The Ohio State football program did what it expected to do against Grambling State on Saturday afternoon, completely overwhelming them in every facet of the game. They had ten touchdowns scored by nine different players en route to a 70-0 rout of the Tigers.
Jeremiah Smith was the only player who scored multiple touchdowns in this game, including a nice 87-yard touchdown early in the game. Julian Sayin set an Ohio State record in the first half of this game, as well. All in all, it was the dominant performance that they were expecting to have after beating Texas.
Ryan Day was pleased with what he saw from the Ohio State Buckeyes in this game, as he should be. They were dominant on the field from the moment they set foot on it. Still, he was particularly impressed with one true freshman player who made a statement with his play.
Ryan Day was very happy with Ohio State football player Riley Pettijohn
Day singled out true freshman Riley Pettijohn for his performance in his game. He had a fumble return for a touchdown as well as a forced fumble of his own. Quite frankly, it was the best performance he could have hoped for in his first real snaps as a Buckeye.
When asked how Ohio State's younger players performed against Grambling State, Ryan Day said, "Riley Pettijohn seemed to pop, for sure."
— Chase Brown (@chaseabrown__) September 6, 2025
Pettijohn is a former four-star recruit whom the Buckeyes were very excited to land. He has shown in this game that he is going to be a really good player when he is given the opportunity to see the field on a regular basis. Right now, he has to wait his turn behind Sonny Styles and Arvell Reese.
Still, this performance shows that Pettijohn might be ready for more snaps, as he was fantastic with the ones he was given. Day understands just how good Pettijohn has a chance to be, as does linebackers coach James Laurinaitis. He wasn't the only freshman who had a good game, though.
Bo Jackson was very impressive with the reps he was given. He had a touchdown run and would have had another had it not been called back because of a penalty. It's clear that the future of the Buckeyes is just as bright as the present is, because they can win another national championship.
Pettijohn may have earned himself some additional playing time when the competition steps up based on what he did against the Tigers. He was that good on Saturday.