COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Ohio State Buckeyes' five-game homestand to open the 2022 season continues this weekend with a matchup against the Toledo Rockets.
Head coach Ryan Day along with defensive coordinator Jim Knowles and quarterback C.J. Stroud spoke to the media Tuesday afternoon ahead of this week's matchup.
---
OHIO STATE VS. TOLEDO: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
*Info provided by Ohio State Athletics
Quick Hitters
- Both teams are 2-0 on the young season with Ohio State having surrendered just 22 points in wins over Notre Dame and Arkansas State.
- Toledo has allowed just 10 points in routs over Long Island and UMass.
- Ohio State, in this Ohio Stadium 100 celebration year, has never lost to an Ohio team in Ohio Stadium. The Buckeyes are 46-0-1 in Ohio Stadium vs. other Ohio schools.
The C.J. Stroud + Ryan Day Connection
- Quarterback C.J. Stroud finished 16-of-24 for 351 yards and four touchdown last Saturday.
- It was the 10th 300-yard game for Stroud in 14 career starts.
- Since 2017, Ryan Day-coached quarterbacks have thrown for 300 or more yards 39 times.
- Only Alabama (40) has more 300-yard games.
- The Buckeyes are 35-4 in those 39 games.
Scouting Toledo
QB Dequan Finn
- Quarterback Dequan Finn has been the Rockets’ top passing and rushing threat in the first two weeks. He’s 33-of-54 for 393 yards through the air with three TDs and is also the team’s leading rusher with 138 yards and three touchdowns on the ground.
- Finn accounts for over 62 percent of Toledo’s total offensive yardage, as he’s averaging 265.5 yards per game.
- Twenty-one of Finn’s 33 completions have gone to either DeMeer Blankumsee (13 rec., 88 yds.) or Jerjuan Newton (eight receptions, 160 yds., one TD).
On Defense
- On defense, linebacker Dallas Gant, who spent three full seasons with Ohio State and part of a fourth from 2018-21, leads the team with 19 tackles, plus he has 0.5 TFLs, a pass breakup and a forced fumble.
- Desjuan Johnson’s 4.5 tackles for loss through two games leads the team.