The Library Media — Sports · Sports Desk
No. 20 Ohio State Holds Off Northwestern 28-19 Behind Fahey’s Three Touchdown Passes
By Piper Rampage
Photo: Lectrician2 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
COLUMBUS, Ohio — No. 20 Ohio State broke open a one-point game in the second half and held off Northwestern 28-19 at Ohio Stadium, improving to 7-3 while the Wildcats fell to 6-4.
Both teams entered at 6-3 and turned to backup quarterbacks because of injuries. Freshman Luke Fahey made his third straight start for Ohio State with Julian Sayin injured, while Nicco Marchiol started for Northwestern with Aidan Chiles hurt.
Northwestern struck first when Jackson Kleather made a 44-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead in the first quarter. Ohio State answered in the second as Fahey threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to Isaiah West, putting the Buckeyes ahead 7-3.
At halftime, Fahey was 11-of-16 for 92 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Bo Jackson had nine carries for 58 yards and a touchdown at the break.
Kleather connected from 46 yards to cut Ohio State’s lead to 7-6, but the Buckeyes answered late in the second quarter. Jackson scored on a 2-yard wildcat run to give Ohio State a 14-6 halftime advantage.
Northwestern again tightened the game early in the third quarter. Marchiol scored on a 2-yard run to cut the deficit to 14-13, putting the pressure back on Ohio State after the Wildcats had battled back from their halftime deficit.
The Buckeyes responded immediately with the sequence that proved decisive. Facing fourth-and-1, Fahey found Devin McCuin for an 8-yard touchdown, pushing the lead back to 21-13.
Ohio State continued to build its advantage in the fourth quarter. Fahey connected with Jeremiah Smith on a 10-yard touchdown pass with 6:38 remaining, extending the margin to 28-13. Smith had nine receptions for 94 yards through three quarters.
The Buckeyes’ defense later forced a turnover on downs, helping preserve the two-score advantage before Northwestern mounted one final scoring drive. Marchiol threw a 17-yard touchdown pass to Luke Dehnicke with four seconds remaining, producing the final 28-19 margin.
Northwestern’s early field goal gave the Wildcats the first-quarter lead, and Marchiol’s rushing touchdown brought them within one point after halftime. But after Northwestern cut the score to 14-13, Ohio State answered with touchdown passes to McCuin and Smith to restore control and rebuild a two-score lead.
The result moved Ohio State to 7-3 and left Northwestern at 6-4 after a game in which both teams relied on backup quarterbacks but Ohio State’s response to Northwestern’s second-half challenge made the difference.
Piper Rampage
College Football, The Library Media
From The Library — the estate of our family.
