During each Bye Week, I like to post some interesting facts and trivia concerning Ohio State scoring records, mostly dealing with very long (and very short) touchdowns. Note: The Ohio State official record books are complete back to the 1960 season; I have used other resources to supplement the official record books when available.
1. From 1960 to 1972, Ohio State had only 28 touchdowns of 50+ yards in 13 seasons (2.2 per season), while from 1973 to 1987, the team had 58 such plays in 15 seasons (average of 3.9 per season).
2. During the Cooper era, the team had 61 touchdowns of 50+ yards in 13 seasons (average of 4.7 per season), 25 of which (41.0%) came from just five players: David Boston (6); Jeff Graham (6); Michael Wiley (5); Eddie George (4); and Terry Glenn (4).
3. During the Tressel/Fickell era, the team had 69 touchdowns of 50+ yards in 11 seasons (average of 6.3 per season), thanks in large part to 16 such plays on special teams (11 punt returns, 4 kick returns, 1 blocked field goal); half of those special teams touchdowns were courtesy of Ted Ginn, Jr. (6 punt returns; 2 kick returns).
4. The Buckeyes have been a big play team throughout the Urban Meyer/Ryan Day era. Since 2012, Ohio State has had 94 scoring plays of 50+ yards, broken down as follows: 50 receptions, 32 runs, 6 interceptions, 3 punt returns, and 3 fumble recoveries. That's an average of 8.5 such plays per year, including the shortened 2020 season (8 games) and the partial 2022 season (6 games to date). The trend of an increasing number of big plays from the 1960s to today reflects not only longer seasons (9 games for the 1961 NC team; 15 games for the 2014 NC team) but also more explosive offenses (up-tempo spread versus three yards and a cloud of dust).
5. Here's a chart showing all 22 Buckeyes who have scored at least four TDs of 50+ yards:
6. Some notable names missing from the above list, with the amount of 50+ yard TDs in parentheses: Archie Griffin (3); Keith Byars (3); Cornelius Greene (3); Carlos Hyde (3); Antonio Pittman (3); Paul Warfield (2); Cris Carter (1).
7. Eight current Buckeyes have at least one touchdown of 50+ yards: TreVeyon Henderson (runs of 52, 57; reception of 70); Jaxon Smith-Njigba (receptions of 50, 52, 75); Emeka Egbuka (receptions of 51, 69); Miyan Williams (runs of 70, 71); Jayden Ballard (reception of 72); Julian Fleming (reception of 51); Cameron Martinez (interception of 61); and Jerron Cage (fumble recovery of 57).
8. Ted Ginn, Jr. holds the record for most touchdowns of 50+ yards in one season, as he had six in both 2004 (4 punt returns; 2 receptions) and 2005 (3 receptions; run; punt return; kick return).
9. Ezekiel Elliott is the only Buckeye to have three touchdowns of 50+ yards in the same game, with runs of 55 yards, 65 yards, and 75 yards against Indiana on October 3, 2015. Michael Wiley almost accomplished this feat, but one of his touchdowns came up a yard short. The first three touches of Wiley's Ohio State career were a 49-yard TD run, a 51-yard TD reception, and a 60-yard TD reception in a 70-7 blowout of Rice on September 7, 1996.
10. Ted Ginn, Jr. and Braxton Miller are the only Buckeyes to have both a rushing and receiving TD of 50+ yards in the same game. Ginn accomplished the feat against Notre Dame in the 2006 Fiesta Bowl (68-yard run; 56-yard reception), while Miller did it against Virginia Tech in 2015 (53-yard run; 54-yard reception). Once again, Michael Wiley (see above) nearly missed joining this dynamic duo in Buckeye trivial history.
11. Devin Smith is the Buckeye leader (along with Ted Ginn, Jr.) in touchdown receptions of 50+ yards, with seven. Devin also has eight touchdown receptions of between 40 and 49 yards, giving him a team record 15 touchdown receptions of 40+ yards.
12. Lenny Willis scored only five touchdowns during his Buckeye career, and four of them were from 50+ yards: a 53-yard run, a 64-yard reception, and kick-off returns of 93 and 97 yards. His fifth touchdown was a mere 48-yard reception. The average length of Willis's Buckeye TDs was 71.0 yards. In two seasons at Ohio State (1974-75), Willis had just 54 touches (1 rush; 28 receptions; 25 kick returns) for 1,103 yards; his five long TDs represent 355 yards, or 32.2% of his yardage total. Based on his big play ability, Willis was drafted in the 4th round of the 1976 NFL draft by the Minnesota Vikings; he lasted just four seasons in the NFL with Minnesota (1976), New Orleans (1977), and Buffalo (1977-1979), plus three more seasons in the USFL (1983-1985).
13. J.K. Dobbins had five touchdown runs of 50+ yards, but his two longest rushes did not result in scores: 77 yards against Wisconsin in the 2017 Big Ten Championship Game; and 68 yards (tied for his second longest rush) against Northwestern in 2019. Dobbins also failed to score on runs of 64 yards (Clemson in 2019 Playoffs) and 56 yards (Indiana in 2019).
14. Against Toledo this season, Jayden Ballard had his first career touchdown, a reception of 72 yards. That set the Buckeye record for longest first career touchdown from scrimmage (run or reception), breaking the previous record set by Miyan Williams, a 71-yard run against Minnesota last season. At least 16 Buckeyes have had as long or longer first career touchdowns on defense (9 interception returns, 1 fumble recovery) or special teams (3 punt returns, 2 kick-off returns, 1 blocked field goal). The first career touchdown reception for Parris Campbell (Indiana 2017) went for 74 yards, but Campbell's first career touchdown was a 5-yard run against Rutgers the previous season. The first career reception for Emeka Egbuka (Akron 2021) went for 85 yards, but somehow did not result in a touchdown (see below).
