Sunday, October 15, 2023

Ohio State bops Boilermakers 41-7

   Kyle McCord threw three touchdown passes, two to Cade Stover and Marvin Harrison finished with 105 yards receiving as Ohio State stomped Purdue 41-7 at West Lafayette, Indiana.

With the victory, Ohio State improved to 6-0 and 3-0 in the Big Ten and became bowl-eligible.

The Buckeyes return home next Saturday to the Horseshoe and a showdown against fellow unbeaten Penn State.

Olentangy Offerings

1) The Ohio State rushing attack was questioned after last week's win over Maryland and it looked worse when TreVeyon Henderson and Miyan Williams were deemed unavailable before the game.

And it did get worse when Chip Trayanum left the game in the first quarter after six carries.

2) And as in a similar situation as last season, it was Dallan Hayden to the rescue.

Hayden, who Ryan Day had announced earlier in the week as a likely redshirt, scored a touchdown and finished with seventy-six yards on eleven carries

3) Marvin Harrison Jr. had his typically dynamic game and as always made a highlight catch.

Harrison made a catch in the first quarter off a Purdue defender's back while falling down, somehow holding onto the ball.

4) Ohio State installed a red-zone package for backup quarterback Devin Brown, who ran for a score and fumbled just before the goal line on another possession.

I understand giving Penn State something else to look at but I wonder sometimes of the value of these things when they are so often one-dimensional.

5) Brown would later throw a fifty-eight-yard touchdown to freshman Brandon Inniss during garbage time but it was nice seeing Brown throw.

All too often, Brown resembled Urban Meyer-type quarterbacks rather than true passers.

6) Purdue missed three field goals in the game but even giving them those points, this game wasn't close.

Ohio State missed an extra point, so it was a difficult day to kick in the rain.

7)  Cade Stover grabbed two touchdown passes and the former linebacker continues to build his NFL draft stock.

Stover is still gaining experience at tight end but yet he won't be a total project for NFL teams that could pick him in the draft.

8) Entering the games against Penn State, I am a bit worried about the injuries that are piling up.

The first three running backs, Emeka Egbuka (against Maryland), and a third-quarter injury to starting cornerback Denzel Burke are in question for the visit of the Nittany Lions.

9) The offensive line improved from its poor effort vs Maryland and looked good but a caveat- it was still Purdue.

Penn State will be a massive test for the running game especially the push from the offensive line.

10) I'm not sure what to think about Ohio State next week.

They haven't dazzled and other than their win over Notre Dame (a win that looks much better after the Irish knocked around Heisman winner Caleb Williams and USC yesterday) haven't played tough competition.

Penn State has yet to play even one good team and while Michigan has looked more impressive and is being given national kudos for that, their best win might be against UNLV.

I'm not saying  Ohio State is better than both or either, I'm just saying we don't know.

We take a big step in finding out next Saturday at noon.

No comments: