My Thoughts.....B1G Championship

The Ohio State Buckeyes captured their 36^th Big Ten Conference title with a win over an undefeated Wisconsin team in a game that wasn’t as close as the score indicated.

            J.T. Barrett took the field following arthroscopic knee surgery, and had mixed results.  He made a few clutch, pinpoint throws and cranked out a few first downs running.  His throw to Terry McLaurin was right on the money on the 84-yarder on Ohio State’s second possession.  Then came a terrible throw, giving Wisconsin a touchdown on a pick-six for Wisconsin outside linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel on a pass that never should’ve been thrown.  Barrett would later find Parris Campbell on a short route before Campbell's speed turned it into a 57-yard score. A Barrett rushing touchdown followed giving OSU what looked like a comfortable 21-7 lead. But late in the opening half Barrett missed two wide open shots for touchdowns as he overthrew K.J. Hill on a post three plays before another errant toss went over the head of a lonely Johnnie Dixon behind the Badger secondary keeping the Buckeye lead at 21-10 entering the break.  Barrett’s pick in the second half, that led to a Wisconsin touchdown came on a tipped throw to Marcus Baugh on a third-down play where Baugh didn’t have a chance of making the first down had he caught it.

  On the other hand, J.K. Dobbins put up his second-most rushing yards of the year, churning out 174 yards on 17 catches.  Dobbins now has six games of at least 100 yards rushing this season including three of his last four outings, coming against what were supposed to be elite run defenses in Michigan State, Michigan and Wisconsin. His effort was huge as the offense needed a boost with Barrett running hot and cold and Dobbins delivered like a seasoned veteran.  With the bowl game left in his freshman season, Dobbins is now Ohio State's all-time freshman rushing leader with 1,364 yards.

Facing tailback Jonathan Taylor and the nation's top-ranked rushing attack, the Ohio State defensive line showed why they are perhaps the best defensive line in the country.  The front seven was all over Taylor all game long, holding him to a paltry 41 yards.  Collectively, the Badgers ran it 32 times for 60 yards, while the Buckeye front also harassed quarterback Alex Hornibrook into a 48% completion rate with two interceptions. Jalyn Holmes was everywhere with five tackles and a QB hurry alongside Nick Bosa with four stops, two TFL, a sack and a pair of hurries. Sam Hubbard chipped in a hurry and a couple stops and Tyquan Lewis logged a late game sack.  Take away the offensive mistakes, and this defense held the Badgers to three points.  

Ohio State now prepares to face the University of Southern California in the Cotton Bowl in Dallas December 29 as they look for their fifth 12-win or more season in six years under Urban Meyer.