Tressels, Fickells, Urbans, Days, Johnsons and Days,
Ohio State faced the 4th-best run defense last weekend and ran over Iowa for 203 yards. Also, Iowa RB Kaleb Johnson came into the game second in the nation with rush yards per game and was bottled for 48 yards before padding his rush stats on Iowa's last drive with the OSU leading 35-0.
Here are some observations from section 16A:
- It was only a matter of time. Ohio State looked great in the first half, but a couple turnovers created by a strong Iowa defense and a turnover on downs made the score close at half (OSU 7 Iowa 0). You could tell the surge was coming. OSU scored on its next four possessions...35-0 OSU and we headed to Out-r-Inn early.
- Out-r-Inn back bar is still just as wonderfully awful as you remember it.
- I'm trying to recall the last time I've seen an Ohio State defense this gap sound. Every snap, an OSU defender was sitting in their gap before the ball carrier arrived creating an impenetrable wall. Even the last great OSU defenses from 2014-2019 were not this sound as a unit. Those defenses had a Bosa and/or Young mulling everything in their path. The last OSU defense this gap sound is probably 2002.
- I'm trying to recall the last time I've seen an Ohio State run game this talented, precise and creative. Maybe it was 2019 when JK Dobbins was rolling and Ryan Day's play calls were loose and aggressive. Before that would have to be the stretch run in 2014 behind the soup eater.
- I would have loved to have seen Ohio State play LSU in 2019. Those were the best teams in the country. If OSU plays Clemson in that Fiesta Bowl 100 times, the Buckeyes win 95 of them. Just ask Clemson the next bowl season when they face Ohio State again.
- It's hard to see on TV, but the Buckeye offensive line is fantastic at getting to the second level. They come through with bad intentions, especially Seth McLaughlin.
- It's also hard to see on TV, but Caleb Downs and Lathan trigger to the ball extremely quickly.
- It's also hard to see on TV, but the Ohio State WR corps is extremely unselfish and devastating blocking downfield.
- The run game was a joy to watch. 17 of 24 carries for TreyVeyon and Quinshon went for 5 or more yards...again, against the 4th-best run defense in the country.
The 2024 Buckeyes are reminding me of some of the best I've seen, and I don't have to squint to see it. There is something different about this Ohio State team.
Touchdowns: TreVeyon, Quinshon, Emeka, Jeremiah Smith
OSU 31 Oregon 17
Go Bucks! Beat Oregon! Harry Miller and Tyleik Williams for Heisman!
Large Father
