Ohio State named only two players of the game and only one champion on offense for its win over Penn State.
Jerron Cage earned defensive player of the game honors and Noah Ruggles earned special teams player of the game honors for their performances in Saturday’s 33-24 victory over Penn State, but Ohio State did not name an offensive player of the game as Jaxon Smith-Njigba was the only offensive player to grade out as a champion.
Cage made one of the most feel-good plays of Ohio State's entire season when he returned a fumble 57 yards for a touchdown after Tyreke Smith's second-quarter strip sack. The 305-pound defensive tackle ran the final 40 yards of his sprint to the end zone in just barely over five seconds — in full pads while holding a football.
like there was any doubt @CageJerron pic.twitter.com/hFYtPOa8Ew
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) October 31, 2021
Ruggles had arguably the most crucial special teams performance so far this season for the Buckeyes as he made all four of his field goal attempts and all three of his extra point attempts, providing a crucial 15 points in Ohio State’s 9-point win. He also earned co-special teams player of the week honors from the Big Ten and won Eleven Warriors’ fan poll for Player of the Game with 58% of the nearly 3,500 votes.
4/4 for @noahruggles pic.twitter.com/1RSHZbax7b
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) October 31, 2021
Smith-Njigba was the lone champion on offense after he caught seven passes for a team-high 97 yards. He's also now Ohio State’s only offensive player to be a six-time champion this season.
Cage was one of 11 Buckeyes to be named champions on defense along with Taron Vincent, Tyreke Smith, Zach Harrison, Haskell Garrett, Marcus Williamson, Ronnie Hickman, Cameron Brown, Cody Simon, Steele Chambers and Bryson Shaw.
Four walk-ons – wide receiver Chris Booker, defensive end Aaron Cox, cornerback Lloyd McFarquhar and offensive lineman Ryan Smith – were named scout team players of the week.
| Player | Total | Games |
|---|---|---|
| WR JAXON SMITH-NJIGBA | 6 | MINNESOTA, TULSA, AKRON, MARYLAND (PLAYER OF THE GAME), INDIANA, PENN STATE |
| WR CHRIS OLAVE | 5 | MINNESOTA (PLAYER OF THE GAME), AKRON, RUTGERS, MARYLAND, INDIANA |
| RB TREVEYON HENDERSON | 4 | TULSA (PLAYER OF THE GAME), AKRON, RUTGERS, MARYLAND, INDIANA |
| WR GARRETT WILSON | 4 | MINNESOTA, AKRON (PLAYER OF THE GAME), RUTGERS, MARYLAND |
| LT NICHOLAS PETIT-FRERE | 4 | MINNESOTA, AKRON, RUTGERS, INDIANA |
| TE JEREMY RUCKERT | 4 | MINNESOTA, AKRON, RUTGERS, INDIANA (PLAYER OF THE GAME) |
| C LUKE WYPLER | 4 | MINNESOTA, AKRON, RUTGERS, INDIANA |
| LG MATTHEW JONES | 3 | TULSA, AKRON, RUTGERS |
| RT DAWAND JONES | 3 | MINNESOTA, AKRON (PLAYER OF THE GAME), INDIANA |
| RG PARIS JOHNSON JR. | 3 | MINNESOTA, AKRON, INDIANA |
| OL THAYER MUNFORD | 3 | MINNESOTA, RUTGERS, INDIANA |
| QB C.J. STROUD | 3 | RUTGERS (PLAYER OF THE GAME), MARYLAND, INDIANA (PLAYER OF THE GAME) |
| TE MITCH ROSSI | 2 | TULSA, RUTGERS |
| RB MASTER TEAGUE | 1 | RUTGERS |
| RB MARCUS CROWLEY | 1 | RUTGERS |
| RB MIYAN WILLIAMS | 1 | MINNESOTA (PLAYER OF THE GAME) |
| WR MARVIN HARRISON JR. | 1 | INDIANA |
| TE CADE STOVER | 1 | INDIANA |
| RB EVAN PRYOR | 1 | INDIANA |
| Player | Total | Games |
|---|---|---|
| S RONNIE HICKMAN | 6 | MINNESOTA, TULSA, AKRON, RUTGERS (PLAYER OF THE GAME), INDIANA, PENN STATE |
| DE ZACH HARRISON | 5 | MINNESOTA (PLAYER OF THE GAME), RUTGERS, MARYLAND, INDIANA (PLAYER OF THE GAME), PENN STATE |
| LB STEELE CHAMBERS | 4 | AKRON, MARYLAND (PLAYER OF THE GAME), INDIANA, PENN STATE |
| DT TYLEIK WILLIAMS | 3 | TULSA, AKRON (PLAYER OF THE GAME), RUTGERS |
| CB DENZEL BURKE | 3 | MINNESOTA, RUTGERS, INDIANA |
| DE JAVONTAE JEAN-BAPTISTE | 3 | MINNESOTA, MARYLAND, INDIANA |
| LB TOMMY EICHENBERG | 3 | MINNESOTA, MARYLAND, INDIANA |
| DT HASKELL GARRETT | 3 | MINNESOTA, AKRON, PENN STATE |
| LB CODY SIMON | 3 | MINNESOTA, RUTGERS, PENN STATE |
| DT TARON VINCENT | 3 | MINNESOTA, MARYLAND, PENN STATE |
| S MARCUS WILLIAMSON | 3 | RUTGERS, MARYLAND, PENN STATE |
| S BRYSON SHAW | 3 | MINNESOTA, RUTGERS, PENN STATE |
| LB TERADJA MITCHELL | 2 | MINNESOTA, AKRON |
| DE JACK SAWYER | 2 | MARYLAND, INDIANA |
| DT JERRON CAGE | 2 | INDIANA, PENN STATE (PLAYER OF THE GAME) |
| DT ANTWUAN JACKSON | 1 | MINNESOTA |
| S JOSH PROCTOR | 1 | MINNESOTA |
| S CAMERON MARTINEZ | 1 | TULSA (PLAYER OF THE GAME) |
| S LATHAN RANSOM | 1 | INDIANA |
| DT TY HAMILTON | 1 | INDIANA |
| S KOURT WILLIAMS | 1 | INDIANA |
| CB CAMERON BROWN | 1 | PENN STATE |
| DE TYREKE SMITH | 1 | PENN STATE |
*No champions were named following Ohio State’s Week 2 loss to Oregon.
