Just about everyone who played a major role on offense or defense earned champion honors for their performances in Ohio State's 49-28 win over Clemson in the College Football Playoff semifinals.
Ohio State announced Monday that it named 24 champions – 12 on offense and another 12 on defense – for its historic victory over the Tigers in Friday's Sugar Bowl.
Every single starter on offense earned champion honors as players of the game Justin Fields and Trey Sermon were joined by wide receivers Chris Olave, Garrett Wilson and Jameson Williams, tight ends Luke Farrell and Jeremy Ruckert and the offensive line of Thayer Munford, Matthew Jones, Josh Myers, Wyatt Davis and Nicholas Petit-Frere.
Baron Browning, who split time at Sam linebacker with Justin Hilliard against Clemson, was the only starter on either side of the ball who didn't grade out as a champion. The entire starting defensive line of Jonathon Cooper, Tyreke Smith, Haskell Garrett and Tommy Togiai were named defensive players of the game while Hilliard and fellow linebackers Tuf Borland and Pete Werner also earned champion honors along with defensive backs Sevyn Banks, Shaun Wade, Marcus Williamson, Josh Proctor and Lathan Ransom.
Williams and Williamson were also named special teams players of the game for their efforts on the kickoff coverage unit.
Ransom, who led all freshmen in playing time against Clemson as the fifth defensive back in nickel packages, earned champion honors for the first time in his career. Farrell, Cooper and Togiai continued their streaks of being named champions for all seven of Ohio State's games this season.
The full table of champions for the 2020 season with one game to go:
| Player | Total | Games |
|---|---|---|
| TE LUKE FARRELL | 7 | NEBRASKA, PENN STATE, RUTGERS, INDIANA (PLAYER OF THE GAME), MICHIGAN STATE, NORTHWESTERN, CLEMSON |
| RT NICHOLAS PETIT-FRERE | 6 | NEBRASKA, PENN STATE, RUTGERS (PLAYER OF THE GAME), INDIANA, NORTHWESTERN, CLEMSON |
| LT THAYER MUNFORD | 6 | NEBRASKA, PENN STATE, RUTGERS, INDIANA, NORTHWESTERN, CLEMSON |
| WR GARRETT WILSON | 6 | NEBRASKA, PENN STATE, RUTGERS, INDIANA (PLAYER OF THE GAME), NORTHWESTERN, CLEMSON |
| TE JEREMY RUCKERT | 6 | NEBRASKA, PENN STATE, RUTGERS, MICHIGAN STATE, NORTHWESTERN, CLEMSON |
| RG WYATT DAVIS | 6 | NEBRASKA, PENN STATE, INDIANA, MICHIGAN STATE, NORTHWESTERN, CLEMSON |
| QB JUSTIN FIELDS | 5 | NEBRASKA (PLAYER OF THE GAME), PENN STATE, RUTGERS (PLAYER OF THE GAME), MICHIGAN STATE (PLAYER OF THE GAME), CLEMSON (PLAYER OF THE GAME) |
| C JOSH MYERS | 5 | NEBRASKA, PENN STATE, INDIANA, NORTHWESTERN, CLEMSON |
| RB TREY SERMON | 4 | PENN STATE, MICHIGAN STATE, NORTHWESTERN (PLAYER OF THE GAME), CLEMSON (PLAYER OF THE GAME) |
| WR CHRIS OLAVE | 4 | PENN STATE (PLAYER OF THE GAME), RUTGERS, INDIANA, CLEMSON |
| WR JAMESON WILLIAMS | 4 | PENN STATE, RUTGERS, NORTHWESTERN, CLEMSON |
| RB MASTER TEAGUE | 3 | PENN STATE, RUTGERS, INDIANA |
| LG HARRY MILLER | 3 | PENN STATE, INDIANA, NORTHWESTERN |
| LG MATTHEW JONES | 2 | MICHIGAN STATE, CLEMSON |
| WR JAXON SMITH-NJIGBA | 1 | RUTGERS |
| WR JULIAN FLEMING | 1 | NORTHWESTERN |
| WR KAMRYN BABB | 1 | NORTHWESTERN |
| TE JAKE HAUSMANN | 1 | PENN STATE |
| LT DAWAND JONES | 1 | MICHIGAN STATE |
| RT MAX WRAY | 1 | MICHIGAN STATE |
| Player | Total | Games |
|---|---|---|
| DT TOMMY TOGIAI | 7 | NEBRASKA, PENN STATE (PLAYER OF THE GAME), RUTGERS, INDIANA, MICHIGAN STATE, NORTHWESTERN, CLEMSON (PLAYER OF THE GAME) |
| DE JONATHON COOPER | 7 | NEBRASKA, PENN STATE, RUTGERS, INDIANA (PLAYER OF THE GAME), MICHIGAN STATE, NORTHWESTERN, CLEMSON (PLAYER OF THE GAME) |
| DT HASKELL GARRETT | 6 | NEBRASKA (PLAYER OF THE GAME), PENN STATE, INDIANA, MICHIGAN STATE (PLAYER OF THE GAME), NORTHWESTERN, CLEMSON (PLAYER OF THE GAME) |
| CB SHAUN WADE | 6 | NEBRASKA, RUTGERS, INDIANA, MICHIGAN STATE, NORTHWESTERN, CLEMSON |
| LB TUF BORLAND | 5 | NEBRASKA, PENN STATE, RUTGERS (PLAYER OF THE GAME), INDIANA, CLEMSON |
| DE TYREKE SMITH | 5 | PENN STATE, INDIANA, MICHIGAN STATE, NORTHWESTERN, CLEMSON (PLAYER OF THE GAME) |
| LB JUSTIN HILLIARD | 4 | RUTGERS, MICHIGAN STATE, NORTHWESTERN (PLAYER OF THE GAME), CLEMSON |
| LB PETE WERNER | 4 | PENN STATE, INDIANA (PLAYER OF THE GAME), MICHIGAN STATE, CLEMSON |
| LB BARON BROWNING | 4 | NEBRASKA, PENN STATE, INDIANA, MICHIGAN STATE |
| DE ZACH HARRISON | 4 | PENN STATE, INDIANA, MICHIGAN STATE, NORTHWESTERN |
| CB SEVYN BANKS | 4 | RUTGERS, MICHIGAN STATE, NORTHWESTERN, CLEMSON |
| S JOSH PROCTOR | 4 | PENN STATE, RUTGERS, NORTHWESTERN, CLEMSON |
| S MARCUS HOOKER | 3 | NEBRASKA, PENN STATE, MICHIGAN STATE |
| CB/S MARCUS WILLIAMSON | 3 | NEBRASKA, NORTHWESTERN, CLEMSON |
| DE TYLER FRIDAY | 2 | RUTGERS, INDIANA |
| DE JAVONTAE JEAN-BAPTISTE | 2 | RUTGERS, MICHIGAN STATE |
| DT TARON VINCENT | 1 | NORTHWESTERN |
| CB/S LATHAN RANSOM | 1 | CLEMSON |
