The 50 greatest touchdowns in Ohio State history

This is it, the absolutely correct, infallible list of the 50 greatest touchdowns in the history of Ohio State football.

Actually, there’s probably a lot wrong with this. That’s OK. After a few weeks spent scouring books, old newspaper articles, game tapes and TV specials, this is the list I came up with. And I’m bound to be missing some very obvious touchdowns over 130 seasons of OSU football. So please be gentle when you remind me of my omissions in the comments section.

How did I define “greatest”? Game winners, crazy plays, consequential scores in transcendent games and important markers in program history. Is that intentionally open-ended enough?

Let’s get to the list.

50. Joseph Large vs. Ohio Wesleyan, 1890

The first touchdown in Ohio State history, described as a “fine run” in the student newspaper, came from Large in OSU’s 20-14 win against Ohio Wesleyan.

49. Bill Marquardt vs. Michigan, 1904

Ohio State’s first five games against Michigan included four losses and one scoreless tie. The overall score in the series was Michigan 177, Ohio State 0 when the teams met for the sixth time on Oct. 15. Marquardt scored OSU’s first points against the program that would become its bitter rival on a 50-yard fumble return in the second half. Michigan won 31-6. The Columbus Dispatch headline read: “Victory In Defeat for Ohio State in Michigan Game.”

(The Lantern)

48. Dwayne Haskins to Ben Victor vs. Penn State, 2018

The highlight of Victor’s career and arguably the defining (good) play of the 2018 season came in the fourth quarter of OSU’s comeback bid, when Victor fully extended to catch a ball thrown behind him, slipped two tackles near the 40-yard line and galloped to the end zone to cut the Penn State lead to under a touchdown. Ohio State won 27-26 in Beaver Stadium.

47. Mike Tomczak to Thad Jemison vs. Pitt, 1984

With Ohio State trailing by two in the final minute of the 1984 Fiesta Bowl, this play was designed to be a quick throw to set up a potential game-winning field goal. Instead, Tomczak threw to Jemison down the left sideline for a 39-yard score with 39 seconds left to give Ohio State its first Fiesta Bowl win.

46. Carlos Hyde vs. Iowa, 2013

No. 4 Ohio State kept its then-undefeated season alive with a 34-24 win in Columbus on Oct. 19. Hyde broke a 24-24 tie in the fourth quarter when he carried right on a sweep, was hit at the 7-yard line, stumbled backward to the 10, then regained his footing and exploded forward, jumping over the goal line for a 19-yard touchdown.

45. Jonathan Wells vs. Michigan, 2001

Wells ran 46 yards through the heart of the Michigan defense early in the second quarter to give the Buckeyes a 14-0 lead. They won 26-20 and made Jim Tressel good on his promise from the previous January when he was introduced to fans and told them they’d be “proud of their team … in 310 days in Ann Arbor, Michigan.”

44. Archie Griffin vs. USC, 1974

Griffin started in four Rose Bowls. This was his only touchdown. He ran off the right side, cut outside and slipped a tackle, cut back inside and slipped another and then ran through one final tackle attempt at the goal line for a 45-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter, icing Ohio State’s 41-21 win.

43. Vic Janowicz vs. Iowa, 1950

Ohio State’s do-everything Heisman Trophy winner accounted for three touchdowns in the first five minutes of an 83-21 win on Oct. 28. His best score came on a 61-yard punt return when he “galloped up the field under a combination of fine running and devastating blocking to go all the way,” according to Paul Hornung of The Columbus Dispatch.

42. Bobby Hoying to Terry Glenn vs. Notre Dame, 1995

When Ohio State and Notre Dame met for the first time since 1936, Hoying and Glenn connected on an 82-yard touchdown in the third quarter that gave the Buckeyes a 28-20 lead they would not relinquish in a 45-26 win. The play still stands as the fifth-longest passing play in program history.

41. Eddie George vs. Illinois, 1995

George set a new benchmark for Buckeyes running backs when he rushed for 314 yards in a 41-3 win against the Illini. On the first play of the second half, George added to his Heisman highlight reel when he broke a tackle in the backfield and exploded through a pair of defenders for a 64-yard touchdown.

