Ty Fryfogle somehow just keeps getting more productive.
Indiana's senior wide receiver set a personal high with 142 receiving yards on seven catches against Michigan two weeks ago, one-upped himself the next Saturday with 11 catches for 200 yards and two touchdowns to help beat Michigan State, and this weekend he and his quarterback – Michael Penix Jr. – nearly put themselves in Ohio State's record book.
In the Buckeyes' 42-35 win, Fryfogle caught seven passes for 223 yards and three touchdowns. Only Clemson's Sammy Watkins – who caught 16 passes for 227 yards in the 2014 Orange Bowl – has recorded more receiving yards in a single game versus the Buckeyes. Fryfogle passed Cincinnati's Chris Moore (221 yards vs. Ohio State in 2014), Nebraska's J.D. Spielman (200 yards vs. Ohio State in 2017) and Purdue's Steve Bryant (195 yards vs. Ohio State in 1981), putting himself second behind Watkins in the record book.
Penix thrived through the air, too, completing 27-of-51 yards for 491 yards, five touchdowns and one interception. His 491 passing yards were the fourth-most ever in a game versus the Buckeyes. Only Illinois Dave Wilson (621 yards vs. Ohio State in 1980), Purdue's Scott Campbell (526 yards vs. Ohio State in 1981) and Purdue's Jim Everett (497 yards vs. Ohio State in 1985) have thrown for more yards in a game against Ohio State.
Given the youth and utter lack of depth, the Ohio State secondary was already a notable concern heading into the weekend. The nearly record-setting performances of Penix, Fryfogle and the rest of Indiana's passing attack only confirmed it.
It's time for Kerry Coombs, Shaun Wade, Marcus Hooker and everybody else involved with the defensive backfield to get to work to fix what went wrong on Saturday.