15. Ohio State has only one touchdown off a blocked field goal in its recorded history, which came courtesy of Ashton Youboty against Michigan State in 2005. Youboty's 72-yard return on the last play of the first half helped to swing the game in Ohio State's favor and led to an epic meltdown by Sparty head coach John L. Smith.
16. There have been 67 plays of 80+ yards in Ohio State history, 57 of which have gone for touchdowns, broken down as follows: 27 kick-off returns, 13 runs, 10 receptions, 10 interceptions, and 7 punt returns.
17. The Buckeye single-season record for plays of 80+ yards is four, set by both the 2000 team (Derek Combs 80-yard TD run; Ken-yon Rambo 81-yard kick return; Nate Clements 83-yard punt return TD and 80-yard kick return) and the 2014 team (Devin Smith 80-yard TD reception; J.T. Barrett 86-yard TD run; Ezekiel Elliott 81-yard TD run and 85-yard TD run).
18. No Buckeye player has had three plays of 80+ yards in the same season, but Ezekiel Elliott did have three such plays in the span of four games: an 81-yard touchdown run against Wisconsin in the 2014 Big Ten Championship Game; an 85-yard touchdown run against Alabama in the 2015 Sugar Bowl; and an 80-yard touchdown run against Virginia Tech in the 2015 season opener; Zeke's longest play in the fourth game of that span (the 2014 National Championship Game against Oregon) was a mere 33-yard touchdown run.
19. Curtis Samuel never had a play of 80+ yards while at Ohio State, but he is the only Buckeye to have three TDs of 70+ yards in the same season. In 2016, Samuel had a 74-yard TD run against Penn State; a 75-yard TD reception against Nebraska; and a 79-yard reception against Bowling Green. Parris Campbell had three plays of 70+ yards in 2018: a 71-yard TD reception against Indiana; a 78-yard TD reception against Michigan; and a 91-yard kick return against Indiana, a play that somehow did not result in a touchdown.
20. The leaders in plays of 80+ yards are Ted Ginn, Jr. and Ezekiel Elliott, each of whom has/had three during his career. Ginn scored on an 82-yard punt return, a 93-yard kick return, and a 100-yard kick return, while Elliott had touchdown runs of 80, 81, and 85 yards.
21. Eleven Buckeyes have had two plays of 80+ yards, namely: Dean Sensanbacher (kick returns of 98 and 103 yards); Robert Klein (80-yard reception, 90-yard kick return); Morris Bradshaw (88-yard run, 88-yard kick return); Lenny Willis (kick returns of 93 and 97 yards); Jeff Graham (80-yard reception, 81-yard punt return); Santonio Holmes (receptions of 80 and 85 yards); Devin Smith (receptions of 80 and 90 yards); Jordan Hall (kick returns of 90 and 85 yards); Raymond Small (kick returns of 96 and 80 yards); Nate Clements (83-yard punt return, 80-yard kick return); and Parris Campbell (kick returns of 91 and 82 yards). Despite being one of the fastest Buckeyes ever, neither of Campbell's plays of 80+ yards went for a score.
22. Here is the complete list of the 68 Ohio State plays that went for 80+ yards. Yardage totals in bold type indicate that the play went for a touchdown.
23. Ohio State has more plays of 80+ yards against Wisconsin (10) than any other team; next on that list is Michigan (7), Indiana (6), and Minnesota (5). Ohio State has three plays of 80+ yards against Notre Dame despite playing the Domers only seven times; and two against Boston College despite playing the Eagles only three times.
24. Twice, the Buckeyes have had two 80+ yard plays in the same game. The first occurred on October 23, 1971, against Wisconsin, when Morris Bradshaw (see below) had an 88-yard touchdown run and an 88-yard touchdown on a kick-off return. The second occurred on October 10, 2009, also against Wisconsin, when Kurt Coleman had an 89-yard touchdown on an interception return and Raymond Small had a 96-yard touchdown on a kick-off return. *On November 27, 2010, against Michigan, Jordan Hall had an 85-yard touchdown on a kick-off return and Daniel Herron had an 89-yard run (no touchdown), but Herron's run has been stricken from the official record books due to his participation in the TatGate scandal (see below).
25. Here's an interesting fact concerning one of the longest plays in Ohio State history: Facing the Indiana Hoosiers on October 30, 1976, defensive lineman Nick Buonamici intercepted a pass at the five-yard line, ran for 22 yards, and then lateraled the ball to defensive back Ray Griffin who took it the final 73 yards for the score. The play counts as a 95-yard interception return in the official record book.
26. The most unlikely name in the 80-yard club is defensive lineman Cameron Heyward. In a game against Miami of Florida on September 11, 2010, the Hurricanes were facing 3rd-and-goal when Heyward dropped into coverage on a zone blitz and picked off a pass at the 5-yard line. Despite having a convoy of four blockers, Heyward didn't have quite enough speed or elusiveness to take it to the house and he missed the ultimate fat guy moment when he got tackled by a pair of offensive linemen at the Miami 15-yard line.
27. Unofficially, the longest run in Ohio State history is 89 yards by Daniel "Boom" Herron against Michigan in 2010. However, because Herron was part of the notorious TatGate scandal, all of his stats from the 2010 season have been stricken from the official records, so the longest official run is now credited to Morris Bradshaw (88 yards versus Wisconsin in 1971).
