COLUMBUS – There were a few uneasy moments early in Ohio State’s 35-7 win over Youngstown State in its home football opener on Saturday when it seemed like an unwanted visitor from last season might have reappeared.

The bane of Ohio State’s defense’s existence last year was giving up too many big plays.

And there was Youngstown State – a team many people predicted would not score on the Buckeyes – tying the score at 7-7 midway through the second quarter with an 11-play, 75-yard drive which included a 36-yard pass completion.

But it was just a momentary blip on OSU’s defensive radar, not a relapse into the problems of last season.

This is a new year, junior cornerback Denzel Burke said after the game.

“I guess you could say last year was our first year in the (defensive) system and all the guys were new to it. We didn’t really fully understand it. We want to be top three (nationally). We want to be No.1, honestly. We have to do the little things. We have to take in the little details and just do our job as a whole,” he said.

OSU limited Indiana to 153 yards total offense in a 23-3 win last week. Saturday, it held Youngstown State to 234 yards and 159 yards in the last 3 ½ quarters.

Burke’s biggest play of the day emphasized the point that things might be different on defense for Ohio State this season.

His interception in the third quarter was the first time an Ohio State cornerback had gotten a pick since the 2021 season. It was the second interception for Burke in his three years as a starter.

“It felt good. I played the ball right and I was just happy I got the pick,” Burke said.

“Coach Wall (secondary coach Tim Walton) has a saying, you are what you put on tape. I’m really trying to be laser focused every drive, every play and put good stuff on tape,” he said.

Notes:

== DAY ON OFFENSIVE LINE: Ohio State coach Ryan Day said the Buckeyes’ offensive line is still a work in progress but he liked what he saw more than in the opener at Indiana.

“We’ve got a sense of urgency. We’ve got to get it fixed now. I think it’s just the consistency. I know we can do it. We have the talent,” Day said about the line.

“Our guys are very, very talented. So we have to look at what we’re doing schematically. All we asked them to do was play really, really hard and execute. Effort and execution are the things we focused on all week. We have to identify if we’re doing the right things and where the breakdowns are coming from.”

== MC CORD TO HARRISON AGAIN: Quarterback Kyle McCord and wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. connected for many touchdowns in three years as starters at St. Joseph Prep High School in Philadelphia.

But McCord’s 71-yard touchdown pass to Harrison for Ohio State’s first touchdown was their first in college.

“It was cool. I think that was my first touchdown to Marvin in college. We first started playing together as sophomores in high school. It’s been a long time coming,” McCord said.