#4 Ohio State Takes on #1 Alabama in Allstate Sugar Bowl – Ohio State Buckeyes

Dec. 20, 2014

Head coach Urban Meyer and the Buckeyes captured the school’s 35th Big Ten championship.

#4 Ohio State vs. #1 Alabama
Thursday, Jan. 1, 2015, 8:30 p.m. ET
Superdome (72,003), New Orleans, La.

TV: ESPN – Brad Nessler (Play-by-Play), Todd Blackledge (Analyst) and Holly Rowe (Sideline)

Radio: WBNS FM (97.1 The Fan) is the flagship station for the 64-station Ohio State Radio Network. The Urban Meyer pregame show airs 30 minutes prior to kickoff. Paul Keels will call the action with former Buckeye Jim Lachey and Marty Bannister on the sidelines. The game can also be heard nationally on ESPN Radio and Sirius-XM channels 91 with Bill Rosinski, David Norrie and Joe Schad.

FIRST AND 10

Ohio State won its 35th Big Ten championship Dec. 6 with a 59-0 win over No. 13 Wisconsin.
Ohio State enters the game having won 11 in a row, the second-longest active streak in the nation.
Ohio State is officially 1-2 in Sugar Bowl Classics.
Ohio State played in a BCS championship game in the Superdome, losing to LSU, 38-24, in 2007.
Ohio State finished 8-0 in conference play, becoming the first Big Ten team since Minnesota in 1933-35 to go undefeated in regular-season conference play three consecutive years.
The Buckeyes also became the first Big Ten team to win every game (undefeated and untied) in Big Ten regular season games three consecutive years.
Ohio State leads the B1G and is ranked eighth in the NCAA in total offense with 507.6 yards per game and is fifth in scoring offense at 45.2 ppg.
Joey Bosa, a consensus All-American, Big Ten Defensive POY and Lombardi, Hendricks and Bednarik finalist, leads the B1G with 20.0 TFL & 13.5 sacks.
Urban Meyer is 7-2 in his career in bowl games and 15-5 all-time in neutral site games.
The Buckeyes, 36-3 (.923) overall under Meyer, have the second-highest winning percentage among FBS teams since the start of 2012.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF SEMIFINALS
Ohio State, seeded No. 4 by the College Football Playoff committee, meets No. 1 seed Alabama Thursday, Jan. 1, in the semifinals of the first College Football Playoff in the Allstate Sugar Bowl in New Orleans, La. Game time is 8:30 p.m. EST. Across the country in the Rose Bowl, presented by Vizio, No. 2 seed Oregon and No. 3 seed Florida State play in a 4:30 p.m. EST start. The winners will meet in the College Football Playoff Championship Monday, Jan. 12, in Arlington, Texas, at Reliant Stadium. ESPN will televise all three games.

2015 Allstate Sugar Bowl
Mercedes-Benz Superdome
No. 4 Ohio State (12-1, 8-0 Big Ten) vs. No. 1 Alabama (12-1, 7-1 SEC)

2015 Rose Bowl, Presented by Vizio
Rose Bowl
No. 3 Florida State (13-0, 8-0 ACC) vs. No. 2 Oregon (12-1, 7-1 PAC 12)

81st SUGAR BOWL CLASSIC
The 2015 game will be the 81st Sugar Bowl Classic. While Alabama will be making a record 15th appearance in the Sugar Bowl, including a return visit after playing Oklahoma in the 2014 Sugar Bowl, Ohio State will be making its fifth appearance. Ohio State is officially 1-2 in Sugar Bowl Classics, with a second *win later vacated. Ohio State also played in a BCS national championship game in the Superdome, losing to LSU in 2007.

Ohio State at the Sugar Bowl Classic
1978 – Alabama 35, Ohio State 6
1998 – Florida State 31, Ohio State 14
1999 – Ohio State 24, Texas A&M 14
2010 – *Ohio State 31, Arkansas 26

OHIO STATE vs. ALABAMA
The Buckeyes and the Crimson Tide have met just three times on the gridiron and this CFP semifinal will continue the previous three game’s trend of meeting on a neutral field. Alabama has won all three meetings.

Series Scores:
1978 – Alabama 35, Ohio State 6
     Superdome; Sugar Bowl Classic
1986 – Alabama 16, Ohio State 10
     Meadowlands; Kickoff Classic
1995 – Alabama 24, Ohio State 17
     Florida Citrus Bowl

MEYER. SABAN.
The game will match two-time national champion coach, and the nation’s winningest-active coach, Urban Meyer, and four-time national champion coach Nick Saban. Meyer is 36-3 in his three seasons at Ohio State and he is 140-26 in his 13th season as a head coach. Saban is 86-16 in eight seasons at Alabama and he is 177-58-1 overall in 19 seasons as coach. This is the fourth meeting between their respective teams.

Meyer-Saban: Head-to-Head
2010 – Alabama 31, Florida 6
     Florida Field; Gainesville, Fla.
2009 – Alabama 32, Florida 13
     SEC championship game
2008 – Florida 31, Alabama 20
     SEC championship game

44TH BOWL GAME FOR OHIO STATE
The 2015 College Football Playoff semifinal at the Allstate Sugar Bowl represents Ohio State’s 44th post-season bowl game. The Buckeyes are 19-24 in their previous bowl games.

OHIO STATE TOPS IN BCS BOWLS, WINS
During the Bowl Championship Series era, Ohio State had as many BCS appearances (9) and wins (5) as any team in the nation.

