Ohio State names its players of the game for the Big Ten Championship Game win over Northwestern

Ohio State named its Players of the Game for the Big Ten Championship game win over Northwestern. You can probably guess a couple of them.

The Ohio State football program won its fourth-straight Big Ten Championship Saturday. And while things looked a little bleak for a while against a well-coached and highly motivated Northwestern team, the Buckeyes were able to pull it out thanks to running back Trey Sermon and the ground game.

Each week, after the coaches get to look back on film and grade players out, the Ohio State football program announces its players of the week, and you’re probably not going to be too surprised about who was recognized this week.

Punter Zach Hoover was awarded the Special Teams Player of the Game. He filled in admirably for Drue Chrisman who was lost to coronavirus protocols. Hoover dropped two of his three punts inside the ten-yard line and averaged over 40 yards per effort.

In a really cool moment for hard-luck linebacker Justin Hilliard, he was named the Defensive Player of the Game. He too was filling in for a missing starter, Baron Browning, and was all over the field. He intercepted a key pass in the end zone, but also had five tackles, two tackles for loss, and a fumble recovery.

And lastly, you know who received the Offensive Player of the Game. Trey Sermon had the best single day ever for an Ohio State running back, breaking Eddie George’s program record by toting the rock for 331 yards on 29 carries (11.4 ypc). He found the end zone twice.

Well done by all three of these guys and many more. The fact that all of these guys aren’t the so-called unquestioned starter speaks volumes for the depth of the program at Ohio State.

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