2022 Ohio State University
Game two in Big Ten Conference play for the Ohio State Buckeyes went about as well as the first. Ohio State would play this game without top wide receiver Jaxson Smith-Njigba. The Scarlet Knights did everything in their power to stick with Ohio State early on as they scored the first points of the game after an Emeka fumble on a punt return set them inside the 20, and they were able to score on the short field. However, from there, Ohio State scored 28 unanswered points to take a 28-7 lead into the half.
Ohio State was their own worst enemy today, as they made a lot of bad penalties, including multiple illegal touching penalties that ended up taking away an early touchdown for Marvin Harrison Jr. The Buckeyes would still end up scoring on that drive thanks to a great run from Miyan Williams, who took over as the main running back today with TreVeyon Henderson getting a minor injury during pregame. Williams ran in three of the four first half touchdowns and came up clutch time and time again while the passing game struggled to gain a rhythm.
Egbuka was listed as questionable before the game but ended up playing. The reasoning for the questionable status was not announced, but there was clearly something off with his game in the first half, as he had multiple drops and the special teams fumble in the first half. He was not the only struggling wide receiver in this game. The Buckeyes in the first half only had 10 receptions on 16 attempts for 125 yards and one touchdown. The one passing touchdown came off a 36-yard reception from Julian Fleming.
After giving Rutgers a short field and allowing them the first touchdown of the game, the Buckeyes defense dominated. They held Rutgers to 32 passing yards and 52 rushing yards in the first, as they were led by Steele Chambers.
Straight out of the halftime break, C.J. Stroud threw his second interception of the season as he tried to force a ball to Egbuka. Rutgers coming off their second turnover of the day would gain a big first down on their largest pass of the day to that point that went for 26 yards. Rutgers pushed down into the red zone but pressure from Steele Chambers on third down stopped Rutgers best drive of the day, and they would be forced to settle for a 35-yard field goal that finally broke the Buckeyes scoring streak.
Less than a minute later the 100-year-old Horseshoe was rocking again as Miyan Williams took the ball seventy-yards for a touchdown. This was the fourth time Williams reached the endzone on the ground. Rutgers would stall out on their next drive around midfield and turn the ball over after a failed fourth-down conversion. Miyan Williams would lead the following drive making some impressive moves and faking out defenders to drive the Buckeyes down the field before C.J. Stroud found Marvin Harrison Jr, for a touchdown from four yards out.
Steele Chambers on the next Rutgers possession would intercept the ball on third down off Evan Simon and returned it to the Rutgers 20 yard line. The Buckeye defense held the Scarlett Knights under 20% on third down, and they would allow just one conversion in the first three quarters. Miyan Williams would tie the school record on the next drive for rushing touchdowns in a game with five.
Ohio State's defense would force yet another turnover on downs as Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano refused to give up, despite being down by more than five touchdowns. With 10 minutes to go in the game Ryan Day would take his starters out of the game.
Ohio State was forced to punt with their starters out ,and Buckeye punter Jesse Mirco would fake the punt and take it for 20 yards, picking up a first down, and Aron Cruickshank laid a dirty hit out of bounds on Mirco and started a scuffle between both teams. Cruickshank was assessed a personal foul and was ejected from the game. Both coaches were assessed personal fouls, as Schiano would attempt to start a fight coming from the Rutgers sideline all the way over to the Buckeye sideline to get in the face of Ryan Day.
Player of the Game: Miyan Williams*
Miyan Williams took home player of the week against Wisconsin, and he came into this Saturday with the same fire in his eyes. He torched Rutgers defense all night long, finishing with five rushing touchdowns and 189 yards on 21 carries, with his longest run coming after the Rutgers second half field goal in which he took the first play of the drive for 70 yards right through the heart of the Scarlet Knights.
*His performance today tied the school record for rushing touchdowns in a game (5)
Stats:
C.J. Stroud: 13/22, 154 yds, 2 TDs, 1 Int
Miyan Williams: 21 car, 189 yds, 5 TDs
Emeka Egbuka: 4 rec, 70 yds
Julian Fleming: 4 rec, 51 yds, 1 TD
Marvin Harrison Jr.: 3 rec, 18 yds, 1 TD
Upcoming Schedule:
at Michigan State: Oct. 8, 4 p.m. ET
Bye Week: Oct. 15
vs Iowa: Oct. 22nd, TBD
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