Ohio State Football: Buckeyes handle Indiana in season-opener

In his second career start, Ohio State quarterback Kyle McCord completed 20 of 33 passes for 239 yards.

Ohio State led 10-3 after a spotty first half.

After forcing an Indiana punt, the Buckeyes scored first on a 7-yard touchdown run by Miyan Williams to cap Ohio State’s first possession of the season. He went off tackle behind pulling guard Matt Jones and fullback Chip Trayanum, ran through a tackle attempt and found the end zone with 7:16 left in the first quarter.

Ohio State went three-and-out on its second possession then gained 50 yards on its third possession before McCord was intercepted on a fourth-down pass.

Indiana followed that with its best possession, ripping off gains of 24 and 11 yards to get to the Ohio State 22-yard line.

The Hoosiers lost two yards on a third-and-5, though, and had to settle for a 44-yard field goal from Chris Freeman that banked in off the right upright with 6:15 left in the second quarter.

Ohio State closed the half with a 40-yard field goal by new kicker Jayden Fielding with :03 left on the clock.

That was largely a gift from the Hoosiers, who went for it on fourth-and-4 at the Ohio State 39 instead of trying to pin the Buckeyes deep with under a minute to go.

Then Indiana was flagged for taunting on a pass attempt aimed at Marvin Harrison Jr., giving the Buckeyes the ball in Indiana territory.

A 24-yard pass from McCord to tight end Cade Stover put the Buckeyes in scoring position, but they could not get any closer before settling for Fielding’s first career field goal.

Ohio State tacked on three more points on a 22-yard field goal by Fielding with 6:42 left in the third. That capped a 76-yard drive that consisted of 11 plays, including a 27-yard pass from McCord to Julian Fleming and a third down defensive pass interference penalty that kept the drive alive.

One drive later, the Buckeyes started to really pull away, going 88 yards in six plays for a touchdown. Williams capped it again with another tough run from the I formation that covered three yards.

The big play on the drive was a 49-yard pass from McCord to Stover, and Trayanum added 36 yards on four carries before helping clear the way for Williams’ TD.

Fielding converted a 22-yard attempt with 4:26 to go in the game after another Ohio State drive showed promise but fizzled late. That one covered 54 yards in 14 plays.

SATURDAY’S GAME

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