James Peoples scored two touchdowns as the ground game had 222 yards. Special teams also came up big as Lorenzo Styles Jr. had a 100-yard kickoff return.“It was businesslike, workmanlike,” coach Ryan Day said. “We had an opportunity to play some of the younger guys, we got the run game going, defense played strong and the kickoff return was good to see.”
The Buckeyes (10-0, 7-0 Big Ten) scored on their first five possessions against a Bruins’ squad that was without quarterback Nico Iamaleava, who missed the game due to a concussion.
Peoples had the highlight play of the game on his 19-yard touchdown with 1:19 remaining in the first half. On first-and-10, he took Julian Sayin’s handoff and went around right end. Peoples hurdled over UCLA defensive back Cole Martin at the 10 and landed at the 7 as he didn’t break stride and reached the end zone for the first time this season.
Peoples, who said both of his parents were hurdlers in college, said his was on instinct.
“After I did it, it was kind of like a movie. I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, what did I do?’ I feel like sometimes you try to gage it, you try to arrange it, but at the end of the day, just instinct,” said Peoples, who also had an 8-yard score late in the fourth quarter. “When I saw him go low, I just went high, and I just cleared him.”
After Kwazi Gilmer’s 18-yard TD reception put UCLA (3-7, 3-4) on the board late in the third quarter, Styles went coast to coast for Ohio State’s first kick return score since 2010. Styles fielded it near the goal line on the right corner, ran to his left and had a wide opening at the Ohio State 20 as he went untouched and extended Ohio State’s lead to 41-7.
It was the Buckeyes’ first 100-yard kick return since Ted Ginn at Minnesota in 2005.
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