By Harshit | September 28, 2025 | Seattle, Washington | 2:30 AM EDT
No. 1 Ohio State survived a hostile environment at Husky Stadium to defeat Washington 24-6 on Saturday, showcasing a blend of stifling red-zone defense and precise quarterbacking from Julian Sayin. The victory snapped the Huskies’ 22-game home winning streak, dating back to Kalen DeBoer’s debut in 2022, and reinforced the Buckeyes’ status as a national championship contender.
Buckeyes’ Defense Holds Firm
The defining moment came late in the first half. With Washington threatening to take a 3-0 lead inside Ohio State’s 20-yard line, the Huskies faced a second-down sack that stalled the drive. A failed fake field goal returned possession to the Buckeyes, who responded with a 73-yard, 10-play drive capped by a touchdown to take a 7-3 lead into halftime.
Ohio State’s defensive front, rebuilt under coordinator Matt Patricia after offseason departures, dominated the line of scrimmage. The Buckeyes limited Washington to 61 rushing yards on 30 carries, registering nine tackles for loss and six sacks. The performance demonstrated an early-season blueprint for managing vulnerabilities and keeping opponents off balance.
Sayin’s Error-Free Quarterbacking
Redshirt freshman Julian Sayin delivered another near-flawless performance, completing 22 of 28 passes for 208 yards and two touchdowns without an interception. His FBS-leading 78.8% completion rate this season underscores a remarkable start to life as Ohio State’s starter.
Wide receiver Jeremiah Smith continued to provide a reliable target, while true freshman running back Bo Jackson contributed 80 yards on 17 carries, adding balance to the Buckeyes’ attack. Despite averaging only 4.7 yards per play against Washington — a decline from 9.5 yards per play in earlier games against Grambling and Ohio — the Buckeyes maintained enough offensive efficiency to secure the win.
Head coach Ryan Day praised the team’s cohesion. “Our defense set the tone, and Julian managed the game perfectly,” Day said. “We executed in the red zone, and our team showed composure in a challenging environment.”
Washington’s Late Surge Falls Short
The Huskies’ offense was hampered early by turnovers and inefficiency in scoring positions. Quarterback Brayden Zander threw two early interceptions targeting wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., who appeared to misread his route on both occasions. Despite these setbacks, Harrison connected with Zander for a 16-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter, briefly energizing the home crowd and closing the gap to 17-6 before Ohio State added a late field goal.
The loss marks a difficult night for Washington’s offense, which had advanced into the red zone three times but failed to convert any drives into touchdowns. The defeat also exposed gaps in the Huskies’ defensive front, as Ohio State consistently gained yards on short to intermediate passes.
Other Week 5 Winners
Oregon moved to 5-0 with a 30-24 double-overtime win against No. 2 Penn State, propelled by quarterback Dante Moore’s 29-of-39 passing performance with three touchdowns. Mississippi stunned No. 4 LSU 24-19, as backup quarterback Trinidad Chambliss orchestrated a game-sealing 11-play drive late in the fourth quarter. Indiana edged Iowa 20-15 on a 49-yard touchdown pass from Fernando Mendoza, while Vanderbilt’s Diego Pavia accounted for five total touchdowns in a 55-35 win over Utah State. Cincinnati overcame Kansas 37-34 in a last-minute quarterback duel between Jalon Daniels and Brendan Sorsby.
Week 5 Losers
Several high-profile programs struggled in Week 5. Penn State’s inconsistent offense drew chants from a frustrated fan base, while LSU’s attack failed to exceed 365 yards for the fourth consecutive FBS game. Auburn fell 16-10 to Texas A&M, exacerbating pressure on coach Hugh Freeze. Arkansas suffered a humiliating 56-13 defeat to Notre Dame, intensifying scrutiny on Sam Pittman. Southern California lost 34-32 to Illinois due to late defensive breakdowns, and Rutgers saw its bowl hopes dented after a 31-28 loss to Minnesota.
Outlook
Ohio State’s performance in Seattle reinforced its status as a national title favorite, with elite building blocks in Sayin, Smith, and Jackson complementing a dominant defense. Meanwhile, Washington will need to regroup after back-to-back defeats, focusing on improving red-zone efficiency and limiting turnovers.
The Week 5 results also set the stage for an increasingly competitive College Football Playoff race, with Oregon, Mississippi, and Ohio State emerging as top contenders, while struggling programs in the SEC and Big Ten face mounting pressure in the early season.
