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Ohio State’s Championship Quest – Inside the Buckeye’s 2024 Campaign

Mark Haines on January 18, 2025

The Buckeyes’ 13-2 season demonstrates how, when properly deployed, elite talent can overcome almost any obstacle.

An Aerial Assault That Commands Respect

Will Howard transformed Ohio State’s passing game into one of college football’s most lethal weapons.

The numbers tell the story of aerial dominance:

265.1 passing yards per game
71% completion rate
35 passing touchdowns
Two 900+ yard receivers (Smith: 1,227, Egbuka: 947)
14 touchdowns from Smith alone
10 scores from Egbuka

This passing attack kept defensive coordinators awake at night.

Ground Game: The Perfect Complement

While the passing game grabbed headlines, Ohio State’s rushing attack quietly devastated opponents.

The two-headed monster in the backfield produced consistently:

TreVeyon Henderson: 967 yards at 7.3 yards per carry
Quinshon Judkins: 960 yards at 5.2 yards per carry
Combined for 22 rushing touchdowns
Team average of 163.2 rushing yards per game
The perfect balance to keep defenses honest
Exceptional ability to close out games

This rushing attack turned good drives into great ones.

A Defense Built on Disruption

Ohio State’s defense didn’t just stop opponents – it broke their will to compete.

The defensive dominance showed in multiple ways:

Only 89.9 rushing yards allowed per game
Held runners to 2.7 yards per carry
Generated 51 sacks (led by J.T. Tuimoloau’s 11.5)
Created 111 tackles for loss
Limited opponents to 12 rushing touchdowns all season
Consistently dominated the line of scrimmage

This unit transformed pressure into production.

The Day Factor: Strategic Evolution

Ohio State head coach Ryan Day reacts to a replay during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Michigan Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)

Ryan Day’s approach to game management reveals a coach willing to adapt and innovate.

His impact manifested in several key areas:

Increased deep passing plays to 15% in playoffs
Implemented the crucial “middle eight” minutes strategy
Moved offensive coordinator to the press box
Created specific roles for key transfers
Developed new film study protocols
Built a “no bad days” culture

Results proved the effectiveness of these changes.

Playoff Performance That Demanded Attention

Ohio State’s postseason run showcased their ability to elevate their game when it mattered most.

Critical adjustments defined their playoff success:

Increased vertical passing attack
Strategic player rotation to maintain freshness
Enhanced coordinator collaboration
Systematic in-game adjustments
Improved third-down conversion rate
Superior momentum management

Each game revealed new depths to their capabilities.

Areas of Concern

Even championship contenders have their vulnerabilities.

Nervous young Latin man using TV remote control on home couch, feeling annoyed, angry, concerned, watching football match, show, getting problems with broadcasting

Key weaknesses that need addressing:

Red zone efficiency (73.3% field goal conversion)
Pass protection issues, especially after key injuries
Secondary vulnerabilities (59.8% completion percentage allowed)
Fourth-quarter defensive fatigue
Below-average punt return game (9.0 yards per return)
Conservative tendencies in crucial moments

These issues provide clear focus areas for improvement.

The Day Difference

Ryan Day’s unique approach to game management sets Ohio State apart.

His distinctive strategies include:

Reframing bye weeks as “improvement weeks”
Increasing playoff game personal involvement
Implementing systematic player rotation
Using innovative analysis tools
Creating accountability systems
Maintaining consistent practice habits

This methodology has proven both effective and controversial.

The Championship Formula

Success in modern college football requires both innovation and tradition.

Ohio State’s formula :

Elite talent development
Strategic adaptability
Cultural consistency
Tactical innovation
Physical dominance
Mental toughness

One question remains: Will this be enough to claim college football’s ultimate prize?

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The Numbers That Don’t Add Up – Mountain West Championship Preview

Mark Haines on December 4, 2024

Boise State and UNLV meet Friday night for the Mountain West Championship.

In the pristine December air of Las Vegas, two college football programs are about to collide in a way that defies conventional wisdom. One is Boise State, the upstart powerhouse that has been terrorizing the Mountain West Conference for years by systematically destroying opponents. The other is UNLV, a program that was a statistical asterisk just two years ago. It is the kind of team that makes gamblers rich by betting against them.

The transformation of UNLV under Barry Odom is the kind of story that makes sports executives nervous. It suggests that all their complex formulas for success – the million-dollar facilities, the decades of tradition, the elaborate recruiting networks – might matter less than finding the right person with the right idea at the right time. Odom, a defensive specialist with a track record of raising football programs from the dead, has turned UNLV into something that would have been unthinkable 24 months ago: a legitimate threat to Boise State’s dominance.

The numbers tell a story that feels almost too neat to be true. Boise State, led by their own coaching prodigy Spencer Danielson, has been a machine of efficiency: 478.3 yards per game, 40.6 points scored, and a running back named Ashton Jeanty who seems to have been engineered in a laboratory specifically to break tackles (2,288 rushing yards, 28 touchdowns, and the kind of statistics that make NFL scouts reach for their phones). Their quarterback, Maddux Madsen, plays with the kind of careful precision (21 touchdowns, 3 interceptions) that makes offensive coordinators sleep well at night.

