Ohio State scored first on a 47-yard field goal by Rich Spangler, giving the Buckeyes a 3–0 first quarter lead. In the second quarter, BYU quarterback Steve Young threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to Neil Balholm giving BYU a 7–3 lead. Ohio State running back Tim Spencer scored on a 61-yard touchdown run, giving the Buckeyes a 10–7 lead. Buckeye quarterback Mike Tomczak later scored on a 3-yard run making it 17–7 in favor of the Buckeyes. BYU's Kurt Gunther kicked a 39-yard field goal before halftime to make it 17–10 Ohio State.
In the third quarter, Ohio State's Vaughn Broadnax scored on a 1-yard touchdown run giving OSU a 24–10 lead. Tim Spencer added an 18-yard touchdown run, and Rich Spangler a 37-yard field goal to give Ohio State a 34–10 lead at the end of the third quarter.
In the fourth quarter, Ohio State scored a 1-yard touchdown run going up 41–10. Steve Young fired a 13-yard touchdown pass to Gordon Hudson narrowing the lead to 41–17. However, Gayle scored on a 5-yard touchdown run to respond for the Buckeyes. The Buckeyes had 329 rushing yards, 132 passing yards, while also having 196 yards on return yards, possessing the ball for 34:33 with 24 first downs. BYU had 19 rushing yards, 352 passing yards, 124 return yards, with possession time being 25:27. Both teams lost a fumble, while BYU had a pass intercepted. BYU had 9 penalties for 75 yards; Ohio State had 12 penalties for 109 yards.[2][3]
