Northwestern can't slow down Ohio State

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Luke Fahey passed for 201 yards and three touchdowns, Jeremiah Smith had 11 receptions for 117 yards and a score, and No. 21 Ohio State beat Northwestern 28-19 on Saturday.

Bo Jackson had 114 yards rushing and a touchdown as the Buckeyes (7-3, 5-2 Big Ten) bounced back after losing two straight regular-season games for the first time since 2011.

Northwestern quarterback Nicco Marchiol had 225 yards passing and accounted for both Wildcats touchdowns, but it wasn't enough as they lost their third straight game. Jackson Kleather kicked two field goals.

Luke Dehnicke made a nice 18-yard TD grab in the end zone on the last play of the game.

Marchiol's 2-yard scramble around right end got Northwestern (6-4, 3-4) within 14-13 with 10:01 remaining in the third quarter before Ohio State regained control. The Buckeyes went 83 yards in 13 plays on the ensuing drive, which was capped by Devin McCuin's 8--yard TD catch. On fourth-and-1, Fahey rolled left and McCuin caught it at the 1 before he powered past Northwestern defensive back Ore Adeyi to reach the end zone.

Ohio State's maligned special teams then came up with a big play when Dalton Riggs recovered a muffed punt by Drew Wagner at the Northwestern 10. Three plays later, Smith had his 15th touchdown of the season on a 2-yard catch to put the Buckeyes up by two scores.

Smith, who has 3,875 career receiving yards, surpassed Purdue's John Standeford's Big Ten mark in the second quarter. He also tied Purdue's David Bell and Michigan's Braylon Edwards with his 17th 100-yard game.

Northwestern took a 3-0 lead on Kleather's 44-yard field goal after Braden Turner picked off Fahey's pass at the Wildcats 9 after the ball bounced off the helmet of Ohio State wide receiver Chris Henry Jr.

The Buckeyes went up 7-3 45 seconds into the second quarter when Fahey rolled right and found an open Isaiah West in the end zone for a 4-yard touchdown.

Jackson lined up in a Wildcat formation and scored from 2 yards out to extend Ohio State's lead to 14-6 late in the second quarter.

The takeaway

Northwestern: The Wildcats have not won in their last 16 trips to Ohio Stadium. Their last victory at The Horseshoe was 1971.

Ohio State: The Buckeyes maintain their slim College Football Playoff and Big Ten title game hopes with the win.

Up next

Northwestern: At Minnesota next Saturday.

Ohio State: At Nebraska next Saturday.