40. J.T. Barrett vs. Minnesota, 2014

Ohio State’s march to the national championship hit an unexpected speed bump on Nov. 15 in frigid Minneapolis. The No. 8 Buckeyes held on to win 31-24. Barrett opened the scoring with an 86-yard touchdown run in the first quarter, outrunning the Gophers defense and slipping a tackle inside the 5-yard line for the third-longest rushing play in program history.

39. Beanie Wells vs. Michigan, 2006

The freshman was inserted into the “Game of the Century” early in the second quarter. On his first carry, he put a spin move on Shawn Crable in the backfield, kept his balance while stepping through a few more tackles and then dragged the final defender into the end zone for a 52-yard touchdown run that gave the No. 1 Buckeyes a 14-7 lead they would not relinquish in a 42-39 win against No. 2 Michigan.

38. J.T. Barrett to Marcus Baugh vs. Penn State, 2017

No. 6 Ohio State spotted No. 2 Penn State a 21-3 lead in Ohio Stadium on Oct. 28. Then the comeback began, with Barrett completing his final 16 passes on a day in which he threw four touchdown passes. The game winner came on a 16-yard toss down the middle to Baugh with 1:49 left. The Buckeyes won 39-38 and later captured their first of three consecutive Big Ten titles.

37. Greg Frey to Jeff Graham vs. Minnesota, 1989

After spotting Minnesota a 31-0 lead in the Metrodome, Ohio State started the greatest comeback in program history. Frey lofted a ball down the right sideline to Graham for a 15-yard touchdown with 51 seconds left to give OSU a 41-37 win.

“Some might call it luck, others might call it a miracle,” Graham said after the game, per The Dispatch, “but I believe in miracles.”

36. Art Schlichter to Paul Campbell vs. UCLA, 1979

Earle Bruce earned a legitimizing win in his first season when Schlichter completed six consecutive passes in the two-minute drill, culminating with a 2-yard play-action pass to Campbell that gave the No. 14 Buckeyes a 17-13 win against No. 17 UCLA on Sept. 29 in Los Angeles. The win snapped a six-game losing streak for Ohio State in nationally televised games.

35. Eddie George vs. Penn State, 1995

In his Heisman season, George scored the deciding touchdown from 6 yards out with 1:42 left in OSU’s 25-21 win at Beaver Stadium, avenging an embarrassing 63-14 loss to the Nittany Lions the year before in State College.

34. Justin Fields to Garrett Wilson vs. Michigan, 2019

After spending a few third-quarter plays in the medical tent with a knee injury, Fields returned with a bulky brace on his left knee. On his first play back, Fields evaded pressure, scrambled to his left, planted and threw a perfectly placed ball to Wilson 30 yards downfield for a touchdown. It was the signature play of Ohio State’s 56-27 win and, to this point, of Fields’ career.

“I thought it was a magical moment,” coach Ryan Day said.

33. Maurice Hall vs. Michigan, 2002

Tressel always had something new for Michigan, and he kept Ohio State’s unbeaten national championship season alive when he dialed up a weakside speed option toss to Hall inside of five minutes to play for the final score in a 14-9 win on Nov. 23.

32. Kenny Guiton to Chris Fields vs. Purdue, 2012

The Buckeyes won the game, 29-22 in overtime, to preserve their unbeaten record. But to get to that point, they first needed to tie the game. Guiton threw to a diving Fields in the end zone for a 2-yard touchdown with three seconds left in regulation. Then came the 2-point conversion, then the win, and ultimately a 12-0 season.

31. D.B. Sayers vs. Oberlin, 1899

Ohio State’s first championship of the Ohio colleges and first unbeaten season hit a pivotal moment in the fifth game of the year against Oberlin, the six-time Ohio champions — which to that point had lost only one game ever to a team from the state. Oberlin had defeated Ohio State in the previous six meetings by a combined score of 200-10. During a game in which both teams had to trudge through a thick, muddy playing surface, the only touchdown was scored in the first half on a 25-yard fumble return by Sayers, Ohio State’s captain. OSU won 6-0.

