WATCH: Ohio State Buckeyes Cap Off Season Opener With Pick-Six

The Ohio State Buckeyes finished off their win over the Akron Zips with a pick-six.

Oct 21, 2023; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Gabe Powers (36) team during the second half against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports / Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports

The Ohio State Buckeyes hammered the Akron Zips by a score of 52-6 on Saturday afternoon, and Ohio State capped the win with a pick-six.

The interception was corralled by junior linebacker Gabe Powers, who took it back to the house for a touchdown.

What a play.
pic.twitter.com/j8kmDiiefI

— Barstool Ohio State (@BarstoolOSU) August 31, 2024

The final score was certainly indicative of a blowout, but this absolutely was not an easy game for the Buckeyes. At least not at first.

Ohio State actually fell behind 3-0 early on, and by the end of the first quarter, the Buckeyes were clinging to a 7-3 lead. It wasn't until the second period that they finally began to create some separation, taking a 17-3 edge into halftime.

Still, it was not what most expected from Ohio State against a very inferior Akron squad, as the Buckeyes were favored by nearly 50 points going into the contest.

But then, in the third quarter, Ohio State restored order, outscoring the Zips 21-3 to grab a 38-6 advantage heading into the final frame.

The Buckeyes then rattled off 14 more points over the final 15 minutes for the victory.

Powers logged just one tackle on the day, but his pick-six was certainly one of the more memorable moments of the afternoon.

The 21-year-old arrived at Columbus in 2022 and had accumulated a grand total of seven tackles going into this season.

He will likely fill a reserve role for most of the year, but it's already looking like Powers may end up getting significantly more playing time than previous campaigns.

Ohio State will host Western Michigan next Saturday.