Buckeyes Rally to Finish Undefeated at Home on Senior Night

On a lively Senior Night at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium, No. 1 Ohio State (11-1-3, 6-1-2) showed the heart and grit we’ve come to expect, rallying from a goal down to finish with a 2-2 draw against Michigan State (5-6-4, 4-3-2). This final home game of the regular season capped an undefeated home campaign for the Buckeyes at 7-0-3—continuing a fortress-like trend at JOMS that’s becoming a staple for this team.

Tuesday’s game mirrored the energy and determination of last season’s squad, which also finished undefeated at home (7-0-2) and then tacked on a Big Ten Tournament win over Michigan State to bring their JOMS record to 8-0-2. With this year’s impressive run, the Buckeyes have notched their first back-to-back undefeated home seasons since the 2015 campaign (10-2-2). Only a handful of Ohio State squads have ever gone unbeaten at home, and this year’s Buckeyes join that proud history.

Ohio State’s seniors—Michael Adedokun, Tommaso Villa, David Wrona, Siggi Magnusson, Anthony Samways, Parker Grinstead, and Deylen Vellios—were honored before kickoff in a ceremony that fired up the crowd and the team. A little adversity struck when starting goalkeeper Max Trejo was injured during warmups, pushing redshirt freshman Patrick McLaughlin into the starting role. McLaughlin, however, stepped up with a pair of key saves, holding his ground to keep the Buckeyes in it.

Ohio State struck first, with David Wrona burying his fifth goal of the season off a slick pass from Ashton Bilow, who split defenders to set up the chance. Michigan State battled back with two quick goals in the second half, but freshman David Ajagbe found the equalizer in the 78th minute, heading in a cross from Donovan Williams to keep Ohio State in the game and ultimately secure the draw.

The Buckeyes’ record stands tall when scoring first (10-1-2), a testament to their defensive backbone and fighting spirit. Up next, Ohio State will take this momentum into a high-stakes matchup on Nov. 3 against No. 10 Maryland, which will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network.

This season, Adedokun has been a force in the Big Ten, leading the conference in points (25) with eight goals and nine assists. His standout performances have propelled the Buckeyes to their No. 1 ranking—the highest in program history—recognized both in the NCAA Division 1 Men’s Soccer Rankings and by the United Soccer Coaches Poll, where they sit as a unanimous No. 1.

Ahead lies the 2024 Big Ten Tournament at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, Illinois, where Ohio State looks to cement its place as a true contender. If they clinch the top seed, they’ll earn a bye to the semifinals on Nov. 10, hoping to play for the title on Nov. 17.

This season has been one for the history books. Not only did Ohio State open Big Ten play with a dominant 5-0 win over Penn State and a record-breaking 6-3 road win at Michigan, but they also saw a seven-game win streak—the longest since 2015. With an undefeated non-conference record, the Buckeyes have cemented themselves as a powerhouse in the NCAA.

With Senior Night now behind them, this remarkable group of players has one last regular-season mission before embarking on the postseason journey Buckeye fans have been dreaming of. Let’s keep the momentum rolling!