Given some of the slow starts that set the Buckeyes back in games against Nebraska, Penn State and Michigan in the second half of the regular season, fast starts were an emphasis for Ohio State entering the College Football Playoff.
That emphasis yielded dividends. As Eleven Warriors dove into Ohio State’s quarter-by-quarter and half-by-half splits during the 2024-25 CFP, the first quarter stood out as the biggest period of Buckeye dominance.
Ohio State held significant edges in the second and third quarters, too, while holding level in the fourth.
Ohio State College Football Playoff Splits
SPLIT
POINTS
OPP POINTS
SCORING MARGIN
YARDS
OPP YARDS
YARDS PER PLAY
OYPP
FIRST QUARTER
42
7
+35
622
199
9.4
3.5
SECOND QUARTER
48
25
+23
531
357
8.2
4.6
FIRST HALF
90
32
+58
1153
556
8.8
4.1
THIRD QUARTER
31
22
+9
326
264
6.3
4.1
FOURTH QUARTER
24
21
+3
299
361
5.2
5.4
SECOND HALF
55
43
+12
625
625
5.7
4.7
The Buckeyes outscored Tennessee, Oregon, Texas and Notre Dame by a combined 42-7 in the first quarter, tripling their four opponents’ offensive outputs with 622 yards of offense against just 199 yards allowed. The yards-per-play numbers are perhaps the most staggering: Ohio State picked up 9.4 yards per play in the first quarter during the CFP while opponents managed a meager 3.5 yards per play.
Advertisement
Fast starts fueled the Buckeyes most in the first two rounds of the CFP against the Ducks and Volunteers. Ohio State outscored Tennessee and Oregon by a combined 35-0 and outgained them by a combined 438 to 53 in the first quarter. That’s more than eight times the yardage output in 30 total minutes, which is mind-blowing even when considering the Buckeyes received the football to start both games.
Starting with the football also doesn’t impact yards per play, and Ohio State picked up 11.2 yards per down to Tennessee and Oregon’s two in the pair of opening frames.
“We’ve always wanted to have fast starts,” Ryan Day said before the Texas game. “You want to set the tone for the game as an individual but also as a team. In both games, we started off with the ball and have gone right down and scored. … Execution fuels emotion. That certainly has a big part of it. They go together. We’ve executed well on those first couple of drives. The defense has gotten some three-and-outs early in the game. We’ve been able to jump on the last two opponents.”
Ohio State jumped on Oregon in particular, as most readers probably remember. The Buckeyes got out to a 34-0 lead against the No. 1 seed and only undefeated team in the CFP, held a 34-8 edge at halftime and closed with a 41-21 victory.
Advertisement
The first half holistically was a dominant phase for Ohio State, who held a halftime lead of at least seven points in each of its four CFP games en route to a +58 scoring margin in the opening 30 minutes. The Buckeyes picked up 8.8 yards per play in CFP first halves while allowing just 4.1.
Halftime adjustments were also a strength of Ohio State’s, even if the margins aren’t as gaudy as their first-quarter or first-half splits. It’s true that the Buckeyes only outscored their opponents by nine points across the four playoff third quarters, but they iced out Tennessee with a 14-0 penultimate frame after kicking off to start the second half and finished a string of 31 unanswered points vs. Notre Dame with 10 to start the third quarter.
Plus, thanks to the ferocity of their first halves, many of the second halves during Ohio State’s title run were spent running out the clock to ice games. That’s the main reason why the fourth quarter is the only split where the Buckeyes didn’t show clear control across their four-game run. Third-stringers saw action in the fourth quarter against the Volunteers and there were multi-score leads to protect in the final 15 minutes against the Ducks and Fighting Irish.
That goes to explain why CFP opponents outgained the Buckeyes 361 to 299 in total yards and 5.4 to 5.2 in yards per play in the fourth quarter. In the lone fourth quarter where Ohio State needed to outperform its foe – the Texas game where it entered the final frame tied 14-14 with the Longhorns – it did so.
After sputtering on offense for much of the second and third quarters, the Buckeyes amassed a 13-play, 88-yard scoring drive to go ahead 21-14 before assembling what might now be the most legendary goal-line stand in team history to seal a 28-14 victory.
Advertisement
Notre Dame came charging back from its 31-7 hole and 31-15 deficit entering the fourth quarter with a Jaden Greathouse touchdown to slice the lead to 31-23, outgaining Ohio State 147 to 109 in the final frame as the Buckeyes ran a few conservative plays to drain the clock. But there was nothing conservative about the since-dubbed “3rd-and-Jeremiah” throw to seal a national championship.
