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Where Ohio State is trending after its 63-10 rout of Western Kentucky on Saturday:
Sep 16, 2023; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes cornerback Denzel Burke (10) defends a pass to Western Kentucky Hilltoppers tight end River Helms (87) during the NCAA football game at Ohio Stadium. Ohio State won 63-10.
Pass coverage
The matchup was a test for the secondary as the Hilltoppers, led by a seasoned quarterback in Austin Reed, have had one of the more prolific passing offenses and held the potential to stress the Buckeyes’ vulnerability for allowing explosive plays, the issue that plagued them late last season. Western Kentucky led the nation in passes of at least 20 yards in 2022 with a total of 81, an average of almost six per game. But Ohio State kept them to three and none longer than 34 yards, a sign its success the previous weeks had not been a mirage.
Sep 16, 2023; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Kyle McCord (6) throws a pass during the NCAA football game against the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers at Ohio Stadium. Ohio State won 63-10.
It was a week in which McCord took another step forward. He went from being named the Buckeyes’ full-time starting quarterback on Tuesday to putting together a nearly flawless passing performance against the Hilltoppers. He had almost as many touchdowns (three) as incompletions (four) and quieted some of the simmering doubt about his ceiling as a passer.
Sep 16, 2023; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes cornerback Jordan Hancock (7) knocks the ball from Western Kentucky Hilltoppers wide receiver Blue Smith (5) and resulted in a fumble recovery for Ohio State Buckeyes during the second quarter of their game at Ohio Stadium.
Jordan Hancock
Though Sonny Styles remained the starting nickel safety, it was Hancock who played more snaps as the Buckeyes leaned on the cornerback…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/ohio-state-stock-report-pass-100223292.html?src=rss
Author : The Columbus Dispatch
Publish date : 2023-09-18 10:02:23
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