COLUMBUS, Ohio — Will Howard threw three touchdown passes, but No. 4 Ohio State had to rely on a late interception by cornerback Jordan Hancock to secure a 21-17 victory over Nebraska on Saturday.
The Buckeyes (6-1, 3-1 Big Ten) rebounded from their recent loss to Oregon, although their performance fell short of expectations against a team they were heavily favored to beat.
“It wasn’t perfect, but a win’s a win,” Howard commented. “We showed that when times get tough and things aren’t going our way, we can still win in the fourth quarter. Our defense made some huge stops and plays, giving us the opportunity to take the lead.”
Nebraska (5-3, 2-3) kept the game competitive throughout. John Hohl contributed three field goals while Dante Dowdell’s touchdown early in the fourth quarter briefly put the Cornhuskers ahead. Ohio State struggled, converting only 1 of 10 third downs, punting five times, and giving up a turnover on downs.
Dowdell’s 1-yard rushing touchdown and a subsequent 2-point conversion gave Nebraska a 17-14 advantage. However, Howard responded with a 9-yard touchdown pass to Quinshon Judkins, reclaiming the lead for Ohio State with just over six minutes left in the game.
With Nebraska at nearly midfield for their final drive, the Cornhuskers’ momentum was halted when receiver Jahmal Banks was taken out by Arvell Reese, who was subsequently ejected for targeting. Nebraska faced penalties and setbacks, culminating in an inaccurate pass from Dylan Raiola intended for Isaiah Neyor, which Hancock intercepted.
Howard ran out the clock with three kneel-downs.
The Huskers nearly gained the lead in the third quarter after Malcolm Hartzog Jr.’s interception gave them a chance at the Ohio State 7-yard line. However, on a crucial fourth-and-goal attempt from the 2, the Buckeyes’ defense held strong, preventing Dowdell from crossing the goal line.
“That’s definitely a drive we’d like to finish,” Raiola said. “We felt we had the right play called but came up short. We’ll make sure we capitalize on those situations in the future.”
Key Takeaways:
Nebraska: The Cornhuskers performed better than in their previous week’s 56-7 loss to Indiana, yet missed an opportunity to secure their sixth win, which would have made them bowl eligible for the first time since 2016. This defeat marked their 27th consecutive loss to ranked teams and their 18th against ranked opponents on the road.
Ohio State: The Buckeyes struggled offensively, rushing for only 64 yards with no significant plays from star players Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson. They managed to avoid their first home loss in a decade against an unranked opponent.
“Credit to Nebraska for their effort,” Ohio State coach Ryan Day said. “We knew they would come out aggressively after struggling the week before.”
In a historic moment, Howard connected with Jeremiah Smith for a 60-yard touchdown in the first half, marking Smith’s eighth receiving touchdown and tying him with Cris Carter for the most by a freshman in Ohio State history. Howard also threw a 40-yard touchdown pass to Carnell Tate, finishing the game 13 of 16 for 221 yards.
This narrow victory might impact poll standings as voters may reconsider the Buckeyes’ ranking due to their underwhelming performance.
Injury updates include Ohio State’s starting safety Lathan Ransom and tight end Will Kacmarek, who were sidelined with unspecified injuries, while Nebraska’s Rahmir Johnson missed the game due to a concussion, and left tackle Zen Michalski exited with an injury.
Next week’s matchups have Nebraska hosting UCLA and Ohio State traveling to face No. 3 Penn State.