C.J. Stroud, Jaxon Smith-Njigba set multiple Ohio State and Rose Bowl records

Ohio State football quarterback C.J. Stroud and wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba went off in the Rose Bowl, setting Buckeye and bowl game records.

The Rose Bowl wasn’t played in 2021, so the 2022 edition felt like it was making up for lost time.

Ohio State stars C.J. Stroud and Jaxon Smith-Njigba certainly put up numbers worthy of two games, instead of just one.

As the Buckeyes and Utah Utes engaged in an exciting shootout, the quarterback and wide receiver completely rewrote the record books.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba was unstoppable for Ohio State in the Rose Bowl

The wide receiver put in a jaw-dropping performance with 346 yards and three touchdowns on 15 catches.

Smith-Njigba broke Keyshawn Johnson’s Rose Bowl receiving record, which has stood at 216 since 1996. He also blew by Cris Carter’s 1985 Rose Bowl performance of 172 yards, which had been Ohio State’s bowl record. He even set a new national bowl record for receiving yards.

Finally, he surpassed Terry Glenn’s Ohio State single-game receiving record of 253 yards from 1995 against Pitt.

His last touchdown was arguably the catch of the year.

C.J. Stroud set Rose Bowl passing and offense records

The quarterback made his mark with 572 passing yards and six touchdowns. He had 582 total yards thanks to a 10-yard rush.

Stroud set a new Rose Bowl passing yards record by surpassing Danny O’Neil’s 456 yards for Oregon in 1995. He also became the first Ohio State quarterback to ever throw for 500 yards, moving beyond Dwayne Haskin’s 499 yards in the 2018 Big Ten Championship Game.

His six touchdowns tied Justin Field’s Ohio State record from the 2021 Sugar Bowl and overtook Sam Darnold’s Rose Bowl record of five in 2017.

Darnold’s total offense record of 473 yards also fell easily.

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