30. Chic Harley vs. Wisconsin, 1916

Harley was carried off the field after a 14-13 win against Wisconsin on Nov. 4, a victory that catapulted Ohio State to its first Western Conference championship. In the fourth quarter, Harley broke a 7-7 tie with an 80-yard punt return for a touchdown, described as “one of the most spectacular runs ever seen on Ohio Field” in The Columbus Dispatch.

(The Columbus Dispatch)

29. Don Sutherin vs. Washington, 1957

After losing the season opener to TCU, Ohio State was looking sluggish again in Week 2 when it was tied at the half with Washington in Seattle. Sutherin broke the tie with an 81-yard punt return for a touchdown. OSU went on to win 35-7. Woody Hayes called Sutherin’s return “the play that turned our ’57 season around.” The Buckeyes finished 9-1 and were named national champions in the coaches poll.

28. Harry Workman to Pete Stinchcomb vs. Wisconsin, 1920

Ohio State earned its first Rose Bowl bid in 1920. A key win that season came on Oct. 23, when Workman faked a sweep to the right and threw back across the field to Stinchcomb for a 48-yard touchdown with 50 seconds left to give the Buckeyes a 13-7 win against the Badgers.

27. Paul Warfield vs. Michigan, 1961

Before he became a Pro Football Hall of Famer as a receiver, Warfield played running back for Hayes. At 8-0-1 that season, the Buckeyes were named national champions by the Football Writers Association of America (they finished No. 2 in the AP poll). The best play of a signature 50-20 win against Michigan occurred when Warfield carried around the right edge and made a few defenders miss en route to a 69-yard score. The 50 points that day were, at the time, the most OSU had ever scored against its rival.

26. Paul Sarringhaus to Bob Shaw vs. Michigan, 1942

Ohio State’s first national championship team was an underdog when it hosted No. 4 Michigan on Nov. 21. The No. 5 Buckeyes won 21-7, with the marquee play of the day coming in the third quarter when Sarringhaus ran out right, leaped into the air and threw a pass to Shaw, who tiptoed down the sideline 30 yards for the score.

“After taking the pass on Michigan’s 30, the 218-pound all-Big Ten (sic) end threaded down the sidelines so deftly the boys in the press box were certain he’d stepped over the chalk mark en route,” wrote Hornung in The Dispatch.

25. Tom Tupa to Carlos Snow vs. Michigan, 1987

Bruce was fired on the Monday of Michigan week but was permitted to coach the game. His players wore sweatbands with “EARLE” written on them to support their coach. Then they rallied from a 13-0 hole to beat the Wolverines 23-20. Ohio State took the lead in the third quarter when Tupa threw short to Snow. Snow split a pair of defenders, picked up a key block and then sidestepped Doug Mallory around the 25-yard line and raced into the end zone to complete the 70-yard score.

Bruce, who finished his career at Ohio State 5-4 against Michigan, was carried off the field on the shoulders of his players, his fist raised in the air.

“There is no sweeter victory in the world than a win over Michigan in your last game,” Bruce said, per The Lantern. “But the real thrill was coming back, when you’re down 13-0 after the week we had. I think this team is certainly made of the right stuff. This is one for the Buckeyes. God bless them. I love them.”

24. J.T. Barrett vs. Penn State, 2014

Playing on a sprained MCL, Barrett scored both of Ohio State’s overtime touchdowns in a 31-24 win at Beaver Stadium during OSU’s national championship season. On the second, and ultimately game-winning touchdown, Barrett kept on a designed run and powered his way through four Penn State defenders for a 4-yard touchdown.

“How many guys could have done that?” Urban Meyer said. “He had a very serious injury, an MCL is a serious injury, and to go in, he got hit on the 3-yard line … it was unbelievable, he bulls his way in against the Penn State defense and wins the game.”

