EAST LANSING, Mich. — Ohio State fans took a deep breath when starting quarterback Will Howard took a big hit late in the first half at Michigan State Saturday night. But Howard missed only one offensive play before making his return. He came back in the second half and accounted for two more touchdowns, helping the No. 3 Buckeyes put away the Spartans, 38-7.

“Will’s good to go, just took a shot there, as you guys saw,” Ohio State head coach Ryan Day said postgame.

Howard laid on his back after getting leveled by a hurrying Michigan State linebacker Jordan Turner on a 2nd-and-10 incompletion. Eventually, after getting checked out by Ohio State’s medical staff, the Kansas State graduate transfer quarterback made his way to the sideline. That’s where, the very next play, Howard cheered on his backup, as Devin Brown threw a 17-yard touchdown pass to phenom freshman wide receiver Jeremiah Smith.

Howard’s first-half exit occurred with about half a minute to go in the second quarter.

The Ohio State defense forced a Michigan State punt to start the third frame. That’s when Howard trotted out for the Buckeyes’ first drive of the second half.

“You never know what’s going to happen,” a reflective Howard said postgame. “I go down with — I just got the wind knocked out of me. You got to come out for a play. So it is what it is. And, I mean, [Devin] went in there and made the play, and it was big time.”

Howard later added: “Yeah, I might be a little sore tomorrow, but, you know, it’s all good. It’s football, man. It’s part of it.”

Brown’s touchdown strike set the stage for the second of two jaw-dropping, one-handed catches from Smith. The first came on a 27-yard throw from Howard, who located his first-year receiver down the sideline. Smith leapt and used his right hand to bring down his favorite grab of the night. While his left hand ultimately assisted him in securing the catch, his right was golden Saturday night. It’s the same one he used to paw Brown’s dart in the culmination of a six-play, 60-yard Ohio State drive.

“I think that was the game right there, man,” Howard said. “That series, you know, taking the ball down. And we talked about the middle eight all the time, you know, winning the middle eight. That’s the last four minutes of the first half and the first four the second half. And we exemplified that on on offense.

“I thought Devin did an unbelievable job of being ready when his number was called. That’s competitive excellence. We talk about that all the time. And I really think that throw in and that catch right there that those two made, that really sealed the game. I think they kind of put them out of it. I’m just so proud of Devin for stepping in and being ready.”

That series Howard’s talking about gave the Buckeyes a 24-7 advantage entering halftime. Ohio State followed up its second-half-opening defensive stop with a clock-chewing, 13-play, 76-yard touchdown drive that took the life out of Michigan State fans in Spartan Stadium. Howard capped that series with a throw to Emeka Egbuka, which the Ohio State senior wide receiver turned into a 33-yard catch-and-run score.

Howard ended his day later in the third quarter when he pulled the ball on a zone-read run and recorded a rushing touchdown for the third straight game.

He finished 21-of-31 for 244 yards with three total touchdown and one interception. Most importantly, though, he led Ohio State to a win and he left East Lansing, in Day’s words, “good to go.”

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