On the latest Off-Script Ohio presented by Land-Grant Holy Land, Cole VanWiechen and Joey Gertz broke down Ohio State’s most complete performance of the season, in our opinion — a 42–3 dismantling of Minnesota that left little doubt about where the Buckeyes stand heading into October.
The passing game, defense, and special teams all clicked at once. After several conservative offensive outings, Ryan Day and Brian Hartline finally opened things up, and freshman quarterback Julian Sayin responded with
his most confident performance yet.
Sayin finished with over 300 passing yards and four touchdowns, spreading the ball to a rotation of dynamic targets who made Minnesota’s secondary look overmatched. Sayin’s command and timing stood out, particularly on play-action and third-down situations, where Ohio State converted at a season-high rate.
Carnell Tate was nearly unguardable, racking up nine catches for 183 yards and a score. Jeremiah Smith added seven receptions for 62 yards and two touchdowns, while tight end Max Klare had his most productive game of the season with five catches for 63 yards.
Defensively, the Buckeyes remain suffocating. After allowing an early drive into the red zone, Matt Patricia’s group slammed the door, holding Minnesota to just 162 total yards. The Gophers never established any rhythm, managing only 68 rushing yards and failing to complete a pass over 25 yards.
Linebackers Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles were everywhere, combining for 15 tackles and setting the tone physically.
Across the country, chaos reshaped the playoff landscape. Seventh-ranked Penn State was stunned by winless UCLA in a 42–37 shocker, Florida took down No. 9 Texas 29–21, and Oregon continued its unbeaten run with a win that positions them as Ohio State’s likely Big Ten title game opponent. Miami also strengthened its playoff case with a gritty 28–22 win over Florida State.
Next up for Ohio State is a home matchup with No. 17 Illinois, a 5–1 team fresh off wins over USC and Purdue.
The Illini have quietly become one of the Big Ten’s most efficient passing teams, led by Luke Altmeyer’s 12 touchdown passes and zero interceptions through six games. Still, their secondary has been below average, ranking 115th nationally in passing defense, an area the Buckeyes will undoubtedly look to exploit.
As Cole and Joey discussed, the matchup to watch will be Altmeyer against Ohio State’s relentless pressure, and how Illinois adjusts to the Buckeyes’ offensive tempo. With Jeremiah Smith and Julian Sayin both climbing into the top five of Heisman odds and safety Caleb Downs continuing to anchor a defense that leads the nation in scoring allowed, the Buckeyes look every bit the part of a national title favorite.
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