23. Braxton Miller vs. Penn State, 2012

Quite simply, the most exciting 1-yard touchdown run you’ll ever see. Miller’s third-quarter score helped the Buckeyes to a 34-21 win in Beaver Stadium during their unbeaten 2012 season.

22. Ted Ginn Jr. vs. Michigan, 2004

Michigan beat Ohio State in 2003 and came to Columbus in 2004 looking to start another winning streak in the rivalry. With Ohio State leading by six in the third quarter, Ginn went 82 yards on a punt return, making three Wolverines miss in the process and creating a cushion that sprung unranked OSU to a 37-21 win over the seventh-ranked Wolverines. The victory started a seven-game winning streak for Ohio State in the rivalry.

21. Greg Frey to Bobby Olive vs. LSU, 1988

A ranked Ohio State team was boat raced by unranked Pitt 42-10 in the second game of the 1988 season. In the third game, No. 7 LSU came to Ohio Stadium. The Buckeyes trailed 33-20 inside of five minutes to play. A touchdown and a safety later, they were in position to win the game in the final minute. Frey threw down the middle of the field to Olive, who made a diving catch with 38 seconds left for a 20-yard touchdown and a 36-33 win in John Cooper’s first season.

“I don’t think I’ve ever been around a more exciting finish,” Cooper said.

20. Chris Gamble vs. Penn State, 2002

Seven of Ohio State’s 14 wins in the unbeaten national championship season came by seven points or less, including a 13-7 victory against No. 17 Penn State on Oct. 26. Gamble, the Buckeyes’ two-way star, picked off Zack Mills early in the third quarter and looked like a natural in the open field as he raced for a 40-yard touchdown that ended up standing as the game-winning score.

19. John Wooldridge vs. Iowa, 1985

Without starting tailback Keith Byars, Ohio State hosted No. 1 Iowa on Nov. 2. Chris Spielman and Pepper Johnson led a superb defensive effort, and Iowa quarterback Chuck Long was intercepted four times in OSU’s 22-13 win. Wooldridge, playing with bruised ribs, ran for a 57-yard touchdown on his first carry of the game in the second quarter. George Cooper, the team’s leading rusher that day, delivered a key block.

18. Troy Smith to Ted Ginn Jr. vs. Michigan, 2006

It was another Tressel wrinkle for Michigan. On second-and-inches, the speedy Ginn lined up at tight end in an unbalanced formation, essentially hiding the team’s most explosive playmaker. The offensive line and Beanie Wells sold the run fake. Ginn ran by the Michigan secondary, and Smith hit him for a 39-yard score in the second quarter of No. 1 Ohio State’s 42-39 win against No. 2 Michigan.

17. Ezekiel Elliott vs. Oregon, 2014

On his fourth carry of the national championship game, Elliott knifed through the defense, evaded a few tacklers by contorting his body and ran 33 yards for the first of four touchdowns in Ohio State’s 42-20 win.

16. Joe Germaine to David Boston vs. Arizona State, 1997

The Buckeyes trailed by three points inside of two minutes to play before marching 65 yards on 12 plays, winning the Rose Bowl on a 5-yard pass from Germaine to Boston with 19 seconds left. The 20-17 win was Ohio State’s first Rose Bowl victory since 1974.

15. Pete Johnson vs. Michigan, 1975

Hayes’ last win against Michigan came in comeback fashion when the No. 1 Buckeyes beat the No. 4 Wolverines in Ann Arbor. Johnson tied the game at 14-14 with 3:18 left. Then Ray Griffin intercepted Wolverines quarterback Rick Leach at the Michigan 32-yard line and nearly scored himself, returning the ball to the 3. On the next play, Johnson ran over two Michigan defenders near the goal line to put the Buckeyes up 21-14 with 2:19 left.

It was Michigan’s first home loss in 42 games, and it clinched the Big Ten title and Rose Bowl bid for Ohio State.

“I’d have to say this is our greatest comeback, so this has got to be the greatest game I’ve ever coached,” Hayes said.