That’s the story of Ohio State’s CFP splits: A team that dominated both sides of the ball out of the gates of games, then made the plays it needed in the second half to ensure those starts didn’t go to waste. And it hoisted the CFP national championship trophy as a result.
Former Ohio State defensive back Marshon Lattimore was arrested on Jan. 7 in Lakewood, Ohio, and now awaits possible charges of carrying a concealed weapon and improperly handling firearms in a vehicle, according to multiple reports.
Lattimore, currently on the Washington Commanders, was booked into jail but later released. The police report lists a 9mm Glock as evidence, per ESPN.
Police say Lattimore was arrested because he failed to inform the investigating officer that he had a firearm in the vehicle when asked.
Advertisement
In a statement to 3News, the Commanders said, “We have been made aware of the arrest and are gathering more information. We have informed the NFL League office and have no further comment at this time.”
Lattimore played for the Buckeyes in 2015 and 2016. He was selected with the No. 11 overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft by the New Orleans Saints. He has made the Pro Bowl four times and was NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2017.
In 2021, Lattimore was arrested in Cleveland and initially charged with a felony for receiving a stolen firearm. The charge was dismissed, but Lattimore pleaded guilty to carrying a concealed weapon. He received one year of probation and a suspended 180-day jail sentence, according to ESPN.
COLUMBUS, Ohio — The conversation around Ohio State football’s championship aspirations often centers on offensive firepower, but a sophomore cornerback might play an important role in helping the Buckeyes accomplish their goals next season.
Devin Sanchez arrived in Columbus as the nation’s top cornerback recruit, and after a freshman season where he earned meaningful snaps in critical moments, the expectations have escalated.
No longer is it enough for Sanchez to be a reliable contributor. He must take a step toward becoming a true lockdown corner who can eliminate one side of the field.
“Is Devin Sanchez ready to be the dude because he’s going to have to be,” co-host Stefan Krajisnik said on Buckeye Talk. “I don’t mean is he ready to be a reliable starter — I mean it’s time… to be a dude. I don’t think it’s putting unrealistic expectations on a guy like Devin Sanchez to be an All-Big Ten first team caliber-type guy.”
Advertisement
The coaching staff has demonstrated their belief in Sanchez’s potential by giving him high-leverage opportunities against elite competition as a true freshman. Against Texas last season, while other freshmen barely saw the field, Sanchez was trusted in critical moments – a telling sign of the program’s expectations.
Next season’s rematch with Texas will provide an opportunity to see how much progress Sanchez has made since the last time he faced the Longhorns.
As co-host Andrew Gillis put it, “Is he ready to announce himself to the world as lock down?”
The transformation starts now. Co-host Stephen Means made it clear that spring practice represents a crucial development period.
“We should be walking away from spring practice thinking that’s the best cornerback in the Big Ten and his only competition is (Oregon’s) Brandon Finney,” Means said. “That should be the goal for Devin.”
Advertisement
What makes Sanchez’s development so critical is how it affects the entire defensive structure. If he can become that elite cornerback who eliminates one side of the field, it changes what Ohio State can do with their other 10 defenders. It allows for more aggressive pressure packages, more safety help to other areas, and ultimately, a more disruptive defense.
For Ohio State fans, Sanchez’s development represents one of the most fascinating storylines to follow this offseason. His progression from promising freshman to elite sophomore could be the difference between a playoff appearance and a national championship.
One of Ohio State’s true freshmen along the offensive line is set to enter the portal, as Tyler Bowen is set to enter his second season as line coach.Getty Images
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State freshman offensive lineman Jayvon McFadden is set to enter the transfer portal, per a report on Wednesday afternoon.
He was a member of the 2025 recruiting class as a four-star recruit and the No. 391 overall prospect in the 247Sports composite. McFadden appeared in one game for Ohio State this season, and played 15 snaps.
The Buckeyes now have just two members of the OL class in 2025 left — offensive tackle Carter Lowe and interior lineman Jake Cook.
Ohio State was unlikely to have McFadden enter the two-deep in the 2026 season, considering what talent the team is expected to have come back to the roster.
A wild transfer portal continues to march on for Ohio State.
Advertisement
Andrew Gillis covers Ohio State football and recruiting for Cleveland.com. He provides updates on Ohio State football as a whole, its prospects and the Buckeyes each week. He previously covered the Bengals for…
