Hoosiers just what the doctor ordered for Buckeyes
Cover photo: Ohio State wide receiver Emeka Egbuka celebrates his first quarter six-yard touchdown catch. Photo by Sam Fahmi/Columbus Wired.
What is one way to give your rushing attack a needed boost that a lot of people are saying badly needed one?
Play the nation’s 89th best rushing defense, that’s how.
On Saturday afternoon, No. 2 Ohio State (10-0, 7-0 Big Ten) clobbered the Indiana Hoosiers (3-7, 1-6) by a score of 56-14.
After a sluggish go of it last weekend against Northwestern for the worst amount of total yards ever under head coach Ryan Day (283), the Buckeyes piled up 662 total yards including 340 on the ground despite being without sophomore TreVeyon Henderson for a second straight week. Third-year Miyan Williams had his fourth 100-yard performance of the season as he slashed the Hoosiers for 147 yards on 15 carries and one touchdown. He did not play in the second half.
True freshman Dallan Hayden led the team with 19 carries for 102 yards and notched his second rushing touchdown of the year on a 14-yard scamper in the first quarter.
The passing game also fared much better than it did last weekend in blustery Evanston, Ill. as quarterback C.J. Stroud threw for 297 yards on 17-of-28 passing for five scores and no turnovers. He also didn’t take a sack and had four runs for eight yards.
Wide receiver Marvin Harrison led the team with seven catches for 135 yards and one touchdown, which was for 58 yards. Tight end Cade Stover had three catches for 45 yards and two scores while receiver/running back Xavier Johnson had two catches for 47 yards and finished third on the team in rushing with one 71-yard touchdown carry. Receiver Emeka Egbuka had two catches for 38 yards and one score.
Ohio State’s sixth-ranked defense didn’t necessarily need a boost to their confidence but playing the 112th-rated offense that was averaging 329 total yards per game certainly didn’t hurt. The Buckeyes held the Hoosiers to 269 total yards, tallied 10 tackles for-loss, including four sacks. Linebacker Steele Chambers led the team with 10 tackles, including one for-loss and half of a sack. Safety Lathan Ransom finished second on the team with nine tackles while linebacker Tommy Eichenberg had seven tackles including three for-loss.
Third-year QB Dexter Williams II led the Hoosiers with 107 yards passing, completing six out of 19 for one touchdown. Wide receiver Emery Simmons led the team rushing with 44 yards on one carry.
Ohio State's next game is at Maryland (6-3, 3-3) with the kickoff yet to be announced. Indiana travels to East Lansing, Mich. to take on the Spartans (4-5, 2-4) with the kick yet to be determined.