28. Herron's 89-yard run is also the longest play from scrimmage in Ohio State history that did not result in a touchdown. Because that dubious distinction has also been stripped from Herron, the "record" is currently held by Emeka Egbuka, who failed to score on an 85-yard reception against Akron during the 2021 season. The longest non-scoring play in Ohio State history belongs to Parris Campbell, who failed to reach the end zone on a 91-yard kick-off return against Indiana on October 8, 2016.
29. Ezekiel Elliott (2014; both runs), Lenny Willis (1974; both kick returns), and Morris Bradshaw (1971; run, kick return) are the only Buckeye to have two 80+ yard touchdowns in the same season. Nate Clements had two plays of 80+ yards in 2000, an 83-yard punt return that resulted in a touchdown and a 80-yard kick return that did not.
30. Morris Bradshaw is the only Buckeye to have two 80+ yard touchdowns in the same game. On October 23, 1971, Bradshaw had an 88-yard touchdown run (the longest run from scrimmage in official Ohio State history) and an 88-yard kick return for a touchdown against the Wisconsin Badgers. During his Buckeye career, Bradshaw had only 105 touches (82 rushes; 8 receptions; 15 kick returns) for 871 yards; his two 88-yards touchdowns represent 20.2% of his career yardage total. Bradshaw had only six total touchdowns during his Buckeye career (plus a 2-point conversion) before he went on to the NFL for ten seasons (mostly with the Oakland Raiders).
31. Dean Sensanbaugher (not to be confused with Dane Sanzenbacher) played for Ohio State in 1943, during which season he returned a kick for a record 103-yard touchdown against Great Lakes Naval Station. In 1944, Sensanbaugher transferred to Army and played on the Black Knights' undefeated national championship team (Ohio State also went undefeated in 1944 and finished #2 in the AP poll). After the war, Sensanbaugher spent a year at Amherst College before transferring back to Ohio State in 1947 to finish his college football career; he recorded his second kick return touchdown (98 yards) against Purdue that season. Sensanbaugher had a brief and undistinguished pro football career with the Cleveland Browns (1948), New York Bulldogs (1949), and Toronto Argonauts (1952).
32. The Buckeyes have had three other scoring plays of 80+ yards, all of which were defensive two-point conversions. The first two occurred in 1991, when linebacker Steve Tovar (96-yard interception versus Washington State) and defensive end Jason Simmons (85-yard blocked extra point versus Iowa) each pulled off that trick. The last Buckeye to accomplish this strange feat was linebacker Brian Rolle, who went 99 yards with an intercepted two-point conversion attempt against Navy in 2009.
33. The longest recorded touchdown in Ohio State history was a 103-yard kick-off return by Dean Sensanbaugher in 1943. The NCAA no longer recognizes touchdowns of greater than 100 yards, now reducing any such touchdown to 100 yards. Ohio State has had seven other touchdowns of 100 yards (or more): William Wentz (kick-off return, 1960); David Brown (interception, 1986); Carlos Snow (kick-off return, 1988); Marlon Kerner (interception, 1993); Michael Wiley (kick-off return, 1997); Will Allen (interception, 2003); and Ted Ginn, Jr. (kick-off return, 2005).
34. One of the Buckeyes' 100-yard plays occurred on October 18, 1986, when David Brown returned an interception the length of the field in a 39-11 victory over Purdue. In the same game, Buckeye kicker Matt Frantz connected on four field goals, all of 22 yards or less, which has to be an Ohio State record for most chip shots in one game (even I'm not crazy enough to attempt to verify this factoid).
35. Below is a chart showing the longest scoring plays in Ohio State history by type of play:
36. On October 19, 1996, in a game against Purdue, Rob Kelly set the Ohio State record for longest touchdown on a fumble recovery. In that same game, Purdue quarterback John Reeves connected with Isaac Jones for an 86-yard touchdown reception, the third-longest TD pass (and sixth-longest scoring play from scrimmage) by a Buckeye opponent.
37. The shortest touchdown in Ohio State history is zero yards, which has happened 24 times: 13 blocked punts recovered in the end zone, 10 fumbles recovered in the end zone, and one interception in the end zone. The 0-yard interception touchdown is one of the most bizarre plays in Buckeye history, and it is unlikely to be repeated anytime soon. On December 5, 2020, Ohio State was facing Michigan State. After a Buckeye punt pinned the Spartans at their own 1-yard line, defensive lineman Haskell Garrett got a strong pass rush up the middle, tipped the pass high into the air, then came down with the jump ball in the end zone for a rare 0-yard pick six.
38. Wide receiver Terry Glenn set a team record in 1995 with 17 touchdown receptions (including receptions of 56, 61, 75, and 82 yards). Glenn's only other touchdown for his Buckeye career came in 1993 against Illinois when the Illini punter fumbled the snap and Glenn recovered the ball in the end zone for a 0-yard touchdown.
39. The Buckeyes have recorded 25 safeties since 1960. The team record for safeties in a single season is three in 2001, which included a team record two against Purdue on November 10th.
40. Hopalong Cassady holds the Ohio State record for the shortest punt return for a touchdown (39 yards vs Duke in 1955); Jordan Hall holds the Ohio State record for shortest kick-off return for a touchdown (85 yards vs Michigan in 2010); and Haskell Garrett holds the Ohio State record for shortest interception return for a touchdown (0 yards vs Michigan State in 2020).
41. Ted Ginn, Jr. holds the team record for most special teams touchdowns with eight, including a team-record six punt returns and a team-record (shared with two others) two kick returns.
