Ohio State started slow, but then they roared to life on their way to their fourth straight win, as they shut down Northwestern at Wrigley Field in Chicago!
How'd they get the job done? Let's take a look and find out!
Silver Bullets
Let's keep things in perspective: Northwestern was 4-5 coming in. The Wildcats aren't going anywhere this season. So all they had to play for was to be spoiler against Ohio State.
But the Buckeye defense didn't play down to their competition. Jim Knowles' unit got after it, sacking Wildcats quarterback Jack Lausch four times, and forcing a fumble.
They've really struggled to get the pass rush going consistently for most of the year. But if there's ever a time to start generating consistent defensive pressure up front, this would be the time. Ohio State only has two regular season games left (vs. Indiana and Michigan). If this defense can continue generating the pressure they did today, this just adds another dimension to an already stout defense!
Carnell Tate: Homecoming Hero!
I wonder what was going through Carnell Tate's mind during this game. He's originally from Chicago, and I'm sure he was happy to get a chance to play on the Wrigley Field grass. But once he got in the groove, it looked like the man was single-minded. See ball. Get ball. Simple as that. And that's exactly what he did!
He caught four passes for 52 yards, but two of his catches went for touchdowns, including an absolutely gorgeous catch where he not only laid out for the ball, but he twisted his body into position to be able to bring the ball in as he fell across the goal line for the touchdown. It was one of the more creative and pretty catches I've seen in a while!
To give you some perspective on how loaded Ohio State is at the wide receiver position, Tate is their number 3 wideout. He's behind Emeka Egbuka and Jeremiah Smith in terms of explosiveness. But he's good enough that he'd probably be a number 1 wide receiver for 90% of the schools across America if he didn't go to Ohio State.
There's still plenty of football left to be played. But if Ohio State did make a run, and ended up winning their 9th National Championship in school history, Tate should play a big role. With Egbuka and Smith getting a lot of the spotlight, Tate positions himself perfectly to be the "X Factor" as the number 3 wideout. Ryan Day needs to get Tate more involved in the game plan after a day like today!
Two Headed Monster
The more I see how Henderson and Judkins run the football, the more excited I get! Not just because I love great running games. But because a stout ground game just adds another dimension to an already dangerous Buckeye offense.
We're no longer in the "Woody Hayes Era" where it's run first, and pass as a last resort. Football has evolved, and a lot of the teams playing now have pass-heavy offenses. The Buckeyes do too. But seeing Ohio State go back to their roots, and be able to run the football well, is a fantastic sign as they get close to wrapping up the regular season!
Henderson and Judkins were about as balanced as you could get in terms of carries and yardage between the two of them.
Judkins led the way with 15 carries for 76 yards and two touchdowns, while Henderson ran the ball 11 times for 74 yards. He even hurdled a guy!
As a team the Buckeyes ran the ball 33 times for 173 yards and two touchdowns, which was absolutely fantastic. And considering the slow start they had early, they rebounded nicely, and will hopefully keep things rolling on the ground for the rest of the season!
Up Next
Up next, the Buckeyes host 5th-ranked Indiana at the Horseshoe next Saturday. The Hoosiers are currently in the middle of their best season in school history. They've never gone at least 10-0 until now. And they're likely absolutely fearless.
IU head coach Curt Cignetti has his team playing fantastic football, and in prime position to make the Playoff if they keep doing what they're doing. The Buckeyes can't even remotely afford to take the Hoosiers lightly, or they'll end up getting punched in the mouth.
I never thought I'd see the day where I'd get pumped up about an Ohio State vs. Indiana game. But here we are. That one should be a great one in Columbus, and it'll hopefully get the Buckeyes into a great mindset.
Yes, the Wolverines are around the corner. But battling a fantastic Indiana football team will force the Buckeyes to stay in the all-business mindset for the rest of the year, no matter how many more games they play.
But until then, GO BUCKS!
Statistical Leaders
Will Howard: 15-24, 247 yards, 2 TDs
Quinshon Judkins: 15 carries, 76 yards, 2 TDs
Jeremiah Smith: 4 catches, 100 yards
Source
ESPN
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