BCS Record
5 Wins, 4 Losses

BCS Appearances
9 – Ohio State
9 – Oklahoma
8 – Florida State
7 – Florida
6 – Alabama
6 – Virginia Tech
5 – Stanford
5 – USC
5 – LSU
5 – Wisconsin
5 – Michigan
5 – Oregon

BCS Bowl Wins
5 – Ohio State
5 – USC
5 – Florida
4 – Oklahoma
4 – LSU
3 – Texas
3 – Miami
3 – West Virginia
3 – Alabama

Urban Meyer’S TEAMS: 7-2 & 4-1
Coach Urban Meyer’s teams are 7-2 all-time in bowl games, including 4-1 in BCS bowl games. Included are national championship game wins in 2007 and 2009.

Urban Meyer-Coached Bowl Games
2003 Liberty Bowl – Utah 17, Southern Miss 0
2005 Fiesta Bowl – Utah 35, Pittsburgh 7
2006 Outback Bowl – Florida 31, Iowa 24
2007 BCS Championship – Florida 41, Ohio State 14
2008 Capital One Bowl – Michigan 41, Florida 35
2009 BCS Championship – Florida 24, Oklahoma 14
2010 Sugar Bowl – Florida 51, Cincinnati 24
2011 Outback Bowl – Florida 37, Penn State 24
2014 Orange Bowl – Clemson 40, Ohio State 35

OHIO STATE INDOORS
The Buckeyes have an official, all-time record of 15-6 in games played indoors. The team’s most recent games indoors were the last two Big Ten championship games, held at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind.

OHIO STATE AT NIGHT
The game vs. Alabama will extend a school season record of night games for Ohio State to seven. Ohio State is officially 44-23 in night games (those starting after 5 p.m. local time), including records of 32-19 in road (22-10) or neutral field (10-9) night games.

ANOTHER TOP OFFENSE in 2014
Ohio State led the Big Ten Conference in total offense (507.6) and scoring offense (45.2) and ranked in the Top 10 nationally in both categories (eighth and fourth, respectively). The Buckeyes were also 10th nationally and second in the Big Ten with 260.8 rushing yards per game. Ohio State was 49th in passing yards per game (246.8) but second nationally in passing efficiency with a 172.36 rating.

DEFENSE ALSO SOLID
Ohio State’s defense, coming off one of its finest games to date by holding Wisconsin to just 258 yards, including just 71 rushing yards, in the Big Ten championship game, is a Top 15 unit allowing just 328.0 yards per game. The Buckeyes are 17th nationally in pass defense (188.2), 33rd against the run (139.8) and 23rd in scoring defense (21.2).

2014 BIG TEN CHAMPION
Ohio State captured the 35th Big Ten championship in school history – and first since 2009 – Dec. 6 at Lucas Oil Stadium with a 59-0 win over of Wisconsin in the Big Ten championship game. Third-year sophomore quarterback Cardale Jones was named the game MVP after throwing for 257 yards and three touchdowns in his first career start.

Big Ten Championship Game Notes
Ohio State’s 59-0 win was the second-largest margin of victory ever in a shutout win over a team ranked in the top 15 of the AP poll. The Buckeyes put up 558 yards of total offense, more than doubling what Wisconsin’s defense was giving up per game this season (260.3). Ohio State held Wisconsin to 258 total yards, 224 below its season average. The Buckeyes recorded the first shutout in the history of a Power 5 conference championship game. Ohio State held the nation’s No. 1 rusher, Melvin Gordon, to 76 yards on 26 carries (2.9 ypc). QB Cardale Jones set a new Big Ten Football Championship Game record with a career-long 44-yard touchdown pass to Devin Smith in the second quarter. He also tied the Championship Game record with three TD passes, and his 255.8 QB Rating is a new Championship Game record. Running back Ezekiel Elliott set a new career high with 220 yards rushing, establishing a new Championship Game record. His 81-yard rushing touchdown was the longest rush of his career and is also a Big Championship Game record. RBs Elliott and Curtis Samuel become the second pair of teammates to each rush for two touchdowns in a Championship Game, joining Montee Ball and James White of Wisconsin, who accomplished the feat in 2012. Wide receiver Devin Smith set a new Championship Game record with 137 yards receiving, and tied the Championship Game record with three receiving touchdowns. He also surpassed Cris Carter for second on Ohio State’s career receiving touchdown list with 29 touchdowns. The Buckeyes defense set a new Championship Game record with four forced turnovers, and tied the Championship Game record with two interceptions. Cornerback Doran Grant set a new Championship Game record with two interceptions returned for 60 yards. Defensive end Joey Bosa added a fumble recovery, while safety Vonn Bell intercepted a pass. Bosa’s fumble return for a touchdown is the first in the history of the Championship Game. Defensive tackle Michael Bennett forced a Championship Game record two fumbles, and tied the Championship Game record with four tackles for loss. Punter Cameron Johnston punted four times for 212 yards, establishing a new Championship Game record of 53.0 yards per punt. His long of 73 yards is also a Big Ten Football Championship Game record and a new career long.

11 CONSECUTIVE WINS
Ohio State is riding an 11-game winning streak, which is the second-longest streak in the nation next to Florida State’s 29-game winning streak. The streak is also the 16th in school history of at least 10 games.

Ohio State Winning Streaks (Buster)
24 – 2012-13 (vs. Michigan State, 34-24)
22 – 1967-69 (at Michigan, 24-12)
19 – 2005-06 (vs. Florida, 41-14)
19 – 2002-03 (at Wisconsin, 17-10)
17 – 1915-17 (tied Auburn, 0-0)
14 – 1899-00 (Ohio Medical, 11-6)
13 – 1957-58 (tied at Wisconsin, 7-7)
12 – 1944-45 (Purdue, 35-13)
11 – 2014 (current)
11 – 1995 (at Michigan, 31-23)
11 – 1979 (vs. USC, 17-16)
11 – 1975 (vs. UCLA, 23-10)
11 – 1954-55 (at Stanford, 6-0)
10 – 2010 (Illinois, 28-21)
10 – 1996 (Michigan, 13-9)
10 – 1934-35 (Notre Dame, 18-13)

SIXTH DOUBLE DIGIT WIN STREAK
Urban Meyer’s teams have produced six winning streaks of at least 10 games. He has had a winning streak of at least eight games at all four of his head coaching positions.

