COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Julian Sayin threw for four touchdowns, set an Ohio State record for completed passes to start a game and fell one short of the school record for consecutive completions as the top-ranked Buckeyes rolled to a 70-0 victory over Grambling State on Saturday.
Ohio State (2-0) — playing its first game as the No. 1 team in the AP Top 25 since 2015 — scored on eight of its first nine possessions and did not punt until midway through the fourth quarter. It was the ninth victory in school history by at least 70 points and sixth via shutout.
Two of those wins have now come against historically Black colleges or universities. The Buckeyes beat Florida A&M 76-0 in 2013.
“We talked about being more explosive and playing with tempo. That was good,” coach Ryan Day said. "I thought Julian really had some accurate throws, the ball came out on time and the spacing, timing and protection was good.
“You know they (Grambling) were outmatched talent-wise for sure, and I think (coach Mickey Joseph) expressed that. But I give them a lot of respect for playing hard and playing for four quarters all the way to the end.”
Grambling State (1-1) received $1 million for making its first trip to Ohio Stadium.
Sayin completed his first 16 passes and finished 18 of 19 for 306 yards, all in the first half. The sophomore broke Will Howard's mark of 13 straight completions to start a game.
Howard had set the record on Jan. 20, when he led the Buckeyes to victory in the College Football Playoff national championship game against Notre Dame.
Sayin was one pass away from tying C.J. Stroud’s school record of 17 consecutive completions when he was picked off by Grambling’s Tyrell Raby at the Tigers 1 on a pass intended for Carnell Tate.
“I don’t think I’ve done that before, but I think it’s just, when you get those completions kind of racking up, it builds confidence and the energy from the other players in the offense, when they start seeing you moving the ball down the field like that," Sayin said.
Sayin had five completions of at least 40 yards, including his first two touchdown passes — a 47-yarder to tight end Will Kacmarek on Ohio State’s opening possession and an 87-yarder to Jeremiah Smith with 8:54 remaining in the first quarter.
Smith, who had five receptions for 119 yards and two touchdowns, was wide open at the Ohio State 46 and went untouched up the left sideline for the second-longest pass play in school history and the third-longest play from scrimmage.
Lincoln Kienholz took over at quarterback in the third quarter and Tavien St. Clair played the final 11 minutes.
Bo Jackson rushed for 108 yards and a touchdown, all in the second half.
Another great catch
Tate made his second great catch as many weeks in Ohio Stadium's north end zone when he reached over Raby and hauled it in for a 13-yard score to put the Buckeyes up by four touchdowns in the second quarter.
Last week, Tate beat Texas cornerback Jaylon Guilbeau for a 40-yard touchdown. Tate juggled the ball before pulling it down in the end zone.
Overmatched
Grambling State’s best possession was its third, which began late in the first quarter. The Tigers went on a 12-play drive that included Andre Crews’ 19-yard run off left end on fourth-and-1 at the 50. They got to the Ohio State 19 before Theodore Caballero missed a 36-yard field-goal attempt.
That was the only time the Tigers got into Ohio State territory.
“I think you start just to make sure you can do what we’re capable of doing against them, that you’re not delusional like I think some people are delusional,” Joseph said. “Some people thought we was going to walk in here and go toe-to-toe with them. Not with 63 scholarships. What (do) they have, a $35 million roster? I don’t have a $35 million roster. Maybe we can put our money together and we come up with $35 million but I doubt it.”
The takeaway
Grambling State: Joseph wanted his team to play a clean game. The Tigers did that for most of the first half but had three turnovers, including a fumble by Byron Eaton Jr. on the first play of the second half that was returned 23 yards for a touchdown by Riley Pettijohn.
Ohio State: The Buckeyes, who had 203 yards of offense in last week's 14-7 win over then-No. 1 Texas, racked up 208 yards through nine plays on Saturday.
Up next
Grambling State hosts Kentucky State next Saturday.
Ohio State hosts Ohio University next Saturday.
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