COLUMBUS, Ohio _ It would be overstating it to say that the denizens of Ohio Stadium were anxious early in Ohio State's game against Miami (Ohio) University on Saturday.
Consternation might be a better description of the Buckeyes' sluggish start. The RedHawks, a 39-point underdog, got a quick safety and field goal and led midway through the first quarter.
Consternation quickly turned to relief as the expected rout then commenced. The No. 6 Buckeyes scored 42 in the second quarter and rolled to a 76-5 victory in front of an announced crowd of 103,190.
Playing only in the first half, sophomore quarterback Justin Fields threw for four touchdowns and ran for two more as he continued the strong start to his Buckeye career.
After a shaky start, Ohio State's defense had another suffocating performance. Chase Young had two strip sacks for turnovers that led to late second-quarter touchdowns that made the second half a formality.
The Buckeyes (4-0) talked all week about avoid complacency against an obviously overmatched opponent. But it was Miami (1-3) that threw the first couple of punches.
It had surprising success moving the ball early against Ohio State. After the RedHawks first drive stalled, their punt was downed at the Buckeyes' 2. Two plays later, Fields dropped back to pass in the end zone. Linebacker Myles Reid got around running back J.K. Dobbins and swatted the ball out of Fields' hand and out of the end zone for a safety.
On the ensuing Miami possession, the RedHawks drove to the Buckeyes' 3 before the drive stalled. Coach Chuck Martin elected to kick the field goal for a 5-0 lead with 7:25 left in the first quarter.
It would be all downhill from there for Miami. J.K. Dobbins capped a 75-yard drive with a 26-yard touchdown run to put Ohio State ahead barely 2 minutes later.
The Buckeyes led only 7-5 entering the second quarter, but the onslaught then began. On the second play of the period, Fields connected with senior K.J. Hill, who caught the pass down the left sideline, broke a tackle and scored for a 53-yard score. It was the longest pass in Fields' young career and the longest reception in Hill's.
Junior cornerback Jeff Okudah then got his first career interception on Miami's next play. Three plays later, Fields ran in from 7 yards to make it 21-5.
Fields scored on another run _ this time a 6-yarder _ on the Buckeyes' next possession.
Then Young took over. The defensive end stripped the ball from Miami quarterback Jackson Williams and linebacker Malik Harrison recovered at the RedHawks' 28. Three plays later, Fields threw to Chris Olave for a 13-yard touchdown.
Perhaps Fields' best pass came on the Buckeyes' next score when he threw a 30-yard dart to Binjimen Victor, who made a superb catch in traffic and got a foot down in the back of the end zone.
Young then struck again with another sack, this time recovered by Tyler Friday at the Miami 33. Fields threw to Olave for a 10-yard score to make it 49-7 at halftime.
The 42 second-quarter points was the most Ohio State has scored in a quarter since at least 1960, according to the team's sports information staff.
Coach Ryan Day gave Fields the second half off. Graduate transfer Chris Chugunov threw his first two touchdown passes as a Buckeye. The first was a 38-yarder to freshman Garrett Wilson, who made an acrobatic, juggling catch after the ball first hit off Miami defender Ja'don Rucker-Furlow.
Chugunov's second touchdown pass was a 7-yarder to freshman Marcus Crowley, his first touchdown.
Gunnar Hoak, another grad transfer quarterback, got in on the touchdown action early in the fourth quarter with a 61-yard pass to freshman Jameson Williams.
Another freshman Steele Chambers, closed out the scoring with a 2-yard touchdown run with 3 minutes left.
Fields finished 14 of 21 for 223 yards. He has not thrown an interception in his first games as a Buckeye.