Urban Meyer Winning Streaks
25 – Florida (2010) & Ohio State (2012-13)
22 – Florida (2008 & 2009)
20 – Utah (2003 & 2004) & Florida (2005)
11 – Ohio State (2014-current)
11 – Florida (2006 and 2007)
11 – Bowling Green (2001 & 2002)

Meyer Single Season Win Streaks
12 – Ohio State (2013)
12 – Ohio State (2012)
12 – Florida (2009)
12 – Utah (2004)
11 – Ohio State (2014)
10 – Florida (2008)
8 – Bowling Green (2002)

BUCKEYES PERFECT IN BIG TEN PLAY, AGAIN
By finishing 8-0 in conference play in 2014, Ohio State became the first Big Ten team since Minnesota from 1933-35 to go undefeated in regular-season conference play three consecutive years. The Buckeyes also became the first Big Ten team to win every game (undefeated and untied) in Big Ten regular season games three consecutive years.

Conference Games Win Streaks
24 – Ohio State, 2012-current
20 – Ohio State, 2005-07
19 – Michigan, 1990-92
17 – Ohio State, 1974-76
17 – Ohio State, 1967-69
17 – Ohio State, 1954-56

All-Time Big Ten Win Streaks
29 – Michigan, 1901-03
26 – Michigan, 1903-05
25 – Michigan, 1946-49
24 – Ohio State, 2012-13
24 – Minnesota, 1903-05

Ohio State under Urban Meyer
2012 – 12-0 & 8-0 in Big Ten Leaders Div.
2013 – 12-2 & 8-0 in Big Ten Leaders Div.
2014 – 12-1 & 8-0 Big Ten Champion

OHIO STADIUM NO. 1 IN ATTENDANCE
Ohio State lead the nation in home attendance this season – for the first time since 1973 – with an average of 106,296 fans attending each game in Ohio Stadium. Ohio State finished the regular season with five record crowds, including a stadium record 108,610 against Michigan in the regular-season finale.

2014 Home attendance – Average
1. 106,296 – Ohio State (Ohio Stadium)
2. 105,123 – Texas A&M (Kyle Field)
3. 104,909 – Michigan (Michigan Stadium)
4. 101,723 – LSU (Tiger Stadium)
5. 101,534 – Penn State (Beaver Stadium)

Top 5 Ohio Stadium crowds
1. 108,610 vs. Michigan; Nov. 29, 2014
2. 108,362 vs. Cincinnati; Sept. 27, 2014
3. 107,517 vs. Virginia Tech; Sept. 6, 2014
4. 106,961 vs. Illinois; Nov. 1, 2014
5. 106,795 vs. Rutgers; Oct. 18, 2014

SENIOR SALUTE
Four years ago the senior class hit a speed bump with a 6-7 record. In 2012, in their first season under Urban Meyer, the then-sophomores went 12-0 for just the sixth undefeated/untied season in school history. Two years later, these guys are Big Ten champions, have won 12 games three consecutive years for the first time in school history and have more wins over three seasons than any class of players in Ohio State history.

Most Wins Over 3 Seasons
36 – 2012-13-14 seasons
33 – 2006-07-08 seasons
33 – 2005-06-07 seasons
33 – 2002-03-04 seasons
32 – 4 times, most recently in 2007-08-09
HERMAN TO HOUSTON
In a span of just over one week, offensive coordinator Tom Herman was named the 2014 Frank Broyles Award winner as the nation’s top assistant and then he was named head coach at the University of Houston. Herman will continue coaching the Buckeyes through the College Football Playoff games. The 2014 Ohio State offense finished the regular season ranked fourth in scoring offense at 45.2 points per game and eighth in total offense at 507.6 yards per game despite losing Heisman Trophy candidate Braxton Miller prior to the season. Herman directed Miller’s replacement, redshirt-freshman J.T. Barrett, to a fifth-place finish in the voting for the 2014 Heisman Trophy after setting a Big Ten record with 45 touchdowns responsible for, 34 through the air and 11 on the ground.

12 MEYER ASSISTANTS TO HEAD COACH
Urban Meyer has had 12 of his assistant coaches move on to head coaching positions with 10 of them still a head coach and Tom Herman becoming No. 11.

Meyer Assistants to Head Coaches
Steve Addazio: Boston College, 2nd year
Gary Andersen: *Oregon State
Tim Beckman: Illinois, 4th year
Gregg Brandon: Bowling Green (2003-08)
Tom Herman: *Houston
John “Doc” Holliday: Marshall, 5th year
Dan McCarney: North Texas, 4th year
Dan Mullen: Mississippi State, 6th year
Mike Sanford: Indiana St, 2nd year
Charlie Strong: Texas, 1st year
Kyle Whittingham: Utah, 10th year
Everett Withers: James Madison, 1st year
*First year in 2015

WARINNER: OL COACH of the YEAR
Ohio State co-OC/OL coach Ed Warinner is the 2014 FootballScoop offensive line coach of the year. Warinner joins a short list of coaches – Mark Helfrich, Kliff Kingsbury and Philip Montgomery – to be named a FootballScoop coach of the year twice and he is the first to earn offensive line coach of the year honors twice.

Ohio State’s offensive line has been a foundation of the team’s success the past three seasons when the team has gone 36-3 – and with the second-best winning percentage (.923) in college football between 2012-14 – and won three Big Ten divisional crowns plus the 2014 Big Ten championship.

In 2012 the Buckeyes ranked 10th nationally rushing (242.2 ypg) and 21st in scoring (37.2 ppg);
In 2013 the team was third nationally in scoring (45.5 ppg) and fifth in rushing (308.6 ypg); and
This season Ohio State was 10th nationally in rushing (260.8 ypg) and 4th in scoring (45.2 ppg).

