Ohio State vs. Georgia: 4 less-heralded Buckeyes who could play key roles in Playoff semifinal

With the Peach Bowl Playoff semifinal showdown between Ohio State and Georgia creeping closer, everybody knows about the big names.

Both quarterbacks were Heisman finalists, after all.

Buckeyes fans don’t have to review the contributions or significance of CJ Stroud or Marvin Harrison Jr.. But here are 4 under-the-radar Buckeyes who could be pivotal to OSU’s hopes of upsetting Georgia and moving on to the national championship.

Cade Stover, TE

Ohio State’s passing game is one of the best in the nation, and much of the credit goes to the consistent play of Harrison and Emeka Egbuka. But Ohio State will need to pull out a few extra stops in the passing attack, particularly in the red zone, and that’s where Stover comes in. Admittedly, calling OSU’s third leading receiver on the season (35 catches, 399 yards, 5 TDs) less heralded doesn’t mean that he hasn’t delivered for OSU all season. Against Wisconsin and Indiana, Stover grabbed a pair of touchdowns. Eight of his 35 catches on the season have come in the opponent’s red zone, and if Stover can turn potential 3s into 7s, it bodes well for OSU.

JT Tuimoloau, DL

Like Stover, Tuimoloau has had his moments this season — most notably that massive performance against Penn State. But against the Georgia offense, Ohio State can certainly use a difference-maker. Stetson Bennett has made his career out of playing nearly mistake-free football, but Tuimoloau could be the guy to create a few mistakes. Tuimoloau has 28 tackles on the season and 4 sacks — both respectable totals, but Ohio State would love to see a double-figure tackle game and a couple of turnovers in the mix. In that Penn State game, Tuimoloau bailed out a struggling OSU defense with a pair of sacks, a pair of interceptions, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and a touchdown. He might do it again on Saturday.

Lathan Ransom, DB

All three phases of the game will need to be sharp for OSU against Georgia. That’s where Ransom could make a big difference — not just on defense, but on special teams. Ransom has 65 tackles and 3 passes broken up, and he’ll matter plenty there. But don’t overlook special teams. Ransom blocked a pair of punts in the regular season — in fact within the season’s final 3 games. While Ohio State isn’t exactly short on difference-makers in any phase of the game, a blocked kick could well shift momentum on Saturday … and Ransom is a big threat to be the one doing the blocking.

Dallan Hayden, RB

With TreVeyon Henderson and Miyan Williams both sidelined at times, Hayden managed 510 rushing yards and 5 touchdowns on the ground. Hayden figured to see plenty of time against Michigan with Henderson out of action, but he ended up with just 2 carries for 7 yards as the Buckeyes fell apart. Ryan Day has pledged to work Hayden into more action against Georgia. While Williams can bring the punishing inside runs, Hayden is one of a very few players UGA will face with the speed to punish the Bulldogs on the edge. Getting Hayden 15 carries or so could be big news for the Buckeyes.