The 2021 Ohio State Buckeyes football team represented Ohio State University in the 2021 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They were led by third-year head coach Ryan Day, and played their home games at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. It was the Buckeyes' 132nd season overall and 109th as a member of the Big Ten Conference.
This was the first time since 2018 that Ohio State did not reach the College Football Playoff after two losing games against Oregon and Michigan and the first time since 2016 that Ohio State did not reach the Big Ten Championship Game.
The Buckeyes were invited to compete at the Rose Bowl, where they defeated Utah by a score of 48–45.
Offseason Players lost LB Tuf Borland LB Baron Browning P Drue Chrisman DE Jonathon Cooper G Wyatt Davis – Declared for NFL Draft TE Luke Farrell QB Justin Fields – Declared for NFL Draft K Blake Haubeil TE Jake Hausmann LB Justin Hilliard C Josh Myers – Declared for NFL Draft RB Trey Sermon DT Tommy Togiai – Declared for NFL Draft CB Shaun Wade LB Pete Werner
Schedule
Personnel
Roster
Depth chart
Game summaries
at Minnesota
No. 4 Ohio State opened the season at Huntington Bank Stadium, where they faced the Minnesota Golden Gophers. This was the 51st meeting between the teams, with Ohio State having a winning record against the Golden Gophers at 44–7–0. The Buckeyes had won ten straight entering the game, which was their second longest current Big Ten winning streak. The teams last met in 2018, with the Buckeyes winning 30–14 at Ohio Stadium.
Ohio State took an early lead on 71-yard touchdown run by Miyan Williams and a 35-yard field goal. Leading 10–0, Minnesota scored two consecutive touchdowns in the second quarter to take a 14–10 lead at the half. The teams traded touchdowns to start the third quarter. C. J. Stroud then hit Garrett Wilson on a 56-yard touchdown pass to give the Buckeyes a 24–21 lead. On the ensuing possession, Haskell Garrett recovered a strip sack and returned the fumble 32 yards for a touchdown and pushing the Buckeye lead to 31–21. Following a Minnesota field goal, Stroud hit TreVeyon Henderson on a 70-yard pass and run to extend OSU's lead to 14. Minnesota narrowed the lead to seven again with just over five minutes remaining, but Stroud hit Chris Olave for a 61-yard touchdown, Olave's second in the game and Stroud's fourth touchdown pass. The 45–31 win moved OSU to 1–0 in conference on the season.
Williams ran for 127 yards on nine carries while Stroud completed 13 of 22 pass for 294 yards and four touchdowns. OSU's defense, though scoring a touchdown, surrendered 203 yards rushing and 205 yards passing to Minnesota in the win. Statistics OSUMINN First downs 17 24 Plays–yards 48–495 75–408 Rushes–yards 26–201 50–203 Passing yards 294 205 Passing: comp–att–int 13–22–1 14–25–0 Time of possession 21:19 38:41 Team Category Player Statistics Ohio State Passing C. J. Stroud 13/22, 294 yards, 4 TD, 1 INT Rushing Miyan Williams 9 carries, 125 yards, 1 TD Receiving Chris Olave 4 receptions, 117 yards, 2 TD Minnesota Passing Tanner Morgan 14/25, 205 yards, 1 TD Rushing Mohamed Ibrahim 30 carries, 163 yards, 2 TD Receiving Daniel Jackson 3 receptions, 58 yards
vs No. 12 Oregon
The No. 12 Oregon Ducks defeated the No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes 35–28 in a rematch of the 2015 College Football Playoff National Championship. Ohio State, who is now 9–1 in the series, was favored by 14.
This was the first Buckeye game in Ohio Stadium open to the general public since November 23, 2019. Big Noon Kickoff was filmed on location for the game. Statistics OREOSU First downs 27 32 Plays–yards 73–505 86–612 Rushes–yards 38–269 31–128 Passing yards 236 484 Passing: comp–att–int 17–35–0 35–54–1 Time of possession 29:46 30:14 Team Category Player Statistics Oregon Passing Anthony Brown 16/34, 225 yards, 2 TD Rushing CJ Verdell 17 carries, 151 yards, 2 TD Receiving CJ Verdell 3 receptions, 34 yards, 1 TD Ohio State Passing C. J. Stroud 34/53, 472 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT Rushing Miyan Williams 14 carries, 77 yards Receiving Chris Olave 12 receptions, 126 yards
vs Tulsa
vs Akron
At Rutgers
vs Maryland
At Indiana
vs No. 20 Penn State
At Nebraska
vs No. 19 Purdue
vs No. 7 Michigan State
At No. 5 Michigan
Awards and honors NCAA Recognized All-American HonorsChris OlaveWR1st Team2nd Team2nd Team2nd TeamThayer MunfordOL1st Team2nd TeamGarrett WilsonWR2nd Team1st Team Nicholas Petit-FrereOL2nd Team1st Team2nd TeamNoah RugglesK2nd Team2nd Team2nd TeamJaxon Smith-NjigbaWR3rd Team2nd TeamHaskell GarrettDT2nd TeamC. J. StroudQB3rd Team *The NCAA and Ohio State only recognize the AP, AFCA, FWAA, Sporting News and WCFF All-American teams to determine if a player is a Consensus or Unanimous All-American. To be named a Consensus All-American, a player must be named first team in three polls and to be Unanimous, they must be named first team in all five. See 2021 College Football All-America Team
