NOTEBOOK: Marvin Harrison Jr.'s Heisman-Quality Performance Keeps No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes Undefeated
The No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes earned their tenth win of the season Saturday night, defeating the Michigan State Spartans, 38-3.
The Buckeyes were tremendous on offense against the Spartans, scoring in several different ways with a variety of players.
Here are three of the biggest takeaways from Ohio State's latest victory.
1. Marvin Harrison Jr. Deserves a Ticket to New York City
Harrison recorded another tremendous night, compiling 149 yards and three total touchdowns against Michigan State. The Philadelphia, Pennsylvania native has been a catalyst all year long for the Buckeyes and recently entered the Heisman Trophy conversation.
With this performance, Harrison became the first Ohio State receiver to amass over 1,000 yards in back-to-back seasons, between his 1,063 this year and 1,263 in 2022. Between this impressive feat, his 13 touchdowns, and 17.6 yards-per-reception average, Harrison deserves to be amongst the finalists for the 2023 Heisman Trophy.
2. Kyle McCord Has Finally Found His Comfort Zone
McCord appeared cool, calm and collected as he led Ohio State to victory on Saturday. The starting Buckeyes quarterback completed 24 of his 31 pass attempts for 335 yards and three touchdowns against the Spartans in his first game in Ohio Stadium since October 21.
This was the third game all season in which McCord eclipsed 300 passing yards (along with 318 against Western Kentucky and 320 against Maryland), and the fifth, three-touchdown night as well. McCord's impressive stats are a sign of his growing comfort between the tackles, which is a great sign as Ohio State nears its toughest game of the season.
3. Ohio State has Serious Talent Waiting in the Wings
After McCord, Harrison, and some of the other Ohio State starters began to leave the game, fans got to see some of the younger names on the roster. Among the players who saw action against Michigan State were freshman receiver Carnell Tate, sophomore linebacker Gabe Powers, and freshman quarterback Lincoln Kienholz.
Kienholz threw three passes against the Spartans (completing two of them), Tate collected 26 yards on two receptions and Powers recorded a tackle. They might not have played much, but the experience these underclassmen gained in a Big Ten game will come back to benefit them as their roles in the program grow.
