Marvin Harrison Jr. looking to make a name for himself in College Football Playoff

Some people recognize Marvin Harrison Jr.’s name because of his father, Hall of Fame wide receiver Marvin Harrison. Others recognize it for his contributions over his last two seasons for Ohio State.

However, ahead of his first appearance in the College Football Playoff, Harrison Jr. says he’s ready for people to recognize his name for something else. By the end of their playoff run, whether it finishes in the Peach Bowl against Georgia or the National Championship, he wants the world to know his name for being the phenomenal talent that he is.

“I’m my own player first and foremost,” Harrison Jr. said. “My dad did great things. But now I’m trying to be myself and go out there and make a name for myself. Be the best receiver I can be.”

Harrison Jr.’s freshman year saw him finish seventh on the Buckeye’s team in receiving. A majority of that production came during a breakout performance he had in the Rose Bowl. As a sophomore, though, he has dominated the talented Ohio State receiving corps. He finished first on the team in catches (72), receiving yards (1,157), and reception touchdowns (12).

It’s not that Harrison Jr. will ever truly come out from under his father’s shadow. It’s that his goal now is to cast one just as large. After showing out in the postseason in 2021, his opportunity on the national stage of the CFP in 2022 could be a chance for him to start to build a similar legacy as early as this weekend.

Kamari Lassiter shares what makes Harrison Jr. special

Marvin Harrison Jr. was one of the breakout stars for Ohio State this year, stepping up in a big way after Jaxon Smith-Njigba suffered a hamstring injury that hampered him throughout the season. He’ll face his biggest test yet against Georgia this week in the Peach Bowl — and the Bulldogs’ defense knows what’s coming.

Ahead of the game, Georgia defensive back Kamari Lassiter had plenty of praise for Harrison, a Biletnikoff Award finalist and All-American as a sophomore in 2022. Lassiter said Harrison’s mentality is a big reason why he jumps off the page and why he’s had such a big year.

“He’s a really good player,” Lassiter said. “I got a lot of respect for him. He’s very physical, he’s a big, long guy with a pretty big catch radius. He just seems like he has a lot of attention to detail during the game, and I think that’s what makes him a pretty good player.”

No. 1 Georgia and No. 4 Ohio State will square off in the CFP semifinal Dec. 31 at 8 p.m. ET. The winner punches its ticket to the national championship Jan. 9 at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.