Buckeye Stock Market Report: Nearly perfect Buckeye first half

On Nov 21, 2021

After each Ohio State game during the 2021 football season, LGHL will offer its market analysis of the Buckeyes’ performance. Using a standard bond rating system, we’ll evaluate the offense, the defense, and the special teams, according to this formula:

AA (yeah, I may also use + and -): Very Strong
A: Strong
BBB: Adequate
BB: Facing Major Uncertainty

Then, we’ll take a look at any individual players whose performance stood out (in one way or another!) and assign them a stock rating: Blue Chip, Solid Performance, Penny Stock (akin to a junk bond, dangerously high risk).

Quick Overview

At last. Playing the #7-ranked Michigan State Spartans, both the Ohio State offense and defense put on a show. The Spartans couldn’t stop the Buckeye attack, and they couldn’t sustain a drive against the OSU defense. The Bucks sent a loud message: when we play like this on both sides of the ball, who’s going to beat us?

Coming into this game, there was a lot of worry among the Buckeye faithful. Despite the 20-point spread on the game, fans and commentators were concerned with the MSU offense; they could score points. Moreover, with Kenneth Walker III, arguably the nation’s best running back, the Spartans would be able to control the clock, keep Stroud and his amigos off the field. Many expected a real street fight. But that’s not what happened. The Bucks got the ball first, jumped on Sparty, and kept pounding him.

Aside from C.J. Stroud’s taking a knee with 0:35 left in the first half, Ohio State scored touchdowns on every first half possession. Seven touchdowns. And Sparty? Sparty had seven possessions: punt, missed field goal, lost fumble, punt, punt, punt, punt. The score was 49-0. The game was over.

This game was an old-fashioned whipping. The final stats are mind boggling, but most of the difference was established during the first two quarters. At halftime, MSU had seven first downs and 116 total yards. OSU had 26 first downs and 500 (yes, 500 in the first half) yards. The Spartans were four out of ten in converting third down attempts. The Buckeyes were two for two, moving the sticks routinely in one or two plays.

And the celebrated Walker III? He carried the ball five times for 24 yards. (In the second half, he’d have one more carry for one yard.) Michigan State was overwhelmed. Falling behind by so much, so quickly, they largely abandoned their heretofore potent running game and turned to the pass. But they weren’t much more successful through the air, as Payton Thorne tossed the ball 36 times, completing only 14 of the passes for an underwhelming 158 yards.

I don’t remember ever seeing a match up between two top ten teams that was this one-sided. Fun to watch, for sure. Looking forward to next week.

Offense

It’s tempting to say simply that Ohio State scored 56 points and…