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5 reasons Ohio State is absolutely terrifying

Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

No. 3 Ohio State faced a massive road test Saturday, taking its extremely young outfit into a hostile environment in Norman to face No. 14 Oklahoma.

Consider that test aced. The Buckeyes mauled the Sooners, hammering the defending Big 12 champions 45-24 and leaving no doubt they are national-title contenders.

Here are five reasons Ohio State showed it can be an absolutely terrifying team.

1. J.T. Barrett throws a touchdown every 3.5 completions

J.T. Barrett threw just 20 passes Saturday, completing 14 of them. Four of those completions were Noah Brown touchdowns. We'll spare you the math equation and say Barrett throws a touchdown every 3.5 completions. That is the definition of efficiency.

2. Their 'basic' defense is downright nasty

For some inexplicable reason, Oklahoma backup quarterback Austin Kendall decided to call Ohio State's defense "basic" earlier in the week, claiming Baker Mayfield would "light them up." The Buckeyes made the Sooners pay for Kendall's words, intercepting Mayfield twice and holding him to only 226 yards passing. Greg Schiano's defense is a turnover machine, registering nine picks through just three games of the season.

3. Two-headed monster of Curtis Samuel and Mike Weber

Losing Ezekiel Elliott to the NFL was supposed to hurt the Buckeyes, but the team's vaunted rushing attack has shown no signs of slowing, thanks to the two-headed monster of Curtis Samuel and Mike Weber. The two combined for 221 yards rushing and a touchdown, averaging 8.9 and 6.8 yards per carry respectively. Combine that productivity with the threat of Barrett running as well, and Ohio State's offense is virtually unguardable.

4. Receivers are catching passes around people's backs

Simply catching a touchdown pass isn't providing enough difficulty for Ohio State, so Brown kicked it up a notch and pulled off a magic trick Saturday. The sophomore made a ridiculous snag for a 21-yard touchdown late in the second quarter, securing the ball against the Sooners defender to complete the action. Brown appears to be quite proficient at the art of touchdown receptions, as the sophomore caught five balls all game against Oklahoma, with four going for scores.

5. Urban Meyer hasn't lost a true road game in his Ohio State tenure

Urban Meyer is now 53-4 in his tenure at Ohio State. 53-4! That record features two home losses and two neutral-site losses, meaning the three-time national champion has yet to lose a true road game with the Buckeyes. It seems that no matter how hostile the environment is, Meyer is simply more prepared for the occasion than his counterpart. The Buckeyes travel to Wisconsin, Penn State, Maryland, and Michigan State over the rest of the 2016 schedule.

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