42. The team record for most special teams touchdowns in one year is five set in 2004. All five touchdowns were by way of punt returns, four by Ted Ginn, Jr. (60, 65, 67, and 82 yards) and one by Santonio Holmes (63 yards).
43. Michael Doss holds the team record for most defensive touchdowns with four, which includes three fumble recoveries (0, 30, and 73 yards) and one interception (45 yards). Bradley Roby has the most total touchdowns for a defensive player with five, including two interceptions (41 and 63 yards), one fumble recovery (1 yard), and two blocked punts (both 0 yards). Neal Colzie holds the single-season record for most total touchdowns by a defensive player with four in 1973 (interceptions of 19 and 55 yards; punt returns of 43 and 78 yards).
44. The team record for most defensive touchdowns in one season is seven in 2000, including a record four in one game against Fresno State on September 2nd. Defensive back David Mitchell scored on a 51-yard interception and a 34-yard fumble recovery; safety Michael Doss scored on a 0-yard fumble recovery; and linebacker Matt Wilhelm scored on a 25-yard interception.
45. That Fresno State game was also notable for another reason. With Ohio State leading 37-3 in the fourth quarter, Fresno State drove 88 yards in 13 plays to score a touchdown with just 5 seconds left on the clock. For some reason, Fresno State then attempted an on-side kick. That move must have pissed off Buckeye head coach John Cooper, because instead of taking a kneel down to end the game he called for a flag pass (bomb), which quarterback Scott McMullen completed to Ricky Bryant for a 44-yard touchdown as time expired. Final score: Ohio State 43, Fresno State 10.
1. From 1960 to 1972, Ohio State had only 28 touchdowns of 50+ yards in 13 seasons (2.2 per season), while from 1973 to 1987, the team had 58 such plays in 15 seasons (average of 3.9 per season).
2. During the Cooper era, the team had 61 touchdowns of 50+ yards in 13 seasons (average of 4.7 per season), 25 of which (41.0%) came from just five players: David Boston (6); Jeff Graham (6); Michael Wiley (5); Eddie George (4); and Terry Glenn (4).
3. During the Tressel/Fickell era, the team had 69 touchdowns of 50+ yards in 11 seasons (average of 6.3 per season), thanks in large part to 16 such plays on special teams (11 punt returns, 4 kick returns, 1 blocked field goal); half of those special teams touchdowns were courtesy of Ted Ginn, Jr. (6 punt returns; 2 kick returns).
4. The Buckeyes have been a big play team throughout the Urban Meyer/Ryan Day era. Since 2012, Ohio State has had 94 scoring plays of 50+ yards, broken down as follows: 50 receptions, 32 runs, 6 interceptions, 3 punt returns, and 3 fumble recoveries. That's an average of 8.5 such plays per year, including the shortened 2020 season (8 games) and the partial 2022 season (6 games to date). The trend of an increasing number of big plays from the 1960s to today reflects not only longer seasons (9 games for the 1961 NC team; 15 games for the 2014 NC team) but also more explosive offenses (up-tempo spread versus three yards and a cloud of dust).
5. Here's a chart showing all 22 Buckeyes who have scored at least four TDs of 50+ yards:
| Buckeye Player | Years Active | Run TD 50+ | Rec TD 50+ | PR TD 50+ | KR TD 50+ | Total TD 50+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ted Ginn, Jr. | 2004-2006 | 1 | 7 | 6 | 2 | 16 |
| Ezekiel Elliott | 2013-2015 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| Braxton Miller | 2011-2015 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| Devin Smith | 2011-2014 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| Parris Campbell | 2015-2018 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| David Boston | 1996-1998 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 6 |
| Jeff Graham | 1988-1990 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 |
| J.K. Dobbins | 2017-2019 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Beanie Wells | 2006-2008 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Michael Wiley | 1996-1999 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 |
| Joey Galloway | 1991-1994 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 5 |
| Chris Olave | 2018-2021 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Terry McLaurin | 2015-2018 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Michael Thomas | 2012-2015 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Philly Brown | 2010-2013 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 |
| Santonio Holmes | 2003-2005 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| Michael Jenkins | 2000-2003 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| Terry Glenn | 1993-1995 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Eddie George | 1992-1995 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Tim Spencer | 1979-1982 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Lenny Willis | 1974-1975 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 |
| Robert Klein | 1960-1962 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
7. Eight current Buckeyes have at least one touchdown of 50+ yards: TreVeyon Henderson (runs of 52, 57; reception of 70); Jaxon Smith-Njigba (receptions of 50, 52, 75); Emeka Egbuka (receptions of 51, 69); Miyan Williams (runs of 70, 71); Jayden Ballard (reception of 72); Julian Fleming (reception of 51); Cameron Martinez (interception of 61); and Jerron Cage (fumble recovery of 57).
8. Ted Ginn, Jr. holds the record for most touchdowns of 50+ yards in one season, as he had six in both 2004 (4 punt returns; 2 receptions) and 2005 (3 receptions; run; punt return; kick return).
9. Ezekiel Elliott is the only Buckeye to have three touchdowns of 50+ yards in the same game, with runs of 55 yards, 65 yards, and 75 yards against Indiana on October 3, 2015. Michael Wiley almost accomplished this feat, but one of his touchdowns came up a yard short. The first three touches of Wiley's Ohio State career were a 49-yard TD run, a 51-yard TD reception, and a 60-yard TD reception in a 70-7 blowout of Rice on September 7, 1996.
