In the third quarter of No. 3 Ohio State vs. Rutgers, the Buckeyes were up big on the Scarlet Knights, 35-3 with just over eight minutes left in the quarter. But the visiting Big Ten team finally put together a drive that had them on the doorstep of their first touchdown of the evening.
On a first-and-goal play from the Buckeyes' 4-yard line, senior Rutgers quarterback Noah Vedral took the snap and looked to make a pass to his right. As the entire Ohio State defense bit on the move, redshirt sophomore tackle Raiqwon O'Neal, who had reported as eligible and lined up on the end of the offensive line, had parked himself behind two blockers to receive a screen pass. Those blockers ended up being a formality as no Buckeyes defender was able to cut back and lay a finger on the rumbling 296-pound lineman as he ran in for his first career touchdown.
🚨 BIG MAN TD 🚨@RaiqwonONeal gets his first career TD for @RFootball! pic.twitter.com/obo4IJFrwv
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 8, 2020
If the highlight impressed you, the incredible image of him lifting one finger to the sky as he sauntered into the end zone will bring a smile to your face.
The Big Man! Noah Vedral passes it to @RaiqwonONeal for the touchdown! pic.twitter.com/guE09VO1sD
— Rutgers.Football (@RFootball) November 8, 2020
Sometimes with plays like these, it comes out that the big man who makes the touchdown used to be a running back, or even caught a few passes as a tight end, while in high school. But one look at O'Neal's bio on the team website doesn't reveal any of that. He's been a lineman through and through, meaning that there was something he showed in practice that made him, in the eyes of coach Greg Schiano, the right man for the job for this play. Seems like the right call was made.