BOSA A UNANIMOUS ALL-AMERICAN
Joey Bosa, a finalist this year for the Lombardi Trophy, the Bednarik Award and the Ted Hendricks Award after recording 50 tackles, including Big Ten-leading numbers in TFLs (20 for -114 yards in losses) and quarterback sacks (13.5 for 96 yards in losses), was named a unanimous All-American with first-team honors by the Associated Press, the Walter Camp Football Foundation, the American Football Coaches Association, the Football Writers and The Sporting News. Bosa joins an elite list of Buckeyes to attain the status of unanimous All-American. He is the first to do so since James Laurinaitis in 2007.

Ohio State Buckeyes
Unanimous All-Americans (27)
2014 – DE Joey Bosa
2007 – LB James Laurinaitis
2006 – QB Troy Smith
2005 – LB A.J. Hawk
2002 – DB Mike Doss
1995 – OT Orlando Pace
1995 – RB Eddie George
1987 – P Tom Tupa
1987 – LB Chris Spielman
1984 – RB Keith Byars
1977 – OT Chris Ward
1975 – RB Archie Griffin
1974 – RB Archie Griffin
1973 – LB Randy Gradishar
1973 – OT John Hicks
1970 – DB Jack Tatum
1970 – MG Jim Stillwagon
1968 – OT Dave Foley
1961 – FB Bob Ferguson
1960 – FB Bob Ferguson
1956 – G Jim Parker
1955 – HB Howard “Hopalong” Cassady
1954 – HB Howard “Hopalong” Cassady
1950 – HB Vic Janowicz
1945 – G-T Warren Amiling
1944 – HB Les Horvath
1930 – E Wes Fesler

BENNETT FIRST-TEAM ALL-AMERICAN
Senior defensive tackle and captain Michael Bennett was named a first-team CBS Sports All-American. He also was a third-team All-America by the Associated Press. Bennett, dominant in the Big Ten championship vs. Wisconsin with championship-game records of four tackles-for-loss and two forced fumbles, had 36 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, six sacks and three forced fumbles this season. He anchored a Buckeye defensive effort that held Heisman Trophy finalist Melvin Gordon to 76 yards on 26 carries (2.9 yards/carry). A veteran of 47 career games, Bennett was named to the Bednarik, Outland, Nagurski and Lombardi watch lists prior to the season. He was also a candidate for football’s Senior CLASS Award, given annually to the outstanding senior NCAA Division I Student-Athlete of the Year across nine different sports.

FRESHMEN ALL-OVER FROSH LISTS
Ohio State freshmen, led by J.T Barrett, were named by numerous publications as freshman All-Americans, including first-team freshman All-Americans QB J.T. Barrett, LB Darron Lee, LB Raekwon McMillan and CB Eli Apple and OG Billy Price. Additionally, H-Back Jalin Marshall was selected a third-team All-America.

Freshman All-Americans
QB J.T. Barrett – USA Today, Athlon’s, Phil Steele and Scout.com first-team freshman All-America and second-team All-America by The Sporting News; LB Raekwon McMillan – 247Sports, Athlon’s and Scout.com first-team freshman All-America; LB Darron Lee – USA Today, Athlon’s, Phil Steele and Scout.com first-team freshman All-America; CB Eli Apple – Athlon’s and Scout.com first-team freshman All-America; H-Back Jalin Marshall – Athlon’s third-team freshman All-America; and OG Billy Price – Phil Steele, Athlon’s second-team freshman All-America.

BOREN LEADS ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM
Twelve Ohio State Buckeye football players, including five starters, were named Academic All-Big Ten Conference for having an overall grade point average of 3.00 or above. Leading the way was second-team Academic All-America Jacoby Boren, who was one of four starters along the offensive line named to the Big Ten’s academic honor roll.

2014 Academic All-Big Ten honorees: Gr. Darryl Baldwin – Sports Management Jr. Jacoby Boren – Sustainable Plant Systems Jr. Joe Burger – Engineering RS Fr. James Clark – Business So. Pat Elflein – Communications So. Ezekiel Elliott – Undecided Sr. Peter Gwilym – Finance Jr. Bryce Haynes – Biology RS Fr. Billy Price – Business Sr. Jake Russell – Marketing Sr. Nik Sarac – Exercise Science Jr. Cam Williams – Communications

BARRETT SUFFERS SEASON-ENDING INJURY
Ohio State freshman quarterback J.T. Barrett suffered a right ankle fracture in the second half of the Buckeyes’ 42-28 victory over Michigan. He underwent surgery at the Ohio State University Medical Center and will miss the remainder of the season.

Barrett, 11-1 as Ohio State’s starting quarterback after taking over the starting position just 12 days before the opening game of the season, had rushed for 89 yards and two touchdowns and passed for 176 yards and another score against the Wolverines. Ohio State was leading 28-21 when Barrett was injured. OSU scored the next two touchdowns of the game for a game-clinching 42-21 lead.

Barrett, who entered fall camp as the No. 3 QB, finished his campaign with school-record totals of 3,772 total yards and a Big Ten-record 45 touchdowns responsible for. He passed for 2,834 yards and a school-record 34 touchdowns and he rushed for an additional 938 yards and 11 touchdowns.

