Ohio State gave everyone something to think about Saturday.
It’s a game Michigan State will soon forget. The Buckeyes took down Sparta with a score of 56-7 in a duel with the top 10 decided after halftime. It was a reeling performance that Ohio State had no doubt about from start to finish.
Ohio State (10-1) led 49-0 after halftime. Select the index twice of your choice.
Ohio State quarterback CJ Stroud completed 29/31 393 yards and six TDs in the first half. He finished 32 of 35 for 432 yards. Michigan State rerun Kenneth Walker had six touchdowns for a total of 29 yards. Too much for that Heisman match.
THAN: Five Surprising Statistics From MSU’s Ohio State First Half Blitz
– The Buckeyes hit 500 yards in the first half and only faced two takedowns in the third, which they converted.
– Chris Olave (7 catches, 140 metres, 2 TDs), Garrett Wilson (7 catches, 126 metres, 2 TDs) and Jaxon Smith-Njigba (10 catches, 105 metres, TD) all have done. Show more than 100 meters in what a time looks like a 7 vs 7 clinic in the passing game. This is the most fully received trio in FBS, and all three are future first-round picks. LSU and Alabama have had that on national championship teams for the past two years.
Most of that happens before halftime. It’s an emphatic statement on every level. Who has something to think about when it comes to Buckeyes now?
Michigan
The game is coming, and Ohio State’s performance could push that line up to double digits. Michigan hasn’t beaten Ohio State since 2011, and the Wolverines are 0-5 against the Buckeyes since Jim Harbaugh took over. Michigan has a defense in the top 10, but they have not witnessed such an attack.
Oregon
Sure, the Ducks beat the Buckeyes 35-28 at Ohio Stadium on September 11, but the Buckeyes will take precedence in a rematch. That’s because Stroud has more experience in midfield, and the Buckeyes’ defense has been tightened, especially in defence.
Alabama
Yes, we remember last year’s CFP championship game. Don’t be surprised if Ohio State overtakes Oregon and Alabama in both the AP Poll and the fourth set of the College Football Playoff rankings and comes in at #2 in both polls. The Buckeyes currently have one win in the top 10, and they have three wins against ranked opponents. It’s a slightly better resume than the current Alabama.
Heisman voterbase
Stroud is the betting favorite coming out of the week, and he may have pushed some distance from the rest of the pitch. It’s the first of three potential big stages against Michigan next week and potentially the game against Wisconsin in the Big Ten championship game. Monster Stroud’s first half caught the attention of Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes II.
6TDs 400yds 2 times failed to complete in first half Lolol 😂
– Patrick Mahomes II (@PatrickMahomes) November 20, 2021
If Stroud breaks both of those defenses, then he wins the Heisman Trophy. That is, unless Bryce Young of Alabama beats Georgia first. Speaking of which …
Georgia
Yes, we went there. The best unit-versus-unit match in FBS right now will be Ohio State’s offensive behavior against Georgia’s defence. Of course, Alabama will get its first crack at the Bulldogs, but when Ohio State’s offense is unfolding as it did in the first half, the borderline can’t be stopped. We certainly want to see this attack against Georgia. Will it go to the CFP semi-finals or the championship match?
The Big Ten
Who will beat the Buckeyes? Ohio State has now won 25 consecutive Big Ten games at home with an average of 30.9 points per game. Third-year coach Ryan Day is 25-0 in the Big Ten games, for which the Buckeyes have racked up 30.2 points per game. It’s an impressive period of dominance that outweighs what Urban Meyer and Jim Tressel did in Columbus, because right now no one in the Big Ten seems to stand a chance against the show. Michigan State (9-2) is simply the latest team to feel that pain.
Michigan is next. If the Wolverines beat Maryland, we have a 10-1 game at the Big House next Saturday. Is this a more epic disappointment than the Wolverines’ legendary December 24 disappointment against Ohio State in 1969, the site of the Ten Years’ War?
We have a whole week to talk about it.
But Buckeyes should dominate that conversation, too.
