How a Cleveland native helped mold his young legacy during Ohio State football’s win vs. Michigan

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Bo Jackson was introduced to the loveless nature of The Game early in Saturday’s contest.

With top-ranked Ohio State football trailing by six at No. 15 Michigan midway through the first quarter, the freshman running back caught a checkdown pass from quarterback Julian Sayin. Jackson turned the short pass into a 23-yard gain.

The big play ended with a tackle from Michigan defensive back Jyaire Hill who, shortly after bouncing up from the collision, stood face-to-face with Jackson and exchanged words. It was an opportunity for a veteran defender to get into a freshman’s head.

Instead, Jackson stood firm and didn’t react to the drama Hill tried to spark. It was the start of an afternoon that could mold a powerful legacy for the Buckeye.

Jackson ran for 117 yards while collecting another 49 receiving yards in Ohio State’s 27-9 win at Michigan. The Cleveland native provided a breakout performance in his first time playing in The Game.

“It was really a dream come true — being able to go in there (Michigan Stadium) and win,” Jackson said postgame.

Ohio State’s running back room has fluctuated with its hierarchy throughout the season, with James Peoples entering the year as the presumed starter and Jackson quickly emerging as the top option.

He’s shown signs of promise, collecting at least 100 rushing yards in five games before rivalry week. However, big performances against the likes of Rutgers, UCLA and Penn State only carry so much weight.

Ohio State players become legends during the last weekend of November. Jackson got a taste of that in Ann Arbor, highlighted by a second-half drive that will be remembered for years to come.

Leading 24-9 with five minutes to play in the third quarter, the Buckeyes got the ball at their own 14-yard line. They went on a 20-play, 81-yard drive from there, ending with a field goal to secure a three-possession lead before Michigan got the ball back midway through the fourth.

Jackson carried the ball four times for 24 yards on that drive, helping seal Ohio State’s first win in The Game since 2019.

“It’s great to be able to dominate and pound our way down the field like that,” Jackson said.

Perhaps the most impressive part of Jackson’s outing was the way he balanced emotion — he was amped up after each big gain — with composure. Michigan was chippy, but Jackson didn’t fall into the trap of an unsportsmanlike penalty.

He approached postgame conversations in a professional manner as well, echoing the thoughts of veteran teammates who also spoke after the high-stakes victory.

Ohio State has been desperate to end a four-game skid against its rival. However, shortly after the game ended, the Buckeyes shifted their focus to the Big Ten Championship Game and beyond.

Their freshman running back followed suit.

“It feels really good, but we’ve just got to keep on building off this going into (Indianapolis) and going into the playoff,” Jackson said.