While fans typically dread trudging through an open week on the schedule, Ryan Day's squad used the Saturday off to heal key players and prepare for a backloaded regular season schedule.
Ohio State enters the second half of said schedule with all its goals intact thanks to a first half that, despite a loss in week two to Oregon, saw the Buckeyes win five games in increasingly impressive fashion, signaling momentum and triggering optimism.
So how did Ohio State get to this point?
Five Things takes a look at the key factors and numbers from the first six games of Ohio State's 2021 season.