Overview
- Freshman QB Julian Sayin went 27-of-33 for 303 yards with one touchdown and one interception, marking his third straight 300-yard game and lifting his nine-game totals to 80.9% passing for 2,491 yards, 24 TDs and four INTs.
- WR Jeremiah Smith caught 10 passes for 137 yards, including a 35-yard score for his 10th touchdown of the season and the 25th of his career, tying him with Santonio Holmes for sixth on Ohio State’s all-time receiving TD list.
- Postgame, both stars publicly pointed the Heisman toward the other, with Smith saying the trophy belongs to Sayin and Sayin calling Smith the choice, as shared by 10TV’s Adam King.
- Ohio State controlled the game with 170 rushing yards and more than 40 minutes of possession, while the defense limited Purdue to 186 total yards; C.J. Donaldson Jr. scored two 1-yard touchdowns and Jayden Fielding hit a career-long 49-yard field goal.
- The defending champions stayed atop the Big Ten race at 6-0 in conference play and return home next to face UCLA, with a potential title-game meeting with No. 2 Indiana still in play.