LINCOLN, Neb. — C.J. Stroud threw for 405 yards and two touchdowns, Ohio State’s defense came up with a pair of stops after Nebraska had pulled within six points, and Buckeyes got out of Memorial Stadium with a 26-17 win on Saturday.
The Buckeyes’ nation-leading offense managed only two field goals in the second half, allowing the Cornhuskers — a two-touchdown underdog, according to FanDuel Sportsbook — to make it a one-score game until Noah Ruggles kicked a 46-yard field goal with 1:29 left.
Ohio State (8-1, 6-0 Big Ten) won its 24th straight game against a conference opponent but couldn’t have impressed the committee that put it No. 5 in the initial College Football Playoff rankings.
The Huskers (3-7, 1-6) dropped their fourth straight game and are assured of a fourth consecutive losing season under Scott Frost and a fifth in a row overall.
The Buckeyes played without top receiver Garrett Wilson for an undisclosed reason but got career highs of 15 catches for 240 yards from Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
Stroud completed 36 of 54 passes but threw two interceptions after having gone four straight games without being picked off.
His 3-yard touchdown pass to Chris Olave and Smith-Njigba’s 75-yard catch-and-run for a TD helped put the Buckeyes up 20-10 at half.
The Huskers scored late in the third quarter to pull within 23-17 and got the ball right back when Myles Farmer intercepted Stroud’s deep ball intended for Olave. Nebraska drove to the 13, but Chase Contreraz missed a 30-yard field goal attempt.
The Buckeyes were forced to punt and Nebraska began its next possession at its 10 with 6:11 left. Adrian Martinez started it with a 21-run but threw three straight incomplete passes to bring on the punter with 5:17 remaining.
Martinez was 16 of 31 for 248 yards and a touchdown, with his lone interception coming in the final minute. He ran 18 times for 51 yards and a score.
Nebraska’s Samori Toure had four catches for 150 yards and a touchdown.
THE TAKEAWAY
Ohio State: The Buckeyes played an uninspired second half of offense but held on to avoid their first loss to a team with a losing record since 2011.
Nebraska: The Huskers have lost 16 straight against ranked opponents, and special teams hurt them again. They missed two field goals and had a 13-yard punt that set up the Buckeyes at midfield and led to the touchdown that put them up 10-0.
POLL IMPLICATIONS
Ohio State could get dinged by AP Top 25 voters, and the CFP committee also might do a double-take after the flat performance.
PREGAME ‘MEETING’
An hour before kickoff, about a dozen players from each team jawed at each other during a brief confrontation in the area where Nebraska was warming up. A Nebraska player shoved an Ohio State player in the chest before staff from both teams broke things up.
UP NEXT
Ohio State hosts Purdue next Saturday.
Nebraska visits Wisconsin on Nov. 20.