After a concerning performance at Northwestern and not being able to run the ball effectively, Ohio State put some of those worries to rest on Saturday. The Buckeyes established the run with the line opening holes and the running backs making things happen on the ground.
Miyan Williams was having another huge afternoon before being carted off with injury in the second quarter. Not even halfway through the game and Williams had already tallied 147 yards on 15 carries and a score. In all, OSU racked up 340 yards on the ground.
But was it enough to calm the talk of Ohio State being “soft” with toughness to run the ball? While concerned after last week, Kirk Herbstreit continued to rank the Buckeyes at No. 2 in his weekly rankings. Did Ohio State show enough to stay put or did another team impress and jump the Bucks?
Let’s take a look at what Herbie has to say after week 11.
No. 6 - LSU Tigers
What we say
Brian Kelly has LSU playing much better, there is no doubt. But are the Tigers really one of the top teams in the country with two losses? This seems like another overreaction to playing in the SEC. One loss came to a mediocre Florida State and the other was a blowout at the hands of Tennessee. I guess we’ll see if LSU is for real when they play Georgia in the SEC title game. If the Tigers win, they’ll most likely be in.
No. 5 - Tennessee Volunteers
What we say
The Vols put a hurting on another subpar SEC team on Saturday putting up 66 points on Missouri. The offense is dynamic, but we saw what happened when the Vols faced a great defense.
No. 4 - TCU Horned Frogs
What we say
TCU keeps winning, this time against Texas on the road. Nothing spectacular by any stretch, but the Horned Frogs continue to score just enough points to stay on top. The eye test isn’t very convincing, but the unblemished record is.
No. 3 - Michigan Wolverines
What we say
Michigan continues to rule the ground-and-pound game, but the passing game still leaves something to be desired. The Game on November 26 is shaping up to be one for the ages.
No. 2 - Ohio State Buckeyes
What we say
Ohio State looked like a team that had something to prove against an overmatched Indiana team. But the Buckeyes did exactly what they needed to do in order to get the bad taste of the Northwestern game out of their mouth.
No. 1 - Georgia Bulldogs
What we say
Georgia was sleepwalking most of the game once again when it faced a lesser opponent in Mississippi State on Saturday. The Bulldogs eventually pulled away in the second half and remain the top team in the land.
Kirk Herbstreit's rankings and Twitter thread
My top 4 after WEEK 11
1-@GeorgiaFootball
2-@OhioStateFB
3-@UMichFootball
4-@TCUFootball
Next 2@Vol_Football @LSUfootball
Only 3 weeks remain!— Kirk Herbstreit (@KirkHerbstreit) November 13, 2022
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