10. Ted Ginn, Jr. and Braxton Miller are the only Buckeyes to have both a rushing and receiving TD of 50+ yards in the same game. Ginn accomplished the feat against Notre Dame in the 2006 Fiesta Bowl (68-yard run; 56-yard reception), while Miller did it against Virginia Tech in 2015 (53-yard run; 54-yard reception). Once again, Michael Wiley (see above) nearly missed joining this dynamic duo in Buckeye trivial history.
11. Devin Smith is the Buckeye leader (along with Ted Ginn, Jr.) in touchdown receptions of 50+ yards, with seven. Devin also has eight touchdown receptions of between 40 and 49 yards, giving him a team record 15 touchdown receptions of 40+ yards.
12. Lenny Willis scored only five touchdowns during his Buckeye career, and four of them were from 50+ yards: a 53-yard run, a 64-yard reception, and kick-off returns of 93 and 97 yards. His fifth touchdown was a mere 48-yard reception. The average length of Willis's Buckeye TDs was 71.0 yards. In two seasons at Ohio State (1974-75), Willis had just 54 touches (1 rush; 28 receptions; 25 kick returns) for 1,103 yards; his five long TDs represent 355 yards, or 32.2% of his yardage total. Based on his big play ability, Willis was drafted in the 4th round of the 1976 NFL draft by the Minnesota Vikings; he lasted just four seasons in the NFL with Minnesota (1976), New Orleans (1977), and Buffalo (1977-1979), plus three more seasons in the USFL (1983-1985).
13. J.K. Dobbins had five touchdown runs of 50+ yards, but his two longest rushes did not result in scores: 77 yards against Wisconsin in the 2017 Big Ten Championship Game; and 68 yards (tied for his second longest rush) against Northwestern in 2019. Dobbins also failed to score on runs of 64 yards (Clemson in 2019 Playoffs) and 56 yards (Indiana in 2019).
14. Against Toledo this season, Jayden Ballard had his first career touchdown, a reception of 72 yards. That set the Buckeye record for longest first career touchdown from scrimmage (run or reception), breaking the previous record set by Miyan Williams, a 71-yard run against Minnesota last season. At least 16 Buckeyes have had as long or longer first career touchdowns on defense (9 interception returns, 1 fumble recovery) or special teams (3 punt returns, 2 kick-off returns, 1 blocked field goal). The first career touchdown reception for Parris Campbell (Indiana 2017) went for 74 yards, but Campbell's first career touchdown was a 5-yard run against Rutgers the previous season. The first career reception for Emeka Egbuka (Akron 2021) went for 85 yards, but somehow did not result in a touchdown (see below).
15. Ohio State has only one touchdown off a blocked field goal in its recorded history, which came courtesy of Ashton Youboty against Michigan State in 2005. Youboty's 72-yard return on the last play of the first half helped to swing the game in Ohio State's favor and led to an epic meltdown by Sparty head coach John L. Smith.
16. There have been 67 plays of 80+ yards in Ohio State history, 57 of which have gone for touchdowns, broken down as follows: 27 kick-off returns, 13 runs, 10 receptions, 10 interceptions, and 7 punt returns.
17. The Buckeye single-season record for plays of 80+ yards is four, set by both the 2000 team (Derek Combs 80-yard TD run; Ken-yon Rambo 81-yard kick return; Nate Clements 83-yard punt return TD and 80-yard kick return) and the 2014 team (Devin Smith 80-yard TD reception; J.T. Barrett 86-yard TD run; Ezekiel Elliott 81-yard TD run and 85-yard TD run).
18. No Buckeye player has had three plays of 80+ yards in the same season, but Ezekiel Elliott did have three such plays in the span of four games: an 81-yard touchdown run against Wisconsin in the 2014 Big Ten Championship Game; an 85-yard touchdown run against Alabama in the 2015 Sugar Bowl; and an 80-yard touchdown run against Virginia Tech in the 2015 season opener; Zeke's longest play in the fourth game of that span (the 2014 National Championship Game against Oregon) was a mere 33-yard touchdown run.
19. Curtis Samuel never had a play of 80+ yards while at Ohio State, but he is the only Buckeye to have three TDs of 70+ yards in the same season. In 2016, Samuel had a 74-yard TD run against Penn State; a 75-yard TD reception against Nebraska; and a 79-yard reception against Bowling Green. Parris Campbell had three plays of 70+ yards in 2018: a 71-yard TD reception against Indiana; a 78-yard TD reception against Michigan; and a 91-yard kick return against Indiana, a play that somehow did not result in a touchdown.
20. The leaders in plays of 80+ yards are Ted Ginn, Jr. and Ezekiel Elliott, each of whom has/had three during his career. Ginn scored on an 82-yard punt return, a 93-yard kick return, and a 100-yard kick return, while Elliott had touchdown runs of 80, 81, and 85 yards.
21. Eleven Buckeyes have had two plays of 80+ yards, namely: Dean Sensanbacher (kick returns of 98 and 103 yards); Robert Klein (80-yard reception, 90-yard kick return); Morris Bradshaw (88-yard run, 88-yard kick return); Lenny Willis (kick returns of 93 and 97 yards); Jeff Graham (80-yard reception, 81-yard punt return); Santonio Holmes (receptions of 80 and 85 yards); Devin Smith (receptions of 80 and 90 yards); Jordan Hall (kick returns of 90 and 85 yards); Raymond Small (kick returns of 96 and 80 yards); Nate Clements (83-yard punt return, 80-yard kick return); and Parris Campbell (kick returns of 91 and 82 yards). Despite being one of the fastest Buckeyes ever, neither of Campbell's plays of 80+ yards went for a score.