14. Troy Smith to Brian Robiskie vs. Penn State, 2006

A year after losing to Penn State in Beaver Stadium, No. 1 Ohio State was locked in another tight game with the Nittany Lions entering the fourth quarter on Sept. 23 in Ohio Stadium. Up 7-3 with the ball on PSU’s 37-yard line, Smith took the snap, ran backward to avoid pressure and then launched a pass down the middle of the field from 16 yards behind the line of scrimmage toward the end zone. Robiskie made the contested catch on a 50-50 ball.

It was one of two offensive touchdowns in Ohio State’s 28-6 win and arguably the signature play of Smith’s Heisman Trophy season.

13. Braxton Miller to Devin Smith vs. Wisconsin, 2011

The best win in a forgettable Ohio State season came on a 40-yard connection between Miller and Smith with 20 seconds left on Oct. 29 in Columbus. Miller scrambled out to his right after making a defender miss in the backfield, and — just before stepping out of bounds — threw off of one foot and across his body to Smith waiting down the field to secure a 33-29 win.

12. Keith Byars vs. Illinois, 1984

A week after the No. 2 Buckeyes were upset at Purdue, they fell behind Illinois 24-0 in the first half. Then Byars got going, finishing with a then-program record 274 rushing yards and five touchdowns in a 45-38 win.

His best run of the day came on a 67-yard sprint in the third quarter. Byars ran right on a draw play, beating the defense to the corner. As he cut to bring the run back to the middle of the field, he lost his left shoe and ran the final 35 yards with one shoe, pulling away from the defense despite the flat tire.

Bruce called it “the greatest comeback I have ever been associated with.”

Byars’ one-shoe run is among the most memorable plays in Ohio State history.

11. Harry Workman to Cyril “Truck” Myers vs. Illinois, 1920

With four seconds left in a scoreless game in Champaign, the Buckeyes had the ball on the Illinois 37-yard line. Preoccupied with Pete Stinchcomb, the expected intended receiver, Illinois paid little attention to Myers. Workman sidestepped a pair of defenders and completed a pass to Myers, who ran the final 17 yards for the score. The whistle blew as Workman’s pass was in the air. Ohio State won 7-0 on the final play, avenging a last-second loss to then-rival Illinois the previous year, winning the Western Conference title and clinching the first Rose Bowl bid in program history.

10. Howard Cassady vs. Wisconsin, 1954

In Hayes’ fourth season, the No. 4 Buckeyes were 4-0 when they hosted No. 2 Wisconsin on Oct. 23. With Ohio State trailing 7-3 late in the third quarter, Cassady intercepted a pass at the OSU 12-yard line and returned it 88 yards for a touchdown that swung the game, an eventual 31-14 win for the Buckeyes.

“Cassady’s classic gallop, which reminded Old Grads of some of Chic Harley’s never-to-be-forgotten runs, changed the complexion of the tense, bruising Homecoming Day battle, suddenly and completely,” Hornung wrote in The Dispatch.

It was the first time Wisconsin had been scored on in the second half that season. The Buckeyes scored three more touchdowns in the fourth quarter to win the game and went on to win the next five, including against USC in the Rose Bowl. They finished 10-0 and captured the program’s second national championship.

9. Chic Harley vs. Illinois, 1916

In the first league game of what would become Ohio State’s first season as champions of the Western Conference, Harley scored the only touchdown in a 7-6 win against Illinois on Oct. 21. With one minute left in the fourth quarter, Harley faked a pass and then ran around the right side for 16 yards through a muddy field to tie the game at 6-6. Then he called to the sideline for a dry shoe and booted the extra point to give the Buckeyes the win and Illinois its first conference loss since 1913.

Here’s how the score was described by H.A. Miller in The Columbus Dispatch:

“Harley received the ball … that started to be a forward pass. Harley, wonderful for football instinct, saw the Illinois defense on the right side of the line sucked in by his momentary hesitation and then he darted across the field. With teeth set and his legs carrying him as fast as human energy could make them pass over the turf, he cleared all opposition and dropped across the goal in the far northwest corner.”

