Before the Nebraska game, Ohio State’s Bradley Roby had talked about how he was getting grief from his fellow defensive backs for not having an interception this season while they had combined for six.

“That’s OK,” he said. “I’ll get one when I need it and my team needs it.”

The sophomore cornerback turned out to be prophetic. He had two first-half interceptions against the Cornhuskers, and they couldn’t have come at a better time for the Buckeyes.

He snared a Taylor Martinez pass and turned it into a 41-yard pick-six for the game’s first points. Before that, the Buckeyes had two series and failed to gain a first down.

With his team trailing 17-14 and the defense becoming increasingly flummoxed by Nebraska’s spread-option runs, Roby was the recipient of another Martinez misfire in Cornhusker territory. Taking over at the 20-yard line, the Buckeyes scored two plays later on their way to a 63-38 rout Saturday night.

“I dreamed about that. I saw that (before it happened),” Roby said afterward. “And my dad texted me (Saturday) morning and said, ‘I had a dream you had a pick-six.’ I’m like, ‘Dang, I’m going to get it. I had the same dream.’ When stuff like that happens, it’s crazy.”

Bringing pressure: Senior defensive end John Simon had five tackles for loss with two sacks. A sixth tackle for loss was wiped out because of a Nebraska penalty. But he still considered the shifty Martinez a challenge to bring down.

“I tried to get him from behind. He’s a very elusive guy. You’re probably not going to catch him if he sees you,” Simon said.

Home support: Sophomore linebacker Ryan Shazier had 11 tackles and a sack while playing before his family, who had made the trip from Pompano Beach, Fla.

“It was already a big game, but it was a little bit bigger to me because my family was in town,” he said. “They rarely get to come to games. When they do, it’s really big to me.”

Shazier needed to come through because fellow linebacker Etienne Sabino was carted to the locker room in the first quarter with a leg injury and returned to the sidelines in street clothes. His status for the Indiana game Saturday is uncertain.

Spreading the wealth: The tight ends became involved in the passing game. Jeff Heuerman had an 18-yard TD reception and another 35-yard catch to the 1-yard line. Nick Vannett had a 32-yard grab.

They had combined for seven receptions through the first five games.

“The tight ends got to shine today,” quarterback Braxton Miller said. “They work so hard, blocking in the run game and pass game. They finally got the ball. I’m happy for them.”

Special teams TD: Philly Brown had been getting teased by coach Urban Meyer about his inability to break a tackle. But the junior receiver probably put an end to the needling with a 76-yard punt return in the third quarter.

He made a couple of cuts to get into open field and then juked the punter on the way to the end zone.

“It was overall good blocking across the board,” he said, deflecting the credit. “When we go to look at the film, it’s going to be funny to see how many of those guys made such good blocks. They made it perfect for me.”

Odds and ends: The Buckeyes’ speed on their kicking unit had an impact. The Cornhuskers received 10 kickoffs, and their average starting field position was the 20.1-yard line. They could have started at the 25 by accepting touchbacks.

— Carlos Hyde rushed 140 yards on 28 carries, both career highs. The 6-foot, 240-pound junior said he never carried the ball 28 times in high school. His four TDs were the most at OSU since Eddie George also had four against Iowa in 1995.

— 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.