22. Here is the complete list of the 68 Ohio State plays that went for 80+ yards. Yardage totals in bold type indicate that the play went for a touchdown.
| Buckeye Player | Date of Play | Opponent | Game Score | W / L / T | Play Type | Play Yards |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dean Sensanbaugher | 10/09/1943 | Great Lakes Naval | 6 - 13 | L | KR | 103 |
| Ted Ginn, Jr. | 10/29/2005 | Minnesota | 45 - 31 | W | KR | 100 |
| Will Allen | 09/06/2003 | San Diego State | 16 - 13 | W | INT | 100 |
| Michael Wiley | 09/13/1997 | Bowling Green | 44 - 13 | W | KR | 100 |
| Marlon Kerner | 10/23/1993 | Purdue | 45 - 24 | W | INT | 100 |
| Carlos Snow | 09/17/1988 | Pittsburgh | 10 - 42 | L | KR | 100 |
| David Brown | 10/18/1986 | Purdue | 39 - 11 | W | INT | 100 |
| Bill Wentz | 10/08/1960 | Illinois | 34 - 7 | W | KR | 100 |
| Keith Byars | 01/02/1984 | Pittsburgh | 28 - 23 | W | KR | 99 |
| Dean Sensanbaugher | 10/04/1947 | Purdue | 20 - 24 | L | KR | 98 |
| Shawn Springs | 08/27/1995 | Boston College | 38 - 6 | W | KR | 97 |
| Lenny Willis | 09/21/1974 | Oregon State | 51 - 10 | W | KR | 97 |
| Damon Arnette | 09/14/2019 | Indiana | 51 - 10 | W | INT | 96 |
| Raymond Small | 10/10/2009 | Wisconsin | 31 - 13 | W | KR | 96 |
| Tyrone Hicks | 11/04/1978 | Wisconsin | 49 - 14 | W | KR | 96 |
| Nick Buonamici & Ray Griffin | 10/30/1976 | Indiana | 47 - 7 | W | INT | 95 |
| Jordan Hancock | 11/04/2023 | Rutgers | 35 - 16 | W | INT | 93 |
| Ted Ginn, Jr. | 01/08/2007 | Florida | 14 - 41 | L | KR | 93 |
| Joey Galloway | 11/12/1994 | Indiana | 32 - 17 | W | KR | 93 |
| Lenny Willis | 10/26/1974 | Northwestern | 55 - 7 | W | KR | 93 |
| Archie Griffin | 09/15/1973 | Minnesota | 56 - 7 | W | KR | 93 |
| Walter Klevay | 10/15/1950 | Indiana | 26 - 14 | W | KR | 93 |
| Parris Campbell | 10/08/2016 | Indiana | 38 - 17 | W | KR | 91 |
| Devin Smith | 09/14/2013 | California | 52 - 34 | W | Rec | 90 |
| Jordan Hall | 09/24/2011 | Colorado | 37 - 17 | W | KR | 90 |
| Brian Hartline | 10/13/2007 | Kent State | 48 - 3 | W | PR | 90 |
| Robert Klein | 10/20/1962 | Northwestern | 14 - 18 | L | KR | 90 |
| *Daniel Herron | 11/27/2010 | Michigan | 37 - 7 | W | Run | 89 |
| Kurt Coleman | 10/10/2009 | Wisconsin | 31 - 13 | W | INT | 89 |
| Butler By'not'e | 09/18/1993 | Pittsburgh | 63 - 28 | W | KR | 89 |
| Morris Bradshaw | 10/23/1971 | Wisconsin | 31 - 6 | W | Run | 88 |
| Morris Bradshaw | 10/23/1971 | Wisconsin | 31 - 6 | W | KR | 88 |
| Hopalong Cassady | 10/23/1954 | Wisconsin | 31 - 14 | W | INT | 88 |
| Eddie George | 11/04/1995 | Minnesota | 49 - 21 | W | Run | 87 |
| Robert Demmel | 10/28/1950 | Iowa | 83 - 21 | W | PR | 87 |
| J.T. Barrett | 11/15/2014 | Minnesota | 31 - 24 | W | Run | 86 |
| Calvin Murray | 11/22/1979 | Washington State | 45 - 29 | W | Rec | 86 |
| Emeka Egbuka | 09/25/2021 | Akron | 59 - 7 | W | Rec | 85 |
| Ezekiel Elliott | 01/01/2015 | Alabama | 42 - 35 | W | Run | 85 |
| Jordan Hall | 11/27/2010 | Michigan | 37 - 7 | W | KR | 85 |
| Santonio Holmes | 01/02/2006 | Notre Dame | 34 - 20 | W | Rec | 85 |
| Dimitrious Stanley | 09/28/1996 | Notre Dame | 29 - 16 | W | KR | 85 |
| Tom Campana | 11/20/1971 | Michigan | 7 - 10 | L | PR | 85 |
| Terry McLaurin | 12/02/2017 | Wisconsin | 27 - 21 | W | Rec | 84 |
| Gene Fekete | 11/07/1942 | Pittsburgh | 59 - 19 | W | Run | 84 |
| Nate Clements | 10/28/2000 | Purdue | 27 - 31 | L | PR | 83 |
| Ahmed Plummer | 11/15/1997 | Illinois | 41 - 6 | W | INT | 83 |
| Parris Campbell | 09/23/2017 | Nevada Las Vegas | 54 - 21 | W | KR | 82 |
| Mike Weber | 11/11/2017 | Michigan State | 48 - 3 | W | Run | 82 |
| Ted Ginn, Jr. | 11/20/2004 | Michigan | 37 - 21 | W | PR | 82 |
| Terry Glenn | 10/30/1995 | Notre Dame | 45 - 26 | W | Rec | 82 |
| Tim Spencer | 09/12/1981 | Duke | 34 - 13 | W | Run | 82 |
| Ezekiel Elliott | 12/06/2014 | Wisconsin | 59 - 0 | W | Run | 81 |
| Braxton Miller | 11/05/2011 | Indiana | 34 - 20 | W | Run | 81 |
| Ken-yon Rambo | 10/14/2000 | Minnesota | 17 - 29 | L | KR | 81 |
| Jeff Graham | 11/17/1990 | Wisconsin | 35 - 10 | W | PR | 81 |
| Ed Thompson | 11/06/1976 | Illinois | 42 - 10 | W | INT | 81 |
| Donald Sutherin | 10/05/1957 | Washington | 35 - 7 | W | PR | 81 |
| Ezekiel Elliott | 09/07/2015 | Virginia Tech | 42 - 24 | W | Run | 80 |
| Devin Smith | 08/30/2014 | Navy | 34 - 17 | W | Rec | 80 |
| Cameron Heyward | 09/11/2010 | Miami of Florida | 36 - 24 | W | INT | 80 |
| Raymond Small | 11/22/2008 | Michigan | 42 - 7 | W | KR | 80 |
| Santonio Holmes | 09/11/2004 | Marshall | 24 - 21 | W | Rec | 80 |
