Ohio State’s full arsenal of pass-game opening weapons is not only back in the fold, but back to game speed.
That much was confirmed when Emeka Egbuka surpassed 29 receiving yards for the first time since he left the Buckeyes’ game vs. Maryland on Oct. 7 with an injury, catching five passes for 83 yards against Minnesota last week.
“Feel good. Healthy,” Egbuka said on Tuesday.
It’s a good thing that Ohio State got Egbuka back to full speed in time for this week, because what awaits is the best secondary, statistically, the Buckeyes have faced all year in what is also easily the biggest game they’ve played in 2023.
Michigan has the nation’s No. 2 total pass defense, allowing 144.8 yards per game. The Wolverines have allowed the seventh-fewest yards per passing attempt in the country (5.7) and the fewest passing touchdowns in all of college football (five).
Ohio State possesses the nation’s No. 24 passing offense in total yards per game and No. 15 group in terms of yards per pass attempt.
Marvin Harrison Jr. has been a main piece to elevate the unit. The leading non-quarterback in Heisman Trophy odds and a Biletnikoff Award semifinalist, he’s reeled in 62 passes for 1,093 yards and 13 touchdowns this season. He’s now tied for third alongside Devin Smith in career touchdown receptions with 30 total in his three years in Columbus.
When teams have limited his production this year, however, they’ve really limited it. Out of Ohio State’s 11 games this campaign, he has seven where he’s posted more than 100 yards receiving. In the other four, he’s been held to 32 or fewer. Needless to say, the Buckeyes will hope for one of his triple-digit outings against the maize and blue.
The primary cornerback he’ll match up against is sophomore Will Johnson. A five-star prospect in the 247Sports composite, Johnson has lived up to the hype this season as Michigan’s No. 1 cornerback while recording two interceptions (including a pick-six), four pass breakups and 18 tackles.
Despite the attention surrounding his and Johnson’s matchup, Harrison hasn’t given a ton of credence to their faceoff.
“That’s not something I’ve really thought about,” Harrison said. “My job is to go out there and make the plays no matter if he's lined up against me or if I'm going to slide (over in the formation) or (into the) backfield, wherever it may be. He's obviously a tremendous player, super excited to see where his career goes.”
Generally in his collegiate career, Harrison has found that a variety of people are guarding him throughout games.
“I've been around football long enough to know that it doesn't really go like that a lot of times,” Harrison said. “I think if you watch football, you understand the receivers line up in all different places now, and for it to just be a one-on-one kind of game, it doesn't really happen like that. I think the only time that really happened to me was Kalen King (vs.) Penn State. He actually traveled with me.”
Flanking Johnson on the opposite side of Michigan’s defensive formations will be graduate cornerback Josh Wallace, who has matched Johnson’s tackle and PBU totals with 18 and four. He hasn’t picked off a pass since transferring in from UMass this offseason, but did pull in two picks with the Minutemen a year ago.
Then in the slot, whether it’s Egbuka, Harrison or Xavier Johnson lining up there for Ohio State on a given play, that player is likely to see the most productive player in Michigan’s defensive backfield – graduate nickel Mike Sainristil.
The Massachusetts native has five interceptions this season, tied for the second-most in all of college football behind the seven of Notre Dame’s Xavier Watts. He’s returned two of those picks for touchdowns and tacked on four PBUs, 25 tackles, three tackles for loss and a sack.
Much like Harrison with Johnson, however, Egbuka was mum when asked about his potential matchup with Sainristil.
“I don’t have too much to comment about in terms of their players,” Egbuka said. “I know that we're going to go in with a great game plan. We're going to work our tails off this week and we're going to do our best and fully trust in the coaches' game plan and whatever plays are being called. I have full trust in the guy over there (Kyle McCord) who's doing his interview. So we’re going to go in and give it a good shot.”
Michigan’s secondary is rounded out by safeties Makari Paige and Rod Moore, with Paige being its leading tackler among defensive backs this season at 30. Keon Sabb also factors in behind Moore at free safety, with two interceptions to Moore’s one.
Despite the overall talent lining up across from them, Harrison feels Ohio State’s weapons have to keep the same approach they’ve had all season.
“Every game has to be the same,” Harrison said. “I think that's a mistake a lot of people make is you kind of make the games bigger than what they really are. Obviously, this is the biggest game that you can possibly play in, but if you take the same approach as when you played Youngstown State against the team up north, your mind is already trained to be at your best and not know who the opponent is.”
Tight end Cade Stover could be another factor to open things up if Michigan focuses on defending the outside. He’s already tied for the fifth-most receiving yards in a season from an Ohio State tight end with 38 receptions for 534 yards and five touchdowns. With anywhere from two to four games remaining for the Buckeyes, he is 138 yards from surpassing Billy Anders’ 1966 campaign for the top single-season mark from an Ohio State tight end.
“I just feel like we're a really explosive unit overall. I don't think there's any secret in that,” Egbuka said. “We have great weapons all over the field, and just expanding those weapons to Kyle and getting him to have a pick of who he wants to throw the ball to or hand the ball to. It's kind of hard for defenses to game plan. So we’re trying our best to make sure everyone's healthy this week.”
Another factor in trying to open things up through the air is the recent improvements Ohio State has made on the ground.
TreVeyon Henderson has rattled off at least 128 rushing yards in three of his four games since returning from injury. He’s made big plays to help secure wins in those contests as well, including a 33-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter at Wisconsin to put the Buckeyes up 24-10, a 65-yard reception at Rutgers and a 75-yard touchdown jaunt on the first play of the second half against Minnesota.
TreVeyon Henderson continues to show he is so back. @TreVeyonH4 x @OhioStateFB
— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) November 18, 2023
: @BigTenNetwork pic.twitter.com/MdsvlGYqfd
On the whole, Ohio State's rushing offense averaged 5.5 and 6.1 yards per carry against Michigan State and Minnesota, their second- and third-best marks of the season.
“I feel like he's the most explosive back in the nation,” Egbuka said of Henderson. “You guys have really seen his speed over these last couple of weeks, think he’s had a play of like 70 yards every single week since he's been back. So it's something that you really have to game plan for. But you also can't slight anybody on the outside, because if you drop that extra safety in the box to handle TreVeyon, then it allows us an opportunity down the field.”
“I just feel like we're a really explosive unit overall. I don't think there's any secret in that.”– Emeka Egbuka on Ohio State’s offense
Ryan Day also feels that the big-game experience that McCord and the team as a whole at Notre Dame and against Penn State this year will assist them with settling in against the Wolverines.
“Anytime you have experience in a game like this, it makes a big difference,” Day said. “It's something to go back upon, which is good. He's a very smart player who understands situations, and when you've been in those types of situations before, you have something to grab onto and refer to.”
Ohio State has held one of college football's best arsenals of receivers and weapons for much of the Ryan Day era. Now more than ever, it needs those playmakers to make an impact.
