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Ohio State football landed a talented running back in the transfer portal. The Buckeyes are riding high off a home rout over No. 7 Tennessee in the College Football Playoff. As head coach Ryan Day prepares for the Rose Bowl against Oregon, the program is staying busy in the transfer portal, adding West Virginia running back CJ Donaldson Jr.
On3 Writer Grant Grubbs confirmed Donaldson Jr's commitment to Ohio State. Donaldson Jr. will join a Buckeyes backfield that will likely be rebuilding. However, that reality does not mean the program's expectations will be anything less than they were in 2024.
CJ Donaldson Jr could be the feature back for the Big Ten powerhouse
A native of Miami, Florida, Donaldson Jr ran for 2,058 yards and 30 touchdowns during his time with the Mountaineers, averaging 4.9 yards per carry. Even with some lackluster play at quarterback in Morgantown, the junior has stayed steady throughout his career for a program that recently fired its head coach.
Despite having two of the best running backs in the country, Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson, Ohio State's ground game has been very up-and-down this year. The Buckeyes ranked fifth in the Big Ten conference in rushing offense this year. While that's not poor, this unit struggled in some huge games, like the loss against Michigan. Ryan Day's team ran for only 77 yards in this crushing loss. However, the backfield duo of Judkins and Henderson found the endzone four times in the win over Tennessee.
The run game's inconsistencies are mainly due to an offensive line that has struggled to find its footing throughout the year. This unit will need to be more stable if the Buckeyes are to navigate a tough side of the College Football Playoff bracket.
Ohio State will get a chance at revenge in its next game at the Rose Bowl. The Buckeyes lost by one point in Eugene to the undefeated Oregon Ducks. Surprisingly, Ryan Day's team is the favorite heading into this matchup, demonstrating how the performance against Tennessee regained the public's faith in the Buckeyes. That does not mean Ohio State should take this matchup for granted, as there is a reason Oregon has reached this stage in the bracket.
Overall, the addition of CJ Donaldson Jr continues the momentum the Buckeyes are beginning to pick up. TreVeyon Henderson will be gone after the playoff, and Quinshon Judkins will likely depart for the NFL Draft. The West Virginia tailback will have a considerable opportunity heading into 2025, where he can become a household name instantly for this perennial national championship contender.