| Nate Clements | 11/18/2000 | Michigan | 26 - 38 | L | KR | 80 |
| Derek Combs | 10/07/2000 | Wisconsin | 23 - 7 | W | Run | 80 |
| Joe Montgomery | 11/14/1998 | Iowa | 45 - 14 | W | Run | 80 |
| Jeff Graham | 09/30/1989 | Boston College | 34 - 29 | W | Rec | 80 |
| Robert Klein | 11/25/1961 | Michigan | 50 - 20 | W | Rec | 80 |
24. Twice, the Buckeyes have had two 80+ yard plays in the same game. The first occurred on October 23, 1971, against Wisconsin, when Morris Bradshaw (see below) had an 88-yard touchdown run and an 88-yard touchdown on a kick-off return. The second occurred on October 10, 2009, also against Wisconsin, when Kurt Coleman had an 89-yard touchdown on an interception return and Raymond Small had a 96-yard touchdown on a kick-off return. *On November 27, 2010, against Michigan, Jordan Hall had an 85-yard touchdown on a kick-off return and Daniel Herron had an 89-yard run (no touchdown), but Herron's run has been stricken from the official record books due to his participation in the TatGate scandal (see below).
25. Here's an interesting fact concerning one of the longest plays in Ohio State history: Facing the Indiana Hoosiers on October 30, 1976, defensive lineman Nick Buonamici intercepted a pass at the five-yard line, ran for 22 yards, and then lateraled the ball to defensive back Ray Griffin who took it the final 73 yards for the score. The play counts as a 95-yard interception return in the official record book.
26. The most unlikely name in the 80-yard club is defensive lineman Cameron Heyward. In a game against Miami of Florida on September 11, 2010, the Hurricanes were facing 3rd-and-goal when Heyward dropped into coverage on a zone blitz and picked off a pass at the 5-yard line. Despite having a convoy of four blockers, Heyward didn't have quite enough speed or elusiveness to take it to the house and he missed the ultimate fat guy moment when he got tackled by a pair of offensive linemen at the Miami 15-yard line.
27. Unofficially, the longest run in Ohio State history is 89 yards by Daniel "Boom" Herron against Michigan in 2010. However, because Herron was part of the notorious TatGate scandal, all of his stats from the 2010 season have been stricken from the official records, so the longest official run is now credited to Morris Bradshaw (88 yards versus Wisconsin in 1971).
28. Herron's 89-yard run is also the longest play from scrimmage in Ohio State history that did not result in a touchdown. Because that dubious distinction has also been stripped from Herron, the "record" is currently held by Emeka Egbuka, who failed to score on an 85-yard reception against Akron during the 2021 season. The longest non-scoring play in Ohio State history belongs to Parris Campbell, who failed to reach the end zone on a 91-yard kick-off return against Indiana on October 8, 2016.
29. Ezekiel Elliott (2014; both runs), Lenny Willis (1974; both kick returns), and Morris Bradshaw (1971; run, kick return) are the only Buckeye to have two 80+ yard touchdowns in the same season. Nate Clements had two plays of 80+ yards in 2000, an 83-yard punt return that resulted in a touchdown and a 80-yard kick return that did not.
30. Morris Bradshaw is the only Buckeye to have two 80+ yard touchdowns in the same game. On October 23, 1971, Bradshaw had an 88-yard touchdown run (the longest run from scrimmage in official Ohio State history) and an 88-yard kick return for a touchdown against the Wisconsin Badgers. During his Buckeye career, Bradshaw had only 105 touches (82 rushes; 8 receptions; 15 kick returns) for 871 yards; his two 88-yards touchdowns represent 20.2% of his career yardage total. Bradshaw had only six total touchdowns during his Buckeye career (plus a 2-point conversion) before he went on to the NFL for ten seasons (mostly with the Oakland Raiders).
31. Dean Sensanbaugher (not to be confused with Dane Sanzenbacher) played for Ohio State in 1943, during which season he returned a kick for a record 103-yard touchdown against Great Lakes Naval Station. In 1944, Sensanbaugher transferred to Army and played on the Black Knights' undefeated national championship team (Ohio State also went undefeated in 1944 and finished #2 in the AP poll). After the war, Sensanbaugher spent a year at Amherst College before transferring back to Ohio State in 1947 to finish his college football career; he recorded his second kick return touchdown (98 yards) against Purdue that season. Sensanbaugher had a brief and undistinguished pro football career with the Cleveland Browns (1948), New York Bulldogs (1949), and Toronto Argonauts (1952).
