Ohio State head coach Ryan Day and players hold up the Rose Bowl Game trophy after the Rose Bowl Saturday. Ohio State won 48-45. Credit: Mackenzie Shanklin | Photo Editor

The No. 6 Buckeyes wanted to right the ship and “get the bad taste” out of their mouths after the 42-27 loss to then-No. 6 Michigan knocked them out of Big Ten and College Football Playoff title contention.

They did just that Saturday at the 108th Rose Bowl, overcoming opt outs and a poor first-half performance to rally and outscore the Utes 27-10 in the second half, capped off by graduate kicker Noah Ruggles’ game-winning 19-yard field goal to prevail 48-45.

Here’s what we learned for the final time this season as the Buckeyes rode off into the California sunset Rose Bowl champions.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s historic day

Ohio State sophomore wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11) celebrates touchdown during the Rose Bowl Saturday. Ohio State won 48-45. Credit: Gabe Haferman | Assistant Photo Editor

Ohio State was without its top two wide receivers, senior Chris Olave and junior Garrett Wilson, who opted out to prepare for the upcoming 2022 NFL Draft.

Sophomore wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba propelled into the WR1 role and shined, breaking every record imaginable. The Football Bowl Subdivision bowl record, the Rose Bowl record and the Ohio State single-game record for receiving yards, as well as the Buckeyes’ single-season receptions and receiving yards records, all have his name next to them now.

Ohio State showed early that it wanted to target the Rockwall, Texas, native, as redshirt freshman quarterback C.J. Stroud bombed a pass attempt down the field on the Buckeyes’ opening drive, falling just out of the reach of Smith-Njigba’s arms as they had to punt.

That was the only incompletion thrown his way.

Smith-Njigba was a Swiss Army knife for Ohio State, running slants, drags, flies and even lining up in the backfield to run an out-and-in-cutting route across the middle of the field.

He snagged 15 catches for 347 yards and three touchdowns — which tied a Rose Bowl record — including a 30-yard pitch-and-catch in which the wideout made an over-the-shoulder grab falling away toward the boundary with 4:22 left in the fourth quarter to give Ohio State its first lead of the game.

The other two were part of his stellar yards-after-catch display coming on 50- and 52-yard connections, respectively. The former was an under-5-yard slant that he took for six, while the other was a fly down the near sideline in which he beat man coverage to trot into the end zone.

And to think, had he not been tackled from behind fumbling into the end zone, he would’ve had four scores.

C.J. Stroud sets Ohio State passing yards record throwing for six touchdowns to captain stellar comeback

Ohio State redshirt freshman C.J. Stroud (7) lines up under center at the line of scrimmage during the Rose Bowl Saturday. Ohio State won 48-45. Credit: Mackenzie Shanklin | Photo Editor

How can Smith-Njigba get all his shine and the Rose Bowl’s Offensive MVP Award without the quarterback? He can’t.

Stroud mentioned this week that finishing fourth in the Heisman Trophy voting will “motivate him for the rest of his life.” If this was the first glimpse of that motivation, then opposing defenses beware.

The California native put on a show for his hometown crowd, completing 80 percent of his passes for an Ohio State single-game and Rose Bowl record 573 yards.

He tossed a Rose Bowl record six touchdowns for the second time this season, assuming a Superman role with his ability to lead the Buckeyes back after barely eclipsing the century mark on the ground.

Stroud’s touch on his throws was the best it’s been all season, dropping dots in the bucket to Smith-Njigba on the 30-yard touchdown connection, a 30-yard completion to freshman wide receiver Emeka Egbuka and a 25-yard touchdown pass to freshman wideout Marvin Harrison Jr.

Of the seven different receivers to record a reception, none had missed on more than two targets Saturday.

If Stroud can carry this level of play into next season, then he’ll be packing his bags for New York yet again.

And he just might win it.

Marvin Harrison Jr. with a breakout performance, tying Rose Bowl record three touchdowns

Ohio State freshman wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. (18) gets a touchdown in the fourth quarter during the Rose Bowl Saturday. Ohio State won 48-45. Credit: Mackenzie Shanklin | Photo Editor

Tell me if you’ve heard this name before: Marvin Harrison Sr.

Well, the NFL Hall of Fame wide receiver had a son who has been hidden in the weeds throughout most of the season due to the plethora of wide receivers the Buckeyes have at their disposal, usually only getting to link up with high school teammate freshman quarterback Kyle McCord in garbage time.

But he got his chance on the national stage Saturday to showcase his talents and that he did, tallying six catches — half of them for touchdowns — for 71 yards, proving that he’s going to be a top option for Stroud in 2022.

