Ohio State Club Football opened its 14th season with the largest margin of victory in team history.
The Buckeyes trounced rival Oakland University, 69-0, on Sunday night in Rochester Hills, Michigan. Ohio State broke a program record for points scored in a single game while also handing the Grizzlies their worst defeat in team history. The previous team record for points in a game and largest margin of victory came in 2016, a 66-0 win over UM-Flint.
Ohio State never punted, scoring on all 10 offensive possessions while the defense kept the Grizzlies off the scoreboard for the second time in the last three meetings. With the win, the Buckeyes now hold the series advantage at 5-4 against the Grizzlies, winning the last five.
Offensively, the Buckeyes were led by quarterback Spencer Moore, who completed 12-of-15 passes for 194 yards and four touchdowns and no interceptions. He added another score on the ground, accounting for half of Ohio State’s touchdowns on the night. His 80% completion rate set a new program-record for single-game completion percentage, surpassing Kellyn Gerenstein’s 79% performance against George Mason in the 2022 NCFA Semifinals.
Five different receivers caught passes from Moore against the Grizzlies. In his Buckeye debut, freshman Zach Hayes led all players with four catches for 96 yards and a pair of scores, including a 64-yard strike from Moore in the first quarter. Jalen Haley caught three passes for 22 yards and the first touchdown of the game, while David Cooper added three receptions for 28 yards. Christian Wright, playing in his first game as a Buckeye, hauled in his lone pass of the night in the second quarter for a 43-yard touchdown.
On the ground, Ohio State accounted for 253 yards and six touchdowns. Senior running back Johnathan Thiele paced the Buckeyes with 15 carries for 96 yards and a pair of touchdowns while sophomore Jack Laing added five carries for 42 yards and a score. In addition to starting on defense as a safety, backup quarterback Patrick Parrish showed his explosive running ability, carrying four times for 112 yards and two scores, both in the fourth quarter.
Defensively, the Buckeyes officially welcomed back defensive coordinator Dylan Barron with the fifth shutout by an Ohio State defense in his time on the coaching staff. The Grizzlies accumulated just four first downs, two of which came by way of penalty. The Buckeye defense recovered a pair of fumbles and forced a whopping six three-and-outs and two turnovers on downs.
With the lopsided score, multiple Buckeyes got in on the action as 18 different players recorded a tackle against the Grizzlies. Freshman linebacker Tyler Beckman was a standout with the starting defense, tallying three tackles, two of which were for a loss. Senior cornerback Joe Umba provided a lockdown performance, allowing zero receptions to his side, a tackle for loss and a pass breakup. Ohio State also recorded four sacks, with Jake Donovan, Daniel Sankiewicz, Ryan Sullivan and Laing each collecting one.
The Buckeyes are set to return to action on Sunday, Sept. 24 against Wright State. Kickoff is set for Noon EST at Mulholland Field.
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