MY THOUGHTS.....ROSE BOWL

 

Missing quite a few players on both sides of the ball and behind for most of the game, the Ohio State Buckeyes rallied and pulled out a thrilling Rose Bowl win for the ages to conclude the 2021 season at 11-2. 

            C.J. Stroud had a record-setting day.  His 573 yards passing shattered the previous single-game OSU record by Dwayne Haskins as he completed over eighty percent of his throws and a Rose Bowl record six touchdowns.   I thought the absence of Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson would make a difference, but at the end of the game, Ohio State fans were probably saying “Olave who?” Jaxon Smith-Njigba shredded the Utah defense, and the Ohio State record book, by amassing 347 receiving yards on 15 receptions and three touchdowns.  After logging just five receptions during the regular season, Marvin Harrison Jr. caught six balls for 71 yards and three scores.  Emeka Egbuka caught three passes of his own and showed his explosiveness on several kickoff returns.  He had a 75-yarder called back, but his 33-yard return to the OSU 42 set up the offense on their game-winning drive.  TreVeyon Henderson had the bulk of the carries (17) for 83 yards and, at times found it a rough go against Utah’s defensive front but had a couple of good runs on the game-winning drive. 

            The defense looked absolutely horrid in the first half, giving up 35 point and 324 total yards, but I noticed more aggressive play in the second half as they held the Utes to only 10 points, 139 total yards, and stopped the Utes on several key third-down plays.  Tommy Eichenberg played the game of his career for a game-high 17 tackles, including a tackle for loss.  Bryson Shaw came up big with nine stops and recovered a fumbled snap on a Utah punt that set up a touchdown.  So did Kourt Williams with six tackles and a sack.  Ohio State’s rush defense got better as the game wore on.  Utah entered the Rose Bowl ranked number 2 in the country, averaging 5.62 yards per carry.  They were held to a mere 3.2 yards per carry in the second half and 5.1 yards for the entire game.  This is remarkable, considering the defense played without Haskell Garrett and Antwuan Jackson on the line, Cody Simon at linebacker and Jack Sawyer, who was kicked out for targeting.  DT Taron Vincent was key in stuffing the Utah ground game in the second half with his six stops, along with DE Zach Harrison with his five tackles.

            Ohio State’s Rose Bowl win proved the resiliency and character of this team and they proved without a doubt they had the people to step in for the missing players.  It should be a big boost going into the off season.