If the Buckeyes have a 1,000-yard rusher, they will win the Big Ten Championship
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It’s been six years since Ohio State won the Big Ten Championship. Six years. That feels like an eternity in Buckeyes Country.
Not to mention, last year was the first time in five years that the Buckeyes played in the Big Ten Championship. In other words, even with Ohio State winning the National Championship in 2024, it’s long overdue for the program to get back to the top of the Big Ten.
How do the Buckeyes reclaim their seat on the Big Ten throne? By running the football.
Even with the evolution of college football offenses, running the football remains a trademark of Big Ten Football. If the Buckeyes have a 1,000-yard rusher this season, they will win the Big Ten Championship.
There have been 15 Big Ten Championship Games played since 2011. Ohio State has won five of them and played in seven. Let’s look at each of the winners of the Big Ten Championship Games and their leading rushers to illustrate how important running the football is for the Buckeyes this season.
2011: Wisconsin Badgers
Monte Ball: 307 carries, 1,923 yds, 33 TD
Ball was a beast at Wisconsin. It’s no shock the Badgers rode him to the Big Ten title. In addition, James White added 713 yards and six touchdowns on 141 carries.
2012: Wisconsin Badgers
Monte Ball: 356 carries, 1,830 yds, 22 TD
Again, no shock here. White was even better in tandem with Ball in 2012, rushing for 806 yards and 12 touchdowns on 125 carries.
2013: Michigan State Spartans
Jeremy Langford: 292 carries, 1,422 yds, 18 TD
Yes, we don’t like remembering this year. Especially because Carlos Hyde and Braxton Miller both rushed for over 1,000 yards and had a combined 27 rushing touchdowns.
2014: Ohio State Buckeyes
Ezekiel Elliott: 273 carries, 1,878 yds, 18 TD
There we go. Everybody remembers the legend that is Zeke.
2015: Michigan State Spartans
They did not have a 1,000-yard rusher in 2015, but they did have three running backs rush for over 500 yards.
2016: Penn State Nittany Lions
Saquon Barkley: 272 carries, 1,496 yds, 18 TD
Barkley is one of the best running backs in Big Ten and college football history.
2017: Ohio State Buckeyes
J.K. Dobbins: 194 carries, 1,403 yds, 7 TD
Of all the great running backs in Ohio State history, Dobbins kind of gets lost in the shuffle. He shouldn’t.
2018: Ohio State Buckeyes
J.K. Dobbins: 230 carries, 1,053 yds, 10 TD
In addition to another big year for Dobbins, Mike Weber rushed for 954 yards and five touchdowns on 172 carries.
2019: Ohio State Buckeyes
J.K. Dobbins: 301 carries, 2,003 yds, 21 TD
Just a monster season from Dobbins, even with all of the great receivers on the Ohio State offense. That shows how important running the football is.
2020: Ohio State Buckeyes
Trey Sermon: 116 carries, 870 yds, 4 TD
This was a shortened season due to COVID-19. It’s likely Sermon would have rushed for 1,000 yards had this been a full season.
2021: Michigan Wolverines
Hassan Haskins: 270 carries, 1,327 yds, 20 TD
Blake Corum also rushed for 952 yards and 11 touchdowns on 143 carries. This was an elite Michigan running game.
2022: Michigan Wolverines
Blake Corum: 247 carries, 1,463 yds, 18 TD
Donovan Edwards added 991 yards and seven touchdowns on 140 carries in another dominant Michigan running game.
2023: Michigan Wolverines
Blake Corum: 258 carries, 1,245 yds, 27 TD
Corum was otherworldly in 2023.
2024: Oregon Ducks
Jordan James: 233 carries, 1,267 yds, 15 TD
James was a big part of Oregon’s Big Ten title in their first season in the conference.
2025: Indiana Hoosiers
Roman Hemby: 230 carries, 1,120 yds, 7 TD
Kaelon Black also rushed for 1,040 yards. Even with Heisman Trophy winner and No. 1 overall pick, Fernando Mendoza, the Hoosiers were still a very good running team.
That means 13 teams of the 15 that have won the Big Ten Championship have had a 1,000-yard rusher. Michigan State was the only team that didn’t have a 1,000-yard rusher in a full season.
Ohio State has had a 1,000-yard rusher in three of the last five seasons. That includes Bo Jackson last year. They can still run the ball, but they need a stronger identity with it in their offense this season. If it is, they will reclaim their seat at the throne in the Big Ten.
Arthur Smith was brought in as the Buckeyes’ new offensive coordinator for a reason. They need to get this running game going again. It’s still a necessity to have success in the Big Ten. Teams that win the Big Ten Championship run the football.
If Ohio State is going to end a lengthy drought, that’s what they need to do in 2026.
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