8. Jim Laughlin and Todd Bell vs. Michigan, 1979

The Buckeyes lost their last three games against Michigan under Hayes, but they were unbeaten and No. 2 in the country in Bruce’s first season when No. 13 Michigan hosted Ohio State in Ann Arbor on Nov. 17.

Ohio State ended a drought of 15 consecutive quarters without a touchdown against Michigan. The decisive score came in the fourth quarter when Laughlin blocked a Michigan punt that was returned 18 yards by Bell for the game-winning touchdown. Bruce made the decision to come after Michigan punter Bryan Virgil. Laughlin got there first, and Bell picked up the bouncing ball and ran in for the touchdown with 11:21 left.

Earlier in the game, the Buckeyes showed a 10-man rush on a punt but dropped out of it. This time, they brought 10 men, and Michigan couldn’t handle the onslaught.

“I wasn’t touched,” Laughlin said. “Nobody touched me. The ball hit me on both forearms as it came off his foot.”

Ohio State’s 18-15 win was spoiled later when the Buckeyes lost to USC in the Rose Bowl, but in the moment it set off a celebration around campus that led to 338 arrests, per The Lantern.

7. Ted Provost vs. Purdue, 1968

With Ohio State locked in a scoreless tie early in the third quarter against No. 1 Purdue, Provost — a junior defensive back — intercepted Purdue quarterback Mike Phipps at the Boilermakers’ 35-yard line and raced into the end zone untouched. Purdue, which was averaging 41 points on the season, was shut out for the first time in 24 games.

“Let me say this without equivocation. That was the greatest defensive effort I have ever, ever seen,” Hayes said after his team avenged a 41-6 loss to Purdue the previous year.

On the play before the interception, Jack Tatum and Provost had switched roles, with Provost covering deep and Tatum running to the flat. Tatum nearly had a pick on that play. On the next snap, they opted not to switch roles. Provost undercut the out-route and raced in untouched, making Ohio Stadium shake.

The Buckeyes jumped up to No. 2 in the polls the next week and won every game that season en route to the national championship.

6. Evan Spencer to Michael Thomas vs. Alabama, 2014

Ohio State trailed 21-6 early against Alabama in the College Football Playoff semifinal at the Sugar Bowl, but the Buckeyes executed a trick play just before the half to swing momentum in their favor. On second-and-10 from the Alabama 13-yard line with 19 seconds left in the second quarter, Cardale Jones handed off to Jalin Marshall, who pitched to Spencer, a receiver, on a reverse. Spencer planted near the Allstate logo in the middle of the field and threw a perfect pass to Thomas, who made a jumping catch and got one foot narrowly inbounds for a touchdown that cut Bama’s lead to one point before the half.

The Buckeyes ran the same play in a huge 49-37 win at Michigan State earlier that season, but Spencer kept the ball. This time he threw it, and Thomas made an incredible catch on the other end.

“We have a lot of good receivers, but it feels good to leave my mark on a game like this,” Thomas said. “You have to make big plays to beat a team like Alabama, and we did that.”

5. Curtis Samuel vs. Michigan, 2016

The game will forever be known for Barrett’s fourth-down run, and whether — depending on which team you root for — he gained the necessary yards for a first down. But after it was ruled that Barrett did make the gain, someone had to score the game-winning touchdown in an epic, No. 2 vs. No. 3 double-overtime game in Ohio Stadium.

Samuel got the honors, taking the ball out to the left, cutting back inside and running untouched for 15 yards, leaping over the goal line and extending both arms in what will be remembered as one of the iconic Ohio State images.

“They made it easy for me,” Samuel said of the blocking on the play. “All I had to do was turn upfield and run into the end zone.”

Earlier on the drive, Samuel reversed field and retreated 10 yards behind the line of scrimmage before finding an opening for 8 yards to set up Barrett’s fateful fourth-down run. Samuel was the engine who made an otherwise clunky offense go that year, helping guide the team to the College Football Playoff. Fitting that he have the deciding score in one of the program’s greatest wins.

