As the second quarter of Ohio State’s matchup with Virginia Tech unfolded on Monday, it looked like quarterback Michael Brewer was primed to fuel another upset victory for the Hokies.
Brewer was doing all the things he did in Columbus against the Buckeyes last year, when Virginia Tech invaded Columbus and came away with a 35-21 victory.
He was finding openings and coming up with big conversions on third down. He was scrambling around and creating opportunities for the offense that shouldn’t have been there. Most importantly, he was coming up with big play after big play as the Hokies rattled off 17 unanswered points to take a three-point lead into the locker room at halftime.
But the Buckeyes defense adjusted during the break, and when Brewer was knocked out of the game with a broken collarbone early in the third quarter—as announced by the team—Ohio State stymied Virginia Tech’s outgunned offense.
The Hokies managed just 109 yards of offense in the second half, 59 of which came via a garbage-time drive against the second-team defense.
It was a solid outing, and it revealed a lot about what to expect as the Buckeyes continue their push for another championship.
The Line Needs Joey Bosa
Sam Hubbard and Jalyn Holmes filled in for the suspended Joey Bosa, and the pair of second-year standouts played admirably against the Hokies on Monday. Hubbard registered a sack and four tackles, while Holmes came away with six tackles and a forced fumble.
But…
Continue Reading: Ohio State Football: What We Learned from Buckeyes Defense vs. Virginia Tech
