Ohio State put together some offensive pyrotechnics in beating a ranked opponent for the second straight week.

Just think what the Buckeyes might do if they could string together four productive quarters.

Sophomore quarterback Braxton Miller rushed for 186 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries and passed for another 127 yards, and junior running back Carlos Hyde scored four TDs in a 63-38 mashing of No. 21 Nebraska on Saturday night before an Ohio Stadium-record crowd of 106,102.

The 12th-ranked Buckeyes (6-0, 2-0 Big Ten) did all of their damage after a dormant first quarter when their defense outscored their offense, 7-0.

Philly Brown gave OSU a 49-31 lead with 5:50 left in the third quarter on a 76-yard punt return. Back-up running back Rod Smith made it 56-31 with 10:27 to go on a dazzling 33-yard TD run. Hyde capped the scoring with a 16-yard sprint to the end zone in the final minute.

The Buckeye defense intercepted Nebraska’s Taylor Martinez three times.

Miller was 7-of-14 passing with one TD, and Hyde rushed for 140 yards on 28 carries and also scored on a pair of 1-yard runs and a seven-yard reception. His only blemish was a fourth-quarter fumble.

The 101 combined points were the most in a Buckeye game since an 83-21 win over Iowa in 1950. The 63 points were the most for OSU since beating Eastern Michigan 73-20 in 2010 and the most in a Big Ten game since a 69-18 victory over Minnesota in 1983. The Buckeyes are 272-0-1 when scoring at least 35 points (the tie was against SMU in 1978).

“I thought the first quarter was a train wreck for our offense, but it was because we were playing a very good defense,” OSU coach Urban Meyer said. “They weren’t doing anything a lot different. They came out and hit us in the mouth. We had to keep going. Our offensive line eventually took over that game.

“We have two good runners right now. We have a quarterback who’s kind of ridiculous running the ball. And Carlos Hyde is starting to earn a lot of respect, other than that darned fumble. He’s running it hard, and Rod Smith came in and pounded it, too.”

The Buckeyes had 371 rushing yards and averaged 7.7 yards per carry.

“You can see what we are. We’re kind of a pound you offense right now. I don’t mind that. I have not had a lot of those. That’s a pound you offense. And we certainly can do some other things,” Meyer said.

Miller said the best is yet to come.

“I don’t believe this is (all) we’re capable of,” he said. “We made minor mistakes. We’ll watch the film tomorrow. There’s more we can do.”

The Buckeyes threw in some Wildcat formation with Hyde taking direct snaps, which was a new wrinkle.

Asked if he has a grasp of Meyer’s offense after six games, Miller said: “We’re learning every week. They throw new stuff at us every week. I’m trying to get it down pat.”

Trailing 35-24, the Cornhuskers (4-2, 1-1) came out flinging in the second half, going 77 yards in seven plays and scoring on a four-yard pass from Martinez to tight end Ben Cotton on third-and-4.

The Buckeyes answered with a 75-yard excursion to the end zone. Hyde’s 1-yard TD run was set up by a 35-yard pass from Miller to tight end Nick Vannett.

The Ohio State offense moved less in the first quarter than a guard at Buckingham Palace. The Buckeyes had just 17 total yards and no first downs in four possessions. Their only score came on a 40-yard interception return by cornerback Bradley Roby.

But Miller and his mates snapped into consciousness in the second period, putting up 242 yards and scoring four touchdowns for a 35-24 halftime lead.

Miller ran 10 times for 137 yards and one TD and was 5-for-11 passing for 78 yards and another score in the first 30 minutes.

The Buckeyes sauntered 75 yards in 10 plays, getting a 7-yard TD run by Hyde for a 28-24 lead with 3:11 left in the first half.

After forcing a punt, Miller dashed 31 yards for a TD with 23 seconds to go on a fourth-and-1 play, giving OSU a 35-24 edge.

The Cornhuskers threatened to take the crowd out of the game in the first quarter. Miller fumbled, but it was recovered by center Corey Linsley. Miller appeared to throw an interception on a tipped ball, but it was overturned by a replay official.

Roby gave the Buckeyes a 7-0 lead on his pick-six. But the Cornhuskers took a 14-7 advantage with a pair of short TD runs set up by monstrous gains.

Tailback Rex Burkhead ripped off a 73-yard run, and punt returner Ameer Abdullah had a 47-yard return. The Cornhuskers moved Burkhead to quarterback and ran the option near the goal line. He pitched to Abdullah for touchdowns of one and three yards.

Meyer called for a fake punt on fourth-and-7 from the OSU 25-yard line. Nebraska called timeout before the snap (perhaps suspecting something was afoot?). Punter Ben Buchanan was stopped after a 6-yard gain.

The Cornhuskers turned the gift possession into a 26-yard field goal by Brett Maher for a 17-7 lead.

But Miller went berserk after that. He darted through the Nebraska defense for a 72-yard run to set up a one-yard TD dive by Hyde, making it 17-14.

After his long scamper, Miller left with an apparent foot injury and was replaced by back-up QB Kenny Guiton, who handed off twice to Hyde.

With his team trailing 17-14 and the defense becoming increasingly flummoxed by Nebraska’s spread option runs, Roby intercepted a Martinez misfire in Cornhusker territory.

Taking over at the 20-yard line, the Buckeyes scored two plays later on an 18-yard pass from Miller to tight end Jeff Heuerman for a 21-17 lead with 8:58 to go in the first half.

A 74-yard pass play from Martinez to Kenny Bell set up a 9-yard run by the QB for a 24-21 lead with 6:59 left in the second quarter. But the Buckeyes poked through the goal line twice in the final 3:11.