32. The Buckeyes have had three other scoring plays of 80+ yards, all of which were defensive two-point conversions. The first two occurred in 1991, when linebacker Steve Tovar (96-yard interception versus Washington State) and defensive end Jason Simmons (85-yard blocked extra point versus Iowa) each pulled off that trick. The last Buckeye to accomplish this strange feat was linebacker Brian Rolle, who went 99 yards with an intercepted two-point conversion attempt against Navy in 2009.
33. The longest recorded touchdown in Ohio State history was a 103-yard kick-off return by Dean Sensanbaugher in 1943. The NCAA no longer recognizes touchdowns of greater than 100 yards, now reducing any such touchdown to 100 yards. Ohio State has had seven other touchdowns of 100 yards (or more): William Wentz (kick-off return, 1960); David Brown (interception, 1986); Carlos Snow (kick-off return, 1988); Marlon Kerner (interception, 1993); Michael Wiley (kick-off return, 1997); Will Allen (interception, 2003); and Ted Ginn, Jr. (kick-off return, 2005).
34. One of the Buckeyes' 100-yard plays occurred on October 18, 1986, when David Brown returned an interception the length of the field in a 39-11 victory over Purdue. In the same game, Buckeye kicker Matt Frantz connected on four field goals, all of 22 yards or less, which has to be an Ohio State record for most chip shots in one game (even I'm not crazy enough to attempt to verify this factoid).
35. Below is a chart showing the longest scoring plays in Ohio State history by type of play:
| Type of Play | Player(s) | Yardage |
|---|---|---|
| Rush | Morris Bradshaw | 88 |
| Reception | Kenny Guiton to Devin Smith | 90 |
| Kick-Off Return | Dean Sensanbaugher | 103 |
| Punt Return | Brian Hartline | 90 |
| Interception | David Brown; Marlon Kerner; Will Allen | 100 |
| Fumble Recovery | Rob Kelly | 79 |
| Blocked Punt | Sevyn Banks | 33 |
| Blocked Field Goal | Ashton Youboty | 72 |
| Field Goal | Tom Skladany | 59 |
| Defensive 2-Point | Brian Rolle | 99 |
37. The shortest touchdown in Ohio State history is zero yards, which has happened 24 times: 13 blocked punts recovered in the end zone, 10 fumbles recovered in the end zone, and one interception in the end zone. The 0-yard interception touchdown is one of the most bizarre plays in Buckeye history, and it is unlikely to be repeated anytime soon. On December 5, 2020, Ohio State was facing Michigan State. After a Buckeye punt pinned the Spartans at their own 1-yard line, defensive lineman Haskell Garrett got a strong pass rush up the middle, tipped the pass high into the air, then came down with the jump ball in the end zone for a rare 0-yard pick six.
38. Wide receiver Terry Glenn set a team record in 1995 with 17 touchdown receptions (including receptions of 56, 61, 75, and 82 yards). Glenn's only other touchdown for his Buckeye career came in 1993 against Illinois when the Illini punter fumbled the snap and Glenn recovered the ball in the end zone for a 0-yard touchdown.
39. The Buckeyes have recorded 25 safeties since 1960. The team record for safeties in a single season is three in 2001, which included a team record two against Purdue on November 10th.
40. Hopalong Cassady holds the Ohio State record for the shortest punt return for a touchdown (39 yards vs Duke in 1955); Jordan Hall holds the Ohio State record for shortest kick-off return for a touchdown (85 yards vs Michigan in 2010); and Haskell Garrett holds the Ohio State record for shortest interception return for a touchdown (0 yards vs Michigan State in 2020).
41. Ted Ginn, Jr. holds the team record for most special teams touchdowns with eight, including a team-record six punt returns and a team-record (shared with two others) two kick returns.
42. The team record for most special teams touchdowns in one year is five set in 2004. All five touchdowns were by way of punt returns, four by Ted Ginn, Jr. (60, 65, 67, and 82 yards) and one by Santonio Holmes (63 yards).
43. Michael Doss holds the team record for most defensive touchdowns with four, which includes three fumble recoveries (0, 30, and 73 yards) and one interception (45 yards). Bradley Roby has the most total touchdowns for a defensive player with five, including two interceptions (41 and 63 yards), one fumble recovery (1 yard), and two blocked punts (both 0 yards). Neal Colzie holds the single-season record for most total touchdowns by a defensive player with four in 1973 (interceptions of 19 and 55 yards; punt returns of 43 and 78 yards).
44. The team record for most defensive touchdowns in one season is seven in 2000, including a record four in one game against Fresno State on September 2nd. Defensive back David Mitchell scored on a 51-yard interception and a 34-yard fumble recovery; safety Michael Doss scored on a 0-yard fumble recovery; and linebacker Matt Wilhelm scored on a 25-yard interception.
45. That Fresno State game was also notable for another reason. With Ohio State leading 37-3 in the fourth quarter, Fresno State drove 88 yards in 13 plays to score a touchdown with just 5 seconds left on the clock. For some reason, Fresno State then attempted an on-side kick. That move must have pissed off Buckeye head coach John Cooper, because instead of taking a kneel down to end the game he called for a flag pass (bomb), which quarterback Scott McMullen completed to Ricky Bryant for a 44-yard touchdown as time expired. Final score: Ohio State 43, Fresno State 10.
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