On a clear night with a perfect temperature of 66 degrees, Ohio State welcomed the Wisconsin Badgers to Columbus for the 42nd time. The cordial greeting didn't last long as the Buckeyes jumped out to a blistering 28-0 lead on the guests from Madison.
With the game in hand in the second half, Ryan Day called on 10 members of the 2022 recruiting class as the Bucks bounced Bucky, 52-21.
Jyaire Brown on lockdown
With Cameron Brown, Denzel Burke and Jordan Hancock not available against Wisconsin, Jyaire Brown entered the starting lineup at cornerback for the first time in his career.
The four-star recruit from New Orleans made one tackle over his season-high 52 defensive snaps. Brown helped the secondary limit the Badgers’ passing game to 12 completions for 104 passing yards. Brown was also called for pass interference on a pass that was not intended for the Badger receiver he was covering.
Ryan Day was pleased with the play of Brown and fellow first-time starting cornerback JK Johnson, a redshirt freshman.
“We told them right before the game that everybody on the team believes in them and we do,” Day said. “They had no fear, and they went out there and played, and they did a really good job ... I’m proud of those guys to be able to win a conference game with them in there.”
Day was not as pleased with the pass interference call against Brown, as the head coach was shown having a spirited discussion with an official after that penalty was called. That pass interference led to the Badgers' first score of the game; instead of facing 3rd-and-8 from its own 30-yard line, Wisconsin was given a first down and new life, and the Badgers went on to score a touchdown.
“I usually don't talk about that stuff after the game, but I obviously didn't like what I saw and I felt like it was a big play,” Day said. “I also wanted Jyaire to know that I do have your back ... I wanted to defend him in that moment. This is a young kid out there on the big stage for the first time and I hope he felt like his head coach was backing him up in that moment, because I think it mattered and I believed in what I was fighting for.”
Bogus pass interference call against Ohio State. pic.twitter.com/9VyIJUh2DQ
— Swapty Sports (@SwaptySports) September 25, 2022
Dallan Hayden closes out the game
Following Braelon Allen's 75-yard touchdown – the longest run by a Badger against Ohio State since at least 1960 – which cut the Buckeyes’ lead to 52-21 with 7:11 remaining in the game, Day wanted to run clock and finish the game as quickly as possible. He turned to the young legs of Dallan Hayden eight times during the Buckeyes' ensuing nine-play, 6:18 drive.
Hayden didn't reach the century mark like he did against Toledo, but his 31 yards and two first-down runs helped put the game on ice.
Rest of the class
Kaleb Brown played nine snaps in the fourth quarter at wide receiver.
Caden Curry made one stop on 9 defensive snaps and was on the field goal and field goal block teams.
Jayden Fielding had an off night for his standards, he had only four touchbacks and a kick out of bounds on nine kickoffs.
C.J. Hicks played on the kickoff, kickoff return and punt block teams.
Gabe Powers saw playing time on the kickoff coverage unit for the second straight week.
Kye Stokes played three snaps at safety.
Sonny Styles saw action on nine defensive snaps and teamed up with Chip Trayanum to make a tackle* on the last play of the game. Styles also helped with the kickoff, kickoff return, punt return and field goal block teams.
Tegra Tshabola played nine snaps with the second-team offensive line.
Ryan Turner played three snaps at cornerback.
*Kye Stokes was credited for the tackle on the last play of the game, but video shows it was Styles.
Next week a slew of freshmen should see the field against Rutgers in front of the 100th homecoming crowd in Ohio State history.
Under the NCAA's redshirt rules, a player can appear in up to four games at any point throughout the season and still count it as his redshirt year. Through the fourth game of the 2022 season, Caden Curry and Jayden Fielding have played in every game and 17 of Ohio State's 21 scholarship true freshmen have seen the field.
| NAME | POS | DEBUT | WISCONSIN STATS | GP | SEASON STATS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CADEN CURRY | DE | Notre Dame | 1 tackle | 4 | 7 tackles, 1 TFL (6 yards) |
| JAYDEN FIELDING | K | Notre Dame | 9 kickoffs, 4 touchbacks | 4 | 33 kickoffs, 17 touchbacks |
| JYAIRE BROWN | CB | Arkansas State | 1 tackle, 1 PBU | 3 | 2 tackles, 1 PBU |
| DALLAN HAYDEN | RB | Arkansas State | 8 rushes, 31 yards | 3 | 29 rushes, 152 yards, 1 TD; 2 catches, 13 yards |
| C.J. HICKS | LB | Arkansas State | Special teams | 3 | Special teams snaps |
| KYE STOKES | S | Arkansas State | Special teams | 3 | 3 tackles |
| SONNY STYLES | S | Arkansas State | 1 tackle | 3 | 4 tackles, 1 TFL (2 yards) |
| TEGRA TSHABOLA | OL | Arkansas State | 9 offensive snaps | 3 | 40 offensive snaps |
| KALEB BROWN | WR | Toledo | 9 offensive snaps | 2 | 13 offensive snaps |
| GABE POWERS | LB | Toledo | Special teams | 2 | Special teams snaps |
| RYAN TURNER | CB | Toledo | 3 defensive snaps | 2 | 9 defensive snaps |
| KENYATTA JACKSON | DE | Arkansas State | 2 | 2 tackles, 1 TFL (1 yard) | |
| HERO KANU | DT | Arkansas State | 2 | 17 defensive snaps | |
| KOJO ANTWI | WR | Toledo | 1 | 4 offensive snaps | |
| DEVIN BROWN | QB | Toledo | 1 | 1 rush, 1 yard | |
| TC CAFFEY | RB | Toledo | 1 | 6 rushes, 57 yards, 1 TD | |
| BENNETT CHRISTIAN | TE | Toledo | 1 | 11 offensive snaps | |
| KYION GRAYES | WR | Toledo | 1 | 1 catch, 2 yards | |
| OMARI ABOR | DE | Arkansas State | Unavailable (knee injury) | 1 | |
| CALEB BURTON | WR | ||||
| GEORGE FITZPATRICK | OT | ||||
| AVERY HENRY | OL | ||||
| CARSON HINZMAN | OL |
(Note: The table does not include freshman walk-ons who have not yet played.)
- #3 Ohio State 52, Wisconsin 21
- • Buckeyes Steamroll Badgers, 52-21
- • B1G Statement By Bucks
- • McCalister, JK, Brown Step Up In Secondary
- • Debriefing Ohio State's Win In B1G Opener
- • Ohio State Postgame • Notebook • Quotebook • Photos
- • 3 Key Stats • Five Things • Social Reactions