J.T. Barrett: THE RECORDS!
J.T. Barrett’s breakout red-shirt freshman campaign included setting the following Ohio State and Big Ten records this season:

Big Ten Conference Touchdowns responsible for (45) Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors (6)

Ohio State
Wins as a first-year starting quarterback (11) Touchdown passes (34) Total offense (3,772) Total offense per game (314.3) Single season passing efficiency (169.83) Career passing efficiency (169.3) QB game rushing yards (189) QB longest rush (86) Single game touchdown passes (6) Games with at least 200 yards total offense (11) Games with at least 300 yards total offense (7) Career completion percentage (64.6) Career passing yards per game (236.2) Touchdown passes over three-games (14) Consecutive completions (12)

BUCKEYES DEFEAT 9 BOWL-ELIGIBLE TEAMS
The Buckeyes built a solid resume in landing a spot in the inaugural College Football Playoff by defeating nine teams who are bowl eligible, including three ranked teams away from home.

Opponent	2014 Record
vs. Navy	7-5
Cincinnati	8-3
at Maryland	7-5
Rutgers	7-5
at Penn State	6-6
Illinois	6-6
at #8 Michigan State	10-2
at #25 Minnesota	8-4
vs. #13 Wisconsin	10-3

GREAT DAY FOR MARSHALL VS. INDIANA
One week after two fumbles spoiled what could have been Jalin Marshall’s breakout game as a collegian (he had a 47-yard TD reception as part of a five-catch game vs. Minnesota), Marshall went wild with four second-half touchdowns – all consecutive – to awaken the Buckeyes from a 20-14 deficit and into a 42-20 lead over Indiana Nov. 22. Marshall scored on a 54-yard punt return to get things going and then caught three touchdown passes from J.T. Barrett in less than 14 minutes covering 6, 15 and 54 yards. The Big Ten Conference chose him as its freshman of the week for his efforts.

Marshall became the first freshman to return a punt for TD since Ted Ginn, Jr. in 2004. And, according to ESPN Stats & Info, became the first player from a Power 5 conference with at least three receiving touchdowns and a punt return for a TD in the same game since Justin Blackmon in 2010 and was also the first player to do all that in a half in 10 years.

EZEKIEL TOPS 1,000 RUSHING YARDS
Sophomore running back Ezekiel Elliott enjoyed his seventh career 100-yard rushing performance with a Big Ten championship game-record 220 yards on 20 carries vs. Wisconsin’s No. 2 ranked defense. His 81-yard TD run vs. UW also was a B1G championship game record.

Prior to that he ran for 121 yards and two TDs on 17 carries in the win over Michigan. Elliott’s 1,000-yard season – he currently has 1,402 yards – represents the 30th in Ohio State history and it has been accomplished by 22 different players.

Overall, Elliott is averaging 9.0 yards per carry in the past three games, second best in FBS. He also is averaging 150 rushing yards and has 5 TDs in the past three games.

Ezekiel Elliott 100-Yard Games
2014 – *220 on 20 carries vs. Wisconsin
2014 – 121 on 17 carries vs. Michigan
2014 – 107 on 13 carries vs. Indiana
2014 – 154 on 23 carries vs. Michigan State
2014 – 109 on 26 car. vs. Penn State
2014 – 139 on 24 car. vs. Maryland
2014 – 182 on 28 car. vs. Cincinnati
2013 – 162 on 14 car. vs. Florida A&M
*B1G Championship game record

Urban Meyer’s 1,000-Yard Rushers
2014 – Ezekiel Elliott: 1,402 & 12 TDs
2013 – Carlos Hyde: 1,521 & 15 TDs
2013 – Braxton Miller: 1,068 & 12 TDs
2012 – Braxton Miller: 1,271 & 13 TDs

21 INTERCEPTIONS FOURTH NATIONALLY
Ohio State leads the Big Ten Conference – and ranks fourth nationally – in interceptions with 21 heading into the Sugar Bowl. Nine different Buckeyes have an interception this season and five players have multiple interceptions led Vonn Bell and Doran Grant’s five and three by Tyvis Powell.

2014 NCAA Interception Leaders
t1.Louisville – 25
t1. Louisiana Tech – 25
3. TCU – 23
4. Ohio State – 21
5. Boise State – 20

D. GRANT & BELL: 5 INTS LEAD TEAM
Doran Grant and Vonn Bell led a parade of Buckeyes – nine – with interceptions this season with five apiece. The season total ties for the most by a Buckeye in 14 years, or since the 2001 season when Derek Ross had seven. Kurt Coleman (2009), Ross Homan (2009) and James Laurinaitis (2006) also had five interceptions.

TEAM TFLs LEAD AS WELL
Ohio State leads the Big Ten in tackles for loss with 100, ranking 8th nationally with 7.7 per game. The Buckeyes also have 40 sacks among that total to rank first in the B1G and 12th nationally.

Team Leaders – Tackles-for-Loss
1. Joey Bosa – 20 for 114 yards (13.5 QB sacks)
2. Darron Lee – 13.5 for 59 yards (5.5 sacks)
3. Michael Bennett – 12.5 for 55 (6.0 sacks)
4. A. Washington – 9.0 for 37 yards (3.5 sacks)
5. Joshua Perry – 8.5 for 31 (3.0 sacks)
6. Steve Miller – 6.5 for 20 yards (1.0 sack)
7. Raekwon McMillan – 6.0 for 22 yards (2.5 sacks)

PILING UP SACKS DOWN THE STRETCH
Ohio State has the second most QB sacks since Week 9 at Penn State and the most (tied with VT) since Week 12 at Minnesota.

Most QB Sacks since Week 9

Arizona State	27
Ohio State	24
Arizona	23
Utah State	23
Washington	21

Most QB Sacks since Week 12

Ohio State	15
Virginia Tech	15
Boise State	14
Arizona State	12
Arizona	12

BOSA: TFLs IN 17 OF LAST 19 GAMES
Joey Bosa had his school-record-tying streak of games with at least one tackle-for-loss – 14 – end against Michigan State, but 2.5 TFLs vs. Minnesota, another TFL vs. Indiana and 2.0 vs. UM gave Bosa at least one TFL in 17 of the last 18 games. He did not record a TFL in the B1G championship game. Bosa has played in 27 career games for the Buckeyes and has totaled 33.5 TFLs and 21.0 quarterback sacks.

