INDIANAPOLIS—Ohio State’s players had been hearing it all week. Wisconsin’s defense is the best in the country. Run, pass, doesn’t matter; they’ll stop you. No way you’ll be able to rip off any big plays. The noise stuck with freshman running back J.K. Dobbins. He didn’t buy it—which explains how he managed to rip off both a 77-yard and then a 53-yard run en route to 174 yards on the night.
Add in two long passing plays, and the Buckeyes posted a total of four offensive plays of more than 50 yards. (The Badgers had given up three all season going into the Big Ten title game.