ATLANTA — Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. did not return to the Buckeyes’ 42-41 loss to Georgia in a College Football Playoff semifinal on Saturday night after entering concussion protocol late in the third quarter, coach Ryan Day said.
Harrison went down after absorbing a hard hit from Bulldogs safety Javon Bullard while attempting to pull in a pass on the back line in the end zone.
The hit by Bullard, knocking Harrison onto the turf at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, was at first ruled targeting before being overturned by the officials.
Trainers evaluated Harrison for several minutes in a medical tent on the sideline before taking his helmet.
Harrison, who had caught five passes for 106 yards and two touchdowns through three quarters as a focal point of Ohio State’s explosive passing game, said he wanted to return after the hit, but was ruled out by the medical staff.
“At the end of the day, they’re looking out for my health and my safety,” Harrison said. “I respect their decision.”
As he spoke with reporters in the locker room following the defeat, he said he felt fine.
“It’s just a football hit,” Harrison said. “It’s a physical game. I’m OK.”
At the time of Harrison’s exit, the Buckeyes were leading Georgia by two scores before their lead unraveled over the remaining 15 minutes.
Ohio State football:Here are 5 things we learned from the Ohio State Buckeyes' 42-41 loss to Georgia
Being left to watch from the sideline proved painful.
“It hurt bad,” Harrison said. “The fourth quarter, the College Football Playoff to go to the national championship, I wish I could be out there with my teammates and do my best to help.”
Without Harrison, the Buckeyes were kept out of the end zone in the fourth quarter.
“To say that losing Marv didn't have an impact on the game, it absolutely did,” Day said. “What this guy did and the way he competed in the second half with all those things coming at him, I just can't say enough. I'm so proud of the way he played.”
Cade Stover taken to hospital
Tight end Cade Stover left with an injury late in the first quarter.
Stover was hurt hurdling a defender following a catch on the Buckeyes’ third drive.
After he was evaluated by trainers on the sideline, Stover was taken to a local hospital as a precaution due to possible back spasms.
Ohio State fans:'Imagine a worse first minute of the year for Ohio State fans.' Fans react to Georgia loss
His exit against the Bulldogs thinned the Buckeyes’ depth at tight end, which had already taken a hit as backup Gee Scott was also held out with an undisclosed injury after being listed as a game-time decision prior to kickoff. Scott was in sweats on the sideline.
Sam Hart, Mitch Rossi and Joe Royer were among the tight ends who all rotated at the position without Stover and Scott available.
Ohio State running back rotation
It was freshman Dallan Hayden who got the start at running back for the Buckeyes.
Hayden would finish with 43 yards on nine carries to lead the team in rushing.
Receiver Xavier Johnson saw the second-most carries with six attempts, rushing for 28 yards.
After dealing with a stomach bug earlier in the week, Miyan Williams rushed for 8 yards on three carries.
Despite the limited workload, Williams did help the Buckeyes reach the end zone early in the second quarter when he muscled through a pile of defenders for a 2-yard touchdown.
Fake punt do-over for OSU
The Buckeyes got a chance to run the fake punt they had attempted to run in their loss to Michigan a month earlier, and it appeared to work this time.
Facing a fourth-and-1 at their 34-yard line, with little more than nine minutes left and holding onto a 38-27 lead, upback Mitch Rossi caught a direct snap and ran for the first down, a pickup that would have extended the drive.
But Georgia coach Kirby Smart called a timeout seconds before the snap, canceling out the gain. It prompted the Buckeyes to punt, returning possession to the Bulldogs.
Noah Ruggles' missed field goal length
Noah Ruggles’ potential game-winning field-goal attempt, a try from 50 yards that sailed wide left, would have marked his career-long.
Ruggles had missed all four of his previous attempts from 50 yards or more over his career. His longest came at North Carolina in 2019 when he made a 49-yard attempt.
Prior to the miss, Ruggles had made two field-goal attempts from 25 and 48 yards. His 48-yard field goal was his longest since transferring to Ohio State in 2021.
Etc.
Georgia was also shorthanded on offense after tight end Darnell Washington sprained his left ankle in the first quarter. Washington caught one pass for 9 yards. ... The announced attendance of 79,330 was a record for the Peach Bowl.
Joey Kaufman covers Ohio State football for The Columbus Dispatch. Contact him at jkaufman@dispatch.com or on Twitter @joeyrkaufman.