Consecutive Games with a TFL
Joey Bosa, 14 (2013-14)
Andy Katzenmoyer, 14 (1996-97)
Ryan Shazier, 14 (2012-13)
Will Smith, 12 (2002-03)
Mike Vrabel, 11 (1994-95)
Matt Wilhelm, 10 (2000)

ROAD WIN STREAK TOPS IN THE NCAA
Ohio State has won 13 consecutive games on the road, the longest such streak in the nation. Florida State has won 12 consecutive road games with Missouri (10) next and followed by UCLA, which has seven consecutive road games.

CONSECUTIVE ROAD Ws OVER RANKED FOES
Ohio State’s road winning streak includes consecutive road wins over Top 25 teams and Top 25 defenses. Ohio State defeated No. 8 Michigan State Nov. 8, and its No. 5-rated total defense, 49-37 and, in 15-degree weather and snowy conditions the entire game, Ohio State defeated No. 25 Minnesota Nov. 15, 31-24. The Golden Gopher defense was as stout as its No. 21 national ranking, but Ohio State still produced 489 yards of offense. The Gophers scored three touchdowns after Ohio State turnovers.

OHIO STATE LEADING THE WAY SINCE WEEK 2

Category	Avg.	FBS Rank
Scoring	48.5 ppg	1st
Total Touchdowns	72	1st
Third Down %	56.0	1st
Total First Downs	297	2nd
Passing TDs	36	T2nd
Passer Rating	177.4	3rd
Yards from Scrimmage	5,852	4th

21 CONSECUTIVE GAMES WITH TD PASS
Going back to last season and including quarterbacks Braxton Miller and Kenny Guiton in the mix, Ohio State QBs have thrown a touchdown pass in 21 consecutive games. This TD streak is second-longest in school history, trailing only a 24-game streak of touchdown passes by quarterbacks on the 1994-96 teams. J.T. Barrett threw a TD in all 12 regular-season games before his injury and Cardale Jones threw three in his first career start Dec. 6 vs. Wisconsin. Only three times – 1997, 1995 and 1979 – has an Ohio State team had TD passes in every game during the season.

RUN STATS ARE ALSO FUN STATS
Not to be outdone by the passing game, Ohio State’s rushing game has produced a touchdown in 22 consecutive games and in 38 of 39 games coached by Urban Meyer. The only game Ohio State has not scored a rushing touchdown under Meyer: the 2013 Wisconsin game when Braxton Miller threw four touchdown passes in the 31-24 win.

The Buckeyes have featured one of the most potent rushing attacks in the country since Coach Meyer’s arrival and most notably since the start of 2013, averaging 285.6 yards per game on the ground, seventh best in the FBS and fourth among Power 5 conference schools. Ohio State’s 6.3 yards per rush during that time frame ranks second only to Wisconsin (6.9).

Team Rushing Last 2 Seasons (Power 5 Teams)

1.	Georgia Tech	316.5 ypg
2.	Wisconsin	298.9
3.	Auburn	296.1
4.	Ohio State	285.6
5.	Oregon	255.4

Avg.Yds Per Rush Last 2 Years (Power 5 Teams)

1.	Wisconsin	6.8 ypc
2.	Ohio State	6.3
3.	Auburn	6.0
4.	Oregon	5.9
5.	Georgia Tech	5.7
	Oklahoma	5.7

38 TDs IN 10 GAMES MOST IN LAST 10 YEARS
According to ESPN Stats & Info, J.T. Barrett’s 38 touchdowns responsible for through his first 10 games were the most in the last 10 years for a first-year FBS quarterback. Barrett’s total eclipsed by five the 33 TDs responsible for that Texas A&M’s Johnny Manziel accounted for in 2012.

TDs Responsible For Last 10 Years by debut FBS quarterback

1.	38 in 2014 – J.T. Barrett, Ohio State
2.	33 in 2012 – Johnny Manziel, Texas A&M
3.	32 in 2012 – Marcus Mariota, Oregon
4.	31 in 2013 – Jameis Winston, Florida State

15 WEEKLY HONORS FOR J.T.
The Big Ten Conference named J.T. Barrett its Freshman of the Week after he posted 265 total yards (176 passing, 89 rushing) and three TDs vs. Michigan before leaving in the fourth quarter with a season-ending injury. Three weeks ago he recorded a near-miss 200-200 game vs. Minnesota (he passed for 200 and was just 14 yards from 200 yards rushing).

Barrett has now been honored for a weekly award by the Big Ten or nationally after eight of his 12 starts this season. He has been the Big Ten’s freshman of the week seven times; its offensive player of the week three times. And he has been a national freshman of the week twice and a national player of the week twice.

Navy (1 award) – Big Ten Freshman of the Week after 276-yard total offense, three-touchdown game;
Kent State (2) – Big Ten Offensive & Freshman of the Week after throwing for school-record six touchdown passes and 318 yards;
Cincinnati (1) – Big Ten Freshman of the Week after accumulating the second-most yards in a game in school history – 409 – including 330 passing yards and five touchdowns responsible for;
Maryland (2) – Athlon’s National Freshman of the Week & Earl Campbell Tyler Rose National Player of the Week after passing for 267 yards and four touchdowns with 338 yards of total offense;
Rutgers (2) – Big Ten Offensive & Freshman of the Week after a 368-yard total offense game, including 107 rushing yards, with four touchdowns; and
Michigan State (5) – Maxwell Award Player of the Week; Athlon’s National Player and Freshman of the Week; Big Ten Conference Offensive and Freshman of the Week after throwing for 300 yards, rushing for 86 and accounting for five touchdowns on the road against the nation’s No. 5-ranked defense.
Minnesota (1) – Big Ten Conference Freshman of the Week & Earl Campbell Tyler Rose National Player of the Week after rushing for a school QB-record 189 yards and one score – a school-QB record 86-yard run – and throwing for 200 yards and three touchdowns.
Michigan (1) – Big Ten Freshman of the Week after recording 265 total yards (176 passing, 89 rushing) and three TDs (1 passing, 2 rushing) vs. Michigan before leaving in the fourth quarter with a season-ending injury.

