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By the numbers: When was Ohio State football's last win against an SEC opponent?

colin gay, the columbus dispatch
·5 min read
18

Ohio State football is back in the College Football Playoff.

The No. 4 Buckeyes will take on No. 1 Georgia in the CFP semifinal at the Peach Bowl Saturday at 8 p.m. on ESPN.

Ohio State has never played a game in the state of Georgia, and will face the Bulldogs for the second time in program history after losing to them in the 1993 Citrus Bowl.

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Here's a look at the numbers that matter most heading into Ohio State's next contest against Georgia.

2014: Ohio State football's last win against an SEC team

Ohio State's last win against a Southeastern Conference team came when the Buckeyes secured their last national championship.

No. 4 Ohio State beat No. 1 Alabama in the Sugar Bowl to advance to the 2015 national championship against Oregon to win its eighth title in program history.

Ohio State's last game against an SEC opponent came in the 2021 national championship against the Crimson Tide, losing 52-24.

Against 12 of the 14 current SEC teams, Ohio State has a record of 23-14-3. The Buckeyes have never faced Ole Miss or Mississippi State.

13: Georgia football wins against current Big Ten opponents

Georgia's most recent win against a Big Ten opponent came in 2021, beating Michigan 34-11 in the College Football Playoff semifinal at the Orange Bowl en route to the Bulldogs' second national championship in program history.

Georgia has a winning record against five of the eight Big Ten teams it has faced in program history. The Bulldogs have losing records against Maryland, which they haven't faced since 1973, and Nebraska.

Georgia has never faced Rutgers, Indiana, Illinois, Northwestern, Minnesota or Iowa.

5: Ohio State football wins against a No. 1 opponent since 1940

Nov 26, 2022; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day yells from the sideline during the first half of the NCAA football game against the Michigan Wolverines at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Adam Cairns-The Columbus Dispatch
Nov 26, 2022; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day yells from the sideline during the first half of the NCAA football game against the Michigan Wolverines at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Adam Cairns-The Columbus Dispatch

Facing a top-ranked opponent like No. 1 Georgia will be nothing new for Ohio State Saturday.

Ohio State has played in 15 games against a No. 1 opponent, starting with a 21-7 loss to No. 1 Cornell Oct. 26, 1940.

Since 1940, Ohio State has five wins against top-ranked opponents: Wisconsin in 1952, Purdue in 1968, Iowa in 1985, Miami in the 2003 Fiesta Bowl for a national championship, and Alabama in the 2015 Sugar Bowl.

Ohio State's most recent meeting against a No. 1 opponent game in the 2021 national title game against Alabama.

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289: Yards Georgia's defense allowed to Tennessee's No. 1 total offense

Georgia's defense has experience against high-octane offenses in 2022. The Bulldogs faced the nation's leading scoring offense and total offense Nov. 5, beating Tennessee 27-13.

Georgia allowed 13 points, including one five-yard touchdown run late in the fourth quarter from running back Jaylen Wright, to an offense that finished the season averaging 47.3 points per game. The Bulldogs defense also allowed only 289 total yards and 3.9 yards per play that averaged 538.3 yards per game and 7.34 yards per play.

In 2022, Ohio State finished second in college football in scoring offense, averaging 44.5 points per game, while also recording 492.7 yards per game and 7.3 yards per play.

23: Points Ohio State's offense scored against Michigan's fifth-ranked scoring defense

Ohio State's offense knows what it's like to face some of the top defenses in the country, having played against two of the top-five total defenses in the country during the regular season.

But the Buckeyes' most recent performance against Michigan's No. 3-ranked defense left Ohio State out of the Big Ten championship game, scoring 23 points and 492 total yards against the Wolverines' defense.

Georgia comes into the 2022 season with the No. 8 total defense in college football, allowing 292.1 yards per game and 4.78 yards per play. The Bulldogs are second in the country in scoring defense, allowing 12.77 points per game — one of two defenses, along with Illinois, to allow less than 13 points per game.

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55: Most receiving yards recorded by a tight end against Ohio State's offense in 2022

Over the course of the regular season, opposing tight ends have not done too much damage against Ohio State's defense.

In Ohio State's 54-10 win against Iowa, tight end Sam LaPorta recorded the most receiving yards of any tight end that faced the Buckeyes, bringing in 55 yards on six receptions. Maryland's CJ Dippre, who announced he would be transferring to Alabama, is the only tight end to score against Ohio State, bringing in a one-yard touchdown catch from quarterback Taulia Tagovaiola in the Terrapins' 43-30 loss to the Buckeyes.

Georgia Bulldogs tight end Brock Bowers (19) celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the College Football Playoff National Championship against Alabama at Lucas Oil Stadium on Monday, Jan. 10, 2022, in Indianapolis. Georgia won 33-18.
Georgia Bulldogs tight end Brock Bowers (19) celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the College Football Playoff National Championship against Alabama at Lucas Oil Stadium on Monday, Jan. 10, 2022, in Indianapolis. Georgia won 33-18.

Georgia's top two tight ends — Brock Bowers, the Bulldogs' leading receiver, and Darnell Washington — have combined for 1,143 receiving yards and eight touchdowns on 78 catches.

Ohio State football's 2022 schedule

Georgia football's 2022 schedule

  • Sept. 3: Georgia 49, Oregon 3

  • Sept. 10: Georgia 33, Samford 0

  • Sept. 17: Georgia 48, South Carolina 7

  • Sept. 24: Georgia 39, Kent State 22

  • Oct. 1: Georgia 26, Missouri 22

  • Oct. 8: Georgia 42, Auburn 10

  • Oct. 15: Georgia 55, Vanderbilt 0

  • Oct. 29: Georgia 42, Florida 20

  • Nov. 5: Georgia 27, Tennessee 13

  • Nov. 12: Georgia 45, Mississippi 19

  • Nov. 19: Georgia 16, Kentucky 6

  • Nov. 26: Georgia 37, Georgia Tech 14

  • Dec. 3: Georgia 50, LSU 30

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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: When was Ohio State football's last win against an SEC opponent?