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Published Dec 27, 2022
Ohio State News and Notes for Tuesday
Jed May  •  UGASports
Staff

Ohio State's offense generally gets most of the headlines.

The Buckeyes feature stars such as quarterback CJ Stroud, receivers Emeka Egbuka and Marvin Harrison Jr., and more. That unit has generated over 44 points per game during the 2022 season.

Ohio State's offense took its turn meeting with the media on Tuesday morning. Here's what the Buckeyes had to say.

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Egbuka and Harrison ready to take center stage

It's been quite a year for Egbuka and Harrison.

Both pass-catchers eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark. Harrison caught 12 touchdowns while Egbuka accounted for nine.

This season has seen increased playing time for both. But Stroud saw their potential even dating back to last season.

"When they first got in here, it wasn't like a slouch. Chris (Olave) and Garrett (Wilson), Emeka and Julian (Fleming) and Marvin with the twos that year, and they were just as good," Stroud said. "I'm not saying they're better than Garrett and Chris, but they were playing really good football to be freshmen. And I think when you come in with that type of attitude, I am not just going to be here to learn. I am going to be here to dominate. That's when you learn and that's when you become a great football player."

Harrison carries the name of his father, the former receiver for the Indianapolis Colts.

"I'm my own player first and foremost," Harrison said. "My dad did great things, but now I'm trying to be myself and go out there and make a name for myself and be the best receiver I can be."

Egbuka said the receiving corps likes to be counted on in big moments. That will certainly be the case on Saturday night as the Buckeyes hope to topple the No. 1 Bulldogs.

Buckeyes focused on Georgia's defensive line

As with most games of this magnitude, the battle in the trenches will be vital.

Georgia's defensive line will look to stifle the run game and harass Stroud all night. They certainly have the attention of offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson.

"You turn full focus there because there's other dynamic guys one on one," Wilson said. "It's going to be a fist fight with every play. We got our hands full. Just a lot of respect for their structure, the culture, the way they play and most importantly, you feel their defense."

Wilson credits Georgia's coaches for the play of the defensive line. From recruiting to scheme and intensity, the performance starts there.

Offensive lineman Paris Johnson Jr. has seen plenty of that as well. The layoff between games has allowed him to watch more tape of his upcoming opponent than he normally would.

From those initial impressions, Johnson knows he'll have his hands full.

"I think that's a solid group, and they rotate a lot, and I would say their twos are almost as good as their ones," Johnson said. "So I think it's a respectable match up. There's definitely not anybody on their line that you overlook in terms of doing your preparations for."

Ohio State not focused on underdog status

Georgia is about a touchdown favorite in this game. Ohio State, however, isn't focused on that too much.

"You can look at the rankings and see that we're No. 4 and look in the past and see what the past No. 4 Ohio State team did," Egbuka said. "But at the end of the day, Georgia is a phenomenal team. They're 12 and 0. It's hard to go undefeated on a season. And they're the number one ranked team right now, but I can't speak for everyone, but for me personally, I don't feel like underdogs."

The Buckeyes do carry a few chips on their shoulders.

They're excited to face Georgia in Atlanta, the backyard of the Bulldogs. Stroud said he feels like his team is being counted out.

None of that will determine the outcome on Saturday night. But it does make for an interesting comparison of the mindset between the teams.

"This is how you want to play Georgia here, at their home pretty much," Johnson said. "Since I've been here, it's pretty much been Ohio against the world. So I think this game exemplifies that as well with the circumstances."

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