Elliott, top-ranked Ohio State sprint past Hawaii, 38-0

COLUMBUS, Ohio The expected lopsided victory Saturday for the No. 1 ranked Ohio State University football team became a reality in the fourth quarter of its 2015 home opener.

For three quarters, the unranked University of Hawaii Rainbow Warriors gave the defending national champion Buckeyes some competition.

The final quarter was a different story, as OSU extended its lead and dominated Hawaii, which traveled all the way to Ohio Stadium.

OSU just missed covering the 41-point spread Las Vegas projected as it won 38-0 on a day in which the 2014 national championship banner was unveiled on a wall over the west end zone alongside the other seven national title team years.

A crowd of 107,145 kept their attention on the field, and also on the scoreboard and video board over the east end zone waiting to see an exhilarating highlight from the men in scarlet and gray, but there weren’t too many prior to the final quarter on a day with a mix of sunshine and clouds.

Junior Ezekiel Elliott rushed for 101 yards on 27 carries and scored three touchdowns to lead OSU (2-0), which displayed some sloppiness via penalties and dropped passes.

OSU coach Urban Meyer started junior Cardale Jones at quarterback, and then worked in sophomore J.T. Barrett against an inspired Hawaii (1-1) defense.

OSU took a 7-0 lead with 3:25 to go in the first quarter on an Elliott 1-yard touchdown run and a point after kick by senior Jack Willoughby. The scoring drive lasted 11 plays and covered 77 yards, with a combination of passes by Jones and rushes by Elliott and senior H-back Braxton Miller.

Sophomore Gareon Conley (Massillon) snagged an interception with 7:23 to go in the second quarter to give OSU the ball on Hawaii 35-yard line. Barrett entered at quarterback and, nine plays later, Elliott crossed the goal-line for a 3-yard touchdown at 4:03. Willoughby’s point after kick made it 14-0.

Junior Vonn Bell intercepted a tipped pass with 1:51 left in the second quarter on the OSU 28-yard line, but the Buckeyes were unable to score.

Jones returned at quarterback in the third quarter and had a tough time as Hawaii continued to pressure him and defend well down field.

Sophomore Darron Lee made a big hit on Hawaii senior quarterback Max Wittek in the third quarter and forced a fumble that freshman Sam Hubbard recovered on the Rainbow Warriors 6-yard line. Hawaii’s defense tightened up again and OSU settled for a 20-yard field goal by Willoughby with 8:34 to go.

Elliott added a 1-yard touchdown and Willoughby followed with his third point after kick with 9:07 remaining in the fourth quarter to cap a 17-play drive that covered 91 yards and made it 24-0.

OSU’s defense then got a chance to score when Bell recovered a fumble inside the Hawaii 10-yard line and ran into the end zone for a touchdown with 7:48 to go. Willoughby’s fourth point after kick made it 31-0.

Junior Bri’onte Dunn scored the Buckeyes’ final touchdown, a 4-yard run with 3:51 to go and Willoughby converted his fifth point after kick to make the score 38-0.

(c)2015 Akron Beacon Journal (Akron, Ohio)

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