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Ohio State trailed for the first time this season on Saturday, but the top-ranked Buckeyes gained traction as their Big Ten opener went along and eventually pulled away from Washington in a 24-6 victory at Husky Stadium.
Julian Sayin shook off those early offensive struggles to throw for 208 yards and 2 touchdowns with 0 interceptions for Ohio State, which improved to 4-0. One of those TD throws went to Jeremiah Smith, who caught 8 passes for 81 yards on Saturday.
The 18-yard scoring pass to Smith was Ohio State’s first points of the day with 1:08 left in the first half. It gave the Buckeyes a 7-3 halftime lead and erased that first deficit of the season, with Washington getting a 28-yard field goal from Grady Gross early in the second quarter to break the scoreless tie in a game dominated by defense in the first half.
The game was heavily in doubt at halftime, but Ohio State removed that doubt with a workmanlike second half to fend off the previously unbeaten Huskies, who fell to 3-1 in losing their Big Ten opener. CJ Donaldson scored on a 1-yard run for the Buckeyes midway through the third quarter to finally give the Buckeyes some breathing room with a 14-3 lead, and after another Gross field goal late in the third pulled Washington within 14-6, it was all Ohio State.
The Buckeyes kept Washington off the scoreboard in the final period, taking over the game with that stifling defense that allowed the Huskies just 234 total yards on their home field on national TV. That’s not easy to do in Seattle, but Ohio State accomplished it and put the game out of reach with another Donaldson TD, this time through the air.
Sayin found Donaldson on a 4-yard connection with 4:56 left, and Buckeyes fans could breathe a complete sigh of relief that their first road game of 2025 was put to bed. The TD pass by Sayin was part of a 22-of-28 day for the first-year starter, who had yet to face a hostile environment this year after season-opening wins at home over Texas, Grambling and Ohio.
Ohio State only gained 357 total yards on the day, but it was more than enough thanks to that dominant defense and an opportunistic offense that got it going when it really mattered.
The Buckeyes will return to the friendly confines in Columbus in Week 6 for a primetime showdown against Minnesota, with kickoff at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC. Meanwhile, Washington visits Maryland in Week 6 at 3:30 p.m. ET on Big Ten Network.