Marvin Harrison Jr. blows up for improbable monster game in Rose Bowl

Marvin Harrison Jr. put together a monster game in the Rose Bowl on Saturday, and his huge performance came out of nowhere.

Ohio State beat Utah 48-45 with a massive passing day. Quarterback CJ Stroud passed for an absurd 572 yards and six touchdowns.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who entered the game as Ohio State’s leading receiver, put up a stat line for the ages. He had 15 catches for 347 yards and 3 touchdowns. The receiving yards were the most ever for a player in bowl history.

Since Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave were out for Ohio State, many people expected Smith-Njigba to have a big game. Not as many people were expecting the breakout game for Harrison though.

Harrison entered the game with just five catches on the season. He had more than that in the Rose Bowl alone! The freshman finished with 6 catches for 71 yards and 3 touchdowns — his first TDs of the season.

Between Smith-Njigba and Harrison, the Buckeyes had their passing attack all set.

Opting out of a bowl game may be a selfish move, but it does create an opportunity for others to step up. For the Buckeyes, that turned out to be Smith-Njigba and Harrison.

Photo: Jan 1, 2022; Pasadena, CA, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. (18) celebrates after a touchdown in the fourth quarter against the Utah Utes during the 2022 Rose Bowl college football game at the Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports