Ohio State scored six touchdowns in its first game of the season at Minnesota on Thursday night. All of them came on plays that started at least 32 yards away from the end zone.
The Buckeyes’ shortest touchdown of the day actually came from their defense when Haskell Garrett scooped up a fumble forced by Zach Harrison and returned it 32 yards to the end zone for a touchdown. All five of the Buckeyes’ offensive touchdowns came on plays of 38 yards or more.
On a day where Ohio State was breaking in a first-time starter at quarterback and its defense was clearly still working through the kinks, those big plays made all the difference for the Buckeyes to earn a 45-31 victory over the Gophers.