LINCOLN, Neb. — Ryan Day had spoken warily about Nebraska all week, praising what he'd seen on video from the Cornhuskers while dismissing their record.
That's often coach-speak, but the Ohio State coach was justified in regarding Nebraska as better than a team with a 3-6 record. The Huskers, after all, hadn't lost by more than eight points all year, and that includes games against top-10 teams Oklahoma, Michigan State and Michigan.
No. 5 Ohio State also felt the frustration of having trouble putting Nebraska away but escaped with a 26-17 victory Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
The Buckeyes overcame a stagnant run game, trouble scoring touchdowns in the red zone and ill-timed penalties. TreVeyon Henderson didn't have a carry for longer than 6 yards until Ohio State's final drive.
But Ohio State prevailed.
It did so because of its defense, with the exception of two big pass plays, was stout. Nebraska converted only 1 of 11 third-down chances and ran for only 113 yards on 34 carries.
It did so because Jaxon Smith-Njigba caught 15 passes for 240 yards and a touchdown to pick up the slack left by the absence of Garrett Wilson. Quarterback C.J. Stroud threw for 405 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions.
Nebraska missed two field goals while Ohio State's Noah Ruggles kicked four field goals to remain perfect this season.
Nebraska had the ball trailing by 6 with 6 minutes to play. After one first down, Ohio State safety Bryson Shaw broke up a pass, as did Marcus Williamson on second and third downs, with Nebraska wanting interference on the latter one.
Ohio State got the ball back at its 13 with 5:17 left. Henderson finally found some daylight with carries of 11 and 22 to move the ball into Nebraska territory. On first down from the 34, Stroud fumbled while sacked, but center Luke Wypler recovered at the 45. Completions to Smith-Njigba and Henderson got the ball to the 29, and Ruggles nailed a 46-yard field goal to clinch the win.
The game was scoreless until the second quarter. Ohio State replicated last week's slow start offensively against Penn State. The Buckeyes failed on a fourth-down throw to Jeremy Ruckert on their opening drive, and Stroud threw his first interception since the Tulsa game on their next.
The Buckeyes' defense continued its recent improvement, holding Nebraska to only 46 yards in the first quarter. Ohio State finally scored with 11:25 left in the second quarter on a 26-yard field goal by Ruggles after the Buckeyes stalled in the red zone.
The Buckeyes made it 10-0 following a 13-yard Nebraska punt that gave them possession at the Huskers 49. The Buckeyes pounded it with Henderson to the Nebraska 3 before Stroud threw to Chris Olave for a 3-yard score.
Most of the scoring came in the final four minutes of the half. Nebraska kicked a 39-yard field goal. On Ohio State's next snap, Stroud threw a short pass to Smith-Njigba. He juked cornerback Quinton Newsome and got a block from Olave to go 75 yards for the touchdown to make it 17-3.
If it looked like the Buckeyes were on the verge of a blowout, Nebraska quickly dispelled that. On the second play of the Huskers' ensuing possession, Samori Toure beat Lathan Ransom over the middle, caught Adrian Martinez's pass in stride and ran for a 72-yard score.
Ohio State had a chance for a last-second score, but Olave was tackled at the Nebraska 40 as time expired.
Following consecutive sacks by Zach Harrison and Javontae Jean-Baptiste to end Nebraska's first possession of the third quarter, the Buckeyes drove to the Nebraska 33.
A 14-yard completion to Henderson after a holding call on right tackle Dawand Jones wiped out a previous third-down conversion by the running back set up a 46-yard field goal by Ruggles to make it 20-10.
The Buckeyes added another field goal for a 13-point lead before Martinez again hit Toure with Ransom trailing in coverage for a 53-yard completion to set up a Martinez keeper to make it 23-17.
After Stroud's second interception, Nebraska drove to the Ohio State 13 before Scott Frost elected to attempt a 31-yard field goal on fourth-and-4. The kick missed wide left.
