Highlights and Low Points from the Ohio State Buckeyes’ Win Against the Akron Zips
Here are the standout performers and those who fell short in the Ohio State Buckeyes’ season-opening victory over the Akron Zips.
The Ohio State Buckeyes kicked off the 2024 season with a commanding 52-6 victory over the Akron Zips.
Now, let’s take a closer look at the standout performers and those who fell short in the Buckeyes’ latest win.
Winner: Jeremiah Smith
Everyone knew that Jeremiah Smith was going to be a difference-maker for the Buckeyes, but the freshman wide receiver set the college football world on fire after his collegiate debut.
Smith finished Saturday’s contest with 92 receiving yards on six catches while hauling in two touchdowns. He capped off his incredible performance with a 45-yard grab in the fourth quarter:
Players and coaches were well aware of Smith’s talent as soon as he stepped on campus, and the young wideout is finally proving himself on the field. At 6-foot-3, 215 pounds, Smith has quickly become the Buckeyes’ “X” receiver.
Loser: Emeka Egbuka
“Loser” may not be the correct wording for Emeka Egbuka’s performance against Akron, but the veteran pass catcher had an underwhelming outing on Saturday.
After dealing with injuries last year, Egbuka was the prime candidate to be Ohio State’s leading receiver this season. However, the long-time Buckeye only recorded four receptions for 51 yards against the Zips.
He did make an impressive catch in the end zone, but it was unfortunately ruled as an incompletion:
Egbuka will still be an important part of the offense in 2024, but there’s a chance that he will not reach the statistical output that many experts projected.
Winner: Will Howard
Ohio State hit it out of the park with transfer Will Howard.
The former Kansas State quarterback stood out in his debut with the Buckeyes, throwing for 228 yards and three touchdowns. Despite him taking a couple of drives to settle in, Howard managed to complete 60.7 percent of his throws on Saturday.
Along with his efficient day through the air, the dual-threat quarterback displayed his ability to use his legs. Whether it was a designed run or scrambling out of the pocket, Howard proved that he is a perfect fit for Chip Kelly’s offense.
Loser: First Half Performance
Despite Ohio State’s dominant 52-6 victory over Akron, their performance in the first half raised some concerns.
The Buckeyes struggled with several mistakes early in the game. Jeremiah Smith, despite his impressive overall performance, dropped his initial pass on a quick screen play. On the following play, offensive lineman Tegra Tshabola was flagged for an offside penalty. Additionally, Davidson Igbinosun committed a personal foul on the first defensive play after a hit on Ben Finley.
While Ohio State’s strong second half masked these early issues, such slow starts could pose problems against tougher opponents in the future.
