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Ohio State football: Buckeyes own ground game against Cincinnati

Jim Tomlin

By Jim Tomlin

Published:

The No. 5 Ohio State Buckeyes came into Saturday’s game against Cincinnati knowing that it had a tough matchup on its hands against a rugged Bearcats run defense.

OSU’s running game was up to the task and then some.

The Buckeyes gained 270 yards rushing on 46 attempts, a healthy 5.9 yards per carry, and four touchdowns in a 42-0 victory that was easier than many human and non-human analysts would have predicted.

Buckeyes junior running back J.K. Dobbins gained 141 yards rushing and two touchdowns on just 17 carries. One scoring run went for 60 yards to give OSU a 21-0 lead in the second quarter.

Quarterback Justin Fields had the other two TD runs including a 4-yard score in the third quarter. Dobbins and left tackle Thayer Munford threw nice blocks to allow their sophomore signal-caller to trot into the end zone untouched:

OSU was so far ahead in the second half that backup running back Master Teague got plenty of work too, with 11 carries for 60 yards.

Cincinnati came into the game on the heels of an excellent defensive performance in the opening victory over UCLA. The Bearcats were No. 13 in the country in rushing defense (and No. 8 in scoring defense) in 2018.

But on this occasion UC coach Luke Fickell, a former Buckeyes player, assistant coach and head coach, had no answers.

“We took one in the mouth today for four quarters,” Fickell said in his postgame press conference. “Not like we only took it in the mouth for two quarters. We took it in the mouth for four quarters. And you know what, it was a humbling experience for a lot of us.”

OSU’s 270 yards rushing were the most Cincinnati surrendered since Sept. 23, 2017, when American Athletic Conference foe Navy, which rarely passes, racked up 569 yards on the ground in Fickell’s fourth game in charge.

Saturday, the Buckeyes offensive line did a solid job in the run game and protected Fields well, allowing only one sack. Fields was 20-of-25 passing for 224 yards and two scores.

But OSU did its best work and most damage on the ground.

Dobbins had his first 100-yard game since OSU faced Maryland on Nov. 17, 2018. In the previous week’s opener against Florida Atlantic he had 91 yards on 21 carries and a TD — decent numbers but nothing to write home about.

“I think J.K. was irritated all week, OSU coach Ryan Day said. “And J.K., when he got to the second level he was rolling today and I thought it was great getting J.K. going and the O line did an unbelievable job.”

Dobbins shared his coach’s praise for the O-line.

“My O-line blocked fantastic,” the junior running back said. “I’m just blessed to be in a position to get better. Those guys (on the line) are creating a bond that’s going to be pretty good by the end of the season.”

It looks pretty good already, actually.

Jim Tomlin

Longtime newspaper veteran Jim Tomlin is a writer and editor for saturdaytradition.com and saturdaydownsouth.com.