Much like the rest of Buckeye Nation, it took mere minutes after the clock hit zero on Ohio State's win over Rutgers for Ohio State players to move their minds to Michigan.
It was the main talking point in player interviews following the Buckeyes' 42-9 drubbing of the Scarlet Knights. Center Carson Hinzman believes it will take "everything we've got" to beat Michigan. Defensive end Kenyatta Jackson Jr. was equally serious about the matter, stating, “It’s that week. That’s it. No words to be said.”
Defensive end Caden Curry spoke on his strip-sack fumble recovery and near touchdown during a big Senior Day performance, while tight end Max Klare dove into his first 100-yard receiving game as a Buckeye.
DE Caden Curry
“To play out here — this is the best stadium in America — to be able to give my all, to be a Buckeye out there, is something I’ll always remember. It motivates me because I have so much more to play, we have so much more to do, we have so much more to accomplish as a team.”– Caden Curry on his Senior Day experience
- Curry said he thought he scored a touchdown on his strip sack of Athan Kaliakmanis. “Just made the play when my number was called and tried to capitalize on it, but obviously the refs didn’t think I did.”
- Curry said he wanted to end his career at Ohio Stadium strong. He feels like he did that on Saturday. “To go out strong, I’ve had so many great games in this place, this stadium, so definitely just to finish strong is something I’ll always have in the back of my head.”
- Curry said the Buckeyes “know what’s coming” this week against Michigan. He said Ohio State prepares year-round for The Game and wants to make its hard work pay off in Ann Arbor.
DE Kenyatta Jackson Jr.
“It’s that week. That’s it. No words to be said.”– Kenyatta Jackson Jr. on Ohio State reaching Rivalry Week
- On Ohio State’s defense holding Rutgers to nine points: “The defense did well. We did well today. Coach (Matt) Patricia and the coaching staff did a good job of making the plays, calling plays. I think we executed it to the best of our ability.”
- On whether Ohio State’s mindset changes during Rivalry Week: “Of course. It’s time. It’s time. It’s a long time to get here.”
- Jackson said Ohio State will “prepare hard” for the Michigan game. He said the Buckeyes do that for each of their opponents. “We’re going to stick to our routines. There’s nothing out of the ordinary that we’re going to do. We’re going to stick to our regular routines. We’re going to prepare hard, week in and week out. And then when Saturday comes, Saturday comes.”
TE Max Klare
“I’m super excited to be a part of it. That’s why you come here, to play in games like that. Just like every other week, we got to attack it — attack the game plan, attack the preparation, and go out there and execute at a high level.”– Max Klare on playing in The Game
- On his production with Carnell Tate and Jeremiah Smith out. “It’s just more opportunities. Obviously, not having those guys out there hurts. We always want those guys out there just because they’re so special, but when your number is called, you have to make a play. That’s kind of what happened today.”
- Klare said he didn’t have too much going through his mind when he chose to hurdle a Rutgers defender on one of his receptions. “Yeah, I’m not really too sure if there was too much going through my head on that. I just decided to jump, so yeah, I don’t know if I’ll do that again.”
- On having a few receptions for chunk yardage: “It felt really good. That first one, I was out there in the middle of the field, and I don’t know, it felt kind of awkward having been out there like that. I kind of blew a tire on that one. That’s what it felt like, at least — I don’t know it looked like that. But it felt really good.”
C Carson Hinzman
“Me and Luke Montgomery kind of made a bet earlier in the season if we, you know, after we were blessed to get player of the game one time, I was like, ‘Well, shoot, if we do it again, I’ll bleach my hair.’ He kept me to it.”– Carson Hinzman on his bleached-blonde hair
- On what The Game means to the Ohio State program and its fans: “It’s another game, another opportunity to play in The Game. I’ve obviously played in The Game in the past, a few years, and so this is a big week for everyone, not just the players, but the city, the people of Columbus and Ohio. For us, this is a huge opportunity. It’s going to take everything we got and everything we’ve been doing the past 11 weeks, so we’re going to need all of it when we walk in there.”
- On what it will take to beat Michigan: “We just have to excel at the little things. That’s what Coach Day always talks about leading into the latter half of the season and bowl season as well — that those little things are gonna come to fruition, whether we’re doing them or not.”
- On Ohio State’s mindset entering The Game: “That’s something we started way back in the winter after we came off the natty. We kind of regrouped and reset our minds to wanting to go and compete in every single game we play, regardless of who it is, regardless of the setting or game it is. We have to go out there, we have to compete and we have to win.”
