TreVeyon Henderson celebrates his touchdown. (Photo by Ohio State Athletics)
Game 10 Ohio State vs. Michigan State View from the Couch (11/11/23)
Favorite Stat of the Game: Ohio State’s 530 yards of total offense.
This team keeps it moving on H2O (Henderson and Harrison Offense). Behind this combo, the offense got 530 total yards, 25 first downs, and zero turnovers en route to 38 points. The Spartans are only 3-7, but they’re still a Big Ten football team that Ohio State beat by five touchdowns.
The Brooklyn Dagger Award: Marvin Harrison Jr.’s second touchdown of the game.
This was the best pass by Kyle McCord of the whole season. He read the safety and put it up there where only Harrison could get it this was the Devin Smith Bomb of the Game. This was also McCord’s best game. I know it was against a 3-7 team with an interim head coach but you like to see your team getting in rhythm in November.
Marvin Harrison Jr. is making a push for the Heisman and rightly so. He was my Dwayne Haskins Player of the Game. His three touchdowns led the way and certainly helped his case for the He18man. His contribution in the rushing made him the Chris Gamble-Evan Spencer All-Purpose Player of the Game and was the 2014 Moment too as it put the defense on their heels for the rest of the ball game.
Harrison was storming his way through the Buckeye record books too. This was his 14th 100-yard game of his Ohio State career, tying David Boston for most all time by a Buckeye. He posted his second 1,000-yard season as a receiver, the first Buckeye to ever do that.
He also passed legend Cris Carter in career touchdowns, passing Carter’s 27 and his 29 put him within one of Devin Smith who is third place with 30 (Chris Olave is first with 35, David Boston is second with 34) and Harrison is in great position to own that record by himself before he leaves Ohio State.
Harrison had seven catches for 149 yards and two touchdowns receiving and a single carry for a 19-yard rushing touchdown. On the season, he has 59 catches for 1,053 yards and 13 total touchdowns.
Chase Young Defensive Players of the Game: The secondary.
They led the way for this defense again, even though they were banged up. Even though they missed Josh Proctor, Lathan Ransom, and Tommy Eichenberg. They should get Proctor and Eichenberg back, Ransom maybe not. In the meantime, Sonny Styles, Denzel Burke, Jordan Hancock, Davison Igbinosun, Jermaine Matthews and Malik Hartford took charge and got it done.
Matthews got it done with great punt coverage on special teams for the Sweater Vest Award. Cody Simon filled Eichenberg’s big shoes (Fedora Award) and the Buckeye defense would come away with five passes deflected, six tackles for a loss, and two sacks. Tyleik Williams got the Bosa Brothers Sack of the Game and now has 9.5 tackles for a loss on the year. Jim Knowles’ defense not only held MSU to only a field goal on the scoreboard but 182 total yards of offense as they continue to imitate the 2002 Buckeyes with elite, championship defense.
Ryan Shazier-Devin Smith Award: Kyle McCord and Company.
This was the smoothest I’ve seen Kyle McCord play all year. I know MSU is 3-7 but this is the kind of improvement we’ve been hoping to see from McCord. He showed he has what it takes to be the next star Buckeye signal caller. He was given lots of time by an also improving offensive line that is playing their best 1968 Championship football. Even despite my jinxing of Carson Hinzman with his first rough snap of the season, he and McCord played well.
McCord will miss Marvin Harrison Jr., TreVeyon Henderson, and Cade Stover in 2024. Any quarterback would. The cupboard isn’t bare though. We sat that against MSU with young guys like Carnell Tate, Jelani Thurman, and Evan Pryor showing up to give us a look a next year. With contributions across the roster, McCord would finish 24 of 31 for 335 yards and three touchdowns.
Dane Sanzenbacher–K.J. Hill Award: TreVeyon Henderson
Henderson got going early for the Buckeyes and helped the offense open up the Spartan defense. He would quietly have 15 touches for 77 yards and a touchdown as he and Harrison continued to fuel the offense.
Taylor Decker Award: Cade Stover
Stover made a big return from injury for the Buckeyes and did so to the tune of seven catches for 79 yards and the beautiful touchdown pass and catch above. They will need his blocking in the running game and receiving to complement Harrison’s if they want to win games after Thanksgiving.
Archie Award: Xavier Johnson.
The graduate senior from Cincinnati just plays where you need him and does so with the class and determination you expect. Especially from a senior captain. Johnson had five touches for 71 total yards both rushing and receiving.
Horned Rimmed Glasses Award: Veterans Day.
Coach Woody Hayes was a patriotic American even more than he was a Buckeye. He fought in the Navy during WWII and would have appreciated the tributes across the country to America’s heroes and veterans.
With and Against the Current of the Ohio
Going against the current is Ohio State’s ever-present injury bug. Ransom is likely done for the year. Proctor and Eichenberg were missing and while it didn’t bite the Buckeyes this time it certainly would in two weeks. Emeka Egbuka’s nagging injury is keeping another star out of the lineup who will be needed for any and all games after Thanksgiving.
With the current is the rest of the team stepping up and giving important snaps to their team, like the defense, senior Xavier Johnson, and talented freshman as well. A big thing that went right for the Buckeye offense was getting on track together. While they had seemed to have off moments enough just to keep the offense off track most of the year, they didn’t have that problem this game. To the players and coaching credit, they were in sync as a team. Hopefully, it is a sign of the team improving and not destroying a 3-7 team.