4. Chic Harley vs. Michigan, 1919

For the spot that Harley holds in Ohio State lore — he was the program’s first superstar and a three-time All-American whose popularity pre-empted the construction of Ohio Stadium — it’s noteworthy that he played only one game against Michigan. Fittingly, it was a memorable one.

The Buckeyes and Wolverines did not play from 1913-17. When the series resumed in 1918, Harley was off serving in the military and thus didn’t play in Michigan’s 14-0 win. The next year, in his first and only game against Michigan, Harley scored from 42 yards out in the third quarter, shaking two tacklers and putting a stiff-arm on a third for the final tally of Ohio State’s 13-3 win in Ann Arbor. Harley also aided the defensive effort with a couple of interceptions, and he punted 11 times for an average of 42 yards.

It was Ohio State’s first win against Michigan.

According to The Dispatch, Michigan coach Fielding Yost addressed the Ohio State players in their locker room after the game — you read that right — and said of OSU’s star: “You, Mr. Harley, I believe, are one of the finest little machines I have ever seen.”

3. Maurice Clarett vs Miami, 2002

Clarett didn’t have his best rushing game in Ohio State’s national title win against Miami. His strip of Sean Taylor after an interception in the third quarter is one of the great plays in program history and thus the lasting memory many OSU fans have about the freshman back in that game. But when you score the game-winning touchdown in a national title game, you still belong on this list. Clarett took the ball downhill, sidestepped Maurice Sikes at the line of scrimmage with a jump cut, then dove into the end zone for a 5-yard score and a 30-24 lead in the second overtime.

A defensive stand on the next possession sealed Ohio State’s 31-24 win and the program’s first undisputed national title since 1968.

2. Ezekiel Elliott vs. Alabama, 2015

Trying to ice a Sugar Bowl win against Alabama in the first College Football Playoff, Ohio State called Elliott’s number on an outside zone run deep in its own territory. Leading by a touchdown, the Buckeyes were hopeful to just run out some clock and hold on for the win that would send them to the National Championship Game. Instead, Elliott planted in the backfield, picked up a key block in the hole from Spencer and ran 85 yards untouched through Alabama’s defense with 3:24 left to give OSU a 42-28 lead.

“That was checkmate,” Elliott said after the game.

No. 4 Ohio State, a nine-point underdog coming into the game, finished off a 42-35 win against No. 1 Alabama in a game that somehow still feels more consequential than the national title that was won 11 days later.

1. Craig Krenzel to Michael Jenkins vs. Purdue, 2002

Ohio State’s national championship season was saved when Krenzel and Jenkins connected on a 37-yard touchdown on fourth-and-1 with 1:42 left against Purdue on Nov. 9. The play came to be known as “Holy Buckeye,” thanks to the call of ABC’s Brent Musberger. In the playbook it was “King Right 64 Y Shallow Swap.”

Trailing 6-3 in the final two minutes, Tressel didn’t opt for the score-tying field goal or a safer run play to extend the drive. Instead, he called the pass play, hoping that tight end Ben Hartsock would be open on the shallow cross. He wasn’t. In fact, Krenzel’s first two options were covered and there was only one other player in the pattern. If the pass was incomplete, OSU’s championship hopes were likely dead.

“I’m sure (Krenzel) was thinking four-letter words about ‘I can’t believe they called this play that was going to be so covered,’” Tressel said. “But he had one last thing he had to look at, and as you guys all know, that the No. 1 attribute of a good quarterback is that they make great decisions. No one made decisions better in my 38 years of coaching quarterbacks than Craig Krenzel, and he made the right decision and threw it up there. What I was thinking was, ‘I hope he didn’t overthrow it.’”

Under pressure, Krenzel threw on the run and dropped the ball on Jenkins as he crossed the goal line.

In a season of close calls, this was the signature play in Ohio State’s march to a national title.

And it was the greatest touchdown in Ohio State history.

(Top photo: Jonathan Daniel / Getty Images)