Eric Boggs
As Ohio State fans, we’ve all been craving a solid, dominant win — and against Purdue, that’s exactly what we got. The Buckeyes cruised to a 45-0 victory, giving us a win that was never in doubt, especially after a stretch of three close games decided in the fourth quarter. This was a true showcase of our team’s power on offense, defense, and special teams, bringing us to 8-1 for the season and keeping us on track in the Big Ten race.
Starting off strong, Caden Curry’s blocked punt on Purdue’s opening drive set the tone for the game. It was our first blocked punt since Lathan Ransom’s back-to-back blocks in 2022, giving us great field position at the Purdue 8-yard line. From there, quarterback Will Howard punched in a 1-yard touchdown on a gutsy 4th-and-goal, kicking off the scoring and letting the Boilermakers know they were in for a long day.
The defense stood firm early on, too. Purdue reached our 3-yard line but left with zero points after a missed 21-yard field goal by their kicker, Spencer Porath. Ohio State responded with a beautiful 13-play, 80-yard drive that included a crucial 4th-and-1 conversion, ending with a Gee Scott Jr. touchdown. Jeremiah Smith soon followed with a record-breaking touchdown catch, marking his ninth of the season and breaking Cris Carter’s freshman record. The Buckeyes led 21-0 at halftime, and it was clear who controlled the field.
After halftime, our defense kept Purdue in check. Lathan Ransom’s end-zone interception was a statement that the Boilermakers would have no easy points. On the next drive, TreVeyon Henderson put the game further out of reach with a 19-yard touchdown run, and just eight seconds later, Jack Sawyer picked up a forced fumble by JT Tuimoloau, returning it for a score to make it 38-0. Emeka Egbuka, who almost saw his streak of 33 straight games with a catch come to an end, added a 10-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter to cap the scoring at 45-0.
Special teams played a massive role in the win, with Caden Curry’s blocked punt and Purdue’s two missed field goals. Those misses didn’t affect the game’s outcome, but they contributed to Ohio State’s first Big Ten shutout of the Ryan Day era. With a second shutout on the season (we also blanked Western Michigan), it’s the first time since 2014 that we’ve shut out two opponents in a single season. Defense like this — holding Purdue to just 206 yards — has been key to our success this year, and it bodes well for the critical games ahead.
In addition to the record-breaking plays and the overwhelming scoreline, the game gave us plenty to cheer about with the team’s depth and emerging talents. Eddrick Houston made his first career start, Joshua Mickens recorded his first sack, and Smith now holds all three of Ohio State’s freshman receiving records for receptions, yards, and touchdowns.
With this win, we keep control of our destiny in the Big Ten and look ahead to Northwestern next week at Wrigley Field. After today’s comprehensive team victory, it’s safe to say the Buckeyes are hitting their stride just when we need it most.
