Ohio State Buckeyes QB Kyle McCord Makes Case For Marvin Harrison Jr. Heisman Contention

Ohio State Buckeyes star wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. has been performing at a Heisman level this season, and Ryan Day and QB Kyle McCord made a case for just that on Saturday.

If there is a better player in college football than Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., it is a very short list. 

On Saturday, in No. 3 Ohio State's biggest game of the season against the No. 7 Penn State Nittany Lions - who held the No. 1 pass defense in the nation coming into the game - Harrison was once again the best player on the field, catching 11 passes for 162 yards and a critical game-winning touchdown. 

And after his performance, Buckeyes quarterback Kyle McCord made the case for Harrison to be a Heisman Trophy contender 

“If it’s truly the award that goes to the best player in college football, I don’t see how he’s not in the mix,” McCord said after the game. “What he’s done, especially these last few games, I don’t know if we’ve seen a stretch like that, just how consistent he is, how reliable he is.”

Reliable, indeed. With his performance on Saturday, Harrison Jr. has now had five 100-yard games in his last six outings. It was the 12th 100-yard game of his career.

He also now sits in second place all-time for the Buckeyes behind only David Boston (14) for the most 100-yard games in school history.

This one, however, came on the biggest stage yet this season - with the top pass defense in college football knowing very well that he was going to get the football early and often.

“I’ve got to give Marvin Harrison so much credit,” Ryan Day said. “To go for 11 catches for 162 and a touchdown when I think most teams, the first thing they look at is ‘How do we take away Marvin Harrison?’ We targeted him 16 times and I think he was open for most of those 16 plays. So he showed up in a big spot today.”

Harrison has been held under 100 yards just twice this season. One was in the season opener against Indiana, while the other came in South Bend against Notre Dame. 

Since the win in South Bend - a game in which Harrison injured his ankle - he has been near unstoppable. 

More than that though, he has been the team's undeniable go-to guy as they have waded through their offensive struggles. 

And he has excelled in that role. 

“I think you could say a lot’s on my shoulders, but that’s my job at the end of the day,” Harrison said. “My teammates and coaches count on me to be the focal point of the offense, and each and every week I know they’re going to lean on me. Offense kind of goes as I go.”

Harrison Jr. and the Buckeyes will hit the field again next Saturday against the Wisconsin Badgers, who have a solid pass defense of their own, ranking No. 29 in the country.