COLUMBUS, Ohio — Will Howard connected on three touchdown passes, but it was cornerback Jordan Hancock’s interception with just 1:16 remaining that clinched a 21-17 victory for No. 4 Ohio State over Nebraska on Saturday.

The Buckeyes improved to 6-1 overall and 3-1 in the Big Ten, recovering from a setback against Oregon two weeks earlier. However, they struggled against a Nebraska team that entered the game as a four-touchdown underdog, failing to display the dominant performance many expected.

Nebraska kept the game competitive throughout, aided by three field goals from John Hohl. Ohio State experienced offensive challenges, punting five times, failing to convert on a fourth down, missing a field goal, and even enduring an interception thrown by Howard.

In the fourth quarter, Dante Dowdell rushed for a 1-yard touchdown, marking Nebraska’s first lead of the game. The Cornhuskers managed to convert a two-point conversion, putting them ahead 17-14 with just under 11 minutes left on the clock.

Ohio State quickly regained the lead when Howard threw a 9-yard touchdown pass to Quinshon Judkins with 6:04 to play in the game.

With 3:36 remaining, Nebraska had a final chance to retake the lead. They moved the ball to near midfield, benefitting from an ejection of Ohio State’s Arvell Reese due to a targeting call. However, a false start penalty and two consecutive plays that lost yards hindered their progress. Quarterback Dylan Raiola then attempted a pass to Isaiah Neyor, but Hancock intercepted the throw, allowing Howard to kneel down three times to secure the win.

**Key Insights**

For Nebraska, this performance was an improvement over their previous week’s dismal 56-7 loss to Indiana. However, they fell short of achieving their sixth win, which would have made them bowl eligible for the first time since 2016. The Cornhuskers extended their struggles against ranked opponents, now tallying 27 consecutive losses against Top 25 teams and 18 straight defeats on the road against ranked foes.

Ohio State’s offense appeared largely one-dimensional, managing only 64 rushing yards without any significant plays from key players Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson. They narrowly avoided what would have been their first home loss in a decade against an unranked team.

**Impact on Rankings**

The close nature of the game may lead to some voters reconsidering Ohio State’s position in the polls, despite the win.

**Injury Report**

Ohio State was without starting safety Lathan Ransom and tight end Will Kacmarek due to undisclosed injuries, while Nebraska’s running back Rahmir Johnson missed the game due to a concussion.

**Looking Ahead**

Nebraska will face UCLA at home next Saturday, while Ohio State travels to No. 3 Penn State for a challenging matchup.