All-Conference Honors+Haskell GarrettDL1st Team1st Team1st TeamThayer MunfordOG1st Team1st Team1st TeamChris OlaveWR1st Team2nd Team1st TeamNicholas Petit-FrereOT1st Team1st Team1st TeamC. J. StroudQB1st Team1st Team1st TeamTreVeyon HendersonRB2nd Team2nd Team2nd TeamParis Johnson Jr.OG2nd Team3rd TeamGarrett WilsonWR2nd Team2nd Team2nd TeamNoah RugglesK2nd Team2nd TeamTyreke SmithDL2nd Team3rd TeamRonnie HickmanDB2nd Team3rd TeamZach HarrisonDL3rd Team2nd TeamDawand JonesOT3rd Team2nd TeamJaxon Smith-NjigbaWR3rd Team3rd TeamDenzel BurkeDB3rd TeamHM2nd TeamJeremy RuckertTEHMHMSevyn BanksDBHMHMCam BrownDBHMHMAntwuan JacksonDLHMHMMatthew JonesOLHMLuke WyplerOCHMSteele ChambersLBHMTommy EichenbergLBHMBryson ShawDBHMTaron VincentDLHMTyleik WilliamsDLHMEmeka EgbukaRSHMHM
Player of the Game Awards Player of the Game Awards1 (Minnesota)Offensive Player of the GameChris OlaveMiyan WilliamsDefensive Player of the GameZach HarrisonSpecial Teams Player of the GameMitch Rossi3 (Tulsa)Offensive Player of the GameTreVeyon HendersonDefensive Player of the GameCameron MartinezSpecial Teams Player of the GameCade KacherskiXavier Johnson4 (Akron)Offensive Player of the GameDawand JonesGarrett WilsonDefensive Player of the GameTyleik WilliamsSpecial Teams Player of the GameJesse Mirco5 (Rutgers)Offensive Player of the GameC. J. StroudDefensive Player of the GameRonnie HickmanSpecial Teams Player of the GameCade Kacherski (2)Demario McCall6 (Maryland)Offensive Player of the GameJaxon Smith-NjigbaDefensive Player of the GameSteele ChambersSpecial Teams Player of the GameEmeka Egbuka7 (Indiana)Offensive Player of the GameC. J. Stroud (2)Jeremy RuckertDefensive Player of the GameZach Harrison (2)Special Teams Player of the GameTeradja MitchellDemario McCall (2)8 (Penn State)Offensive Player of the GamenoneDefensive Player of the GameJerron CageSpecial Teams Player of the GameNoah Ruggles9 (Nebraska)Offensive Player of the GameJaxon Smith-Njigba (2)Defensive Player of the GameRonnie Hickman (2)Tyreke SmithSpecial Teams Player of the GameNoah Ruggles (2)Jesse Mirco (2)10 (Purdue)Offensive Player of the GameC. J. Stroud (3)Garrett Wilson (2)Defensive Player of the GameLathan RansomSpecial Teams Player of the GameChris Booker11 (Michigan State)Offensive Player of the GameC. J. Stroud (4)Chris Olave (2)Defensive Player of the GameDefensive LineSpecial Teams Player of the GameDemario McCall (3)
Weekly awards Weekly awardsZach HarrisonPFF Game-Changing Moment of the WeekSeptember 5, 2021C. J. StroudBig Ten Freshman of the WeekSeptember 6, 2021September 13, 2021October 4, 2021October 11, 2021Big Ten co-Offensive Player of the WeekOctober 11, 2021Big Ten Freshman of the WeekOctober 25, 2021November 15, 2021November 22, 2021Big Ten Offensive Player of the WeekNovember 22, 2021Pro Football Network Offensive Player of the WeekOctober 10, 2021Walter Camp National Player of the WeekNovember 21, 2021 PFF Offensive Player of the WeekNovember 21, 2021Athlon Sports Offensive Player of the WeekNovember 21, 2021TreVeyon HendersonBig Ten Freshman of the WeekSeptember 20, 2021Big Ten co-Offensive Player of the WeekSeptember 20, 2021Kyle McCordBig Ten Freshman of the WeekSeptember 27, 2021Haskell GarrettPro Football Network Defensive Player of the WeekSeptember 26, 2021Noah RugglesBig Ten co-Special Teams Player of the WeekNovember 1, 2021Lou Groza Award Star of the WeekNovember 1, 2021November 8, 2021Garrett WilsonBig Ten co-Offensive Player of the WeekNovember 15, 2021Pro Football Network Offensive Player of the WeekNovember 14, 2021
Annual awards Annual AwardsTreVeyon HendersonDoak Walker Award SemifinalistWalter Camp Award SemifinalistThayer MunfordLombardi Award SemifinalistOffensive LineJoe Moore Award SemifinalistChris OlaveFred Biletnikoff Award SemifinalistNicholas Petit-FrereOutland Trophy SemifinalistBradley RobinsonPatrick Mannelly Award NomineeMitch RossiBurlsworth Trophy NomineeJeremy RuckertWilliam V. Campbell Trophy SemifinalistNoah RugglesLou Groza Award FinalistJaxon Smith-NjigbaEarl Campbell Tyler Rose Award SemifinalistC. J. StroudDavey O’Brien Award FinalistManning Award FinalistMaxwell Award SemifinalistWalter Camp Award SemifinalistAP Big Ten co–Offensive Player of the YearHeisman Trophy FinalistGarrett WilsonEarl Campbell Tyler Rose Award SemifinalistKevin WilsonBroyles Award SemifinalistBig Ten AwardsC. J. StroudBig Ten Offensive Player of the YearGriese-Brees Quarterback of the YearThompson-Randle El Freshman of the Year
Rankings
Players drafted into the NFL
1 10 Garrett Wilson WR New York Jets 1 11 Chris Olave WR New Orleans Saints 3 69 Nicholas Petit-Frere OT Tennessee Titans 3 101 Jeremy Ruckert TE New York Jets 5 158 Tyreke Smith DE Seattle Seahawks 7 238 Thayer Munford OT Las Vegas Raiders
References