TL;DR
- Ohio State freshman Bo Jackson's impressive stats are challenging a humorous comparison to Auburn's Bo Jackson.
- He has surpassed Auburn Bo's freshman rushing yards, nearing Ohio State's freshman record.
- Jackson's strong performance could lead him to break J.K. Dobbins' freshman rushing record.
- The discussion has shifted from a joke to a serious debate about whose college debut was superior.
The idea sounds impossible at first. Could Ohio State really have the better Bo Jackson? The name began as a family nickname and the comparison began as a joke, something fans tossed around because it felt harmless and absurd. But the freshman numbers are no longer cooperating with the punchline. They are telling a different story and forcing everyone to reconsider what seemed like a throwaway thought.
The name comes first. Bo Jackson, born Lamar Jackson, never sought the burden of being one of America's most celebrated two-sport icons. His father bestowed the moniker in his youth, and it endured because it was fitting. This was prior to his emergence as a four-star recruit. It was also before his arrival at Ohio State, where he was listed at six feet and 217 pounds with a 92 grade from 247 Sports.
Ohio State fans embraced it instantly. And then the production on the field has been impressive.
Prior to facing Rutgers, Jackson had accumulated 725 rushing yards. This total was significant as it put him precisely 104 yards shy of the freshman record set by Auburn's Bo Jackson in 1982.
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As the two teams entered the final quarter, the humor had given way to facts. Jackson was already dictating the narrative by the start of the fourth quarter. Through three quarters, he had accumulated 19 rushes for 110 yards and 2 touchdowns, averaging 5.8 yards per carry with a longest run of 15. At that point, he had surpassed Auburn Bo's freshman total.
Ohio State's postseason run could extend Jackson's potential impact further. He might even achieve the most surprising feat of all. J.K. Dobbins' 2017 freshman rushing record at Ohio State, with 1,403 yards and 7 touchdowns, surpassed Maurice Clarett's previous record and earned him Freshman All-American recognition. This record has seemed insurmountable for nearly ten years, serving as the benchmark for every freshman running back at Ohio State.
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Jackson is nowhere near that number yet, but he is averaging 6.6 yards per carry. He is getting stronger as the weather gets colder. He is earning more touches each week in an offense that keeps leaning on him in the fourth quarter. If Ohio State reaches the Big Ten Championship and then lands a two game playoff run, the opportunity will be there. It would take big performances and it would take a stretch of meaningful football into January, but the math is alive.
Ohio State didn't simply discover another promising young running back. They found one whose initial college season is now surpassing the freshman campaign of the player he's named after. The comparison started humorously, initiated by his father bestowing the nickname. His performance has since validated it.
In Auburn, it'll be noted that heritage holds significance, and that's accurate. The original Bo Jackson is inimitable. However, the current discussion is less substantial and more engaging: whose college football debut was superior?
Right now the answer is wearing scarlet and gray.
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