Stat of the Game: 7.05 ypc and Ohio State’s new identity begins on the ground

Ohio State’s 42–9 win against Rutgers this weekend delivered its cleanest, most complete rushing performance of the season, and the defining number was unmistakable: 7.05 yards per carry, excluding kneel-downs. It wasn’t a one-off burst or 70+ yard play; it wasn’t inflated from broken plays or garbage time, it was the product of consistent, physical, controlled rushing that Rutgers could never solve. With the Buckeyes down their two top wide receivers in Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate, the offense needed a new backbone, and it found one with three young running backs.

While far from perfect, the offensive line generated push at every level and from every position, the backs hit seams with decisiveness, and the play calling was patient, letting the ground game dictate tempo.

In a season where the passing game and the quarterback-wide receiver connection have been the headline, Saturday was a reminder that Ohio State can still punish teams the traditional way — running downhill, setting up manageable second and third downs, and forcing defenses to be constantly guessing.

Behind the 7.05 yards per carry was a clear offensive philosophy shift. Injuries to Smith and Tate forced Ohio State into something they haven’t always embraced or been successful with in recent years. Fully committing to the run as the engine of the offense. Instead of leaning on explosive perimeter play, the Buckeyes found efficiency between the tackles and in wide-zone looks.

Bo Jackson again led the way, becoming the first freshman back since J.K. Dobbins to amass five 100-yard rushing games in a season. The rookie went for 110 yards and two scores on 19 carries, despite fumbling in the end zone on the game’s first drive.

Sophomore James Peoples only had three carries, but pulled off another spectacular run, breaking out for a 49-yard touchdown late in the game. True freshman Isaiah West was RB2 in the game, going for 48 yards on eight carries. Though veteran C.J. Donaldson was still coming back from an injury, he did carry the ball on three occasions, picking up 8 yards and a TD.

The backs ran with patience and vision, but the more important storyline was the offensive line’s control of the line of scrimmage. Chunk gains were routine in this contest. Rutgers struggled to get penetration, and every time Ohio State decided to impose its will, it did.

This wasn’t about volume either. OSU didn’t need 45 or 50+ attempts to get to 250 rushing yards; they simply maximized every touch. With no hesitation, no overthinking, and no reliance on a depleted receiver room, the Buckeyes leaned into what worked, and it worked exceptionally well.

If Ohio State is going to be without two of its biggest weapons moving forward (which is still up in the air at this point), this version of the running game isn’t just a luxury; it’s a necessity.

Now, all focus shifts to Michigan, and for once, Ohio State enters the rivalry with an opportunity to own the ground game. While the Buckeyes have not exactly played against the best possible rush defenses over the past few weeks, the run of Purdue, UCLA, and Rutgers has given them the chance to work through some injuries and figure out the best path forward for a ground game that struggled during the first half of the season, and it couldn’t have come at a better time.

Recent losses to Michigan have often featured a familiar pattern: Ryan Day aiming to win the rushing battle on principle and stubbornness rather than on actual advantage on the field, playing into the rivalry’s emotional angle instead of the tactical one.

But this season feels different, especially with the highly discussed rushing battle. Michigan is without star back Justice Haynes, and backup Jordan Marshall’s status remains uncertain after he was held out of this week’s game against Maryland. The Wolverines simply don’t have the proven rushing advantage they’ve held in previous years. Ohio State, meanwhile, just churned out 7.05 yards per carry and showed the discipline and physicality that had been missing in those past matchups.

The key next week isn’t bravado, or planning to “drop 100,” it’s balance. Even though the Michigan defense will be much better than what OSU has run on during this ground game upturn, if Day and offensive coordinator Brian Hartline trust the run the way they did against Rutgers, they can control tempo, protect the defense, and open clean passing windows for Julian Saying and a receiver room that may still be shorthanded.

Winning the line of scrimmage is the surest way to flip the rivalry back in Ohio State’s favor, and this time, the Buckeyes have the personnel, performance, and overall team identity to do it. Saturday against Rutgers wasn’t just a strong showing; it was the blueprint.