Playing away from the comfortable confines of Ohio Stadium didn't disrupt C.J. Stroud and Ohio State's record-breaking offense. The Buckeyes scored 45+ points for the fifth consecutive game – a school record – which allowed 12 members of the 2022 class to participate in their first away game. The second half of the 49-20 victory was when the true freshmen saw most of their playing time.
Hayden 5.0
With Miyan Willams on the shelf and TreVeyon Henderson leaving the game after the first play of the second half, Dallan Hayden was called upon to help carry the rushing load. Over 14 carries, the man from Memphis showed off his slashing and hard-running style.
Hayden was given his first rushing opportunity on the second play of the second half. The freshman back had two carries for 12 yards and a first down on the drive that finished with Marvin Harrison Jr.'s record-breaking third touchdown catch.
Despite being Ohio State's third-leading rusher for the season - and having a game-high 17 carries for 108 yards against Toledo - Saturday's color commentator changed the talented back's first name to Dallas. This mistake did not go unnoticed by Dallan's dad, a former NFL running back.
So disrespectful when announcers have a whole week and get kids name wrong! Dallan Hayden is his name!
— Aaron Hayden (@Ran4UT) October 8, 2022
Hayden finished the day with 14 carries for 70 yards, equating to an impressive five yards per carry.
Five were fighting
Well, maybe they weren't fighting, but Caden Curry, Jyaire Brown, C.J. Hicks, Kye Stokes and Sonny Styles made the most of their playing time against the Spartans. The defensive players combined for 50 defensive snaps, seven tackles and a forced fumble.
In the fourth quarter, Brown stripped Michigan State's Montorie Foster of the ball, but Foster recovered the fumble.
There were also plenty of learning moments for the young players, but that's the value of getting playing time against Big Ten opponents, especially in opposing stadiums.
Fielding falters on first kick
Ohio State's opening kickoff didn't go as planned. Recent black stripe shedder Jayden Fielding struck a low line drive toward the left sideline that promptly bounced out of bounds at the MSU 11-yard line. Not the start the Buckeyes' coaching staff or defense envisioned.
For the season, Fielding has now kicked three of his 49 kickoffs out of bounds. Perhaps of more concern is only four of his last 16 kickoffs have been touchbacks. Still, he is the only kicker who has handled a kickoff for the Buckeyes so far this year.
Left behind
Six of Ohio State’s scholarship true freshmen that did not make the trip to East Lansing: Omari Abor, Caleb Burton, George Fitzpatrick, Avery Henry, Kyion Grayes and Gabe Powers. All of them are likely in line to take redshirts this season.
Another five made the trip but did not see playing time: Devin Brown, Carson Hinzman, Kenyatta Jackson, Hero Kanu and Tegra Tshabola. Hinzman made the trip even though he has not yet seen the field this season. (Correction: This article previously stated that Kaleb Brown did not play against Michigan State, but further review showed Brown played on the punt return team.)
Rest of the class
Kojo Antwi played three offensive snaps and was on the kickoff, kick return and punt teams.
Kaleb Brown played on the punt return team.
TC Caffey was on the field for six offensive snaps and ran the ball four times for nine yards.
Bennett Christian was the wing twice on the punt team.
Ryan Turner saw action on four defensive plays and the punt and extra point block teams.
Under the NCAA's redshirt rules, a player can appear in up to four games at any point throughout the season and still count it as his redshirt year. Through the sixth game of the 2022 season, 17 of Ohio State's 21 scholarship true freshmen have seen the field, with six – Jyaire Brown, Curry, Hayden, Hicks, Stokes and Styles – now ineligible for a redshirt as they have appeared in five or more games. Fielding, who is not on scholarship, has also burned his redshirt by playing in six games.
| NAME | POS | DEBUT | MICHIGAN STATE STATS | GP | SEASON STATS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CADEN CURRY | DE | Notre Dame | 1 tackle | 6 | 8 tackles, 1 TFL (6 yards) |
| JAYDEN FIELDING | K | Notre Dame | 8 kickoffs, 2 touchbacks | 6 | 49 kickoffs, 21 touchbacks |
| JYAIRE BROWN | CB | Arkansas State | 2 tackles, 1 FF | 5 | 4 tackles, 1 FF, 1 PBU |
| DALLAN HAYDEN | RB | Arkansas State | 14 rushes, 70 yards | 5 | 52 rushes, 250 yards, 1 TD; 2 catches, 13 yards |
| C.J. HICKS | LB | Arkansas State | 1 tackle | 5 | 2 tackles |
| KYE STOKES | S | Arkansas State | 1 tackle | 5 | 5 tackles, 1 TFL (4 yards) |
| SONNY STYLES | S | Arkansas State | 2 tackles | 5 | 6 tackles, 1 TFL (2 yards) |
| RYAN TURNER | CB | Toledo | 4 defensive snaps | 4 | 1 tackle, 1 sack (6 yards), 1 TFL (6 yards) |
| KALEB BROWN | WR | Toledo | Special teams snaps | 4 | 19 offensive snaps |
| KOJO ANTWI | WR | Toledo | 3 offensive snaps | 3 | 13 offensive snaps |
| TC CAFFEY | RB | Toledo | 4 rushes, 9 yards | 2 | 10 rushes, 66 yards, 1 TD |
| BENNETT CHRISTIAN | TE | Toledo | Punt team | 2 | 11 offensive snaps |
| TEGRA TSHABOLA | OL | Arkansas State | 4 | 52 offensive snaps | |
| KENYATTA JACKSON | DE | Arkansas State | 3 | 2 tackles, 1 TFL (1 yard) | |
| HERO KANU | DT | Arkansas State | 3 | 19 defensive snaps | |
| DEVIN BROWN | QB | Toledo | 2 | 1 rush, 1 yard | |
| GABE POWERS | LB | Toledo | 2 | Special team snaps | |
| OMARI ABOR | DE | Arkansas State | Unavailable (knee injury) | 1 | |
| KYION GRAYES | WR | Toledo | 1 | 1 catch, 2 yards | |
| CALEB BURTON | WR | ||||
| GEORGE FITZPATRICK | OT | ||||
| AVERY HENRY | OL | ||||
| CARSON HINZMAN | OL |
(Note: The table does not include freshman walk-ons who have not yet played.)
- #3 Ohio State 49, Michigan State 20
- • Buckeyes Blow Out Spartans, 49-20
- • Have a Day, CJ: Pass Game Goes Off at MSU
- • Henderson Runs Hard, Fine After Early Exit
- • Harrison Breaks 3 Rec TD Record
- • Ohio State Postgame • Notebook • Quotebook • Photos
- • 3 Key Stats • Five Things • Social Reactions • Michigan State Postgame
