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Sport: FootballCountry: United StatesCategory: Breaking News

No. 1 Ohio State defeats Ball State 56-3 in season opener

Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Sep 5, 2026, 8:07 PM

Last updated Sep 5, 2026

No. 1 Ohio State defeats Ball State 56-3 in season opener
Summary

The No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes defeated the Ball State Cardinals 56-3 in their season opener held Saturday at Ohio Stadium. Quarterback Julian Sayin led the offense by completing 21 of 25 passes for 320 yards and three touchdowns, while wide receiver Jeremiah Smith caught eight passes for 151 yards and two scores. The Buckeyes' rushing attack struggled with consistency early in the game, averaging 3.1 yards per carry in the first half before running back Bo Jackson recorded a 65-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. Despite the lopsided final score, the offensive line faced challenges with missed assignments throughout the first half. Ohio State now prepares for a top-five matchup against Texas scheduled for next weekend.

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By the Numbers
  • •Ohio State defeated Ball State 56-3 in the team's season opener Saturday.
  • •Julian Sayin recorded 320 passing yards and three touchdowns in the victory.
  • •Jeremiah Smith registered 151 receiving yards and two touchdown catches.
  • •Bo Jackson finished with a 65-yard touchdown run during the third quarter.
  • •The Buckeyes are scheduled to play Texas next weekend.
Latest Updates
  • 8:07 PMYahoo Sports — The things that did (and didn’t) matter in Ohio State’s win over Ball State
What they're saying
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Yes, Ball State was far from a legitimate challenger, but there was still plenty of good (and bad) things that mattered in today’s win… there were also some things that didn’t matter at all.

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