Akron struck first after Ohio State received the opening kickoff and went three-and-out.

The Zips drove 42 yards in 10 plays to set up a 48-yard field goal by Garrison Smith, but their chance for more was severely undercut by a snap over the head of quarterback Tahj Bullock that resulted in a 14-yard loss.

The second Ohio State drive started slow as well with a pair of incompletions, but Howard scrambled and found Smith open on the sideline for 11 yards on third-and-10 to move the chains for the first time this season. They connected two more times on the drive, including a 16-yard back-shoulder fade Smith caught in the end zone for the first Ohio State touchdown of the season.

That capped a 14-play, 75-yard drive that took six minutes off the clock.

After a 40-yard field goal for Ohio State by Jayden Fielding, Howard and Smith hooked up for another touchdown, this time a 9-yard slant route.

In his first half as Ohio State's starting quarterback, Howard completed 10 of 21 passes for 116 yards. The Kansas State transfer also ran for 18 yards while Smith, a true freshman from Florida, had five catches for 47 yards and the two scores.