The Ohio State Buckeyes treated fans to an intriguing clash in their spring-ending Spring Game, held Saturday at the illustrious Ohio Stadium. With plenty of buzz around the budding talents and tactical maneuvers deployed by Coach Ryan Day, entering his seventh season, the action didn’t disappoint those 40,136 fans who braved the chilly but sunny conditions at the Horseshoe.
In this offensive versus defensive spectacle, Day crafted a unique scoring system that kept every play meaningful. The offense, naturally, scored through the usual touchdowns and field goals. But the defense had their share of the action too, being rewarded with points for touchdowns and key defensive plays like takeaways, three-and-outs, and sacks.
The game saw the offense clinch a 51-31 victory, though it was the richness of the storyline on the field that truly captivated attention. Returning starters and key players were given only a brief spell on the turf, making way for the fresh faces vying for starting spots—none more scrutinized than the quarterback position, now up for grabs following Will Howard’s departure.
Three quarterbacks took center stage:
- Redshirt freshman Julian Sayin delivered a confident showing, completing 17 of 24 passes for 175 yards and a touchdown, indicating his readiness to step up.
- Third-year sophomore Lincoln Kienholz kept the pressure on with an efficient 12 of 18 passing for 158 yards and two touchdowns, adding depth to the competition.
- True freshman Tavien St. Clair had his moments of brilliance, going 11 of 15 for 116 yards and a touchdown, though his two interceptions highlighted areas for growth.
In the backfield, Ohio State faces the tall task of replacing standout rushers TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins. True freshman Bo Jackson took major strides with his 13 carries for 88 yards and a touchdown—a performance promising enough to keep fans optimistic.
Sam Williams-Dixon, another redshirt freshman, added versatility to his game with 64 rushing yards and a 24-yard touchdown catch, showcasing his dual-threat capability. C.J.
Donaldson, transferring from West Virginia, made a real impact with limited touches, scoring on one of his four carries for 24 yards.
While the running back room looks to fill big shoes, the wide receiver corps provided glimpses of its rich talent pool. All-American Jeremiah Smith, a key playmaker going into his sophomore season, made a couple of early grabs before passing the baton. Junior Brandon Inniss and rising talent Mylan Graham were also turning heads, with Graham notably racking up 104 yards and a touchdown on four catches.
From an aerial standpoint, the receiving room looks loaded. Freshman Quincy Porter and tight ends Nate Roberts and Purdue transfer Max Klare all contributed, with Klare capturing a touchdown that electrified onlookers. Phillip Bell joined the late-game heroics with a TD catch to round out the offensive highlights.
Defensively, Logan George had a standout afternoon, recording three sacks, two of which demonstrated the kind of quick-tap pursuit that stops drives in their tracks. C.J.
Hicks added a sack to the tally, while the secondary showed its teeth with interceptions by Faheem Delane and Inky Jones, both coming at the expense of St. Clair, painting a picture of an opportunistic defense ready to pounce.
Check out the photographic highlights capturing the pivotal moments from Ohio State's Spring Game.
