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Scientifically ranking all seven of Ohio State’s touchdowns against Rutgers

We are using a scientific set of rules to systematically rank all of OSU’s touchdowns by degree of difficulty, athleticism, entertainment value, and anything else we want to judge them by.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL: OCT 01 Rutgers at Ohio State Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

There were a lot of touchdowns scored by the Buckeyes against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights, seven of them to be exact. So, since we live in a listicle world, we are breaking them down, scientifically, of course.

And since this is my column, I reserve the right to change my judging criteria week to week, heck, even touchdown to touchdown. In some cases, I will judge a play by its importance in the grand scheme of the game, others will be by the degree of difficulty, backstory, and sheer entertainment value.

If you disagree with my ranking (which my six+ years here at LGHL tells me you absolutely will), feel free to share your list in the comments below.

Ok, now, without further ado, drumroll, please.........


Seventh Place: Touchdown No. 7
Miyan Williams 2-Yard Run

Pretty standard short-yardage touchdown run here. It shows that Miyan Williams absolutely cannot be tackled on first contact, but the blocking is sub-par and the game is already out of hand at this point.

7th Place: Miyan Williams 2-Yard Run

Score High Marks Deductions
Score High Marks Deductions
6 Williams never quits Short-yardage, below-average blocking, nothing fantastic

Sixth Place: Touchdown No. 1
Miyan Williams 2-Yard Run

This is more or less the exact same touchdown as the seventh-place finisher, except its in the north end of the field and Miyan adds a dive, so that makes it just slightly more flashy!

Sixth Place: Miyan Williams 2-Yard Run

Score High Marks Deductions
Score High Marks Deductions
6.15 Williams never quits, dive adds styles points Short-yardage, lineman loses blocker creating contact

Fifth Place: Touchdown No. 4
Miyan Williams 1-Yard Run

The blocking on this one gives it a higher score as Williams scampers into the end zone untouched, but the fact that we had to suffer through an interminable amount of idiotic goal-line play-calling to get to what should have been a very simple short-yardage score lost it points as well.

That series of plays hurt my brain and heart more than I care to admit.

Fifth Place: Miyan Williams 1-Yard Run

Score High Marks Deductions
Score High Marks Deductions
6.75 Great blocking, after painful goal-line play calling, TD was a relief Loses lots of points after it took roughly 25 minutes to get in the end zone

Fourth Place: Touchdown No. 6
Marvin Harrison Jr. 4-Yard Reception from C.J. Stroud

We didn’t have a ton of passing scores to include this week, but this one was a pretty impressive example of what a quarterback and wide receiver can do if they are on the same page in terms of their timing.

From the crossing pattern as the receivers come off of the line to Marvin Harrison Jr.’s cut to creat separation, this one is about as picture-perfect as you can get.

Fourth Place: Marvin Harrison Jr. 4-Yard Reception

Score High Marks Deductions
Score High Marks Deductions
7.25 Crossing pattern creates confusion, Harrison footwork creates separation Rutgers defenders are overmatched, provide no contest

Third Place: Touchdown No. 3
Julian Fleming 36-Yard Reception from C.J. Stroud

I never know how highly to score these types of scores when defenders appear to be a country mile away from the receivers. On one hand, I have to give credit to the offensive players for creating so much distance between them, but then again, it’s Rutgers and they stink.

Either way, Julian Fleming runs this route about as perfectly as he possibly can.

Third Place: Julian Fleming 36-Yard Reception

Score High Marks Deductions
Score High Marks Deductions
7.48 Fleming's cut creates so much separation, there's no chance to catch him Rutgers provides no competition

Second Place: Touchdown No. 2
Miyan Williams 1-Yard Run

This short-yardage score is ranked second on the sheer fact that Williams absolutely trucked that dude in the end zone and then ever-so-briefly looked down on him with absolute contempt and superiority. I am generally a big proponent of being a decent person even in competition, but moderate levels of taunting can be part of the game, and Williams obviously earned that right in this game.

Second Place: Miyan Williams 1-Yard Run

Score High Marks Deductions
Score High Marks Deductions
8.09 Williams absolutely runs over that guy, bonus points for how he just stands over him for a second Short-yardage

First Place: Touchdown No. 5
Miyan Williams 70-Yard Run

Did you know that Miyan had this gear to him? Because I certainly didn’t. Granted, the blocking and play design allow him to get out to a massive head-start as he races down the field, but the Meatball of 2019 or 2020 probably would have been caught from behind. And while a Rutgers DB attempts to catch him, he can’t close the gap nearly enough to make the tackle.

I love TreVeyon Henderson, by Miyan Williams is absolutely that dude!

First Place: Miyan Williams 70-Yard Run

Score High Marks Deductions
Score High Marks Deductions
9.5 Didn't know he had that extra gear, untouched for 70 yards, great blocking Rutgers' defense sucks