Ohio State’s offensive line didn’t just show up against Michigan - they took over.
In a rivalry game where every inch matters and every snap carries weight, the Buckeyes’ front five delivered their most complete performance of the season in a 27-9 win that was as physical as it was decisive. Left tackle Austin Siereveld, left guard Luke Montgomery, center Carson Hinzman, right guard Tegra Tshabola, and right tackle Phillip Daniels didn’t just hold their ground - they dictated the terms of engagement.
This wasn’t a one-off effort. Ohio State’s line has been solid all year - not perfect, but consistently good.
But Saturday in Ann Arbor? That was a level up.
They controlled the line of scrimmage from the opening whistle, giving the offense the kind of platform it needed to not just function, but flourish.
Head coach Ryan Day acknowledged as much when asked if this was his offensive line’s best showing of the season.
“Yeah,” Day said. “That was the goal all along - to be playing our best football at the end of the year.
Especially in The Game. I think they did that.
You can see it on film. That’s their capability.
That’s the standard.”
Day didn’t just credit the performance - he highlighted the process behind it. Because when it comes to offensive line play, what happens on Saturdays is just the tip of the iceberg.
Below the surface: hours of walkthroughs, film study, individual drills, and nonstop communication. It’s a position group that thrives on chemistry and cohesion, and against Michigan, it all came together.
“The confidence, the execution, the physicality - it says a lot about that room and where it’s at,” Day added.
And it wasn’t just the pass protection or the push in the trenches. That dominant line play opened the door for true freshman Bo Jackson to have his breakout moment - and he made the most of it.
Jackson, a 6-foot, 217-pound back from Cleveland, ran like a veteran. He carried the ball 22 times for 117 yards, averaging 5.3 yards per carry, and added four catches for 49 more.
That’s 166 total yards from scrimmage - more than Michigan’s entire offense managed on the day (163). Let that sink in: one freshman outgained the entire opposing team.
“If your running back has more yards than the other team, you’re probably going to win,” Day quipped. And he’s not wrong.
But beyond the stat line, what stood out to Day was Jackson’s ability to handle the workload. This wasn’t a few splash plays - it was a full day’s work, and the freshman didn’t flinch.
“He played his most snaps of the season,” Day said. “He had a big, explosive run early that gave us a spark.
He picked up blitzes in protection. He graded out a champion.”
That’s not just talent - that’s maturity. And while Jackson deserves plenty of credit, Day was quick to shout out running backs coach Carlos Locklyn and the rest of the RB room. Because development like this doesn’t happen in a vacuum.
“It’s been a group effort,” Day said. “But in that moment, Bo had the hot hand.”
It was a performance that felt like a culmination - of months of preparation, of a season’s worth of growth, and of a team finding its identity at the right time. The offensive line set the tone.
Jackson followed their lead. And the Buckeyes walked out of Ann Arbor with a statement win.
With the Big Ten Championship Game up next and the postseason looming, Ohio State looks like a team peaking at exactly the right time - and that starts in the trenches.