COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State will host its first night game of the season on Saturday; kickoff against the Akron Zips is slated for 7:30 p.m.
The Buckeyes are coming off at 41-20 home win over Tulsa. True freshman running back TreVeyon Henderson rushed for three touchdowns and a freshman record of 277 yards. He was named Big Ten's Co-Offensive Player of the Week and Freshman of the Week for his performance in the win.
Ohio State head coach Ryan Day is holding his weekly press conference Tuesday from the Woody Hayes Athletic Center, where he'll recap last week's game against Tulsa and discuss the team's upcoming matchup against Akron.
Watch this week's press conference:
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Saturday's game will air on the Big Ten Network and the radio call can be heard on 97.1 The Fan.
OHIO STATE VS AKRON: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
*Info provided by Ohio State Athletics
Quick Hitters
- It took 49 years for Archie Griffin’s Ohio State freshman rushing record – 239 yards vs. North Carolina in 1972 – to fall when TreVeyon Henderson broke it last week 277. Henderson leads the nation with three plays over 50 yards this season.
- Ohio State is 189-51-15 all-time against other Ohio universities on the gridiron and haven’t lost since the 1921 season. Since that last loss to Oberlin, Ohio State is 49-0-1 against other Ohio schools.
- Ohio State went 57 years, from 1935-91 where it did not play another Ohio school. Since 1992, Ohio State has played eight different Ohio schools a total of 29 times with Cincinnati (six times) and Bowling Green (five) appearing on Ohio State’s schedule the most.
What's on Tap for Saturday
- This week is the annual Alumni Band game, and it is also a Buckeyes Care game.
- Buckeyes Care is a program in partnership with AEP, Kroger and the Dispatch Media that highlights the positive spirit and goodwill alive in our community – Buckeyes helping Buckeyes.
This and That on the Buckeyes
- WR Garrett Wilson has a reception in 24 consecutive games, good for 15th nationally.
- Noah Ruggles has made all three of his FG attempts as a Buckeye, including two last week vs. Tulsa, and he has made 17 of his last 18 attempts inside of 50 yards dating to his 2019 season at North Carolina.
- True freshman Denzel Burke’s six pass break-ups rank third nationally, trailing only Greg Rubin (Memphis) and Devon Witherspoon (Illinois).
Get to Know the Zips
- Ohio State holds a 7-1 record all-time vs. Akron, including a 42-0 victory on Sept. 3, 2011, the last meeting between the two schools.
- Akron picked up its first win of the 2021 season last week over Bryant, earning a 35- 14 win on the strength a 432-yard effort from quarterback DJ Irons.
- Irons passed for 296 yards and three touchdowns while also rushing 15 times for 136 yards and another score.
- The Zips started the season with a 60-10 loss at Auburn and then fell in week two at home to Temple, 45-24.
- Head coach Tom Arth came to Akron in 2019 after a two-year stint at Tennessee-Chattanooga. He was the head coach at John Carroll from 2013-16 where he went 40-8 and made the Division III playoffs three times. His 2016 squad advanced to the semifinals and won the OAC title.
- Arth, a 2003 graduate of John Carroll, spent three seasons as a backup quarterback to Peyton Manning with the Indianapolis Colts. He spent part of those years playing in NFL Europe and was on the preseason roster with the Green Bay Packers in 2006.