COLUMBUS (AP) — TreVeyon Henderson broke Archie Griffin’s 49-year-old freshman rushing record, running for 277 yards and three touchdowns as No. 9 Ohio State pulled away late to beat Tulsa 41-20.
Henderson ran for scores of 5, 48 and 52 yards.
But Ohio State displayed some of the same weaknesses as in the 32-25 upset last week by Oregon that sent them tumbling in the AP Top 25 poll.
As a team, the Buckeyes were not sharp.
A late interception that Cameron Martinez returned for a 61-yard touchdown made the score look worse than it was for the persistent Golden Hurricane.
But Tulsa, winless in three games, couldn’t match OSU blow for blow and Henderson broke huge plays at critical times.
Along with the Buckeyes, top-ranked Alabama, Clemson and Oklahoma were also winners. Those four teams have combined for 20 College Football Playoff appearances, but all four have shown signs of weakness in the early going.
Ohio State (2-1, 1-0) led 13-6 at halftime and opened up a 20-6 lead on a 48-yard scamper by Henderson at the start of the third quarter.
Tulsa hung around and trailed just 27-20 midway through the fourth quarter when Buckeye quarterback C.J. Stroud hit Garrett Wilson for a 12-yard touchdown and then Martinez’s pick-six provide dthe final margin of 41-20.
The Buckeyes remain at home to take on Akron Saturday (7:30 p.m./BTN).