Ohio State graduate kicker Noah Ruggles (95) after making a field goal during the Ohio State-Nebraska game on Saturday. Ohio State won 26-17. Photo Credit: Mackenzie Shanklin | Photo Editor
On a team loaded with NFL talent in the trenches and at the skill positions, No. 5 Ohio State’s hero over the past two weeks has been its kicker.
Graduate kicker Noah Ruggles drilled all four of his field goal attempts Saturday — including a 46-yard kick into the wind to put the Buckeyes up nine with 1:29 remaining in the game. With his four makes against the Cornhuskers, the former North Carolina kicker became the first Ohio State kicker to make four or more field goals in two consecutive weeks.
This was also the second-straight week that Ruggles hit a field goal to put the game out of reach for the opposition, banging in a game-sealing 26-yard field goal against Penn State a week ago.
With attention to his late-game kick opportunities, Ruggles said he approaches every kick the same.
“Every kick is the same to me,” Ruggles said. “Even in those pressure situations, I try to just make it seem like any other kick.”
Against Penn State, Ruggles hit from 35-, 26-, 25- and 23-yards out. But against Nebraska, he saw the degree of difficulty of his field goal attempts increase.
Ruggles drilled multiple kicks from 46-yards out — his longest attempts of the season — while adding 35- and 26-yard field goals.
Going a perfect 8-for-8 over the last two weeks, the Odessa, Florida, native has shown continued success this season — hitting all 15 field goal attempts.
Head coach Ryan Day stressed the importance of Ruggles, whose four field goals have been the difference in each of the last two games.
“When you kick four field goals and you win by nine, it’s obviously huge,” Day said. “He’s become a weapon for us.”
Prior to his breakout performances against Penn State and Nebraska, Day only called on Ruggles seven times during Weeks 1-8. In the last two weeks, Ruggles eclipsed that total with eight attempts against the Nittany Lions and Cornhuskers.
Focusing on his increased role over the past two weeks, Ruggles said it’s been interesting to see how his season has gone to this point.
“In these past two games, I’ve had more field goals than the whole season combined,” Ruggles said. “It’s definitely interesting, I didn’t expect it.”
Ruggles’ expanded playing time has stemmed from an ailing red zone offense by the Buckeyes. Although Ohio State has scored on eight-of-nine red zone trips against the Nittany Lions and Cornhuskers, the offense has only been able to find the end zone twice.
Heading into his game-sealing field goal against Nebraska, Day said the Buckeyes were trying to get into field goal position rather than convert on 3rd-and-16 from midfield — electing to run a screen pass to freshman running back TreVeyon Henderson.
“When your defense is playing well, then you can play a little bit to that,” Day said. “It’s a good feeling when you have a guy that you feel strong about in there.”
As the Buckeyes will undoubtedly need Ruggles’ contributions in the future, he emphasized that he’s gained some respect from his teammates after his two breakout performances.
With just three games remaining and Ohio State looking at the College Football Playoff from the outside, Day said Ruggles will be imperative for the team’s success going forward.
“You have to have that in big games, when it gets tight. You’d like to sit here and think you’re going to blow out every team, it doesn’t work that way,” Day said. “Every point counts, every possession counts. So, to get three points, that’s huge.”
