarter. Bringing in J.T. Barrett for Cardale Jones at quarterback didn’t change much, unfortunately.
Jones wasn’t playing poorly, but the Buckeyes offense needed a spark. Urban Meyer and company decided to see if Barrett could be it.
Luckily for Ohio State’s offense, their defense played another superb quarter, allowing zero points.
Third Quarter
*Cardale Jones was the starter at quarterback to start the second half.
- 10:28 – First-and-10 – Darron Lee forces a Matt Wittek fumble, which is recovered by Sam Hubbard, giving Ohio State the ball on the Rainbow Warriors’ six-yard line.
- 8:34 – Fourth-and-goal – Urban Meyer decides not to go for it three yards from the end zone, and Jack Willoughby makes his first field goal (20 yards) of the season. (17-0)
- 3:06 – Third-and-10 – Joshua Perry sacks Matt Wittek for a loss of seven yards, pushing Hawai’i out of field goal range.
Third Quarter Analysis
Ohio State’s offense was stagnant again. Scoring just three points in the third quarter, the Buckeyes offense looked to be asleep. Cardale Jones played the entire third quarter but could not produce a touchdown.
But, like the opening two quarters, the Buckeyes defense dominated the third. They may have allowed a big play or two, but they made up for it with a sack and a turnover.
Fourth Quarter
- 9:07 – First-and-goal – Ezekiel Elliott scores on a one-yard run, his third rushing touchdown of the game. Elliott’s touchdown capped off a 17-play, 76-yard drive that took seven minutes off the clock. (24-0)
- 7:48 – Second-and-12 – The Ohio State defense forces yet another turnover; after the ball popped out of a pileup and through Darron Lee’s hands, Vonn Bell picked it up and ran for a touchdown. (31-0)
- 3:51 – Second-and-goal – Backup running back Bri’onte Dunn finds the end zone on a five-yard run. (38-0)
Fourth Quarter Analysis
For the fourth consecutive quarter, the Buckeyes’ passing game struggled. Luckily for them, Ezekiel Elliott and Ohio State’s defense bailed them out.
Top Performers
Cardale Jones – 11-of-18, 111 yards; six carries, five yards
J.T. Barrett – 8-of-15, 70 yards; one carry, seven yards
Ezekiel Elliott – 27 carries, 101 yards, three touchdowns
Braxton Miller – eight carries, 57 yards; two catches, 16 yards
Curtis Samuel – seven catches, 53 yards; one carry, nine yards
Michael Thomas – five catches, 52 yards
Josh Perry – seven tackles, one sack, one tackle for loss
Raekwon McMillan – seven tackles,
Darron Lee – four tackles, two sacks, two tackles for loss, one forced fumble
Vonn Bell – three tackles, one fumble recovery, one interception, one touchdown
Final Thoughts
The 107,145 fans in Ohio Stadium gasped every time Braxton Miller lined up in the backfield or touched the ball period. It was the first chance for fans in Columbus to see Miller in action since he converted to wide receiver in the offseason.
I would love to blame Ohio State’s (mostly) stagnant offense on having just five days’ rest and not much time or practice to prepare for Hawai’I, but the Rainbow Warriors had a 10-hour flight and six-hour time change to deal with before Saturday’s matchup in Columbus. Ezekiel Elliott bailed out the poor passing performance and the Buckeyes had no problem pulling away from Hawai’i. It’s amazing that Ohio State won by 38 despite a struggling offense.
The defense was incredible. Hawai’i converted a couple big plays, but Ohio State allowed just 165 yards of offense and zero (!) points. Vonn Bell and the rest of the defense were flying to the ball, forcing turnovers, and even scored their own touchdown.
The Buckeyes had a dismal seven penalties for 55 yards in the first half. The second half? Zero penalties. My guess is that Urban Meyer was not too happy about the penalties during their halftime speech and Ohio State seems to have listened.
Ohio State’s kicking game must improve though, both for field goals and on kickoffs. Against a good team, a struggling kicking game can come back to haunt them.
Other than some struggles through the air, the Buckeyes dominated all facets of the game. With at least a full week to prepare for each of their opponents the rest of the season, my guess is that this game will be the last we see a sluggish Ohio State offense.