Ohio State Buckeyes made a big statement with their key transfer addition against Texas, and his role looks bigger than expected
The Buckeyes’ key transfer is going to be a big part of the offense.
When looking just at the stats from the Ohio State Buckeyes’ impressive win over the No. 1 Texas Longhorns, you might ask yourself: how did that happen? The Buckeyes finished with only 203 yards of total offense compared to Texas’ 336.
Still, Ohio State led 14-0 until the fourth quarter, then held on for a 14-7 win. The defense was the difference, but the offense did just enough to secure the win. Even if the Buckeyes held back some of the playbook for Julian Sayin, he still operated the offense more efficiently than Arch Manning did for Texas.
Ohio State may have surprised some people with how they handled the running back position
Coming into the season, the expectation was that true sophomore James Peoples would be the lead back, while West Virginia transfer CJ Donaldson would serve as the No. 2 option with fewer touches. That wasn’t the case at all against Texas. It’s only one game, but Donaldson looked every bit like Ohio State’s lead back.
Donaldson and Peoples were the only two backs to see snaps. Donaldson logged 42 snaps to Peoples’ 20, rushing 19 times for 67 yards and a touchdown. Peoples had 10 carries for just 20 yards. It was clear the Buckeyes trusted the more experienced transfer in a big game — and he looked like the better player, too.
When he arrived from West Virginia, Donaldson weighed more than 240 pounds and was known as a bruising back who specialized in tough yards. While still a powerful runner, he’s now closer to 227 pounds and looks noticeably more explosive. On Saturday, Donaldson was the one planting his foot and getting upfield, while Peoples hesitated at times.
Ohio State will need both backs this season, and it wouldn’t be surprising if each cleared 800 rushing yards. But through one game, it’s obvious the Buckeyes view Donaldson as their primary option — and it wasn’t close. A year after splitting carries between TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins, Ohio State looks to be shifting its approach in 2025.
Next up for the Buckeyes is Grambling State in a 3:30 p.m. ET kickoff. Ohio State will be heavy favorites, and that game could provide the first real look at freshman Bo Jackson behind the top two backs.