Countdown To Kickoff 2022: Ohio State Blanks Purdue, 46-0

We’re counting the days until the 2022 season by the number of points the Buckeyes scored in some of their greatest victories.

There are many ways to countdown to the upcoming college football season, though none may be more popular than naming the best player in school history by jersey number.

We've decided to do something a little different, though, and will be counting the days until Ohio State's season opener against Notre Dame on Sept. 3 by the number of points the Buckeyes scored in some of their greatest victories.

For example, Ohio State scored 48 points in its win over Utah in the Rose Bowl back in January. That game was highlighted when there was 48 days remaining in the offseason.

We understand that this approach won't allow us to do a daily countdown, especially with higher point totals, but we're hopeful that looking back at some of the more notable games in school history will build anticipation for the upcoming season.

With that said, let's continue the countdown...

Ohio State 46, Purdue 0 - Oct. 8, 1977

Fourth-ranked Ohio State rushed for 391 yards and five touchdowns in a 46-0 win over Purdue on Homecoming in 1977.

Junior running back Ron Springs added 151 yards and one touchdown on the ground, while freshman Joel Payton scored four times – including three in the first quarter – as the Buckeyes jumped out to an early 29-0 lead.

The defense twice intercepted Boilermakers quarterback Mark Herrmann, highlighted by a 65-yard pick-six on the fifth play from scrimmage, and limited him to just 117 yards passing on the afternoon after he came in averaging a nation-leading 306 yards per game.

Ohio State also blocked a punt in the first quarter and recovered a fumble in the second quarter, both of which the offense capitalized on within three plays.

“(It was) the best offensive and defensive day of the year and our kicking game held together extremely well,” head coach Woody Hayes said afterward. “Our defense played a remarkably good game against a high-scoring team. Our defense took away the thing they wanted to do."

The 46-0 win marked the largest margin of victory for the Buckeyes in the series, though they’ve since topped that twice, including a 49-0 win at home in 2010 and a 56-0 victory in West Lafayette in 2013.

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