No spoiler-making in Columbus
Stroud throws 5 TDs as Ohio State dominates Purdue
COLUMBUS, Ohio — C.J. Stroud threw for 361 yards and five touchdowns, freshman TreVeyon Henderson rumbled for two more scores and No. 6 Ohio State struck early and rolled over Purdue 59-31 on Saturday.
The Buckeyes (9-1, 7-0 Big Ten, CFP No. 4) scored on all seven of their first-half possessions, piling up 45 points against a Purdue team that hadn’t allowed more than 30 in any game this year.
Ohio State has been wobbly at times the past two weeks and was understandably wary of Purdue, which already upset two top-five teams this season.
“It’s going to build a lot of confidence,” Ohio State coach Ryan Day said. “I don’t think our guys were lacking confidence, I just think after the last two weeks — we were on edge a little bit this week, to be honest with you. We just wanted to get back in this game, score in the red zone and get our nose dirty a little bit, and I think we did that.”
The Buckeyes romped early, capitalizing on two Boilermakers turnovers, the second of which was a fumbled kickoff recovered on the Purdue 14. The 12-yard catch by Garrett Wilson two plays later gave the Buckeyes two touchdowns in 14 seconds.
“We were lucky to hold them to 59,” Purdue coach Jeff Brohm said.
Wilson, who was unavailable last week for unspecified reasons, had
10 catches for 126 yards and three touchdowns. Jaxson Smith-Njigba followed up a 15-catch, 240-yard effort last week with nine catches for 139 yards a a TD.
Chris Olave had nine receptions for 85 yards a touchdown, the 33rd of his career and one away from the school record. Miyan Williams rushed for 117 yards and Henderson had 98.
Rutgers 38, Indiana 3: Isaih Pacheco scored two touchdowns and Rutgers took advantage of six turnovers to rout Indiana, putting the Scarlet Knights on the cusp of postseason play.
They are one win away from becoming bowl eligible for the first time since 2014.
Rutgers (5-5, 2-5 Big Ten) converted the turnovers into
17 points and finished with its most lopsided conference win since joining the Big Ten — easily surpassing the previous best, 22 points, against Indiana in 2015.
The Hoosiers (2-8, 0-7) have lost six straight.
And this one went awry immediately — when quarterback Donoven McCulley botched a handoff
on the first play. Rutgers defensive end Mohamed Toure recovered at the Hoosiers 21-yard line and four plays later, Pacheco scored on an 8-yard TD run.
All the Hoosiers could muster was a 47-yard field goal to close the first half.
Indiana closes its home schedule next Saturday against Minnesota
vs. Memphis, Friday.
Saturday.
at Kansas St., Saturday.
vs. Illinois, Saturday.
vs. Nebraska, Saturday.
vs. Syracuse, Saturday.
vs. Texas St.,
vs. Rutgers, Saturday.
at Liberty, Saturday.
Long Beach St., Monday.
vs. Stony Brook, Thursday.
vs. Howard, Tuesday.
vs. Northern Colorado, Wednesday.
vs. Seton Hall, Tuesday.
vs. Wright St., Tuesday.
Nicholls St., Monday.
Gardner-Webb, Tuesday.
vs. Mount St. Mary’s, Tuesday.
at Marquette, Monday.
vs. Saint Louis, Tuesday.
vs. BYU, Tuesday.
vs. South Alamaba, Tuesday.
Iowa, Wednesday.
vs. Bowling Green, Monday.
vs. ETSU, Sunday.
at Charleston, Tuesday.
at Florida, Sunday.
vs. George Mason, Wednesday.
vs. Canisius, Sunday.
vs. LIU, Wednesday.