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The 10 best moments from Ohio State’s 2020 B1G championship season

Ryan Clark

By Ryan Clark

Published:

It’s inarguable that this has been a memorable season.

Even with fewer games, there’s been more controversy, but in the end, Ohio State is right back where they thought they’d be: in the College Football Playoff.

Even though there wasn’t a full B1G slate, there were still a lot of memorable moments. And we’re going to follow the advice of coach Urban Meyer, who was very wise when he told the Ohio State faithful after the B1G championship to enjoy those “ring” moments.

So we’re going to look back on a very entertaining, albeit brief, 2020 B1G season, and we’re going to remember Ohio State’s best moments. We’re going to enjoy this ring.

10. Steele Chambers runs the fake punt on 4th-and-8

Chambers takes the direct snap on 4th-and-8 at the Buckeyes’ own 36 yard line. Tuf Borland makes the block and Chambers blasts off for a 38-yard run for a big first down against Rutgers.

9. Chris Olave’s fingertip TD catch vs. Penn State

Justin Fields unloads the perfect throw, and Olave makes an even better catch. It’s one of those plays that just takes your breath away — and if you’re an opponent, it takes all the wind out of your sails.

8. Marcus Hooker’s interception vs. Penn State

Hooker’s break on the ball is perfect, and this effectively ends the game, sealing a big win for the Buckeyes.

7. Justin Hilliard’s interception vs. Northwestern

This really helps Ohio State keep momentum in the game. And how many times do you ever see a linebacker make this play? Hilliard was all over the field in the B1G title game, and he deserves all the praise in the world for this play alone.

6. Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s TD catch against Nebraska

In the first game of the year, we were expecting big things from the freshmen wide receivers. While none of them really stepped up on a consistent basis, there were moments of brilliance. Take this catch, for example. Practically no one thinks he makes the catch. Not the refs. Not the announcers. But then they take another look …

5. Fields’ TD pass to Garrett Wilson against Michigan State

This just amazed me. Rolling to his right, Fields has the body control and the patience to find his receiver. Fields makes a perfect throw on the run, just getting it above the defender and dropping it in the bucket for Wilson, who of course knows what to do with it. It’s one of those plays that only a handful of the best quarterbacks on the planet can make.

4. Trey Sermon’s 64-yard TD run against Michigan State

The foundation for Sermon’s (and the offensive line’s) huge day against Northwestern was laid in the game before it, when Sermon busted out for this long touchdown run against the Spartans. I know it made more than a few fans wonder if Sermon was on his way toward something big. Turns out he was. And let’s give another shoutout to the line. Do you see how big the hole is that Sermon skates through on the right side? It’s literally big enough for a T Rex to run through.

But the best part about this score? It’s Justin Fields running alongside his backfield mate and throwing a block for him right before Sermon crosses the goal line. Outstanding.

3. Shaun Wade’s pick-6 against Indiana

So your team is losing momentum, hmm? You’re allowing a comeback to a dangerous Hoosiers squad? You feel like the game might be slipping away if you give up another score? Enter Shaun Wade, who houses this interception and provides the final margin against Indiana in what was the biggest game of the year.

2. Haskell Garrett’s deflection and pick-6 vs. Michigan State

In any other year, this would’ve been the No. 1 play, hands-down. With the story of Garrett coming back from being shot, and then performing so well this season, he was such a feel-good tale. For him to have this moment was really inspiring. You could tell his teammates were as excited for him as he was. But in the end, there was one last moment that was just a bit bigger …

1. Sermon’s last run vs. Northwestern

This has to be No. 1, right? This will be the play we’ll remember from the 2020 B1G championship. Sure, you could’ve picked his 60-yard run, or the play where he leap-frogged a defender (although he kind of did that on this run, too). But I felt this was the one that just summed it all up. Northwestern could not stop him on this day, and most importantly, Sermon would not be stopped. Watch him keep those legs churning, jumping defenders, using his hands to keep his balance as he keeps moving forward before he’s finally driven out of bounds. He caps off an amazing performance with an amazing run to break Eddie George’s single-game mark.

Again, the hole Sermon ran through with huge. Much kudos to the offensive line, too, for this extraordinary performance. I really enjoyed watching this again and again.

It’s been an amazing run through the B1G conference.

It makes you wonder what’s going to happen next.

Ryan Clark

Ryan Clark covers Ohio State football for SaturdayTradition.com. An author of seven books on sports topics ranging from professional wrestling to college hoops, he has covered sports for blogs and newspapers across America for 20 years. You can follow him on Twitter @4RyanOutLoud.