COLUMBUS, Ohio — With two minutes, 21 seconds remaining, Ohio State lined up on its own 36-yard line with the chance to finally put Northern Illinois away on a 3rd-and-2.
Center Jacoby Boren snapped the ball in the shotgun to quarterback J.T. Barrett, who handed the ball off to running back Ezekiel Elliott, who was promptly stuffed by Huskies linebacker Boomer Mays and safety Marlon Moore after just a one-yard gain.
On cue, the Buckeyes punting unit trotted onto the field. Fourth down. Northern Illinois would live to fight another set of downs.
"That was a microcosm of the game of us," Ohio State left tackle Taylor Decker said.