Given some of the slow starts that set the Buckeyes back in games against Nebraska, Penn State and Michigan in the second half of the regular season, fast starts were an emphasis for Ohio State entering the College Football Playoff.
That emphasis yielded dividends. As Eleven Warriors dove into Ohio State's quarter-by-quarter and half-by-half splits during the 2024-25 CFP, the first quarter stood out as the biggest period of Buckeye dominance.
Ohio State held significant edges in the second and third quarters, too, while holding level in the fourth.
| SPLIT | POINTS | OPP POINTS | SCORING MARGIN | YARDS | OPP YARDS | YARDS PER PLAY | OYPP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FIRST QUARTER | 42 | 7 | +35 | 622 | 199 | 9. |