The following week, the Buckeyes defeated No. 16 Illinois, 17–7. Illinois was 6–0 coming into the contest, but could not stop the Buckeyes' ground game, as they ran for 211 yards, with Miller accounting for 34 of those yards. Miller only attempted four passes the entire game, completing only one, which was for a touchdown. After their bye week Ohio State faced off against No. 15 Wisconsin and won on a last minute 40-yard touchdown pass by Miller. He was 7 of 12 for the game with one touchdown and had 99 yards and two touchdowns on the ground in the 33–29 victory. In the next game, against Indiana, he had 14 carries for 105 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns in the 34–20 victory. The Buckeyes ended the season on four-game losing streak. In that stretch, Miller had some productive games. On November 12, in a 26–23 loss to Purdue, he had 175 yards from scrimmage as he passed for two touchdowns and recorded a rushing touchdown as well. In the regular season finale, a 40–34 loss to Michigan, he had 235 passing yards, two passing touchdowns and one interception to go along with 16 carries for 100 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown. In the 2012 Gator Bowl against the Florida Gators, he had a poor game on the ground with 15 carries for 20 rushing yards but went 18-of-23 for 162 passing yards and two passing touchdowns in the 24–17 loss. After the season, Miller became the seventh Ohio State player to take home the conference’s Freshman of the Year accolade. He also won the 2011 CFPA National Freshman Trophy. He finished the regular season ranked among the conference’s top 10 in total offense with 11 passing and seven rushing touchdowns to go with 1,692 total yards.
