For Ohio State receiver Kamryn Babb, hauling in his first career touchdown during Saturday’s 56–14 win over Indiana represented far more than an opportunity to put more points on the scoreboard.
After having his time with the Buckeyes marred by four torn ACLs, Babb, a fifth-year senior and team captain, had already notched another important career milestone by simply being able to make his season debut in front of OSU’s home crowd. But, instead of just logging a few late-game reps with his teammates in front of their fans, Babb made the most of his first real opportunity to make an impact.
With OSU up by 35 points with 8:49 left in the fourth quarter, quarterback C.J Stroud found Babb on the right side of the endzone for an eight-yard touchdown to record the Buckeyes’ final score and the wideout’s only catch of the afternoon. Immediately after the play, Babb, who’s known around the program for his strong faith, got on his knees, spun the ball and bowed his head before blowing a kiss to the sky with both hands.
The Buckeyes swarmed Babb shortly after the celebration and on his way to the sidelines as the excitement overwhelmed nearly everyone in attendance. But perhaps the most heartwarming moment from the wideout’s big day came after the game’s final whistle.
A video posted after the win showed Babb embracing his mother on the field long after the screaming fans exited Ohio Stadium.
Saturday’s emotional moments were a long time coming for Babb as the former four-star prospect has had to overcome numerous knee injuries and setbacks since arriving at Ohio State in 2017. The three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree missed the ’18, ’19 and ’21 seasons because of the injuries, and appeared on special teams for seven games in during the ’20 campaign.
As Ohio State nears the end of the regular season, it’ll be interesting to see if Babb will have more chances to showcase his talent for coach Ryan Day approaching the College Football Playoffs. If the Buckeyes choose to continue to ease him in, though, Babb, fortunately, still has two remaining seasons of eligibility after graduating last December with his degree in communications.
