EVANSTON, Ill. _ Ohio State's run game struggled at the start Friday night. So, surprisingly, did its run defense.
It's a testament to the Buckeyes' dominance this season that such blips are noteworthy. And blips are all they proved to be.
Ohio State quickly asserted its superiority in a 52-3 victory over Northwestern at Ryan Field soon enough.
The No. 4 Buckeyes improved to 7-0 (4-0 Big Ten) heading into next Saturday's showdown against unbeaten Wisconsin.
Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields threw for 194 yards and four touchdowns on 18-of-23 passing. J.K. Dobbins finished with 121 rushing yards and scored twice, as did wide receiver Chris Olave.
It was Ohio State's 32nd victory over Northwestern in 33 games since 1971. But the previous three games between the teams were competitive, including a 45-24 victory in the 2018 Big Ten championship game in which the Wildcats trailed by only three in the third quarter.
Northwestern (1-5, 0-4) entered the game with a solid defense that had been unable to overcome the Wildcats' feeble offense.
But the Wildcats dominated the line of scrimmage early on both sides of the ball. Dobbins' first nine carries gained only 22 yards.
The Buckeyes overcame that on the game's first drive to take a 7-0 lead on a 20-yard pass from Fields to Olave.
The way Northwestern's offense has played this season, Buckeyes fans might be excused for thinking the game was over. The Wildcats rank 128th out of 130 FBS teams in scoring (14.4 per game).
But they didn't look terrible at the start. The first five runs by Northwestern running backs gained 54 yards, with the shortest an 8-yarder. Ohio State entered the game allowing only 2.4 yards per rush.
That enabled the Wildcats to get close enough for a 33-yard field goal on their second possession to make it 7-3.
It would prove to be as close as Northwestern would get to making the game competitive.
Ohio State rode Fields' arm on a 75-yard drive to make it 14-3. Fields kept the possession alive early when he escaped a sack and threw an off-balance strike to K.J. Hill for a 20-yard completion on third-and-15. He completed four straight passes to end the drive, the final one a 19-yarder to Dobbins, who ran a nice cutback route.
The Buckeyes' defense then tightened up, and Ohio State's run game opened up. Dobbins broke a 68-yard run early in the second quarter thanks to key blocks from center Josh Myers and left tackle Thayer Munford. Munford didn't start the game because of an injury but came in on that series after Nicholas Petit-Frere struggled.
Dobbins scored on a 5-yarder on the next play to make it 21-3 and the rout was on.
The Buckeyes added another touchdown following a botched snap on a Northwestern punt at the Wildcats' 15-yard line. Fields again found Olave, this time for an 8-yard touchdown in the corner of the end zone. The sophomore's momentum carried him toward the bleachers, where he high-fived one of the Ohio State fans who filled the majority of the seats.
The Buckeyes' biggest celebration of the first half came on its final play. Blake Haubeil kicked a 55-yard field goal, which matched the longest one by a Buckeye in 15 years. Only Tom Skladany in 1975 at Illinois with a 59-yarder has kicked one longer.
After the kick went through the uprights to give Ohio State a 31-3 halftime lead, Haubeil's teammates mobbed him as they ran back to the locker room.
The Buckeyes padded their lead with a 65-yard drive on the first possession of the third quarter. Austin Mack, who caught three previous passes on the drive, hauled in a 23-yarder for the score.
Ohio State added two fourth-quarter touchdowns. Sevyn Banks set up Chris Chugunov's 7-yard to tight end Jeremy Ruckert with an interception at the Northwestern 11. Master Teague III scored on a 73-yard run.
The Buckeyes outgained Northwestern 484-199. After the shaky start stopping the run, the Buckeyes stiffened. The Wildcats finished with only 157 rushing yards.
Northwestern seldom even tested the Buckeyes' passing game. Aidan Smith completed only 6 of 20 passes for 42 yards. His longest completion was for only 13 yards.
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