Ohio State survived another close call in league play, holding on for a 26-17 win over Nebraska in Lincoln. The fifth-ranked Buckeyes, who beat Penn State 33-24 last Saturday night, improved to 8-1 overall and 6-0 in the Big Ten. Nebraska is now 3-7 overall and 1-6 in the league and will miss out on a bowl game for the fifth straight season.
With All-America wide receiver Garrett Wilson out of the lineup, Ohio State leaned on sophomore Jaxon Smith-Njigba — one of several five-star recruits at the position — in the passing game. Smith-Njigba caught a school-record 15 passes for 240 yards (the second-most ever at OSU) and scored on an electrifying 75-yard catch and run in the second quarter.
It was another painful loss against a highly ranked team for Scott Frost and the Cornhuskers. Earlier this season, Nebraska lost 23-16 at No. 8 Oklahoma, 23-20 at No. 3 Michigan State and 32-29 at home to No. 7 Michigan.
Ohio State, which has won seven straight since losing in Week 2 to Oregon, returns home to play Purdue next week before closing the season with games against Michigan State and Michigan.