THE PLAN IS TO WIN
Ohio State has better than a 90-percent winning rate under Urban Meyer. Only one school – Florida State – has a better winning percentage than Ohio State since the start of the 2012 season.

Best Records – 2012-2014

1.	Florida St.	39-2	.951
2.	Ohio State	36-3	.923
3.	Alabama	36-4	.900
4.	Oregon	35-4	.897
5.	Louisville	32-6	.842

AND SCORE!
Since Coach Meyer’s arrival in 2012, Ohio State’s offense has been one of the most potent in the country. The Buckeyes are one of just five FBS teams from a Power 5 conference to average at least 40 points per game since the start of the 2012 season and are one of four Power 5 teams to average at least 40 points since the start of last season.

FBS Scoring – Since 2012

1.	Baylor	48.9 ppg
2.	Oregon	47.1
3.	Ohio State	42.8
4.	Marshall	42.7
5.	Florida State	42.1
6.	Texas A&M	41.2

FBS Scoring – Since 2013

1.	Baylor	50.7
2.	Oregon	45.9
3.	Ohio State	45.4
4.	Marshall	43.6
5.	Florida State	43.8
6.	Texas A&M	39.5

MOVING THE CHAINS
Since week 2, Ohio State has the highest third-down conversion rate in the FBS at 56.0 % (79 of 141).

	School	Percentage
1.	Ohio State	.560
2.	Georgia Tech	.551
3.	Alabama	.538
4.	Colorado State	.526
5.	Marshall	.514

Devin Smith Passes CARTER & No. 2
Devin Smith has moved into sole possession of second place at Ohio State with 29 career touchdown receptions, passing the great Cris Carter in the Big Ten championship game with three TD grabs. Smith is now just five away from the school record of 34, held by David Boston.

Ohio State Career Touchdown Receptions

1.	34	David Boston	1996-98
2	29	Devin Smith	2011-14
3.	27	Cris Carer	1984-86
4.	25	Santonio Holmes	2003-05
5.	24	Brian Robiskie	2005-08

SMITH’S RECEIVING NOs. IMPRESSIVE
Devin Smith, in addition to 29 touchdown passes, has caught 118 passes in his career for 2,371 yards and a 20.1 yards per reception average. His 29 career touchdown passes have averaged 37.6 yards per reception.

Devin Smith’s 26 TD Receptions
2011 – 14 from B. Miller vs. Akron
2011 – 32 from B. Miller vs. Colorado
2011 – 17 from B. Miller vs. Colorado
2011 – 40 from B. Miller vs. Wisconsin
2012 – 23 from B. Miller vs. Miami
2012 – 25 from B. Miller vs. Cal
2012 – 72 from B. Miller vs. Cal
2012 – 63 from B. Miller vs. Michigan State
2012 – 60 from B. Miller vs. Indiana
2012 – 46 from B. Miller vs. Indiana
2013 – 47 from B. Miller vs. Buffalo
2013 – 90 from K. Guiton vs. Cal
2013 – 47 from K. Guiton vs. Cal
2013 – 5 from K. Guiton vs. FAMU
2013 – 26 from B. Miller vs. Wisconsin
2013 – 14 from B. Miller vs. Iowa
2013 – 39 from B. Miller vs. Indiana
2013 – 53 from B. Miller vs. Michigan
2014 – 80 from J.T. Barrett vs. Navy
2014 – 50 from J.T. Barrett vs. Kent State
2014 – 19 from J.T. Barrett vs. Cincinnati
2014 – 34 from J.T. Barrett vs. Cincinnati
2014 – 30 from J.T. Barrett vs. Maryland
2014 – 32 from J.T. Barrett vs. Illinois
2014 – 8 from J.T. Barrett vs. Illinois
2014 – 44 from J.T. Barrett vs. Michigan State
2014 – 39 from Jones vs. Wisconsin
2014 – 44 from Jones vs. Wisconsin
2014 – 42 from Jones vs. Wisconsin

SMITH SCORES. BUCKS WIN.
Devin Smith has caught a touchdown pass in 21 games during his career. Ohio State is 21-0 in those contests.

37 POINTS OFF BOSA TURNOVERS/PLAYS
Four forced fumbles and a recovery by Joey Bosa have led to 37 Ohio State points so far this season:

7 points – His forced fumble on Navy QB Keenan Reynolds was scooped up by Darron Lee and returned 61 yards for a third-quarter touchdown.
7 points – His sack and forced fumble of Virginia Tech quarterback Michael Brewer was recovered by Rashad Frazier at the VT 15. Two plays later Ezekiel Elliott scored to tie the game at 21-all.
9 points – In the win over Cincinnati, Bosa delivered a devastating strip-sack to UC QB Gunner Kiel. The ball was batted out of the end zone for a safety and Ohio State scored on its possession after the free kick.
7 points – His strip-sack and forced fumble on Michigan QB Devin Gardner was scooped up by Darron Lee and returned 33 yards for a fourth-quarter touchdown.
7 points – He recovered a fumble and returned it four yards in the Big Ten championship game vs. Wisconsin to give Ohio State a 38-0 lead going into halftime.

THREE 20-GAME WIN STREAKS FOR MEYER
Last season Urban Meyer became the first head coach at the highest level of the collegiate coaching ranks (major college, Division I, FBS, etc.) to have three winning streaks of at least 20 games. A total of 41 head coaches at this level have lead a team to a winning streak of at least 20 games. Nine of those coaches have had two winning streaks of at least 20 wins. Meyer is the first to add a third such winning streak to his name.

