Melvin Gordon's Heisman Trophy campaign came crashing down in Indy.
Gordon's 2014 season was a sight to behold, unless of course you're a fan of a Big Ten program whose defense was decimated by the Wisconsin ground game. The Doak Walker winner and Heisman Trophy finalist put up one of the more impressive stat lines in recent memory. A stat line that makes Ohio State's performance in the 2014 Big Ten Championship Game all the more remarkable.
| Opponent | ATT | YDS | AVG | TDs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LSU | 16 | 140 | 8.8 | 1 |
| Bowling Green | 13 | 253 | 19.5 | 5 |
| South Florida | 32 | 181 | 5.7 | 2 |
| Northwestern | 27 | 259 | 9.6 | 1 |
| Purdue | 25 | 205 | 8.2 | 1 |
| Nebraska | 25 | 408 | 16.3 | 4 |
| Iowa | 31 | 200 | 6.5 | 2 |
| Minnesota | 29 | 151 | 5.2 | 1 |
| Auburn | 34 | 251 | 7.4 | 3 |
| SEASON TOTALS | 343 | 2,587 | 7.5 | 29 |
The story has been told a million times now, but it's always a fond memory. The Cardale Jones-led Buckeyes traveled to Indy as underdogs to a Badger team that had rattled off seven straight wins. The legend of "12 Gauge" began that night and would be the storyline of the first ever College Football Playoff, but the Ohio State defense had a story of its own.
Melvin Gordon had run circles around pretty much every defense he faced during the 2014 season. He was impressive in the season-opening loss to LSU, the road trip to Kinnick Stadium, and ultimately ran for 250+ and three scores in an Outback Bowl victory over Auburn. On Nov. 15 Gordon set a then FBS record with 408 rushing yards against Nebraska.
In a landscape filled with high-tempo spread offenses, the Badgers have long maintained their ground-and-pound reputation. Wisconsin's history at running back is exceptionally strong, and the National Football League has certainly taken notice. Gordon (Chargers), Corey Clement (Eagles), and James White (Patriots) all have made a significant impact for their new employers.
As Ohio State heads to Indianapolis this weekend, the Buckeye defense will be hoping for a repeat performance from three seasons ago.
26 carries, 76 yards (2.9 ypc), and one disastrous fumble.
The Buckeyes held Gordon in check all night and stymied the Badger offense. With less than a minute until halftime, Michael Bennett forced a fumble that Joey Bosa promptly scooped and took into the end zone. And just like that, Ohio State went into the half with a 38-0 lead and would go on to annihilate the West Division winners by a score of 59-0.
The 2017 version of the Badger offense once against features one of the more talented tailbacks in America. True freshman Jonathan Taylor has been the bell cow since week one and he's only gotten better as the season has progressed. The former four-star from Salem, New Jersey has rushed for 1,806 yards and 13 touchdowns while averaging 7.0 yards per carry. Taylor has ran for over 600 yards more than the conference's No. 2 rusher – fellow true freshman J.K. Dobbins.
Sophomore quarterback Alex Hornibrook typically isn't asked to do a whole heck of a lot for the Badgers, and Taylor has more than shouldered the load this season. Wisconsin hasn't faced the most formidable schedule, but the true freshman has topped the century mark in all but three games. In his stiffest test, Taylor totaled 132 yards and averaged 6.9 per carry against a stout Wolverine defense.
Ohio State's defensive line play has been outstanding, but its linebackers have been rather hit or miss this season. Many of the struggles have stemmed from biting on play-actions and failure to cover the tight ends, but overall the performance against the run has been solid. The Buckeyes' rush defense checks in at No. 13 in the country. Paul Chryst's offense is No. 18 in rushing yards per game.
Greg Schiano and the defensive staff have done a tremendous job of scheming against some talented backfields. Saquon Barkley ran for just 44 yards on 21 carries. L.J. Scott and the Spartan attack managed just 64 yards while the Wolverines ran for 100 last weekend.
Much like in 2014, the stiffest competition of the season will take place in Indianapolis. A repeat performance this weekend should once again put Ohio State atop the Big Ten and could go a long way for its playoff hopes.
