What we learned from Ohio State's 37-9 win over Ohio

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- It may not have been pretty at first, but a win is a win. No. 1 Ohio State got the job done against in-state foe Ohio, improving to 7-0 all-time against the Bobcats and extending its unbeaten streak against Ohio programs to 54 straight games.

But the Buckeyes also showed that there's plenty of lessons to be learned heading into a pivotal bye week ahead of Big Ten play.

"I felt like we were moving the ball well, we just have to finish those drives off," coach Ryan Day said. "Which is frustrating. But these are the things we have to learn."

Here are three things we learned from Saturday night's OSU victory.

Redzone offense needs to improve

It must've been frustrating for any Ohio State fan to see the offensive production that the Buckeyes had in the first half, but only 13 points to show for it.

OSU had 278 total yards compared to OU's 28, with most of that production coming through the air (199 passing yards vs. 23). But the Buckeyes also failed to convert half of their third down opportunities and were plagued by five penalties that set them back 45 yards.

"When we got down to the redzone, we weren't able to execute. And those runs were not efficient," Day said. "If we're not going to score touchdowns in the redzone, we put ourselves at risk."

Quarterback Julian Sayin eventually made key throws, including two deep ball passes to Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate, that helped the Buckeyes gain a comfortable lead. But the sophomore, who also threw two interceptions against his three touchdown passes, knows it's not going to get any easier from here.

"All the guys on offense knew that we were moving the ball consistently. We just had to execute and it starts with me," Sayin said. "Those first three drives, we didn't get a touchdown in the redzone so we gotta do better there. It's all about execution and improving."

Ohio State defense remains a cornerstone

Despite the Buckeyes' struggles to find the endzone in the first half, the OSU defense has remained a bedrock in the team's identity. While the Bobcats' nine points are the most the OSU defense has allowed this season, Matt Patricia's unit didn't allow OU to gain any momentum, even when QB Parker Navarro got the Bobcats within four at the start of the second half.

Ohio State had seven tackles for a loss against the Bobcats, including four sacks.

Senior linebacker Sonny Styles said that despite the close contest in the first half, he knew the defense was in control of the game.

"We all believe in each other, we trust in each other. We knew that we were going to be alright," Styles said. "The way we responded was well. We gave up the X play quick. That's a big play right out of the half. I thought we responded pretty fast. So being able to respond to some of those negative plays and plays we're not happy about, I thought we did pretty well."

Give the Bobcats credit

Bobcats head coach Brian Smith knew that the pressure was on the top team in the nation to perform at its best. And his team did its best to keep the pressure on into the second half and forcing the Buckeyes to settle for field goals instead of touchdowns.

"I thought our defense played extremely well," Smith said after the game. "I think all these experiences are good experiences, and I think a lot of our guys are disappointed in the outcome of the game, but I think that they do see our true potential as a team. I think it's great for our confidence moving forward, just them understanding how well they're playing against good teams and how close they are to wins."

OU should still be a team that will contend for a repeat MAC championship by the end of the year after these early season tests against Power Four schools, including last week's win against West Virginia.

Meanwhile, the Buckeyes are thankful that they came out of this unexpected challenge with the victory.

"I think within the next two weeks it's about improving everywhere, including recognizing coverage, commanding the offense, moving us down the field and improving in our red zone execution," Sayin said. "I think we can improve in all areas."