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Ohio State football upended Arkansas State, 45-12, this weekend to move to 2-0 on the season.
On Saturday, the Ohio State Buckeyes were projected to win by at least 44 points against the Arkansas State Red Wolves. Many thought that spread was too much, which was actually was the case. Still, the Buckeyes outscored the Red Wolves by 33 in a game that became out of hand in the second half.
Even without their greatest player, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, this was a nice game to get back on track following a subpar performance by the Ohio State football team. They should continue this momentum into next Saturday's game against Toledo.
In the meantime, here are 4 standout players from Ohio State football's blowout win over Arkansas State.
4. TreVeyon Henderson
The previous two games have demonstrated that Ohio State has a fantastic one-two combination in the backfield. TreVeyon Henderson and Miyan Williams rushed for 133 yards and two scores on 18 attempts.
TreVeyon Henderson, in particular, performed admirably in his few carries. He only had 10 carries but gained 87 yards and two TDs. He was the hot hand at running back, and he showed it.
As expected, Ohio State's offensive line dominated the contest and helped out the RBs get their yardage up. Henderson reached the secondary several times before being touched. In fact, he was not touched on his first touchdown run, which came from 8 yards out. He caught the ball in the backfield from Stroud, cut into the hole, and could have jogged into the end zone.
You have to give respect to the offensive line for the previous two weeks' success on the ground, but Henderson is really an excellent running back who has takeover potential.
Ohio State's hopes of capturing a national title may rest entirely on Stroud's arm, but the balance and change of pace demonstrated by Henderson over the previous two weeks will also be critical.
3. Emeka Egbuka
The question all week was who would fill in at wide receiver if Smith-Njigba and Fleming were unable to play.
Emeka Egbuka answered the call. He had 118 yards receiving and one touchdown.
Egbuka demonstrated his explosiveness on Saturday with a 51-yard touchdown reception. He also had a punt return for a touchdown that was called back. He'll be a mainstay in the offense all season, but at the same time, it'll be difficult to keep Marvin Harrison off the field.
2. Marvin Harrison, Jr.
Speaking of Harrison, he was the day's main attraction. After a good showing in last year's Rose Bowl (71 yards, three touchdowns), the second-year receiver came into this season with a lot of enthusiasm. He was Stroud's favorite target on Saturday, hauling in seven grabs for 184 yards and three TDs. He could have had four, but he dropped the ball while attempting to cross the goal line in the first half.
Harrison joined Joey Galloway as the only Ohio State football receiver with multiple three-touchdown games. He's not Galloway, but he's off to a good start this season. He caught five receptions for 56 yards against Notre Dame in Week 1 and then went off against Arkansas State. In fact, Harrison has had 18 receptions for 311 yards and six touchdowns in his previous three games, including the Rose Bowl.
He's a special kid in a special WR corps. Buckeyes fans are hoping he can keep this up throughout the season.
Marvin Harrison Jr. is a PROBLEM 😤
2 TDs so far for Ohio State
(via @BigTenNetwork)pic.twitter.com/648yMS3X67
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 10, 2022
1. C.J. Stroud
C.J. Stroud was also outstanding in this game. He completed 16-of-24 passes for 351 yards and four touchdowns. After a disappointing performance against Notre Dame, a game like this puts him right back in the mix for the Heisman Trophy. It was encouraging to see him recover so quickly.
In terms of the offense as a whole, the passing game looked much better this weekend. The synchronization between Stroud, Egbuka, and Harrison was flawless. Ohio State football did punt five times, but this was a significant improvement.
This summer's scouting season saw the appearance of two quarterbacks who could be among the top prospects of the 2023 NFL Draft. Those QBs are C.J. Stroud and Alabama's Bryce Young. Many consider them to be the top two prospects in this position. But when Stroud got off to a sluggish start in the opening week of the season, when the Buckeyes defeated Notre Dame 21-10, there were rumblings that he may significantly fall down the rungs.
On Saturday, however, Stroud took a significant step toward quieting such doubts against Arkansas State. Stroud displayed some of the attributes that have evaluators interested in what he may be at the next level.
One of his talents as a passer, and something to keep in mind throughout the season, is his ability to make judgments in the presnap part of the play. Stroud knows precisely where he's going with the football before it's snapped. He showed that against Arkansas State, and coach Ryan Day hopes he can sustain it throughout the rest of 2022.
