Columbus, Ohio – For the second straight season, the Ohio State Club Football team is a division champion.
The Buckeyes defeated rival and No. 3-ranked Miami (OH) 37-8 on Saturday, Nov. 2 to take the Mid-Atlantic West Division crown – and clinch a spot in the NCFA Playoffs – for the second consecutive year.
Ohio State marched 67 yards for a score on the game’s opening drive, capped by a three-yard touchdown run by sophomore quarterback Kellyn Gerenstein. A 35-yard field goal by Alex Strohm on Ohio State’s second offensive possession extended the Buckeye lead to 10-0 at the end of the first quarter.
After trading punts, Ohio State found the end zone again, this time on a 45-yard pass deep over the middle from Gerenstein to junior wide receiver De’Shawn White. White finished with four receptions for 69 yards and the score, his third receiving touchdown of the season and his fifth score overall.
Gerenstein added a 23-yard touchdown run later in the second before senior Adam Bardak stepped in front of a Redhawk screen pass and returned it 20 yards for a score to give the Buckeyes a 31-0 lead at halftime.
The second half featured a defensive struggle between the two teams. Ohio State scored its second defensive touchdown of the night in the third quarter after a backwards pass by Miami was deflected into the end zone and recovered by senior safety KC Cress for what would be the Buckeyes’ final score of the day.
With the NCFA running clock rule in effect, Ohio State would get just four second half possessions, two of which ended after just one play. Miami got on the board late in the third quarter on a five-yard touchdown run from quarterback Xavier Henry. A blocked extra point attempt was returned into the end-zone for a two-point conversion, which ended the scoring.
Gerenstein finished 12-of-16 passing for 169 yards and a touchdown, adding eight carries for 28 yards on the ground and two more scores. On the season, the Chicago native has accounted for 20 touchdowns (12 passing, eight rushing) in five games. His favorite receiving target on the season, Geoff Green II, finished the day with five catches for 77 yards, officially putting him atop the program record book for both receptions (24) and yards (426) in a single season.
The victory pushes Ohio State to 6-0 on the year, tying the program record for wins in a season (2011, 2013, 2017). The Buckeyes are set to return to action on November 16 in Pittsburgh, where they will take on Coppin State University for the Mid-Atlantic Conference title and the right to move on to the NCFA semi-finals.
Ohio State Club Football 