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Most important player on every College Football Playoff top 10 team

By Josh Yourish

Nov 18, 2023; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. (18) checks in as an eligible receiver during the NCAA football game against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Ohio Stadium.
Nov 18, 2023; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. (18) checks in as an eligible receiver during the NCAA football game against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Ohio Stadium. /
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Georgia tight end Brock Bowers (19) celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the second half of a NCAA college football game against Kentucky in Athens, Ga., on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023.
Georgia tight end Brock Bowers (19) celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the second half of a NCAA college football game against Kentucky in Athens, Ga., on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. /

Marvin Harrison Jr. is the reason that Ohio State’s offense is viable at all with Kyle McCord at quarterback. McCord has not been good this season and has been particularly abysmal when pressured. The best receiver in the country covers up a lot of those flaws.

This season, Harrison has amassed 1,093 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns on 62 catches, an average of 17.6 yards per reception. He is ninth in the country in yards per route run at 3.40 and is 33rd in yards after the catch with 400.

He’s a great separator, but where he really shines is when he’s covered and McCord still gives him a chance. Harrison is third in the nation in contested targets with 26 and he’s caught 10 of them which ranks 18th. Just look at what he did against Rutgers when Ohio State’s offense was struggling and the Buckeyes trailed at halftime.

Ohio State has other first-round NFL draft picks at wide receiver and yet, Harrison is entirely irreplaceable. His injury in the CFP semifinal last season was a big reason that Georgia beat the Buckeyes, and that was with C.J. Stroud at quarterback. He’s even more important this time around.

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