Ohio State Gets Njigba With It In Rose Bowl Comeback Win

PASADENA, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 01: (L-R) C.J. Stroud #7, Tommy Eichenberg #35 and Jaxon Smith-Njigba #11 of the Ohio State Buckeyes raise the trophy after defeating the Utah Utes 48-45 in the Rose Bowl Game at Rose Bowl Stadium on January 01, 2022 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

The Ohio State Buckeyes rallied from a 14-0 first quarter deficit and a 35-21 halftime deficit and came all the way back to beat Utah in the Rose Bowl 48–45 on a Noah Ruggles 19 yard field goal with :09 seconds left.

PASADENA, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 01: Jaxon Smith-Njigba #11 of the Ohio State Buckeyes catches a touchdown pass against the Utah Utes during the fourth quarter in the Rose Bowl Game at Rose Bowl Stadium on January 01, 2022 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

Offensively Ohio State was led by wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba who set a Rose Bowl record and a division one college football bowl game record with 347 yards receiving on 15 catches with 3 touchdowns. He also set the Ohio State single-game receiving yards record and the OSU receiving yards record for an entire season with 1,606 yards while scoring 9 touchdowns.

PASADENA, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 01: C.J. Stroud #7 of the Ohio State Buckeyes throws a pass against the Utah Utes during the first quarter in the Rose Bowl Game at Rose Bowl Stadium on January 01, 2022 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

Buckeyes quarterback C.J. Stroud also set a Rose Bowl record throwing for 573 yards and 6 touchdowns. The. 573 yards passing are the third most ever in a bowl game.

Also stepping up for the Buckeyes at the wide receiver position as starters Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave sat out the game to prepare for the NFL draft, was true freshman Marvin Harrison Jr. as he grabbed 6 passes for 71 yards and 3 scores.

And while the defense was horrific in the first half giving up 35 points to Utah, Ryan Day’s squad deserves some credit for holding the Utes to only 10 points in the second half, allowing the Buckeyes to come back and get the 3-point win.

Linebacker Tommy Eichenberg’s 17 tackles set a new Ohio State Rose Bowl record surpassing Chris Spielman‘s mark of 15.

With the victory, Ohio State finishes the season (11-2).

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