Ohio State recovered from a disastrous start to rally for a 48-45 victory over No. 11 Utah on Noah Ruggles’ 19-yard field goal with 9 seconds left.
In a game with wild twists and turns, it will be remembered for a record-setting performance by Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
The sophomore receiver entered the week eager to help fill the void left by the opt-outs by fellow stars Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson. He did better than anyone could imagine. Smith-Njigba caught 15 passes for 347 yards and three touchdowns. It was the most receiving yards by anyone in bowl history.
Ohio State will be without 24 scholarship players in today’s Rose Bowl vs. Utah. That’s a combination of season-long injuries, more recent injuries or illness, opt-outs and players who have transferred since the end of the regular season.
— Bill Landis (@BillLandis25) January 1, 2022
The most important thing remaining in this bowl season is that Ohio State beats Utah in the Rose Bowl. The second most important thing is that TTUN does NOT win a national championship.
— Mekka Don (@MekkaDonMusic) December 31, 2021