Ohio State claims 3rd straight outright Big Ten title

Dec 8, 2019

Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields looked frazzled and frustrated in the first half Saturday night. So did the rest of the Buckeyes.

Then the Big Ten’s offensive player of the year started trusting himself — and his teammates.

Fields threw three touchdown passes and the Buckeyes defense pitched a second-half shutout and beat No. 10 Wisconsin 34-21 to help No. 2 Ohio State claim an unprecedented third straight outright Big Ten championship and likely their first playoff trip in three years.

The Badgers scored the first 14 points, putting Ohio State in its deepest deficit all season, and still led 21-7 at the half.

Ohio State changed everything with a quick-hitting flurry in the third quarter.

Jeremy Ruckert started the comeback with a spectacular one-handed catch in the back of the end zone on the fifth play. cutting the deficit to 21-14.

Four plays later, Wisconsin punter Anthony Lotti dropped the ball and was tackled at the Badgers 16. Ohio State converted that miscue into a 27-yard field goal to make it 21-17.

And after Wisconsin missed a 48-yard field goal wide left on its next series, Fields hooked up with K.J. Hill for a 16-yard pass and 24-21 lead with 2:23 left in the third quarter. Fields added a 13-yard TD pass to Hill early in the fourth.

Dobbins finished with 33 carries for 172 yards and one score while Fields was named the game’s MVP after going 19 of 31 with 299 yards.