Ohio State Buckeyes Star Gets Ejected On Controversial Call

One of the Ohio State Buckeyes' top players has been ejected from the team's game against the Western Michigan Broncos.

Aug 31, 2024; Columbus, OH, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes cornerback Denzel Burke (10) celebrates an interception during the first half of the NCAA football game against the Akron Zips at Ohio Stadium. / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

Ohio State Buckeyes star cornerback Denzel Burke has been ejected from his team's game against the Western Michigan Broncos after being called for targeting.

Burke applied a helmet-to-helmet hit on Western Michigan running back Jaden Nixon, resulting in a pretty quick disqualification.

See the play for yourself.

Ohio State CB Denzel Burke is disqualified after he's called for targeting here.

Jermaine Mathews Jr. is coming in for Burke. pic.twitter.com/fHE5yiM3Ra

— Andy Backstrom (@andybackstrom) September 8, 2024

Ohio State fans were obviously not happy with the call, and these types of bang-bang plays are always difficult to judge.

Regardless, Burke has been thrown out of the game, and the Buckeyes will have to finish the rest of their contest against the Broncos without him.

Of course, it doesn't look like Ohio State will need Burke to take care of business here.

At the time of Burke's ejection, the Buckeyes held a 21-0 lead, as they got off to a much better start this week than they did last Saturday in their win over the Akron Zips.

It's just disappointing that we won't get to watch the senior defensive back on the field.

Burke is widely viewed as one of the top cornerbacks in the country and is also considered an elite defensive prospect heading into the 2025 NFL Draft.

The 21-year-old arrived at Ohio State in 2021 and immediately made an impact, logging 37 tackles, an interception, 12 passes defended and a defensive touchdown.

Since then, Burke has established himself as one of the Buckeyes' most important defenders and is coming off of a junior campaign in which he finished with 24 tackles, a pick, a forced fumble and nine passes defended.