COLUMBUS, Ohio - Ohio State's offense has been one of the best in the country at this point in the season. The Buckeyes are third in points per game, third in touchdowns per game and seventh in total offense, and such a prolific offense through eight games has led to some major highlights for Ohio State.
With 572 offensive plays through the first eight games, there are no shortage of potential plays to pick from, but here are the ten that I thought were most deserving of the Top 10 offensive plays so far this season.
10. Master Teague III 73-yard TD run vs. Northwestern
Master Teague III has shown off some impressive rushing ability in 2019, currently fifth in the Big Ten in rushing yards, but his 73-yard touchdown run showed some serious homerun capability for the redshirt freshman.
While he's had plays this year where he broke through contact to break off a run, this showed breakway speed in the second level that Teague hadn't had an opportunity to show off this season to help ice the game.
9. Justin Fields 51-yard TD run vs. Florida Atlantic
The play that started it all. While Justin Fields certainly has better runs from this season that could have been put here, it wold have felt disingenuous to leave off his first touchdown for Ohio State.
In truth, any quartebrack with a decent set of legs probably could've broken that run considering the hole that opened up and the blocking that Fields received downfield, but with the hype coming into the season of how Fields may use his legs for the Buckeyes, this was an exciting play to watch and a fun way to kick start the Justin Fields and Ryan Day era at Ohio State.
8. Justin Fields to Chris Olave, 13-yard TD vs. Miami (OH)
This was one of the many plays you could point to this season that highlights the Fields to Chris Olave connection. Olave has eight touchdowns on the season (one-third of Fields passing touchdowns) and has developed a sort of sixth sense for where Fields is going to put the ball.
With Fields escaping the pocket and rolling out to the right, Olave took off to his right to haul in a perfectly placed pass at the edge of the end zone. Olave would finish the game with two touchdowns receptions on only three catches.
7. Justin Fields to Austin Mack, 19-yard TD vs. Nebraska
Austin Mack has again not had an easy go of it this season, only hauling in 15 receptions for 207 yards through eight games, but Mack's performance against Nebraska showed what he can provide for this team.
Fields put the ball a little bit behind Mack on the 19-yard touchdown catch, but Mack was still able to adjust and make the catch with his defender in close pursuit behind him. One of Mack's two touchdowns on the season, he finished the game with three catches for 66 yards.
6. Justin Fields to Binjimen Victor, 30-yard TD vs. Miami (OH)
While this may not have been Binjimen Victor's best play of the season, it was certainly one of his most impressive catches. The down and distance was not particularly important given the score, but it was still a big catch with a defender bearing down on him. These are the types of plays you want to see from Victor in his senior season; the tough, awareness catches that he hadn't been prone to make in the past.
For Fields' part, this pass had some nice touch from him, putting it over the defender to a pace where only his guy could get it. Fields finished this game with six touchdowns accounted for, and this was just one of his impressive highlights from the game.
5. J.K. Dobbins 26-yard TD run vs. Indiana
This play by J.K. Dobbins shows how he has changed his play this year to result in his wildly successful season. On the 26-yard touchdown run, Dobbins was able to recover from almost tripping, then picked his speed back up going downhill all while breaking three or four tackles from defenders.
Dobbins has been running harder and faster than in any of his other seasons, and his ability to fight through contact on this play as well as pick up the speed to break past defenders showed why he is already up to 1,110 yards in just eight games.
4. Justin Fields to Garrett Wilson, 6-yard TD vs. Nebraska
Garrett Wilson had impressive touchdown catches against Cincinnati and Miami (more on that one later), but this one against Nebraska on national television helped put Wilson on the map this season.
Fields delivered a dime to Wilson in the back corner of the end zone where only Wilson could grab it, and Wilson delivered with a clear catch and getting two feet down to leave no question whether or not he hauled it in. While the circus catches are fun to watch, a play like these where he can confidently pull in a tough, over the shoulder catch should be even more enticing for Ohio State fans as Wilson looks to the rest of this season and beyond.
3. Justin Fields to Binjimen Victor, 60-yard TD vs. Michigan State
Victor had a nice catch against Miami (OH), but this was Victor's best play so far this season. Victor caught the ball that Fields threw to his right shoulder, and Victor was able to not only pull it in but get back on course and make a defender miss to get into the end zone for his third touchdown of the season.
We don't see these types of moves from Victor often, but when he pulls them out at times like this or against Penn State, you have to appreciate the athleticism he displays on the field for Ohio State.
2. Justin Fields to K.J. Hill, 20-yard catch vs. Northwestern
All things considered, this was probably the best play of the season by Fields that showed off basically every tool in his repertoire. He showed off elite pocket awareness, able to escape defenders coming off both sides to escape a potential sack on 3rd and 15. He then got away from the pocket, and with pressure quickly coming up on him, he put the ball where only K.J. Hill could get it to move the chains.
While this was a fairly inconsiquential play (Ohio State won 52-3), it displayed why Fields has been so good for Ohio State this season. He stayed in the pocket right up until he needed to escape, showing off otherwordly pocket awareness for a player only starting his seventh game, recovered using his footwork, and then completed a pass on time while on the run.
1. Chirs Chugonov to Garrett Wilson, 38-yard TD vs. Miami (OH)
What, you thought Fields would be involved with the No. 1 play this season? No, this is Chris Chugonov's world, and we're all just living in it.
With the Buckeyes already up 49-5 going into the locker room, Chugonov came out to start the second half for Ohio State. The offense punted and then fumbled on consecutive drives, but on the third drive of the half, Chugonov was able to drop a pass for Wilson in a bucket. Wilson couldn't pull in the catch at first with the defender draped all over him, but as he hit the ground he maintained focus and was able to corral the ball for his second career touchdown.
The great pass by Chugonov and the circus act by Wilson to pull in the catch made this play, in my opinion, the best of the season for Ohio State.