The storm after the storm was quite impressive, too.
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The Ohio State Buckeyes led the country with 12 National Football League draft picks this past spring but with four dazzling touchdown receptions in a nationally televised 45-24 thumping of Oklahoma Saturday night, redshirt sophomore wide receiver Noah Brown served notice that in terms of pro prospects, the cupboard is hardly bare in Columbus.
On the game’s opening possession, OU drove 65 yards in 12 plays to the Ohio State 10-yard line, but came up empty when sophomore placekicker Austin Seibert’s 27-yard field-goal attempt struck the top of the right upright.
After what we thought was a stunning loss to Houston to open the season, high hopes for what many thought would be a return trip to the College Football Playoff this season took a severe hit. In the victory, the N.J. native recorded five receptions for 72 yards and four touchdowns.
“I did see it when I caught it”, Brown said.
To say that Ohio State made their announcement to the college football world on Saturday is an understatement. “This is the coming of age game”.
During the long replay review, several Bengals offensive players said they were convinced they were getting the ball back, and apparently some of the Steelers agreed as their defense began walking back on to the field. They’ve gone to Oklahoma and won.
■Maryland 30, Central Florida 24 (2OT): Maryland freshman quarterback Tyrrell Pigrome replaced starter Perry Hills and on his only play of the game raced 24 yards for the game-winning score in a 30-24 double-overtime win for the visiting Terrapins. “I’ll have some of the older guys”. Which means, for the first time in the league’s 21-year history, not a single Big 12 team qualified for the AP’s top 15.
Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops said, “We just need to play better in a lot of areas”. Where I feel there’s opportunities there we can do it. Mayfield threw two interceptions against the Buckeyes and had a third overturned upon review. Ohio State linebacker Jerome Baker returned 68 yards for a touchdown. The 50-yard run (actually 36 by Samuel for the first touchdown) on fourth-and-one, is that brute strength? It is the direct result of the physical nature of the Ohio State game.
On Saturday, his first four catches in Norman all went for touchdowns.
When the Buckeyes boarded their flight from Columbus to Norman, Oklahoma, for a Saturday showdown with the Oklahoma Sooners, coach Urban Meyer was taken back a bit by his team’s youth.
On the Sooners’ next drive, Mayfield tossed his second interception deep to Buckeye cornerback Marshon Lattimore, only after eluding the rush and choosing not to run for the 10 more more yards in front of him.
Armstrong finished with 95 yards rushing, and completed 17 of 33 passes for 200 yards and three touchdowns. Ohio State came into the game having intercepted seven passes through two games while Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield had yet to throw an interception. The o-line gave Barrett ample time to survey the Oklahoma defense when it was needed as well. Barrett added 74 yards on the ground. Cornerback Marshon Lattimore fought off the injuries that marred the early part of his career and almost came up with a diving interception in the fourth quarter. Wide receiver Noah Brown caught four touchdown passes from J.T. Barrett.
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While the Horned Frogs bounced back with a 41-20 victory Saturday, it was to a 0-3 Iowa State team. Oklahoma, now with two losses in just three weeks, dropped to No. 25 in the AP poll and out of the Coaches poll.
