Defensive linemen Tyreke Smith and Tommy Togiai etched their names into the Rose Bowl stat book by recording tackles. Togiai had a solo tackle and Smith's was assisted. Receiver Chris Olave led all freshmen with 26 offensive snaps but did not have a reception in Ohio State's 28-23 victory over Washington.
Olave finished the 2018 season with 11 catches for 187 yards, three touchdowns, two tackles and a blocked punt. Jeremy Ruckert had eight snaps against the Huskies at tight end. He had one catch for 13 yards this season.
Against Washington, Taron Vincent logged 19 snaps at defensive tackle to lead the Buckeye defensive freshmen. Other true freshmen to get defensive snaps were Togiai (12), Smith (7) and Tyler Friday (2).
Six players helped out on special teams in the Rose Bowl. Sevyn Banks, Dallas Gant, Teradja Mitchell, Josh Proctor and Master Teague joined Olave on the specialty units.
In all, 22 freshmen saw playing time this season, with 13 – Sevyn Banks, Cameron Brown, Friday, Gant, Mitchell, Olave, Pope, Proctor, Ruckert, T. Smith, Teague, Togiai and Vincent – ineligible for redshirts after appearing in more than four games.
Of the 25 freshman, 12 – Kamryn Babb, Matthew Baldwin, Jaelen Gill, Marcus Hooker, Javontae Jean-Baptiste, Tyreke Johnson, Matthew Jones, Nicholas Petit-Frere, L'Christian "Blue" Smith, Brian Snead, Alex Williams and Max Wray – are eligible for a redshirt.
The 2018 class closes the final chapter of its freshman season with Ohio State's eighth Rose Bowl title.
| NAME | POS | DEBUT | WASHINGTON STATS | GP | SEASON STATS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KAMRYN BABB | WR | ||||
| MATTHEW BALDWIN | QB | ||||
| SEVYN BANKS | DB | Nebraska | ST snaps | 6 | 1 punt return, 33 yards, 1 TD, 1 tackle |
| CAMERON BROWN | DB | Tulane | 5 | 1 tackle | |
| TYLER FRIDAY | DE | Oregon State | 2 snaps at DE | 11 | 3 tackles, 1 sack, 1TFL |
| DALLAS GANT | LB | Oregon State | ST snaps | 14 | 6 tackles |
| JAELEN GILL | HB | Rutgers | 2 | 1 catch, 11 yards | |
| MARCUS HOOKER | DB | Minnesota | 2 | 1 tackle | |
| JAVONTAE JEAN-BAPTISTE | DE | Oregon State | 2 | ||
| TYREKE JOHNSON | CB | Penn State | 3 | ||
| MATTHEW JONES | OL | Penn State | 1 | ||
| TERADJA MITCHELL | LB | Oregon State | ST snaps | 12 | |
| CHRIS OLAVE | WR | Oregon State | 26 snaps at WR, ST snaps | 14 | 11 catches, 187 yards, 3 TDs, 2 tackles, blocked punt |
| NICHOLAS PETIT-FRERE | OL | Oregon State | 3 | ||
| K'VAUGHAN POPE | LB | Oregon State | 11 | 1 tackle | |
| JOSH PROCTOR | S | Oregon State | ST snaps | 11 | 1 tackle |
| JEREMY RUCKERT | TE | Oregon State | 8 snaps at TE | 12 | 1 catch, 13 yards |
| L'CHRISTIAN "BLUE" SMITH | WR | Tulane | 3 | ||
| TYREKE SMITH | DE | Oregon State | 1 tackle 7 snaps at DL | 14 | 9 tackles |
| BRIAN SNEAD | RB | Oregon State | 2 | 11 rushes, 37 yards, 1 TD | |
| MASTER TEAGUE III | RB | Oregon State | ST snaps | 7 | 17 rushes, 106 yards, 1 TD, 1 tackle |
| TOMMY TOGIAI | DT | Oregon State | 1 tackle, 12 snaps at DT | 12 | 10 tackles, 1 TFL |
| TARON VINCENT | DT | Oregon State | 19 snaps at DT | 10 | 3 tackles, 1 sack |
| ALEX WILLIAMS | DE | Oregon State | 2 | ||
| MAX WRAY | OL |
