Stroud’s Huge Debut Helps Buckeyes Avoid Early Scare From Minnesota.
Unpredictable victory! It was uncertain in the first half. This game appeared to be on the verge of being upset. The Ohio State football team failed to move the ball effectively in the first half, down 14-10 at halftime and seemed to be afraid to throw the ball.
In the second half, everything changed. C.J. Stroud turned things around in the second half, throwing four touchdowns and flipping the game around. He completed 5/8 of his passes for 236 yards and four touchdowns. Although the statistic line is a little deceptive, it is still impressive. A 45-31 victory was the result.
The Buckeyes gained a significant amount of yardage after the catch. Chris Olave had a plethora of them. He completed with four catches for 117 yards and two touchdowns. Both touchdowns came with a lot of yards after the catch. Although Stroud had a perfect pass on Olave’s first score, Olave made both of those touchdowns.
Trayvon Henderson’s Ohio State football career got off to a fast start. On a pass play, he caught a 70-yard touchdown. It was a sudden onset of pace which could never be stopped. He only touched the ball twice for 15 yards, but both times he played fantastically.
Garrett Wilson had 5 receptions for 80 yards and a touchdown. He appeared to be in good shape, but he did have a couple of drops. However, Stroud’s success was aided by his running game. In the first half, Miyan Williams scored on a 71-yard run. He finished the sport with 9 carries for 125 yards which long touchdown.
As a team, the Buckeyes had 26 carries for 201 yards and a touchdown. The running game can improve next week, and it should be the focus of the offense for the rest of the season. This is how the offense should be run. The defense wasn’t as bad as the score proposed. The secondary actually performed admirably. Ryan Watts and Denzel Burke both looked very strong in the corner. The problem was that the defense changed personnel every series, making it difficult for the defense to establish a rhythm.
Haskell Garrett did score on a 32-yard fumble return off a Zach Harrison strip-sack. That was by far the best defensive play of the game, and it was a significant play in general. The defense must improve before the visit of Oregon next week.
It was a nail-biter, but a win maybe a win. It’s time to get ready for Oregon. The Ohio State football team should be prepared for the season opener at home.
