Ohio State football highlights and lowlights from the 2022 season
The Buckeyes have lost only one game this season, but that defeat is all anyone thinks about right now, unfair as that might be.
A schedule that looked challenging on paper at the start of the season proved to be underwhelming. So as Ohio State and Michigan marched to seemingly inevitable 11-0 records heading into their showdown last week, everything was at stake.
Michigan now plays in the Big Ten championship game Saturday night against Purdue. The Wolverines are a lock for the College Football Playoff.
Ohio State needs help to get a back-door CFP invitation. Buckeye fans will be rooting for Utah to beat Southern California in the Pac-12 title game and for Kansas State to rout TCU in the Big 12 championship. A close loss for TCU probably would be enough for the Horned Frogs to get a CFP spot.
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C.J. Stroud is likely to be a Heisman Trophy finalist again. Wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. was spectacular. The defense under Jim Knowles was excellent for most of the season.
But unless they are fortunate this weekend, the Buckeyes will be headed to a non-CFP bowl. It’s not what they expected.
Here’s a look at the highs and lows of the 2022 season:
Best Ohio State football performance
The Penn State game. The Buckeyes were far more dominant in other games, but this was one where they showed their mettle. Penn State took a 21-16 lead with 9½ minutes left and an upset seemed quite possible. Starting with a 41-yard touchdown run by TreVeyon Henderson, the Buckeyes scored 28 points to leave the Nittany Lions in the dust as sophomore defensive end J.T. Tuimoloau had a game for the ages (see below).
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Worst Ohio State football performance
The Michigan game. Duh. After all the buildup and all the preparation to get revenge after losing in Ann Arbor last year, the Buckeyes again cracked in the second half. Ohio State controlled play for most of the first half, but coverage breakdowns on two long Michigan touchdowns kept the Wolverines within 20-17 at halftime. Michigan then outscored Ohio State 28-3 in the second half. Donovan Edwards broke 75- and 85-yard touchdown runs late to turn the game into a blowout. Unless OSU gets into the College Football Playoff, where they could meet Michigan again, it’s going to be a long 12 months until Ann Arbor.
Best individual performance by a Buckeye
J.T. Tuimoloau vs Penn State. The sophomore defensive end spent the first half of the season mostly making plays that helped the team but didn’t show up on the stat sheet. That all changed on Oct. 29 in State College with a game as dominating as any Buckeye defensive player in memory. Tuimoloau had two interceptions, including a pick-six to cap OSU’s scoring. He had two sacks, forcing a fumble on one, and a tipped pass intercepted by Zach Harrison. Tuimoloau was a one-man show.
Biggest pleasant surprise for OSU
The emergence of linebacker Tommy Eichenberg. The linebacker position was a weakness last year for the Buckeyes. Eichenberg was a first-year starter in 2021, and it showed. His 17 tackles in the Rose Bowl win over Utah was a hopeful sign, but few would have expected Eichenberg to be the force he was this year. Not even fractures in both hands slowed him. Eichenberg excelled at diagnosing plays and closing fast on the ball, aided by a defensive line that mostly kept him free.