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Marvin Harrison Jr. Opens Up About No Targeting Call in Peach Bowl

Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. had 77 receptions, 1,263 yards and 14 touchdowns in 2022.

Casey Smith

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Marvin Harrison Jr. had five catches, 106 yards and two touchdowns through just about three quarters until a hit by Georgia defensive back Javon Bullard.

Targeting was originally called on Bullard, but the flag was picked up.

Harrison said he doesn't "really know" if it was targeting or not.

"Obviously, he's just trying to make a play on the football," Harrison said. "It's the ref's decision to make that call and whether he thinks it's targeting or not, it's kind of up to him. I'm not the one making the call."

Harrison was out with a concussion for the remainder of the game.

"I think just the adrenaline and just the moment, you want to go back out there and play," Harrison said. "But I think I definitely respect the trainers' decision to keep me out. It's in their best interest to keep me healthy."

Harrison said he went through concussion protocol and was "fine" in the days after the Peach Bowl.

After the third-and-goal pass fell incomplete, the Ohio State Buckeyes settled for a Noah Ruggles field goal to give them a 38-24 lead.

In the fourth quarter, former quarterback C.J. Stroud completed four of his eight pass attempts for 29 yards — a stark contrast to his 19-for-26, 319-yard, four-touchdown first three quarters.

Would Harrison have made an impact in the final quarter?

"I think it's always 'what ifs,'" Harrison said. "I know I can make an impact when I'm out there on the field. I would've loved to have been out there, especially the whole fourth quarter of a College Football Playoff game, but I got to live with it at this point."

Later a memorabilia store, More Than Sports, started selling photos of the hit signed by Bullard, himself. Since then, More Than Sports issued an apology and said they would remove the product and send all proceeds they made from sales of the photo to Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus.

Harrison responded on Twitter after the product was originally sold and before it was removed.

Harrison said Thursday he "laughed at" the inscribed photo when he originally saw it.

"It was kind of funny to me given the play and the circumstance," Harrison said. "I don't know exactly if he signed it or someone signed it for him or what the logistics of that is, but I thought it was kind of funny."

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Casey Smith
CASEY SMITH

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