Ohio State has released the Champions from the Buckeyes’ 52-3 win over Rutgers on Saturday and there are a lot of them.
Defensively, nine players earned Champion grades, while on offense there were 15 honorees.
Last week, just two OSU defenders earned a Champion’s mark, but that changed quite a bit this weekend. For the second week in a row, however, junior defensive end Nick Bosa was named the Defensive Player of the Game. Bosa led the Buckeyes with five tackles, three of which were TFLs, and also had a sack.
Also for the second week in a row, redshirt junior defensive tackle Dre’Mont Jones was named a Champion. Joining Bosa and Jones for the first time this season were junior safety Jordan Fuller — who was injured last week, redshirt junior nose tackle Robert Landers, sophomore defensive end Chase Young, junior linebacker Malik Harrison, redshirt junior cornerbacks Damon Arnette and Kendall Sheffield, and redshirt cornerback Shaun Wade.
Young notched a pair of sacks and earned his honor despite being booted from the game for a pair of unsportsmanlike penalties. Wade was playing in his first extensive action as a Buckeye as he was moved to the team’s No. 1 nickel back in the week leading up to the Rutgers game.
Sheffield notched his first interception as a Buckeye.
Offensively, redshirt sophomore quarterback Dwayne Haskins was named the Offensive Player of the Game for his 20-for-23 performance. He wasn’t the only quarterback to earn a Champion grade, however, as redshirt freshman Tate Martell also earned the honor with his 10-for-10 passing and 95-yard rushing performance.
Last week, the entire offensive line was honored, but this week left guard Malcolm Pridgeon was the only offensive lineman to miss the mark.
Fifth-year senior receivers Johnnie Dixon, Parris Campbell, and Terry McLaurin were Champions, as was fourth-year junior H-back K.J. Hill, junior Austin Mack, redshirt junior tight end Rashod Berry, redshirt sophomore tight end Luke Farrell, redshirt junior running back Mike Weber, and sophomore running back J.K. Dobbins.
Dixon caught four passes for 89 yards and two touchdowns, while McLaurin added just one catch, but it was a 51-yard touchdown.
Weber was named a Champion while rushing for just 31 yards on eight carries, which tells you that he was doing everything else his coaches were asking him to do.
This was the second week in a row Weber, Dobbins, Hill, Campbell, and McLaurin were named Champions.
Redshirt sophomore safety Jahsen Wint was the Special Teams Player of the Game.