Jerron Cage Gives Ohio State Nation-Leading Sixth Defensive Touchdown Of The Season

The fifth-year senior scooped up a fumble and ran it back 57 yards for the score.

With a little more than two and a half minutes remaining in the first half of Saturday’s game against Penn State, Ohio State defensive ends Zach Harrison and Tyreke Smith met at quarterback Sean Clifford and knocked the ball loose.

It was then picked up by fifth-year senior defensive tackle Jerron Cage, who raced 57 yards untouched for the score to give the Buckeyes a 17-7 lead over the Nittany Lions.

Everybody loves a big man TD 🙌

Scoop-and-score gives the Bucks six more! pic.twitter.com/nqd6WVAka9

— ESPN (@espn) October 31, 2021

“That play was really a game-changer for us,” redshirt junior cornerback Cam Brown said after the game. “We were all excited for him. I was probably like 60 yards away trying to run down and catch him to celebrate with him.”

The touchdown was a nation-leading sixth score for Ohio State’s defense this season, including a fumble recovery by fellow fifth-year senior defensive tackle Haskell Garrett in the season opener at Minnesota and four straight weeks with a pick-six, spanning wins over Tulsa, Akron, Rutgers and Maryland.

“It’s huge,” redshirt sophomore safety Ronnie Hickman said. “Whenever we can steal points, we want to do that. We talk about it before the games who is going to be the one to get it and who is going to be the one to score. Jerron was the one to do it today, so we’re super happy and proud for him.”

Cage, a former four-star prospect from Cincinnati Winton Woods, played in just 19 games over the last four seasons as he sat behind veteran nose guards like DaVon Hamilton, Robert Landers, Tommy Togiai and Antwuan Jackson.

That patience paid off, though, when the 6-foot-2 and 305-pounder got his first career start when Togiai contracted COVID-19 and was unable to play in the College Football Playoff National Championship against Alabama, as well as on Saturday night when he made the biggest play of his career.

“He was carrying it like a loaf of bread,” head coach Ryan Day said with a laugh, “but it was great to see him running down the field. This is a guy who has been through a lot in this program. I’m very proud of Jerron.

“But, also, how about the play by Zach and Tyreke to get that ball out of there and the interception by Cam Brown on the double move with (Penn State wide receiver Jahan) Dotson? Those were tremendous plays and competitive excellence right there.

“We did some good things on offense, but the defense won this game in my opinion. I thought they played gritty, they played hard, they got two turnovers and if our defense can play like they did tonight, we’ve got a chance to be really good.”

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