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Rapid Reaction: Ohio State overcomes slow start to silence Indiana

Connor O'Gara

By Connor O'Gara

Published:

Score:

No. 2 Ohio State 49, Indiana 21

Key play:

74-yard TD pass to Parris Campbell

Immediately after Indiana took a 21-20 lead, the Hoosier students chanted “overrated.” Apparently that wasn’t so smart. J.T. Barrett then found Parris Campbell and he did the rest. It was just a simple drag route that he took 74 yards. After a brutal drop on an earlier touchdown pass, it was a brutal blow for an IU squad that appeared to be in the driver’s seat.

From that point on, it was all Buckeyes.

One offensive star: Ohio State RB J.K. Dobbins

How about the true freshman? He set the Ohio State record for a true freshman running back in his debut with 180 rushing yards. In fact, Dobbins joined Maurice Clarett as the only true freshmen running backs to start a season opener for the Buckeyes. We saw the patience, we saw the change of pace, we saw the shiftiness.

Yeah, we saw the shiftiness.

Dobbins got the start because Mike Weber was out with a hamstring injury. Even if Weber is 100 percent, Dobbins is too good not to get significant work in this offense.

What it means: EVERYTHING

Ok, maybe not so much. Give Indiana credit for coming out and showing it was up to the task. But playing 60 minutes with a team with talent like Ohio State proved to be too much. The Hoosiers looked better than the pundits expected, but Tom Allen won’t like the number his defense posted in the second half. As for the Buckeyes, that wasn’t a national championship performance. If Ohio State shows up like that against Oklahoma, it won’t be within a point at halftime.

Connor O'Gara

Connor O'Gara is the senior national columnist for Saturday Tradition. He's a member of the Football Writers Association of America. After spending his entire life living in B1G country, he moved to the South in 2015.