Ohio State Football: Buckeyes come back in 2nd half, avoid upset

The top ranked Ohio State football team took on a familiar foe but this time the win would not come as easy for the Buckeyes.

There may have been a scare in the first half as Wisconsin was leading the No. 1 ranked Ohio State football team. However, that did not stop the Buckeyes from coming out strong in the second half and winning another Big Ten Championship.

There was a concern for the strong Buckeyes offense as Justin Fields was still recovering from his sprained MCL injury he sustained last week in the win over Michigan.  This changed everything that went the Buckeyes way in 2019.

Wisconsin received the opening kickoff and scored a few plays later as Jonathan Taylor juked the Buckeyes defense taking it in 44 yards out making it 7-0 Badgers.

After the Badgers defense pressured Fields and the offense, Wisconsin would hit the Buckeyes in the mouth again.  This time, it was quarterback Jack Coan who is not known for using his feet often. Coan rushed it in from 14 yards out and it was now 14-0.

Ohio State’s offense came back onto the field looking for some positives. Early on, they were driving in Wisconsin territory but fumbled.

Then when it seemed as though they would be forced to punt Fields thought otherwise.  He would find K.J. Hill for a 27 yard reception. JK Dobbins who had a career game against Michigan last week finished off the drive with a two yard touchdown run to make it a seven point game.

However, just like they did before, Taylor and Coan led Wisconsin down the field.  Coan found Quintez Cephus for a 24 yard gain and then took it in himself. Now it was back to a two possession game going into halftime.

Ohio State needed some sort of change in the second half.  That’s when the beast inside of them woke up.

It started when Fields found Chris Olave for a 50 yard gain.  He then seemed to have possibly overthrown Jeremy Ruckert, but the TE came down with it for a nice touchdown grab making it 21-14.

After a field goal, the Buckeyes offense came back out after the Badgers missed one and that was the momentum shifter for them.  First, the offense had a penalty go in their favor, and then Fields finished the drive by hitting K.J. Hill for a 16 yard touchdown pass making it 24-21 Buckeyes.

Fields finished the night off scrambling, and finding Hill in the back of the endzone making it 31-21.  Ohio State tacked on another field goal later to increase the lead to 34-21.

Wisconsin tried one more time to get something going but Jordan Fuller and Chase Young stopped Jonathan Taylor in the backfield on fourth down.

This is the Buckeyes 38th Big Ten Championship and third straight. Also, for the third time they will be one of the four teams in the College Football Playoff.

Stats:
Ohio State:  Justin Fields finished 19-31 for 299 yards and three passing touchdowns.  Drue Chrisman was one for one on a fake punt pass that went for 21 yards.

JK Dobbins started slow, but picked up the pace and finished with 172 yards rushing on 33 carries.

Chris Olave led the receivers with 5 reception for 94 yards.  K.J. Hill had seven receptions for 83 yards and two touchdowns.  He is now the all time reception leader at Ohio State.

Wisconsin: Jack Coan finished 17 of 33 with 232 yards.  Coan has eight carries for 27 yards and two touchdowns. Jonathan Taylor finished with 148 yards on 20 carries and one touchdown.

Quintez Cephus was the Badgers’ leading receicer with seven receptions for 122 yards. Danny Davis III had three receptions for 38 yards, Jake Ferguson two for 33 yards and Kendric Pryor finished with two for 22 yards.

Up Next
Ohio State (13-0, 10-0 in the Big Ten East) are Big Ten Champions again and will wait to see who they play first in the College Football Playoffs and if they are still the number one ranked team in the nation.

Wisconsin (10-3, 7-3 in the Big Ten West) will go bowling and await to see who they play.