But here’s where it gets interesting: UNLV, the traditional underdog, has built something suspiciously similar. Their offense, anchored by the dual-threat quarterback Hajj-Malik Williams, puts up 434 yards and 38.7 points per game. It’s less than Boise State, but not by the margin you’d expect from a program that was recently college football’s equivalent of a penny stock.

Allegiant Stadium, site of the Mountain West Championship game

The real story, though, lies in a number that doesn’t show up in the standard statistics: 22 versus 14. That’s the turnover differential between these teams, with UNLV’s defense showing a predatory instinct for creating chaos that their more established opponents haven’t matched. It’s the kind of number that makes you wonder if there’s something more interesting happening here than just a good football team playing another good football team.

When these teams met earlier this season, Boise State won 29-24, the close score that tells you everything and nothing about what might happen in a rematch. It’s the type of game that Las Vegas oddsmakers hate – when the traditional metrics suggest one outcome, but the intangibles point to another.

The wild card in this is special teams, UNLV’s secret weapon. Their kicker, Caden Chittenden, has been converting field goals at an 80.6% clip, the kind of reliability that wins championships. And then there’s Jai’Den Thomas, who has turned kick returns into a form of performance art, including one touchdown that made highlight reels across the country.

As the sun sets over Las Vegas on December 6th, these two teams will take the field for a game that feels less like a conference championship and more like a referendum on how football programs are built. On one side, you have Boise State, with its decade of dominance and its assembly-line production of victories. On the other side is UNLV, the rapid risers who have turned chaos into a competitive advantage.

The beauty of this matchup lies in its unpredictability. It’s the kind of game that makes you question everything you think you know about college football – about tradition, momentum, and the way success is supposed to look. And maybe that’s exactly what makes it worth watching.

Let’s Break It Down – Season Overview

Boise State has had a remarkable season, losing only to Oregon in a close 37-34 contest early in the year. The Broncos have since reeled off 10 straight victories, including a 29-24 win over UNLV in their regular-season meeting. UNLV, under second-year head coach Barry Odom, has engineered a dramatic turnaround, with their only losses coming against Syracuse and Boise State.

Offensive Firepower

Both teams bring potent offenses to the championship game:

Boise State

Averaging 478.3 yards and 40.6 points per game
Balanced attack with 224.8 passing yards and 253.5 rushing yards per game
QB Maddux Madsen: 2556 passing yards, 21 TDs, 3 INTs
RB Ashton Jeanty: 2288 rushing yards, 28 TDs, 102 receiving yards, 1 receiving TD

UNLV

Averaging 434 yards and 38.7 points per game
Run-heavy offense with 254.1 rushing yards per game
QB Hajj-Malik Williams: 1735 passing yards, 17 TDs, 4 INTs, 768 rushing yards, 9 rushing TDs
RB Jai’Den Thomas: 832 rushing yards, 7 TDs, 85 receiving yards, 1 receiving TD

Defensive Battle

While both teams are known for their offensive prowess, their defenses have also played crucial roles in their success:

Boise State allows 364.8 total yards per game
UNLV gives up 349.3 total yards per game
The Rebels have been more opportunistic, forcing 22 turnovers compared to the Broncos’ 14

Special Teams Edge

UNLV holds a slight advantage in special teams:

Kicker Caden Chittenden: 25/31 FGs (80.6%), 51/52 PATs (98.1%)
Punt returner Jacob De Jesus: 20 returns, 163 yards, 8.2 avg
Kick returner Jai’Den Thomas: 3 returns, 124 yards, 1 TD

Coaching Matchup

This game features an intriguing coaching battle between Boise State’s Spencer Danielson and UNLV’s Barry Odom:

Danielson (2nd year): 14-2 overall record, faith-based approach, emphasizes player development
Odom (2nd year at UNLV): 19-7 record at UNLV, defensive expertise, known for quick program turnarounds

Key Factors

Boise State’s rushing attack vs. UNLV’s run defense
UNLV’s ability to force turnovers against a typically careful Boise State offense
Special teams play, particularly in the return game
Quarterback play under pressure in a high-stakes environment

Prediction – The Math of Inevitability

Suppose you were building a model to predict this game’s outcome. In that case, you’d probably focus on the obvious: Boise State’s superior yardage, their higher scoring average, and their previous victory over UNLV. You’d be doing exactly what most analysts do – and missing the point entirely.

The hidden pattern here lies in the convergence of three numbers that nobody’s talking about: UNLV’s +8 turnover margin advantage, their 80.6% field goal conversion rate, and the 5-point margin of their previous loss to Boise State. When you map these data points against similar conference championship games over the past decade, an interesting pattern emerges – teams with superior turnover margins and reliable kicking games tend to outperform their regular season results in championship settings.

The Las Vegas factor is another variable that spreadsheets can’t capture. UNLV isn’t just playing at home; they’re playing in a city that’s redefined itself more times than any other in America. Vegas’s team should do the same.

The smart money says Boise State by a touchdown. The numbers that don’t make the headlines suggest something else: UNLV 31, Boise State 27.

It’s the kind of prediction that makes traditional analysts uncomfortable – which is precisely why it might be right.

What’s your take on this game? Let us know here

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