Ohio State sophomore quarterback Justin Fields (1) runs the ball into the endzone for a touchdown during the first half of the game against Nebraska at Memorial Stadium on Sept. 28. Ohio State won 48-7. Credit: Amal Saeed | Photo Editor
Ohio State turned the nation’s No. 41 rush defense into a doormat Saturday.
In the first half alone, the Buckeyes piled up 230 yards rushing en route to a 368-yard performance on the ground in their 48-7 win over Nebraska.
“We ran the ball. That was great to see,” head coach Ryan Day said. “I thought the line did a good job, the backs ran hard.”
Junior running back J.K. Dobbins produced his third 140-yard performance in five games this season, gaining 177 yards on 24 carries.
Dobbins averaged 7.4 yards per attempt despite never having a run longer than 26 yards. He gained consistent chunks of turf behind his offensive line, with eight rushes gaining more than 10 yards.
“I’m having a lot of fun,” Dobbins said. “A lot of it has to do with being connected with all my brothers on the team.”
Dobbins became the 11th Buckeye running back to join the 3,000-yard club on his career Saturday.
Day and company were letting sophomore quarterback Justin Fields’ legs lay dormant for three contests prior to Nebraska, the Georgia transfer finishing under 10 carries in games against Cincinnati, Indiana and Miami (Ohio).
He scored six red zone rushing touchdowns in those contests, his athleticism used in select situations to keep him safe.
Against Nebraska, his volcanic legs started to look more active, with a season-high 72 yards on 12 carries and a touchdown.
“Having the ability to use his feet is huge,” Day said. “That’s a weapon we’ve talked about, and it makes a huge difference. But he’s a really good passer, and we have a really good offensive line with multiple tight ends. So we’re able to do all of the above.”
Twice, he nearly erupted on designed running plays. First on a third-and-10 in the first quarter, the offense rolled out a quarterback power it hadn’t shown before and picked up 14 yards down the sideline, six short of a touchdown.
A quarter later he took another right-side run 41 yards to the Nebraska nine-yard-line, setting up an eventual touchdown for redshirt freshman running back Master Teague.
Fields also picked up solid yardage scrambling when receivers weren’t open, including a 15-yard touchdown escape in the first quarter.
“When you have everything covered and all of a sudden you have to worry about him scrambling,” Day said. “When you have to put a guy and spy him that’s one less guy in coverage. It certainly is a huge advantage.”
When it wasn’t Dobbins or Fields, redshirt freshman Master Teague provided meaningful reps in relief at the running back position.
Teague picked up 77 yards on 12 carries, scoring twice.
Ohio State averaged 6.9 yards per carry Saturday — only three teams in the country average more than that on the season. It’s not even a season-high for the Buckeyes, however, as they averaged 7.3 per carry against Indiana.
The offensive line is delivering its backs gift-wrapped to the second level, where they can shake a defender and pick up big chunks of yardage.
“Our O-line is great, [offensive line coach Greg] Studrawa does a great job with those guys,” Fields said. “I think the running backs, J.K. and Master and Marcus [Crowley] at the end did a great job running the ball down their throats and being physical with them.”
Crowley, a freshman, broke off a 26-yard run with under two minutes to play in one final Buckeye rushing jab, completing a start-to-finish domination by the Ohio State rushing attack.
