Elite Recruiting Keeps Ohio State at the Top of College Football

Washington-born defensive end J.T. Tuimoloau had a field day in Happy Valley, wrecking Penn State's offense en route to a 44–31 win.

J.T. Tuimoloau put up six tackles, two sacks and two interceptions in Ohio State's win over Penn State in Beaver Stadium.  :: Barry Reeger/AP Photo

One of the biggest reasons why Ohio State can go toe-to-toe with the Alabamas, Georgias and Clemsons of college football is that the Buckeyes have jut as much recruiting reach as they do. Ryan Day and his staff can go anywhere they need to go to land elite talent.

Latest vivid example of that was the wreckage Seattle product J.T. Tuimoloau left in Beaver Stadium on Saturday. The defensive end produced a stat line even Chase Young and the Bosa brothers couldn’t touch during their Ohio State tenures: six tackles, two sacks, three tackles for loss, two interceptions (one returned for a touchdown), a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and a pass broken up. A ridiculous one-player tour de force.

Day termed it "his coming out party" postgame. Tuimoloau was the rivals.com No. 7 prospect in the nation in the class of 2021, choosing Ohio State over all the West Coast schools and Alabama. Tuimoloau contributed immediately, but not spectacularly. Until now. On a day when the Ohio State offense was sometimes ragged and sometimes explosive, Tuimoloau’s ability to singe-handedly produce three of the Buckeyes’ four takeaways was a huge factor.

Other members of that 2021 Ohio State recruiting class: receivers Marvin Harrison Jr. (from Philadelphia) and Emeka Egbuka (from Tacoma, Washington), who combined for 16 receptions and 238 yards against Penn State. On the season, those two have a total of 94 catches for 1,571 yards and 17 touchdowns.

Talent is the coin of the realm. And teams that can get it from anywhere in the country have dominated the sport in recent years. Ohio State prominently among them.

Other developments in the noon window of games:

• Notre Dame’s all-over-the-map season hit another high point Saturday with a road rout of Syracuse, dropping the Orange to 6-2 and elevating the Fighting Irish to 5-3. The Irish, who lost at home to Marshall and Stanford (combined record of 7-7), also has road wins over North Carolina and the Orange (combined record of 12-2 heading into the day).

This Notre Dame offense is no work of art, and to compensate for that Saturday the Irish manufactured points in different ways. They recorded a pick six on the first play of the game, then blocked a punt in the fourth quarter to set up a two-yard touchdown drive.

The Irish aren’t going to the College Football Playoff, but they have two big chances to beat teams who do. They host Clemson next Saturday and visiting USC Nov. 26.

• With reports swirling that Auburn might have its new athletic director on the way in, football coach Bryan Harsin solidified the certainty that he’s on the way out. Harsin’s Tigers were routed at home by Arkansas, 41-27, dropping to 3-5 and 1-4 in the SEC.

Harsin is staggering toward two losing seasons in two years on the job, and Auburn hasn’t had consecutive sub-.500 years since the 1990s. The program’s tailspin will make it easier for the new AD to move briskly in a new direction—and Sports Illustrated’s Ross Dellenger reported Saturday that the school is in discussions with Mississippi State AD John Cohen to take the job.

Changing schools within the SEC is a time-honored tradition, and Cohen appears to be the next one ready to do it, despite being an alum and beloved former baseball coach at Mississippi State.