Ohio State dominated Tulsa, 48-3, on Saturday afternoon in rainy and windy weather conditions to improve to 2-0. The defense was especially dominant, giving up less than 200 yards of offense to Tulsa.
Here’s how I graded the performance:
Pass offense - C
Playing on a wet field did JT Barrett no favors, but he still finished 14-22 for 149 yards passing. Barrett looked uncomfortable in the pocket in the first half, but settled in throughout the second half.
Run offense - B+
Ohio State had quite a bit of success on the ground in the second half. The offensive line was pushed around for most of the first half, but responded well. J.T. Barrett had 55 yards rushing on 16 carries, which is probably a few more than Urban Meyer would like for his quarterback. Mike Weber had a nice afternoon with 92 yards and his first career touchdown.
Pass defense - A+
Four interceptions. Two interceptions returned for touchdowns. It does not matter who the opponent is. Those are impressive numbers for a young secondary that seems to be figuring things out just in time for next week’s showdown with Oklahoma. The secondary only gave up 127 passing yards to a decent quarterback in Dane Evans.
Run defense - A
Through two games, the front seven in scarlet and gray is humming. The “Silver Bullets” gave up just 61 yards on the ground to Tulsa. Robert Landers had times where he seemed to be in on every play. The front seven also had a goal line stand in the first half, forcing a turnover on downs.
Special teams - A
Tyler Durbin knocked in two field goals and was a 6-for-6 in rainy conditions. Cam Johnston is now averaging 51.1 yards per punt, which is huge for Ohio State with field position battles always proving key in the Big Ten.
Conclusion
Ohio State came out sluggish and looked out of rhythm early, but bounced back to get the job done. The defense still has not allowed a touchdown this season, but it has not been tested like it will in the showdown next weekend in Norman against Oklahoma.
Drop your thoughts on how the Buckeyes looked in the comment section below!