With just one week and no more games remaining in 2018, we took a look back at some of Ohio State's best plays of the year.
A few great efforts, including K.J. Hill's one-handed catch versus Minnesota and J.K. Dobbins' game-winning run against Nebraska, just missed the cut. Here are the top-11 plays of the year.
11. Binjimen Victor's Over-The-Shoulder Catch in Indiana Victory
There's no better place to start a list of the best plays of the year than with one of the many dimes from Dwayne Haskins this season. The redshirt sophomore quarterback has thrown for 47 touchdowns, meaning he'll likely cross the 50-touchdown mark in the Rose Bowl, and his toss to Binjimen Victor was one of the best of the year.
Binjimen Victor didn't have a consistent season, but he made a couple timely catches, including this back-of-the-end zone snag to give Ohio State a three-touchdown lead in the fourth quarter. This was Haskins' sixth touchdown of the game.
10. The Punt Team Dominates Michigan State
I'm cheating here a little bit because this isn't one specific play. Instead, I'm using the same type of play – a punt – that worked over and over against Michigan State.
Drue Chrisman and the Buckeyes' punt unit arguably won the game for the Spartans. Had they not pinned Michigan State back near its own end zone time after time, Mark Dantonio's group might have been able to mount a comeback. Chrisman, however, had other plans. On his final six punts of the game, all of which came in the second half, Ohio State pinned Michigan State inside the 6-yard line. At one point, the Spartans were so backed up that on fourth down from just outside their end zone, their long snapper threw the ball through the end zone for a touchback rather than attempt to punt it. Terry McLaurin and Ohio State's gunners masterfully prevented touchbacks, helping Chrisman pin the Spartans deep.
9. Dwayne Haskins Scores The Game-Winning Touchdown Vs. Maryland
For the majority of the season, Dwayne Haskins tore up opposing secondaries. The cannon on his right shoulder allowed him to pick apart defenses through the air. Not until the Maryland game did he threaten defenses with his feet.
Haskins had a career-high 15 rushes for 59 yards, including what proved to be the game-winning touchdown in overtime. He powered through two would-be tacklers and stretched out for the touchdown. Urban Meyer had been waiting for a play like that.
“What was missing was the toughness element to pull the ball down and run and go get you yards, and he did that today,” Meyer said after the game. “I thought that’s the best he’s done. He pulled it in on the read play and he dropped his pads, and he has to do that. And he’s been willing, and we’re now going to give him those opportunities.”
8. Chase Young Seals Win Over Penn State With A Tackle For Loss
Penn State trailed by one point with a little over a minute to play. The Nittany Lions needed five yards for a first down, or the game would be over. Chase Young, who had played his best game yet in his career, ensured the game would end in the Buckeyes' favor.
Young, who had six tackles and two sacks, beat Penn State's right tackle across his face and picked up the tackle for loss to seal the one-point victory. He came up big when Ohio State needed him most this season, including on the final defensive play against the Nittany Lions.
7. Parris Campbell Goes For 78 Yards Against Michigan
As it turns out, Parris Campbell is faster than most players, including every player on Michigan's defense.
This play was originally charted as a run before later being converted in the stat books to a pass, since Haskins delivered it to Campbell with a touch pass. Regardless of how it was counted, Campbell went 78 yards to score one of the touchdowns that led to a record-breaking 62 points scored against the Wolverines. He had six catches for a career-high 192 yards and two touchdowns versus Michigan.
6. Dwayne Haskins' First Of Five Touchdowns In The Big Ten Title Game
It's hard to imagine Haskins having a better two-game stretch than the one he put together against Michigan and Northwestern. He combined to go 54-for-72 for 895 yards and 11 touchdowns with just one interception.
Haskins, the Big Ten championship player of the game, dominated the title game with a career-high 499 passing yards. Multiple touchdown tosses from this game could've made an appearance on this list, but his first touchdown of the night stands out. Avoiding the pressure, Haskins scrambled left, then right, before finding McLaurin open in the front corner of the end zone.
5. K.J. Hill (With Help From Terry McLaurin) Gives Ohio State the Lead Vs. Penn State
K.J. Hill capped off Ohio State's comeback win against Penn State with this touchdown trot down the sidelines. He made it look easy, breaking one arm tackle and scampering the rest of the way untouched for the game-winning touchdown.
The run looked easier than it actually was, though. Terry McLaurin, blocker and touchdown-catcher extraordinaire, took out three Nittany Lion defenders. His wipe-out blocks created a clean lane for Hill to run through and reach the end zone.
4. Rashod Berry Converts a 4th-And-1 Vs. Maryland
Ohio State needed a first down. Almost assuredly, Maryland would score a touchdown against the Buckeyes' unseemly defense. So, Ohio State opted against a field goal and went for it on fourth down in overtime.
Shocking everyone, Ryan Day and Urban Meyer drew up a play to throw a pass to Rashod Berry, who had just eight catches for 77 yards this season. It caught the defense off guard, as well, and Berry found himself open to move the chains.
3. Dre'Mont Jones' Pick Six In Jerry World
A defensive tackle returning an interception for a touchdown might be the best way to swing a game, and that's exactly what happened for Ohio against TCU in the third week of the season.
Tailing by two points, Dre'Mont Jones snagged Shawn Robinson toss intended for the running back and took off for the end zone. He stiff-armed Robinson during his jaunt for six points, giving the Buckeyes a 26-21 midway through the third quarter.
2. Binjimen Victor's runs through Nittany Lions For A 47-Yard Touchdown Catch
Victor's biggest play of the season came with Ohio State trailing Penn State by 12 points with less than seven minutes remaining. The lanky wideout bailed out Haskins, whose nearly errant throw was high and behind Victor. After coming down with the ball, Victor shook off two defenders and found a roundabout path to the end zone.
The Buckeyes desperately needed someone to step up with the clock ticking closer to zero, and Victor made the play of the game and nearly the play of the season.
1. Chris Olave's Punt Block vs. Michigan
Not many people outside of Ohio State fans knew Chris Olave's name before the Buckeyes took on Michigan. Consider that no longer the case.
Not only did he catch two touchdown passes from Haskins, but he also burst through the middle to block a punt. Sevyn Banks snagged the ball out of the air and raced to the end zone for six of Ohio State's 62 points.
Olave AGAIN on the blocked punt ️️️
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) November 24, 2018
(Via @CBSSports)pic.twitter.com/1ctKD8BVCu
