Players of the Game: C.J. Stroud and Zach Harrison Earn Top Honors After Ohio State's Thumping of Iowa

By 11W Staff on October 23, 2022 at 3:40 pm
POTG
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After every win this season, Eleven Warriors will honor Ohio State's top offensive and defensive performers with player of the game awards. This week, a couple of stars shined bright for the Buckeyes.

C.J. Stroud is Eleven Warriors offensive player of the game, and Zach Harrison is our defensive player of the game for their outstanding efforts in Ohio State's 54-10 win over Iowa on Saturday.

Stroud earns our weekly honor after completing 20 of 30 passes for 268 yards and four touchdowns against the Hawkeyes, who entered the game with one of the best defenses in the nation through the first seven weeks.

The third-year quarterback wasn't perfect for the entire contest, but his resiliency was noticeable as he bounced back from some errant throws in the first half and an interception to start the second half. After Stroud threw the pick early in the third quarter, he went on a tear, finishing the game 10-of-12 passing for 181 yards and four scores, including an incredible over-the-shoulder throw to Emeka Egbuka for six.

Harrison earns our defensive player of the game award after what was arguably his most impactful performance as a Buckeye. Harrison was everywhere against the Hawkeyes and frequently disrupted the Iowa offense. He also had the statistics to show for it, collecting two tackles for loss, a forced fumble and a deflected pass on Saturday.

The fourth-year defensive lineman's forced fumble came in the first quarter against Iowa when Harrison sacked quarterback Spencer Petras and simultaneously knocked the ball free. Ohio State recovered the loose ball inside Hawkeye territory and leveraged the plus field position into 3 points from a Noah Ruggles field goal.

The offensive player of the game award is Stroud's second of the season, while Harrison is a first-time recipient of the defensive player of the game award. Stroud claimed the honor earlier in the year for his five-touchdown performance against Toledo in Week 3.

Other Buckeyes to win our weekly player of the game awards are listed below in the chart:

Eleven Warriors Players of the Game
Game Offense Defense
NOTRE DAME MIYAN WILLIAMS, RB
96 yards from scrimmage, TD
TOMMY EICHENBERG, LB
9 tackles, 3 TFL, 2 sacks
ARKANSAS STATE MARVIN HARRISON JR., WR
7 catches, 184 yards, 3 TD
MIKE HALL JR., DT
3 TFL, 1 sack
TOLEDO C.J. STROUD, QB
22-27, 367 yards, 5 TD
JAVONTAE JEAN-BAPTISTE, DE
2 TFL, 2 sacks, FF
WISCONSIN EMEKA EGBUKA, WR
6 catches, 118 yards, 2 TD
TOMMY EICHENBERG, LB
14 tackles, 2 TFL
RUTGERS MIYAN WILLIAMS, RB
21 car, 189 yards, 5 TD
STEELE CHAMBERS, LB
11 tackles, 2 TFL, 1 INT
@ MICHIGAN STATE MARVIN HARRISON JR., WR
7 catches, 131 yards, 3 TD
MIKE HALL JR., DT
3 tackles, 2.5 TFL, 2.5 sacks
IOWA C.J. STROUD, QB
20-30, 286 yards, 4 TD
ZACH HARRISON, DE
1 sack, 2 TFL, 1 FF, 1 PBU
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