I was a little wary of this one. Yes, Washington was unranked going in. But two things were weighing on my mind about this game: Julian Sayin hadn't made a start in a true hostile road game, and the Huskies had won 22 straight at home in Seattle.

But the Buckeyes looked every bit the part of the top team in the country, and they came away with a big road win to open their 2025 Big Ten schedule! How'd they get it done? Let's check out the Keys to Victory!

Julian Sayin handled himself like a veteran quarterback

Julian Sayin is extremely talented. And he has a ton of talented guys to hand the ball off to or throw it to. But keep in mind he's still just a 20-year-old kid making just his fourth college start. This was what made me the most nervous. Washington is tough at home. 70,000+ pack Husky Stadium, and can cause big problems for opposing quarterbacks if they don't go into games with the right mindset.

But for as loud as Washington fans can be, that didn't seem to affect Sayin. Here's his final stat line: 22-28, 208 yards and two touchdowns. He never made any unforced errors, or put his team in a bad position.

Yes, he started slow, with only 63 yards passing and a touchdown in the first half. But after that, he looked like a veteran quarterback in control of the offense. He almost seems cerebral in the way he handles things. He hasn't really lit up any great defenses yet. But when he needs to rise to the occasion, he does it. He's a solid quarterback. But I know who else is solid.

The Silver Bullets rise to the occasion!

I'm still very happy with the job new defensive coordinator Matt Patricia has done with his unit. And I'll say it right here: these guys are nowhere near their ceiling. And that's exciting as a Buckeye fan, and downright terrifying for the rest of the country if that's the case!

Let me drop a couple stats for ya, just to show you how dominant Ohio State's defense has been so far this season:

• The Buckeyes have yet to surrender a red zone touchdown this season. They're extremely stingy once an opponent gets into the red zone, and they held Washington to just two field goals today.

• The Buckeyes held Washington to just 234 total yards of offense, when the Huskies were ranked in the Top 10 offensively, and averaging 500 (yes, 500) yards of offense so far this year.

• Ohio State has held their opponents to just over five points per game, which is the best in the country in that category.

Yes, I understand Ohio State still has a long way to go before they win anything. But looking this sharp this early in the season has me extremely excited if they can keep it up! Not to mention the Silver Bullets did a heck of a job containing Washington signal caller Demond Williams Jr.

He was extremely elusive at times, and showed off his wheels. He burnt the Buckeyes a few times today. But when they had to, the Silver Bullets stepped up, sacked him multiple times, and shut him down. They racked up six sacks!

Ohio State could probably sharpen up even further when it comes to containing athletic quarterbacks. But for today? They were fantastic for the most part!

The next key to victory was fantastic too!

Bo Jackson: Ohio State's next bruiser?

Ohio State might be known around the country as "Wide Receiver U" but every great Buckeye team that's chased after or won a National Championship has almost always had a great running back.

The 70s Buckeyes had Archie Griffin. The John Cooper-era Buckeyes had Eddie George. The 2002 Buckeyes had Maurice Clarett. The 2014 Buckeyes had Ezekiel Elliot. Last year's National Championship-winning team had both TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins. If Bo Jackson follows that trend, things could be VERY interesting this season!

But for today, Bo Jackson showed why he just might be Buckeye football's future in the backfield. Bo carried the rock 17 times for 80 yards, and looked like he was really running with a purpose. He had an attitude. Not to mention I loved his persistence and speed once he turned the corner. He may be just a freshman, but I can't wait to see him really grow into his own! Coach Day and Ohio State offensive coordinator Brian Hartline trusted Jackson to get the job done today, and he delivered in what's probably his first big-time college appearance. If he keeps going, he may end up being just as impactful as the fourth and final key to victory!

Jeremiah Smith doing Jeremiah Smith things!

It really is crazy how consistently great Jeremiah Smith is. I can't get over how great he is as a player. Even when Washington had him locked up early, #4 STILL found a way to break free and make a serious impact on the game. Heck, his biggest play kickstarted the Buckeye offense for the rest of the day!

His big impact came late in the first half. Ohio State had been held scoreless up to that point, and right when it looked like Washington was going to possibly carry a surprising 3-0 lead into the locker room for halftime, Jeremiah Smith caught a pass, weaved through multiple defenders, and scored the Buckeyes' first touchdown of the day from 18 yards out!

On the day, Jeremiah had eight catches for 81 yards and that touchdown. And he again shows why he's the best and most impactful wideout in America. And he may just be the most impactful player in the country too! The best wideout in the country is on the best team in the country? Dangerous combination!

Next week, Ohio State is set to host the Minnesota Golden Gophers at the 'Shoe under the lights at 7:30 PM. But until then, the Buckeyes roll to 4-0, and stay in front of the pack as the 2025 season rolls on!

GO BUCKS!

Statistical Leaders

Julian Sayin: 22-28, 208 yards, 2 TDs.

Bo Jackson, 17 carries, 80 yards

Jeremiah Smith: 8 catches, 81 yards, TD.

Sources

ESPN

College Sports Wire via USA Today

Picture Credit

cbssports.com