A hard-nosed team like the Badgers could not have asked for a better day.
It was rainy. It was sloppy. And it was a blowout.
Ohio State went into halftime leading 10-0 before Wisconsin capitalized on a bad punt to bring it within three points early in the third quarter. The Bucks marched down and scored on their next possession and never looked back, winning 38-7.
The Buckeyes dominated every facet of the game against the Badgers as Chase Young wreaked havoc in the backfield, nobody could stop Dobbins, and the home team played mistake-free football.
Chase Young sacked Wisconsin quarterback Jack Coan four times, tying Ohio State's single-game record.
The junior defensive end should be a Heisman candidate.
He will not win it, of course, as it is primarily just an offensive award, but he at least deserves a nomination. As many, many analysts have said, he is the best player in college football.
With four sacks and two forced fumbles, The Predator put up the best game of his career on the national stage against one of the best offensive lines in the country. His highlight reel from today's game would be more than enough for most player's careers.
4 sacks, in one game?!
— Ohio State on BTN (@OhioStateOnBTN) October 26, 2019
Watch all of Chase Young's QB takedowns .@youngchase907 | @OhioStateFB pic.twitter.com/KSvqxXEdJ8
Chase Young's four sacks matches the single-game school record for sacks in a game. He now has 13.5 sacks in just eight games this season and is 0.5 sacks away from tying Vernon Gholston's single-season record.
The Buckeyes ran for 193 yards in the second half, outgaining their first-half total of 71 yards.
In one of the biggest tailbacks duels this year, J.K. Dobbins and Jonathan Taylor went head-to-head to determine who wears the crown in the Big Ten. With 221 total yards, two touchdowns, and a per-touch average of nearly ten yards, it is safe to say that Dobbins has taken Taylor's throne.
The Wisconsin tailback, on the other hand, was held in check, recording just 57 total yards while averaging less than three yards per touch. It was Taylor's worst game since the 2017 Big Ten Championship game against Ohio State.
A rainy day forced the Buckeyes to keep the ball on the ground for the majority of the game, rushing the ball 50 times with just 22 pass attempts. The dynamic tailback duo of Dobbins and Master Teague combined for 205 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns in the second half against one of the best defenses in the nation.
On another note, Dobbins went over 1,000 career rushing yards, becoming the only tailback to reach the four-digit mark in his freshman, sophomore, and junior season. As for Teague, the sophomore bruiser outgained Jonathan Taylor himself, gaining 76 yards on just 13 carries.
The Buckeyes largely played mistake-free football, winning the turnover margin by two and committing just two penalties.
This year, Ohio State has been defined by how clean it has played. The home team has taken care of business in a convincing fashion every single week.
The Buckeyes have been one of the ten best teams in turnover differential this season, and their +2 margin yesterday will only improve that ranking. Similarly, Ohio State's two penalties for 15 yards has helped ensure that the Bucks are not giving opponents free yards.
Moreover, the Bucks have improved on last year's deficiencies. While the defense last year gave up chunk plays like it was their job, the Silver Bullets have largely eliminated big plays from an opponent's arsenal. Wisconsin had just two passes of 20+ yards and three runs of 10+ yards, with only one of the Badgers' big plays resulting in a touchdown. While this number could obviously be improved, it is a clear improvement from last year's troubles.
The Buckeyes are off next week in what could be the worst slate of college football games in history as they prepare for a trip to Rutgers.
