COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State entered the season as the No. 1 team in the country because of its star power, particularly on an offense led by quarterback Julian Sayin and receiver Jeremiah Smith.Those two did not disappoint in the season-opening 56-3 win over Ball State.Sayin missed his first two throws of the game but completed 21 of his final 23 attempts for 320 yards and three touchdowns and added his first career rushing touchdown, a 3-yard run in the second quarter. Smith was on the receiving end of a heavy dose of Sayin’s targets, pulling in eight catches for 151 yards and two touchdowns — all in the first half.The two were lethal in the two-minute drive right before halftime, with Sayin connecting with Smith five times for 74 yards, culminating in a 3-yard touchdown.Smith wasn’t the only beneficiary of Sayin’s strong day. UTSA transfer Devin McCuin had an impressive debut, catching six passes for 97 yards and one touchdown.Here are a few other takeaways from Ohio State’s opening win.Only 1 sack? No problem. D-line still impressesOne of the major questions for Ohio State’s defense was how it would replace some of its star power along the line after Caden Curry, Kayden McDonald, and Tywone Malone left for the NFL.Kenyatta Jackson Jr., one of the key returners, was solid and recorded three tackles on Saturday. That was expected. But a big group of players stood out, notably true freshman Khary Wilder, who was credited with quarterback pressure that led to Ball State’s only interception. Second-year defensive end Zion Grady earned the start opposite Jackson and had one tackle.John Walker, who started at defensive tackle next to Eddrick Houston, had one tackle and bulldozed an interior lineman into the QB’s feet on another play.While the defensive line recorded only one sack by edge rusher Epi Sitanilei, the Buckeyes were disruptive in the run game, forcing five tackles for a loss, and pressured Ball State QB Keldric Luster on multiple occasions.With a trip to Texas — and expected temperatures near triple digits — looming, it was important to see the D-line rotate so many bodies and not lose much production.Can they build off of this performance? That will be the key.Running game gets going in 2nd halfOhio State’s rushing attack left a lot to be desired in the first half, tallying just 35 yards and averaging 2.1 yards per carry against an overmatched Ball State defensive front.The Buckeyes didn’t get overly creative in the first half, but it still wasn’t a good look for an offense that struggled to create big plays in the run game last year and had been hyping up its improvement all offseason.