More than a name, Bo Jackson got the job done for Ohio State in a 27-9 win over Michigan on Saturday.
The Ohio State freshman running back, whose real name is Lamar, isn’t related to either the former NFL great Bo Jackson or the two-time MVP Lamar Jackson. That said, the Buckeyes’ Bo Jackson made his mark on “The Game” rivalry on Saturday, and wants to help his team to do more beyond the win at the Big House.
“It feels really good, but we just gotta keep on building off this, going into the Indiana [game] and then going into the playoffs,” Jackson told reporters on Saturday.
Jackson rushed for 117 yards on 22 attempts, and he caught four passes for 49 yards. All of that aided the Buckeyes in overpowering Michigan’s defense to a tune of 419 total offensive yards.
“It was great to be able to dominate and pound our way down the field like that,” Jackson said.
C.J. Donaldson also had a solid game running the ball with 44 yards on 14 carries, and Isaiah West added 20 yards on six carries. Overall, the Buckeyes accumulated 186 yards on the ground, but only one attempt went over 20 yards — Jackson’s 36-yard run.
Top-ranked Ohio State (12-0) now gets No. 2 Indiana (12-0) in the Big Ten Championship Game next Saturday with the top seed in the College Football Playoff on the line.
How Bo Jackson Became a Name at Ohio State
Bo Jackson has a lot to live up to, but he doesn’t mind it. After all, he picked up the Bo nickname in childhood when he starred in multiple sports.
The more well-known Bo Jackson won the Heisman Trophy at Auburn in 1985, and he went on to play two different professional sports. Jackson played in the NFL with the then-Los Angeles Raiders and in the MLB with the Kansas City Royals.
The Ohio State freshman’s journey began in Cleveland, where he grew up and starred at Villa Angela-St. Joseph as a prep football star. Ironically, 1991 Heisman Trophy winner and former Green Bay Packers star Desmon Howard also came from that school and played at Michigan in college.
Jackson found his way to Ohio State as a four-star recruit, and he joined the Buckeyes at the right time on the heels of a national championship. Ohio State lost star running backs Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson, who both eclipsed 1,000 yards last season, from that team.
Jackson has helped fill that void this season 129 carries for 835 yards and five touchdowns plus 13 catches for 138 yards and a score. He has five 100-yard games this season, and three of his five touchdowns have come in the past three games.
What Ohio State’s Bo Jackson Could Become
This season could only be the beginning for Jackson with much potential ahead.
After helping the Buckeyes beat the Wolverines for the first time since 2019, he can add to his budding legacy by helping Ohio State win a Big Ten title for the first time in five years. The Buckeyes also have a Heisman Trophy drought going at the moment with no winners since 2006.
If Buckeyes quarterback Julian Sayin can’t change that this year, Jackson could be next up to take a swing at it in 2026 or beyond.
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