Stock Market Report: The Buckeyes dominate Michigan State; send Marvin Harrison Jr. to New York
The stars shined in what was maybe the best overall performance this season by the Buckeyes.
The Ohio State Buckeyes are 10-0 on the season, but now they are the No. 2 team in the country after the Georgia Bulldogs beat the brakes off Ole Miss and overtook the No. 1 spot in the latest College Football Playoff rankings. None of that matters, as the Buckeyes will now take on Minnesota before the game everyone is waiting for.
For now, let’s take a look at who helped their stock against the Spartans.
blue Chips
Good on Good Football
I almost made this Marvin Harrison Jr., but at this point, we know he is a generational talent. We all should appreciate the short time we have left watching him in Scarlet and Gray.
Another great thing about this season, and this game in particular, is good football. A lot of people use this term to describe practice competition when there is a lot of depth at different positions and the competition is strong. It also means simply that the offense complements the defense and vice versa. This has been great to see from the Buckeyes this year, and with injuries, other guys have stepped into roles in a big way.
Nick Saban and Jimbo Fisher’s beef was the nastiest we’ve ever seen from college football coaches
Kyle McCord
I have been on the Kyle McCord train all season, and even though we have seemingly missed a few stops, it seems like McCord is starting to settle in. He has played very well over the last few games, and the Buckeyes are still 10-0. However, let’s be honest: the only thing that truly matters is how he plays on Nov. 25 at The Big House. And I am calling it now — I think he will show up.
Cade Stover
Stover missed the Rutgers game, and his absence in the passing game was noticed. He is a Biletnikoff semifinalist and one of the top tight ends in football that is not named Brock Bowers. He finished with seven catches for 71 yards and a touchdown against the Spartans, and will continuously be a big part of the offense, especially as Emeka Egbuka continues to get healthier.
Junk Bond
Nonaggression with backups
This has been somewhat of a trend with Ryan Day, but when he puts in the backups, they just seem to run out the clock. I am not advocating for running the score up on teams, but it would be nice to see a little more than 2-for-3 for 18 yards from the backup quarterback. Let him air it out a little.
Buy/Sell
Buy: Marvin Harrison Jr.’s Heisman odds
This was basically the best week possible for anyone who has money on Marvin Harrison Jr. winning the Heisman trophy. Most people would agree that right now, it is down to Bo Nix, Michael Penix Jr., Jayden Daniels, and Marvin Harrison Jr.
MHJ scored three touchdowns in one half of football and is outscoring teams on his own. There have been concerns about McCord and whether or not he can be a national title-winning quarterback, and while I don’t personally subscribe to those doubts, it has undoubtedly been a testament to Marvin Harrison Jr. that he has been able to produce no matter what, even with the injuries to Henderson, Egbuka, and Stover.
Buy: Gray Uniforms
Everything can be divisive in sports. However, I think 90-95 percent of the reaction to the gray was positive, and I personally loved them. I did see some people say they wished the gray of the jerseys and the helmet were the same, and I thought it was, so I am slightly worried about my vision.
Sell: Injuries
Of course, they happen to every team. And that does not make them suck any less. The Buckeyes could be without Lathan Ransom until at least the postseason, and maybe not even then. Miyan Williams is out for the season, and Tommy Eichenberg and Josh Proctor are dealing with injuries that seem less serious but are still without an official timetable to return. Let’s go into the video game sliders, turn them all to zero for the injuries for the rest of the season, and let the boys play.