Don’t be fooled by his 6-foot-3, 205-pound frame, he is not exclusively a goal-line receiver to throw it up to. 

On the Philadelphia native’s 8-yard touchdown catch, he perfected the receiver’s role of the scramble drill: run around to find a soft spot in the defense to get open for the quarterback. Harrison Jr. left his defender with only a vapor trail as he was wide open in the back of the end zone to cut the game to a one-touchdown deficit.

Olave and Wilson both had their breakout performances on the biggest stages — Olave with two touchdowns against Michigan in 2018 and Wilson with the high-pointed leaping grab against Clemson in the 2019 Fiesta Bowl. It’s a little ironic that Harrison Jr.’s breakout came at the hands of the duo opting out of the Rose Bowl.

Halftime inspiration turned the tides for the second half

Ohio State senior cornerback Demario McCall (1) stands by himself taking in the win after the Rose Bowl Saturday. Ohio State won 48-45. Credit: Gabe Haferman | Assistant Photo Editor

After the first half Ohio State looked down on its luck.

Utah jumped out to a 14-0 advantage in the first quarter and once the Buckeyes’ offense started clicking in the second with 50- and 52-yard connections from Stroud to Smith-Njigba, the defense couldn’t seem to get any stops.

The Utes jumped right back with a 97-yard kickoff return by junior wide receiver Britain Covey and a 62-yard scamper by sophomore quarterback Cameron Rising on fourth and one — both which featured very poor tackling.

Late in the first half Ohio State’s defense forced a punt, setting up shop at its own 10-yard line. Following a 26-yard gain on first down between an 11-yard catch-and-run, a 15-yard personal foul and a pair of completions of nine and 15 yards, the Buckeyes looked to at least have a look at scoring before the end of the half.

But an 8-yard pass in which sophomore wide receiver Julian Fleming was tackled in bounds ended the threat as the Buckeyes had no timeouts remaining, since they had to use them early in the half thanks to poor pre-snap clock management.

Impassioned speeches at halftime — with one led by senior cornerback Demario McCall — fired up the team, as Ohio State marched down the field with the same tenacity as the end of the first half. After a 45-yard dart to Smith-Njigba, Stroud was picked off in the end zone.

At that point the game felt almost in hand for the Utes, ahead by two scores and getting the ball back. Fortunately for Ohio State, a mishandled punt by Utah sophomore punter Michael Williams gave the team a start in the red zone, leading to its first score of the second half.

Two Stroud touchdowns and two field goals from Ruggles later, the Buckeyes outscored Utah 27-10 and outgained it 357-139 to come away with the improbable comeback victory.

State of Buckeye football heading into the offseason, ending season on the right note

Ohio State head coach Ryan Day stands on the sidelines during the Rose Bowl Saturday. Ohio State won 48-45. Credit: Mackenzie Shanklin | Photo Editor

An improbable comeback against a physically tough Utah team, Ohio State righted the ship, avoiding losses in back-to-back games to end the season.

Where does Ohio State go from here?

The Buckeyes showed that they are battle tested, rising up and claiming victory behind record-breaking performances from Stroud and Smith-Njigba. The offense should be its similar self, retaining its quarterback and running back, and it showed that losing Olave and Wilson won’t be the end of the world with Harrison Jr., Fleming and Egbuka taking their place.

The tall task will be replacing the left side of the offensive front five as linemen junior Nicholas Petit-Frere and graduate Thayer Munford Jr. both declared for the 2022 NFL Draft.

The bigger question mark is on the defensive side of the ball with new defensive coordinator Jim Knowles’ first day on the job Sunday.

The unit was able to get after the quarterback, finishing third in the Big Ten with 36 sacks, but graduate defensive tackle Haskell Garrett and senior defensive end Tyreke Smith are departing for the next level.

The linebacker position is thin after a few transfers and injuries, needing speed to fly around to the ball and make tackles.

Sophomore bullet Ronnie Hickman finished the year with 100 tackles. The next closest was sophomore linebacker and Rose Bowl Defensive Player of the Game Tommy Eichenberg with 64.

The secondary, though, has some holes to it, as they allowed 245.8 passing yards per game — the third-most in the Big Ten.

Aside from freshman cornerback Denzel Burke, the defensive back, like most of the defense, was a revolving door between sophomores Lathan Ransom and Bryson Shaw, junior Cameron Brown, seniors Sevyn Banks and McCall and graduate Marcus Williamson.

If Knowles, who piloted a top five defense at Oklahoma State, can come in and make sweeping improvements, the Buckeyes will be primed to get back to the top of the Big Ten and in the thick of title consideration.