Moment of the Game: Caleb Downs makes history in Ohio State’s rout of No. 5 Indiana

You know what else last happened in 2014?

Football coaches talk every week about winning the “middle-8,” meaning the last 4 minutes of the first half and the first 4 minutes of the second half. That is why many coaches, including Ohio State’s Ryan Day, defer possession when they win the coin toss. After giving up a 70-yard opening drive that resulted in a touchdown the No. 2 Ohio State Buckeye defense shut down the Indiana offense for the rest of the first half; the No. 5 Hoosiers ended the half with 53 total yards.

While Buckeye fans had to feel good about that aspect of the game, the emotions likely turned ecstatic during the middle-8. With the score tied 7-to-7, turnover luck swung in the Buckeyes’ favor as the snap went off the hands of Indiana punter James Evans. The turnover on downs resulted in OSU having the ball on the Indiana 7 with 1:41 remaining before halftime. Then, with 21 seconds left in the half, TreVeyon Henderson took the ball into the end zone from the 4-yard line, giving Ohio State its first lead of the game 14-7.

Indiana got the ball after intermission and the Buckeye defense continued to dominate, forcing the Hoosiers to punt from their own 27… and then, a miracle occurred. Evans’ punt was a strong one, and deep man Caleb Downs declined to catch it in the air. Instead, he collected it on the bounce and did something that hadn’t been done in just over a decade.

After an initial spin move, Downs realized that he had blockers lined up ahead of him. Because of that, the best safety in the country showed unbelievable patience allowing things to develop in front of him, and develop they did.

Downs took his time weaving in and out of traffic, never going full throttle, but following his blockers until he had run 79 yards to pay dirt, scoring the first Buckeye punt return touchdown in 3,654 days ago. The score put the Buckeyes up 21-7 en route to winning 38-15 over the No. 5 Indiana Hoosiers and putting them a win over Michigan away from the Big Ten Championship Game.

The last time that Ohio State returned a punt for a touchdown was one decade and one day ago in a game against Indiana. On Nov. 22, 2014, Jalin Marshall returned a punt 54 yards for a score. OSU won that game 42–27 in front of the home crowd at Ohio Stadium — just like today — and then they beat Michigan the following week 42–28 — hopefully it will be by a bigger margin next week.

I am old and my memory is not what it used to be, so could someone please remind me what else happened in 2014? I feel like the Buckeyes did something pretty special and exciting that season, but I can’t quite put my finger on what it was.

Anyway, we knew when he transferred from Alabama that Caleb Downs was a special player, and he has proven that to be true in his first season in Columbus. However, I don’t think that he has gotten nearly as much credit from the national media as he deserves. I’m not sure if a punt return will get him back to the forefront of conversations about the best defensive player in the country or the Thorpe Award, but he absolutely deserves to be there.

This other view of Downs’ return really shows just how incredible his vision is. He follows his blockers and finds lanes like someone who has the ball in his hands far more than a safety usually does. Downs is special, this play is special, and I think it very well might be a harbinger for even better things to come.