It was supposed to be a Heisman showcase, a chance for one of the greatest college football players in the nation to prove his bonafides against top-caliber competition. That is, indeed, what happened Saturday night in Ohio Stadium. Just not for the player most people expected.
While Buckeye QB J.T. Barrett exploded for a school-record 423 yards of total offense and four touchdowns, Penn State RB Saquon Barkley had a much quieter day.
After returning the opening kickoff for a 97-yard touchdown, Barkley added a 36-yard touchdown early in the second quarter that extended Penn State’s lead to 21-3. Outside of that 30 total seconds of excitement, one of the country’s most exciting players was nearly invisible.
He rushed a total of 21 times for 44 yards, meaning Barkley had just 8 yards on his other 20 rushes. And a week after creating a nightmarish matchup for Michigan’s defense in the passing game, he managed only 23 yards on four catches.
After the game, Urban Meyer was so shocked by the stat sheet that asked OSU sports information director Jerry Emig to confirm that the numbers were really correct.
“He had 21 carries for 44 yards, if I’m reading that right. Is that right?” Meyer asked. “One was a 36-yard carry. Our defense was all over him.”
But to Meyer, shutting down Barkley through the air might have been even more impressive.
“One of the biggest things that makes him such a great player is the ability to catch the ball. And I was as worried about that, because we’re a man coverage team, all of a sudden you get stuck with a linebacker playing man-to-man, like you saw against our rivals. That’s a credit. We had the bye week to prepare for them, too. But we still have incredible respect for him as a player,” Meyer said.
OSU DE Sam Hubbard said that the key to success was that the Buckeyes weren’t trying to do too much, and just plugged the holes they were supposed to.
“Gaps, being gap sound,” Hubbard said. “(Barkley) likes to jump things out. You saw him jumping around, spinning around a lot just because he had nowhere to go with the ball. There were no seams. We were fundamentally sound and that’s really the key. He finds the holes where defensive linemen who are looking to make a big play get out of the gaps. We didn’t do that.”
LB Chris Worley agreed, “This is not the first time we’ve played against him, so we know what kind of back he is. We knew if we took care of what we needed to take care of, we would be in good shape as a defense. For the most part, we did.”
LB Jerome Baker was tasked with tracking Barkley for much of the day. He said he and the Penn State star had a running, but respectful dialogue on the field.
“He was like ‘are you looking for me every play?’ And I was like ‘yeah, I definitely am,'” said Baker. “He’s a great player, though. It was definitely fun playing against him. That’s just a credit to our defense that we are a great defense and we do our job.”
Baker said that hearing about Barkley’s impressive stats and status as a Heisman frontrunner all week helped drive him.
“Definitely. I’m a competitor. I love to compete, I love to play the best guys,” he said.
One of the most memorable defensive plays of the afternoon was also one of the biggest moments of the game. With the Buckeyes down 38-33 and desperately needing to get the ball back, Penn State opened their drive with 4:14 left on the clock, 1st-and-10 at their own 15.
Hubbard beat a pulling guard and came in clean of the edge. He drilled Barkley six yards in the backfield just as PSU QB Trace McSorley was handing the ball to him. Hubbard managed to wrap his arms around both Nittany Lions and hung on and waited for backup. It helped ensure PSU would go 3-and-out, and set up the winning Buckeye touchdown.
“That was one of the best moments of my career,” said Hubbard. “I’m happy that Jalyn (Holmes) was there to help me clean it up because those are two dynamic players and the fact that I held onto them both was…”
Hubbard’s voice trailed off, he shook his head and smiled. It was a common reaction from the Buckeyes and their fans in the moments after the game. There was no way to describe it.
Went back watched that 4th quarter again. Larry Johnson doesn’t get near the credit he deserves. That d-line is one of it not the best in the country. He sends guys to the nfl ready to play nfl football. Kerry combs has brought the secondary a long way since the Oklahoma game to. Give him credit.
