Football: Five takeaways from No. 2 Ohio State’s 56-14 win against Indiana

Casey Smith
Mon, 14 Nov 2022 01:58:17 +0000
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Second-year wide receivers Marvin Harrison Jr. (18) and Emeka Egbuka (2) leap in celebration during the Ohio State-Indiana game Saturday. Ohio State won 56-14. Credit: Zachary Rilley | Photo Editor

A week following the windy and rainy conditions that affected Ohio State’s offense against Northwestern, the No. 2 Buckeyes had to battle the elements in their return home against Indiana Saturday.

Ohio State’s offense cut through cold and occasionally snowy conditions to amass 662 total yards and come away with a convincing 56-14 victory, extending its win streak to 27-consecutive games over the Hoosiers.

Here’s what we learned from the Buckeyes in game 10.

Kamryn Babb scores emotional first career touchdown

Ohio State graduate wide receiver Kamryn Babb (0) celebrates the first touchdown catch of his career during No. 2 Ohio State’s (10-0) 56-14 win over Indiana (3-7) in Columbus on Saturday. Babb has suffered four ACL injuries since the start of his college career. Credit: Katie Good | Asst. Photo Editor

Many college football players go through mental and physical battles before reaching their goal. Not many players have had a tougher road than graduate wide receiver Kamryn Babb.

Babb arrived in Columbus as the 36th-best recruit in the class of 2018, according to 247Sports, but has torn four ACLs — two in each knee — which limited him to just eight-career games.

Ohio State held a 35-point lead when Babb checked in, and after marching down the field, his number was called.

Third-year quarterback C.J. Stroud took the shotgun snap, sprinted out to his right and delivered a strike to Babb in stride as his first-career reception went for his first-career touchdown.

Babb ran over to the back of the end zone, dropped to his knees “to give praise to Jesus Christ” before being mobbed by his teammates as he headed back to the bench.

Second-year wide receiver Emeka Egbuka was one of the teammates to hug Babb during the celebration, later tweeting that he “ain’t never cried like that.”

Another embrace came from Babb’s mother, who Babb thanked for being “the best mother I could ask for” Aug. 27 when he called to tell her he was named a captain.

X-Factor Xavier Johnson emerges as weapon for Ohio State offense

The Buckeyes have had to get creative in the run game with the loss of second-year running back TreVeyon Henderson, who was in a boot and missed his second-consecutive game.

Graduate wide receiver Xavier Johnson had just one carry Saturday but made a 71-yard house call for his second touchdown of the season, dancing and weaving his way through traffic aided by a huge block by second-year wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr.?

The Cincinnati native has lined up in the backfield before, but his services there weren’t exclusively to run.

Johnson caught a swing pass that he turned into a 34-yard gain, contributing to his two-catch, 47-yard day.

Ohio State has used H-back formations before, most notably with Braxton Miller in 2015, and Johnson’s vision in space and elusiveness opens the door for a similar offensive scheme.

Buckeyes have best ground game numbers of the season

Third-year running back Miyan Williams (3) runs the football during the Ohio State-Indiana game Saturday. Ohio State won 56-14. Credit: Zachary Rilley | Photo Editor

Ohio State’s run game was an up-and-down affair through the first nine games of the season.

However, following four-consecutive 200-yard rushing games, the Buckeyes ground game dipped below 100 yards in back-to-back performances — the first time they failed to reach the century mark in consecutive games since weeks 7 and 8 of 2018 against Minnesota and Purdue, respectively.

Without Henderson, third-year running back Miyan Williams carried the load for the second-straight week with a pair of 30-plus-yard runs — one of which he took 48 yards around the right side of the offensive line for his lone touchdown of the game.

Williams exited the game late in the first half with an apparent leg injury. Williams also suffered a hand injury after getting it caught in the chains on the sidelines, leaving him in a cast against Penn State Oct. 29.

First-year running back Dallan Hayden provided a complement in the ground game with his first-career 100-yard rushing game, adding a 14-yard first-half touchdown.

Stroud carried four times as well, following up his career-high 79-yard performance against Northwestern Nov. 5 for eight rushing yards against the Hoosiers.

Ohio State as a team logged 340 rushing yards — the highest mark since it went for 399 yards against Northwestern in the Big Ten Championship Dec. 19, 2020.

Ohio State blocks a punt for the first time sin ce 2019

Midway through the third quarter, Ohio State’s defense had Indiana deep in its own territory.

Third-year safety Lathan Ransom — who got it done in all facets of the game Saturday — came untouched off the right side of Indiana’s punt formation, dove head long and blocked Hoosiers freshman punter James Evans’ attempted boot.

The ball rolled around after a pair of Buckeyes attempted to recover the block before it was eventually covered up by Johnson at the 2-yard line.

Two plays later, Stroud found fourth-year tight end Cade Stover for a 1-yard touchdown pass.

Ransom’s blocked punt was the first for the Buckeyes since former cornerback Sevyn Banks blocked one against Miami (Ohio) Sept. 21, 2019.

Harrison adds to highlight reel circus catch list

Second-year wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. (18) celebrates during the Ohio State-Indiana game Saturday. Ohio State won 56-14. Credit: Zachary Rilley | Photo Editor

Ohio State’s aerial attack was firing on all cylinders once again, but even on a Stroud misfire, Harrison can turn it into a sizable gain.

On paper, a 12-yard pitch-and-catch from Stroud to Harrison for a first down looks like par for the course, but this catch was all but ordinary.

With pressure in his face, Stroud stood firm and delivered a high throw, as Harrison leapt into the air and high-pointed the ball.

Indiana redshirt junior defensive back Josh Sanguinetti grabbed Harrison’s left leg as he was still in the air and tried to drag him out of bounds.

Sanguinetti’s plan worked for the most part, but Harrison contorted his body and dotted his right foot down inside the chalk with his right leg ending up at an awkward, acute angle.

Harrison has become a go-to security blanket this season, hauling in seven catches for 135 yards and a 58-yard touchdown catch Saturday.

This season, Harrison has impressed with acrobatic catches against Michigan State and Iowa, adding respective bullet points to his Biletnikoff Award resume.