Multiple 20-Game Win Streak Coaches
Urban Meyer
     24 – Florida (2010) & Ohio State (2012-13)
     22 – Florida (2008-09)
     20 – Utah (2003-04) & Florida (2005)
Walter Camp
     28 – Yale (1888-89)
     27 – Yale (1890-92)
Robert Neyland
     22 – Tennessee (1937-39)
     20 – Tennessee (1950-51)
Tom Osborne
     26 -Nebraska (1994-96)
     22 -Nebraska (1982-83)
Joe Paterno
     23 – Penn State (1968-69)
     20 – Penn State (1993-95)
Barry Switzer
     28 – Oklahoma (1973-75)
     20 – Oklahoma (1986-87)
Bud Wilkinson
     47 – Oklahoma (1953-57)
     31 – Oklahoma (1948-50)
George Woodruff
     34 – Pennsylvania (1894-96)
     31 – Pennsylvania (1896-98)
Fielding Yost
     29 – Michigan (1901-03)
     26 – Michigan (1903-05)

AND ONLY ONE THREE-GAME LOSING STREAK
Urban Meyer has had just one losing streak reach three games in his 161-game head coaching career: in 2010 at Florida. He has had only four multi-game losing streaks in all, with all of them two-game streaks except for the 2010 trio while at Florida. The others: in 2002 at Bowling Green; 2007 at Florida; and 2013 at OSU.

50-POINT GAME RECORD
Ohio State set a school record this year with four consecutive 50-point games. The stretch was also a personal best for an Urban Meyer-coached team. Three times previously he had a team score 50-or-more points in three consecutive games but this is the first time his team has done so in four consecutive times.

TOTAL OFFENSE TIES SCHOOL MARK
Ohio State also tied the school record this season with four consecutive games of 500-or-more yards of total offense (628 vs. Kent State; 710 vs. Cincinnati; 533 vs. Maryland; 585 vs. Rutgers). The 1998 Ohio State team was the first to accomplish this feat.

BARRETT HITS 11 DIFFERENT RECEIVERS
Redshirt freshman QB J.T. Barrett was spreading the ball all over the field in the 66-0 win over the Golden Flashes Sept. 13, hitting 11 different receivers and tying a school record with six TD passes in the win. It marked the first time in 25 years an Ohio State QB hit 11 different receivers in a game.

BUCKEYES IN THE POLLS
Since the start of the 2002 season, Ohio State has been ranked in the AP Top 10 more times than any other school (150). Oklahoma (126) and LSU (123) are second and third, respectively.

The Buckeyes, who have been ranked by the AP Top 25 more times (836) than any other school, appeared in the AP preseason poll for the 26th consecutive season this year, the longest streak in the nation. It also marked the 47th consecutive season Ohio State has appeared in the AP poll, tying Alabama for the longest active streak.

FIVE SENIORS NAMED CAPTAINS FOR 2014
Five seniors were chosen by vote of their teammates, included injured and out-for-the-year quarterback Braxton Miller, cornerback Doran Grant, linebacker Curtis Grant, defensive tackle Michael Bennett and tight end Jeff Heuerman.

22-0 SINCE 2005 WITH PUNT BLOCK
Urban Meyer’s teams are 22-0 since the 2005 season when blocking a punt. Last season Ohio State blocked three punts: Bradley Roby (2) vs. Indiana and at Northwestern and Doran Grant vs. FAMU. This season, Ohio State has one (Jeff Greene vs. KSU).

60 BLOCKED KICKS
Urban Meyer-coached teams, from 2001 to the present, have blocked 61 kicks. Meyer’s Buckeyes have blocked 10 kicks over the past two-plus seasons. (Source for the first 51 blocks: U of Florida stats)

Buckeyes Building Blocks:
2012
1. Adolphus Washington (PAT vs. UCF)
2. Orhian Johnson (PAT vs. UAB)
3. Bradley Roby (Punt vs. Michigan State)
4. Travis Howard (Punt vs. Indiana)
5. Garrett Goebel (PAT vs. Purdue)
6. Johnathan Hankins (FG vs. Purdue)
2013
7. Doran Grant (Punt vs. FAMU)
8. Bradley Roby (Punt vs. Northwestern)
9. Bradley Roby (Punt vs. Indiana)
2014
10. Jeff Greene (Punt vs. KSU)

REMEMBERING KOSTA KARAGEORGE
Kosta Karageorge was in his fourth-year as a student-athlete at his hometown school when he tragically lost his life. After three years on the wrestling team, this personable young man who had a positive presence on and off the field, walked onto the Ohio State football team in August of 2014 and quickly became a favorite among many on the team. He was described by one teammate as someone who “made every day enjoyable,” and was lauded by another for his effort, toughness, passion and loyalty. These were attributes his wrestling teammates already knew.

92nd YEAR IN OHIO STADIUM
Ohio Stadium, grand and venerable and registered on the National Register of Historic Places, is hosting its 92nd football season in 2014. Ohio Stadium is endearingly nicknamed the “Horseshoe” or the “Shoe” because of its open south end. It is also referred to as the “House that Harley Built” after Chic Harley, Ohio State’s first three-time All-American who fans flocked to see at Ohio Field in 1916-17-19. Just one year after Harley’s career at Ohio State was over, things were in motion for a new stadium for the Buckeyes.

93 CONSECUTIVE CROWDS OF 100,000-PLUS
Ohio State has had 93 consecutive crowds in excess of 100,000. The last time Ohio State did not have at least 100,000 at a home game in Ohio Stadium: the 2002 season vs. Kent when 98,689 were on hand for the second game of what would become a national championship-winning season.

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