Ohio State sophomore receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba put up the following numbers on Saturday night at the 2022 Rose Bowl: 15 catches, 347 yards, 21.3 yards per catch, 3 touchdowns.
No receiver in the history of college football has had a bowl game stat line like that.
The Buckeyes needed each of those catches, all of those yards, and especially every single touchdown, to win a 48-45 nailbiter over 11th-ranked Utah that wasn’t decided until Noah Ruggles booted a 19-yard field goal with nine seconds remaining.
“Our team is built on fighting,” Smith-Njigba said. “It doesn’t matter if we’re up, down – we were down the first half, but we just had to stay level-headed and keep fighting.”
Ohio State was on its heels from the very beginning, seemingly hung over from the shocking and costly 42-27 loss at Michigan on Nov. 27. Utah picked up right where the Wolverines left off, proving unstoppable on the way to a 35-21 halftime lead.
The Utes had a 14-0 advantage and nine first downs before Ryan Day’s offense was able to move the sticks even once.
“I’m just very proud of the coaching staff, the players and the leaders of this team for playing the way we did, especially in the second half and winning this game,” Day said. “We were short-handed and there were some guys who weren’t here today.
“For us to respond the way we did at halftime and then come out and play in the second half says a lot about the character of this team to win this game.”
But while the defense remains a concern that will linger until the 2022 kickoff with Notre Dame, Smith-Njigba and quarterback C.J. Stroud gave the Buckeyes a chance by posting video-game statistics.
Stroud completed 37-of-46 passes for 573 yards, 6 TDs and an interception. That capped a dream day for the nearby Rancho Cucamonga resident.
“It’s emotional for me,” Stroud said. “It’s like I’m dreaming right now. I was able to come home and win the Rose Bowl like this. … This is the Rose Bowl, man. This is where the legendary games are being played.”
Stroud’s lone flaw was a second-half pick in the end zone. On another drive, Smith-Njigba fumbled on the Utah 3 after a long catch, a bobble that was covered in the end zone by the Utes. Those two turnovers were the only nicks during an otherwise overwhelming offensive onslaught.
The Buckeyes outgained Utah 683 to 463 and had 28 first downs to 25 for the Utes.
“At some point, we have to play defense,” Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said. “We didn’t play very well all night long on defense. It wasn’t our usual. Not sure we’d be able to get a stop.”
The undermanned Utes were especially vulnerable in the secondary, where converted running back Micah Bernard was pressed into action and played defense for the first time in his career. Stroud was able to take full advantage.
“That quarterback is terrific, statistically the best in the country, and he proved it tonight,” Whittingham said. “All the credit to Ohio State. We just didn’t have quite enough in the tank to get the job done.”
The sixth-ranked Buckeyes (11-2) just barely did, thanks to their passing game.
“I just try to take advantage every time the ball is in the air, and I feel like I did that today,” Smith-Njigba said.
The Texas native arrived in the same recruiting class as Stroud, and the duo formed an imposing combination this season.
“We built that connection probably all the way back to like, we came in as freshmen together, came in early, we were throwing at the Woody (Hayes Athletic Center) our first day,” Stroud said. “Then scout team last year is like when we really built it.”
The victory provides a bit of salve for the Buckeyes, who had their toughness questioned after being taken to the woodshed by Michigan.
The Wolverines’ staff in particular taunted Day, noting he took over a powerhouse from Urban Meyer — “some people are born on third and think they hit a triple” has become a constant refrain in the five weeks since that upset.
But a thrilling Rose Bowl victory may have salvaged some desperately needed karma turning toward 2022.
“As we springboard into this offseason, that’s the part that we’re really going to go back upon in this game is the leadership that drove us in the second half that we weren’t going to be denied, and two of them are sitting right here (Stroud and Smith-Njigba),” Day said. “And if we want to get to where we want to be next year, it’s a long way away from now, but I’m already thinking about that first game and what that means is the leadership from these two guys has got to really springboard.
“Especially the way they played in the second half of this game, but really the entire game, is really going to build some momentum.”
Utah finished 10-4, and celebrated its first Pac-12 Conference crown with its initial trip to the Rose Bowl. Approximately 60,000 Utah fans filled the Rose Bowl and made the venue a road game for Ohio State.
“I’m proud of our guys, they have absolutely nothing to hang their head about,” Whittingham said. “They fought the entire 60 minutes and came up short, but they still made Utah football history this year, Pac-12 champions, which has never been done.”
