After New York Yankees pitcher Domingo German threw just the 24th perfect game in Major League History a couple weeks ago, I began wondering which performances by Ohio State football players could win an argument as being perfect games on the gridiron.
In baseball, the definition of a perfect game is inarguable. It's 27 up, 27 down. No baserunners allowed for any reason.
As I wrote last week when summarizing some individual Buckeye offensive performance worth discussion of perfection, there's of course no real definition of what constitutes a perfect game in football.
Frankly, out of the those single-game offensive performances by Ohio State players, I don't think any of them truly met the strictest definition of perfection. I mean I guess a Tate Martell completing 10-of-10 passes is perfect but c'mon. That's not the spirit of at least my definition of perfect.
I'm looking for a big time performance where you could argue no flaws were present.
Today, I present some defensive performances for your consideration and maybe we'll be able to agree on at least one of these as being perfect.
Oh and as I also noted last week, I'm only including games I saw with my own two eyes. I'll be 50 later this year, for context to what that means.
CHRIS SPIELMAN: 29 TACKLES VS. MICHIGAN
If you're looking for an entry to consider from an Ohio State linebacker, that list should include Chris Spielman's 29-tackle performance in a 26-24 loss to Michigan back in 1986.
Right up front, I'll say I don't think it's a perfect game because not only did the Buckeyes lose, Michigan's offense put up over 500 yards of total offense.
That said, Spielman did all he could do, as best described by 11W community member You Can't Spell Chump Without UM in a detailed forum post back in 2020.
Spielman posted a PBU on a third down to force a punt early and had 12 tackles and no missed tackles on Michigan's 37 first half plays. He wasn't on the field - the only play he missed - for a Jamie Morris 51-yard touchdown run and had 11 tackles on 14 plays during one stretch of the second half.
With Ohio State down two points late, Spielman came up with a stop on 2nd-and-4 to set up a 3rd-and-2. On the next snap he forced a fumble giving Ohio State's offense a chance to drive down the field for what ended up being a missed field goal that would've won the game.
Of the 70 snaps where a tackle was possible, Spielman made a solo or assisted stop on 41% of those.
The 29 tackles in a single-game is still tied for the school-record with Tom Cousineau's effort against Penn State back in 1978.
WILLIAM WHITE: THREE INTERCEPTIONS INCLUDING A PICK-SIX VS. WEST VIRGINIA
In the secondary, you also have a few efforts to choose from and among them, I'm going with William White's day (may he rest in peace) during a 24-3 win over the Mountaineers in Ohio Stadium to kick off the 1987 season.
Facing heralded freshman quarterback Major Harris and Ohio native Mike Timko, White posted three tackles and three interceptions, the latter tying the school-record.
His first interception came off a Harris throw around midfield before his second pick, this time off Timko, stopped a West Virginia possession at the OSU 8 yard line. White converted his third pick, again off Timko, into a pick six.
Of the nine individual Buckeye performances with three picks, only White could boast a pick-six as his 29-yard touchdown return provided the game's final scoring margin.
With White leading the way, Ohio State's secondary held the Mountaineers to 6-of-22 passing with six interceptions on the day.
CHASE YOUNG: FOUR SACKS, FIVE TACKLES FOR LOSS VS. WISCONSIN
Moving to the defensive line, there are at least two incredibly strong candidates for discussion of being perfect.
In a 38-7 win over Wisconsin in 2019, Chase Young went bonkers against the Badgers tying school records with 4.0 sacks and 5.0 tackles for loss, in the same game, while adding two forced fumbles and posting six total tackles.
His non-sack tackle for loss was a pedestrian, for him, one-yard loss play as he pulled down the Badgers tight end after a quick toss.
On to the meat of his day, his first sack came as he beat a double team for a 5-yard loss leading to a punt. His second sack, an 8-yard loss, also triggered a punt.
Young's third sack of the day went for -7 yards and oh by the way he also forced a fumble on the play leading to a Buckeye score.
His final sack also resulted in a forced fumble leading to another OSU score.
Just look at this freakish effort via Colton Denning:
The performance showcased Young as one of the truly elite players in college football and on that day, he made a case for perfection.
J.T. TUIMOLOAU: SIX TACKLES, FOUR FORCED TURNOVERS, THREE TFL, TWO SACKS VS. PENN STATE
The most impactful single-game defensive performance in the history of Ohio State football, J.T. Tuimoloau's day against Penn State in 2022 is my top choice for a perfect game.
In a signal of things to come, Tuimoloau tipped a pass on Penn State's first possession, which teammate Zach Harrison intercepted.
Tuimoloau's diving interception ended Penn State's second possession which the Buckeye offense promptly turned into a touchdown.
Matt's first defensive Power Player of The Week goes to the Buckeyes' @JT_Tuimoloau @MattLeinartQB talks with the @OhioStateFB DE after his MONSTER game against Penn State last week pic.twitter.com/JU5yZCNznZ
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 4, 2022
In the fourth quarter, with Ohio State nursing a 2-point lead, Tuimoloau sacked Sean Clifford, forcing a fumble that he would also recover. On the next snap, C.J. Stroud found Cade Stover for a 24-yard touchdown giving OSU a 30-21 lead.
Finally, with Penn State trying for a rally miracle, Tuimoloau recorded a 14-yard pick six giving the Buckeyes a 44-24 lead with 2:42 left in regulation.
If you need more convincing of this performance's candidacy for perfection, Tuimoloau's day marked the first time this century that an FBS football player had two interceptions, two sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in the same game.
He also added six tackles, three of those for loss.
