Against the Washington Huskies, the Ohio State defensive front had a banner day. Led by massive individual efforts, the Buckeyes held Washington to just six points. Heading into the game, the Huskies had averaged nearly 56 points per game. Plenty of Ohio State defenders stood out on the day, but it was the efforts of Caden Curry and Kayden McDonald that led the way.
The duo helped to hold Washington to just 234 yards on offense after the Huskies averaged 536 in the three prior games. On the ground, one of the country’s top running backs was held to 70 yards on 13 carries and no touchdowns. Elusive quarterback Demond Williams Jr. was smothered for six sacks and held to negative 28 yards rushing.
Curry and McDonald were honored as co-Bronco Nagursky National Defensive Players of the Week for their dominant play. The Football Writers Association of America picked the Buckeye duo over every other outstanding defender in college football. As a result, the pair was added to the Nagursky Trophy watch list.
Ohio State Defensive Line Tandem Shares National Recognition
Standing Out in a Crowded Room
The Ohio State defensive end room is about as crowded as any on the roster. Heading into the year, there were half a dozen players who were “next up” and could feasibly break out. Of that group, Curry is the only player with multiple sacks. Against Washington, the senior broke through for 11 tackles, a program record-tying five tackles for loss, and three sacks.
According to the FWAA release, Curry has set the high-water mark in the country with his five tackles for loss, and this trio of sacks ties him with 10 others for the most in a single game.
He now leads the Big Ten in sacks and is fourth in the country. In terms of sacks per game, Curry ranks second.
Curry has been biding his time. As a four-star recruit in the 2022 class, Curry had to wait behind a pair of five-stars. He earned more and more playing time over the years, but this year, he’s in the midst of a true breakout.
If the Buckeyes are going to go back-to-back for the first time in program history, Curry will have to continue playing at an elite level.
Curry was also named the Bednarik Award Player of the Week, Walter Camp National Defensive Player of the Week, and Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week.
Underappreciated Big Man
McDonald has been quietly disrupting everything in his general vicinity this year. Everyone was focused on the potential breakout of Eddrick Houston. His running mate has been the one stealing the spotlight.
The 326-pound redshirt sophomore started to gain some serious traction in the rotation last year, appearing in all 16 games for the Buckeyes. Against Washington, McDonald was crucial to the Buckeyes’ ability to destroy what Washington wanted to do on the ground. He finished with seven tackles, three tackles for loss, two sacks, and even a quarterback hurry. In the fourth quarter, McDonald’s fourth-down sack ended what could have been a crucial drive for the Huskies’ comeback effort.
Led by Curry and McDonald, the Buckeyes’ defense looks even better than it did in 2024. Considering how good the national championship-winning defense was last year, that’s saying something. Ohio State has the nation’s top scoring defense, allowing just 5.5 points per game. Washington was able to get a few yards on the day, pushing the Buckeyes to eighth in total defense with an average of 229.3 yards allowed per game. Ultimately, the unit has allowed just two touchdowns this year, both of which were through the air.
Main Photo: Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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