An injury to Marvin Harrison Jr. on Saturday night may have cost Ohio State a chance at a national championship.
Harrison left Ohio State’s 42-41 loss to Georgia late in the third quarter. Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day confirmed after the game that the star wide receiver suffered a concussion on a hit in the back of the end zone.
Ohio State had 3rd-and-7 deep in the red zone when quarterback CJ Stroud heaved a desperation pass to the back of the end zone. Harrison tried to come down with it but was walloped by Georgia defensive back Javon Bullard.
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Harrison stayed down for a few minutes before being helped off the field by medical staff. No foul was called for targeting, and that decision was upheld upon review. Ohio State was forced to settle for a field goal to 38-24 lead.
Harrison did not come back into the game. He had five catches for 106 yards and two touchdowns before he exited. Ohio State managed only 29 passing yards and three points after Harrison left, which allowed Georgia to come back and win.
Day told reporters after the game that Harrison went through concussion protocol and was ruled out. The coach questioned how the receiver suffered a concussion if there was no targeting on the play.
“I was told that it was not targeting, that he didn’t take a shot to the head, which is hard – I didn’t see it, so I don’t know,” Day said, via Griffin Strom of Eleven Warriors. “But to get a concussion and not get hit in the head, I’d have to see the replay. And they said that it happened after he got hit, but I’d have to take a look at the video. I wasn’t able to see the replay.”
It did look like Bullard hit Harrison with his shoulder pad, though there may have been some contact to the head area. Harrison may have sustained the concussion when his head bounced off the turf as he hit the ground.
Harrison said he “felt good enough to go back in the game,” but he respected the medical staff’s decision. Had it not been for the unfortunate injury, there is a good chance he would have made the plays the Buckeyes needed to put Georgia away.
