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Ryan Day speaks on the bye week, Ohio State’s win over Michigan State
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A win is a win in B1G Country. Some just have a bit more connotation behind them.
Ohio State’s 49-20 victory over Michigan State last week was a testament to where the program is headed entering the back half of the season. For the first time this season, the Buckeyes felt the pressure early. A 32-yard pick-6 from MSU’s Charles Brantley tied the game at 7 apiece entering the 2nd quarter.
Buckeyes coach Ryan Day said that despite a sluggish start, he was pleased with how both sides of the ball responded.
“They did a great job of stopping the run,” Day said, via BuckeyesNow. “I thought the defensive line look strong, Tommy [Eichenberg] and the linebackers were excellent. Just across the board, our guys played strong, and when you have that type of back-and-forth and that balance on offense and defense when they play against each other, you can see what we did there in the first half.”
Stroud rebounded to throw for 361 yards and 6 touchdowns. With star receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba still out due to injury, No. 2 receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. dominated as the Buckeyes’ No. 1 weapon, totaling 7 catches for 131 yards and 3 TDs.
Entering the bye week, Day said it was important for his players to rest before games become challenging. The biggest reason for a week off? Rehabilitation.
“We’re looking forward to getting guys healhty and reflecting on the things we did well in the first 6 games,” Day said.
The Buckeyes will return to Columbus next Saturday to take on Iowa.
Cole Thompson is a freelance writer for Saturday Tradition who has covered college football and the NFL for multiple websites. Thompson is currently based in Houston, Texas, and also can be heard daily on SportsMap National Radio's 'Just Sayin It' from 3am-6am.