COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The final score looked better than how Ohio State played in a 38-0 win over heavy underdog Hawaii on Saturday in Ohio Stadium.

The top-ranked Buckeyes (2-0) won their 15th straight game, but the reigning national champions struggled to match the six touchdowns they were favored by, leading only 17-0 heading into the fourth quarter.

Running back Ezekiel Elliott rushed for three touchdowns and the Buckeyes (2-0) finally got breathing room on his third TD, a 1-yarder with 9:07 left that completed a 91-yard drive for a 24-0 lead.

Seventy-nine seconds later, Ohio State safety Vonn Bell returned a fumble 14 yards for a touchdown to make it 31-0 and running back Bri'onte Dunn rushed for a 4-yard score with 3:51 left.

"We put points on the board," Bell said of the defense. "We put up a goose egg. I'm proud of that."

Ohio State coach Urban Meyer was impressed with Hawaii.

"They played their tails off," he said. "They played really hard and disrupted us."

Ohio State was sluggish and mistake prone at the start but righted itself to take a 7-0 lead on its second possession with 3:25 left in the quarter.

After an opening drive that had two negative yardage runs, a false start and a missed field goal attempt when holder Cameron Johnston mishandled the snap, the Buckeyes got the ball back after a stop and promptly had another false start.

But the Buckeyes then went 82 yards in 10 plays, with Elliott scoring from the 1 on his fifth rush of the drive for a 7-0 lead. The score was set up by three runs from hybrid back Braxton Miller for 28 yards and an 18-yard reception by wide receiver Michael Thomas.

Hawaii then begrudgingly gave up yards and even had back-to-back sacks of Cardale Jones, making his first Ohio Stadium start, in his last series of the opening half.

Jones was 12 of 18 for 111 yards and replaced for the final three series of the second quarter by J.T. Barrett before returning in the third quarter.

"It wasn't a performance that I wanted," Jones said.

Meyer said Jones and Barrett will each continue to see playing time.

"I have to evaluate how we're going to do that," Meyer said. "I'll have more answers for you after I think it through and watch the film. My mindset is who is going to help us right now at the moment."

The Rainbow Warriors (1-1) could not take advantage of a roughing the punter call against Ohio State's Darron Lee with nine minutes left in the second quarter. After the penalty, Hawaii got the ball at its own 20, but three plays later quarterback Max Wittek was intercepted by cornerback Gareon Conley and Elliott got his second rushing touchdown, this time from 3 yards with 4:03 left to complete the first-half scoring.

"We made enough mistakes to last a season," Chow said. "You can't do that against good football teams. (Ohio State) is a good football team with a lot of talent."

Rainbow Warriors running back Paul Harris rushed for 46 yards in his homecoming. He attended high school in Columbus.

"It felt good coming back," he said. "I hadn't seen my family since December. But that wasn't my focus."

Ohio State was coming off an emotional win Monday at Virginia Tech and Elliott said the team was flat.

"I think with that quick turnaround with just a couple of days to prepare we weren't ready to play," he said.

NOTES: Hawaii dropped to 0-4 against teams ranked No. 1 at the time of the game and has twice lost to the defending national champion. In 2005, the Rainbow Warriors were defeated by Southern California 63-17. Hawaii has also lost six straight to ranked teams, with the last win coming against No. 19 Houston on Oct. 16, 2010. ... The Buckeyes have won 36 of their past 37 home openers; the lone defeat was last season vs. Virginia Tech. ... Former Ohio State marching band director Jon Woods (1984-2011) passed away Saturday before the alumni band performed at the game. He was 76.