I saw a very determined o line and as always one of the best d lines in college football against psu however the osu special teams were as all year poor except for the blocked punt osu did prove the saying ” you can’t win this one ” as a we will win and did win as for those saying we were playing teams that hasn’t been any completion it’s true they weren’t the Alabama’s or Georgia’s but every team shows competition in one way or another the buckeyes seem to play at level of the opposition so look out playoffs GO BUCKEYES and congratulations to jt and company
It’s funny how every “I” in the crowd now get to tell us how great -THEY – are. Seriously? Considering JT Barrett is a lousy QB, the linebackers stink, the Offensive line are well “offensive”, the defensive backfield are terrible – it’s amazing how now the brown cows are telling us they saw this coming. The rest of us – WE – who’ve seen this potential for days, weeks, now months, are left to just enjoy the moment – because WE know that WE’ve been on that wagon for a very long time – against all types of opponents. WE said that against a good opponent a good offensive day would be 27 or so points and a great offensive day would be 38 or so points. It was a great day….and WE enjoyed it! Go Bucks!
Well “I” predicted a final score of 56 – 24 in favor of the “Buckeyes” but, NOBODY saw yesterday coming anywhere close to the way it unfolded.
Not sure what the point of your post was, but, it sounds like you are a little bit sore that fans haven’t believed in the same made for tv soundbytes about certain players. Until those doubts are physically removed with actual proof, the doubts will always remain. I realize that upsets sunshine pumpers who skip through the meadows singing kumbaya with cute little flowers in their hair. But that’s too bad.
The Buckeyes played two thirds of a great game yesterday. Some doubts were removed. Some remain. WELCOME to the realm of where equally devoted doubters have every bit as much of a right as the sunshine pumpers to voice their feelings and opinions on THEIR team. That’s the way its always been. That’s the way it always will be.
A lot of fancy “we’s”, “I’s” and “they’s” in there. We’s and they’s always scare me. Count me in with the I’s! I gather that it is the we’s in your post who are the best people? The we’s are the masses? That definitely scares me. The they’s are the outcasts? Wait a minute, I just scrolled up and reread and it appears the I’s and the they’s are one in the same. That’s cool also, even better! Count me in with the they’s and the I’s. Wait, I don’t want to be with the they’s! I’m just going to be an I! I am a HUGE Buckeye fan and the we’s can choose how huge if that is how they like to spend their time.
BINGO Jim.
I hope all of you got to see what I’ve been preaching about Baker & his ability to stop the run & cover one of the best receivers out of the backfield in college football. I’ll say it again ” The best outside LB. in college football”!!
No hes not
Says who?
I blew my final score prediction BY A TON, BUT, the 5 predictions article I got pretty close (first time this year….lol). The only one I just missed on was Total yards by the Buckeyes. I blame that on our resident prophet………Tony Gerdman! Why? Dunno!
1. PSU will finish below 300 yards offensively.
2. Ohio State will finish with 550 yards of offense.
3. Barkley falls behind JT Barrett in the 2017 Heisman race based on their performances by this games conclusive storyline. Barrett pops 350 yards of offense.
4. JK Dobbins tosses his early hat in the ring for the 2018 Heisman Trophy
5. PAIN. PSU will leave Columbus, Ohio, torn, tired and mangled by a FAR superior team.
How many times during the game did the fans (like me) give up? It’s a credit to the team that they never did.
There were plenty of times I typed my frustration to Doc Brown that “It’s over”. I wanted to think a comeback was coming but between the 10 penalties, the refs making what to me were pretty incredulous decisions and OH! Those AWFUL kickoffs! At one point I tried to cushion the blow of a loss thinking, “Even if we (it’s always ‘we’ with sports teams I follow) CAN score, we have to KICK OFF to them!”, fearing another long return. So glad that J.T. had a scintillating 4th quarter, but really was very good all game. 33 – 39 INCLUDING 4 drops?! Are you KIDDING me?!!
Made me chuckle, Andrew, as I said the same thing about scoring…that oh no, we have to kick off!