Ohio State Buckeyes season review

December, 18, 2014 The team-by-team look back at the Big Ten season continues with a recap of the league champions, the Ohio State Buckeyes. Overview: Maybe Ohio State still isn’t a finished product yet, but that might be a scary thought for the rest of the nation given how frighteningly quick Urban Meyer’s team grew up this season. While losing Braxton Miller during training camp dominated the headlines, the Buckeyes were already facing a daunting task in trying to replace four starters on the offensive line, their leading rusher, their top wide receiver and two first-round draft picks on defense when the season opened. All that inexperience was prominently on display in a Week 2 loss to Virginia Tech, but Ohio State wouldn’t drop another game for the rest of the season and only appeared more confident, more dangerous and more mature with each passing week. It all led up to perhaps the most complete performance by any team in the country this season as the Buckeyes shellacked Wisconsin 59-0 in the Big Ten championship game, clinching a spot in the College Football Playoff and arriving as a national contender again arguably one year ahead of schedule. Offensive MVP: The Buckeyes wound up winning the Big Ten with J.T. Barrett on the sideline with a fractured ankle, but it’s exceedingly unlikely they would have been there in the first place if not for the redshirt freshman’s rapid rise in place of Miller at quarterback. Just a couple days after moving up to No. 2 on the depth chart, Miller was lost for the season and Barrett was thrust into the starting role and expected to just pick up the torch from the two-time Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year. Barrett did more than that, though, taking the Ohio State attack to an even higher level than his predecessor by accounting for a league record 45 touchdowns and proving to be the perfect fit to expand the passing game thanks to his accuracy and quick decision-making at the most important spot on the field. Defensive MVP: Even a few of the returning starters fit the bill as works in progress, including a defensive end who would emerge as arguably the most disruptive force up front in the entire country. Joey Bosa had already proven he could rush the passer a year ago during his freshman campaign, and he was continuing to wreak havoc early in the season as he made it look routine to beat blockers with his combination of speed and size on the way to the quarterback. …

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