No. 1 Buckeyes Entertain Golden Gophers – Ohio State Buckeyes
10/11/1998 12:00:00 AM | Football
October 11, 1998
COLUMBUS, Ohio – No. 1 Ohio State (5-0, 2-0) vs. Minnesota (3-2, 0-2)
Game Facts: Saturday, Oct. 17, 1998, 12:10 EDT Ohio Stadium (89,841; PAT), Columbus, Ohio ESPN Television
The Broadcasts
TV – ESPN will broadcast the game to a national audience with Dave Barnett, play-by-play; Bill Curry, color analyst and Dave Ryan, sideline reporter.
Radio – Sports Radio 1460 (AM) The Fan and Oldies B97 (97.1 FM). Paul Keels, play-by-play; Jim Lachey, color analyst and Jim Karsatos, sideline reporter.
HOMECOMING KICKOFF
The No. 1-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes, 5-0 overall and 2-0 in the Big Ten Conference, host the Minnesota Golden Gophers (2-3 and 0-2 in the Big Ten) in OSU’s annual Homecoming game. Kickoff Saturday in Ohio Stadium is 12:10 p.m. The game will be televised to a national audience on ESPN with Dave Barnett, Bill Curry and Dave Ryan describing the action.
BUCKEYES & GOPHERS, SO FAR
Ohio State has held on to the nation’s No. 1 national ranking in the major polls the entire season. OSU was the preseason selection as the No. 1 team and has solidified its ranking by opening 5-0 and 2-0 in the Big Ten with 17, 49, 21, 19 and 41-point victory margins. Feature wins were at No. 11 West Virginia to open the season (34-17), over No. 21 Missouri (35-14) and over No. 7 Penn State two weeks ago (28-9). Coach John Cooper’s 11th Ohio State team has powered its way to an average of 487.2 offensive yards per game and it has limited opponents to just 219.0 yards per game. Glen Mason, a 1970 Ohio State letterman and an OSU assistant coach for eight years under Woody Hayes (1978) and Earle Bruce (1979-85), is in his second season as Minnesota head coach. The Golden Gophers were 3-9 in his first year and they come into the game Saturday with a 2-3 record after a hard-fought, 27-17, loss to Penn State last Saturday.
REUNIONS AND MORE
In addition to festivities surrounding the Homecoming game, Ohio State University will celebrate the 30th anniversary of its 1968 national championship football team and the 25th anniversary of the 1973 team which finished 10-0-1 and arguably should have been national champion. In addition, the 54th annual Captains Breakfast will take place Sunday at 10:30 a.m. at the Holiday Inn on the Lane. Ohio State’s 1968 team, led by an amazing class of sophomores including Rex Kern, Jack Tatum and Jim Stillwagon, rolled to a 10-0 record and defeated USC in the Rose Bowl, 27-16. The 1973 team gave up just 64 points all season, defeated UCLA 42-21 in the Rose Bowl, but finished second in the polls.
A SATURDAY MORNING PARADE
Saturday morning travelers to the noon Homecoming game need to be aware of parade traffic. In a move to make it a more campus and Columbus community event, the 1998 homecoming parade will be Saturday morning at 9 a.m., breaking from its traditional Friday evening time. The parade will begin at 17th and Neil avenues and proceed east on 17th, south on High Street and west on 12th Avenue.
RADIO COVERAGE
The game will be broadcast around the state on the 73-station Ohio State Buckeyes Radio Sports Network with Sports Radio 1460 (AM) The Fan the flagship station. Calling the action is first-year play-by-play announcer Paul Keels. He is assisted in the broadcast booth by second-year analyst Jim Lachey. Jim Karsatos will provide sideline commentary.
BUCKEYES ARE NO. 1
Ohio State has held down the No. 1 position in both of the nation’s major polls the entire season. The Buckeyes picked up 64 first-place votes and are the consensus No. 1 team in the nation in the Associated Press poll with 1,744 points. UCLA, with one first-place vote and 1,647 points, has climbed into second. The Buckeyes received 59 of the 62 first place votes in the ESPN/USA Today Top 25 Coaches Poll and totalled 1,547 points. UCLA is second, totalling 1,452 points and one first-place vote. No. 3 Kansas State picked up the other two first-place votes.
OHIO STATE vs. MINNESOTA
The game Saturday will be the 40th football meeting between Ohio State and Minnesota. The Buckeyes have won all nine games against Minnesota under coach John Cooper, and they are currently working on a 14-game win streak over the Golden Gophers dating back to the 1981 season (a 35-31 Minnesota win in Minneapolis). OSU leads the all-time series, 33-6, including a 17-2 record at Ohio Stadium. Minnesota won at Ohio Stadium in 1940 (13-7) and in 1949 (27-0), but has since lost 14 in a row in Columbus, including 45-0 in 1996.
MASON’S A BUCKEYE
Minnesota coach Glen Mason lettered as a junior at Ohio State in 1970. He was a 6-2, 218-pound linebacker/middle guard and was listed as wearing jersey numbers 36 and 69. He was part of Ohio State’s 1970 Big Ten championship team that lost to Stanford in the Rose Bowl, 27-17.
LETHAL WEAPON OFFENSE
Ohio State is eighth nationally in total offense and first in the Big Ten with 487.2 yards per game. It is scoring 37.4 points per game, 13th-best nationally and tops in the Big Ten. The offense features weapons at running back and at receiver and a quarterback who is as calm in the pocket as anybody. Michael Wiley (630 yards and five touchdowns) and Joe Montgomery (259 yards and three TDs) lead a running game that averages 219.4 yards per game, has scored 11 touchdowns and ranks second in the Big Ten and 20th nationally. Quarterback Joe Germaine has thrown for 1,182 yards with nine touchdowns and only one interception. He ranks 12th nationally and first in the Big Ten in passing efficiency. Germaine throws to the best pair of receivers in college football. David Boston and Dee Miller have combined for 52 catches for 849 yards and five touchdowns. Germaine has found tight end John Lumpkin eight times and his running backs a total of 18 times so he isn’t stuck on the receivers. The offensive line has just one senior and the five starters have from 12 to 28 starting assignments (91 starts total).
SILVER BULLETS NO. 2 IN TOTAL DEFENSE
Ohio State’s “Silver Bullets” defense has climbed to No. 2 nationally in total defense, allowing just 219.0 yards per game. (Kansas State is first at 216.8 ypg.) The defense ranks first nationally in pass efficiency with a rating of 76.2 and it ranks third in scoring (8.0 ppg). The Buckeyes are led by a trio of All-America candidates – linebacker Andy Katzenmoyer, cornerback Antoine Winfield and strong safety Damon Moore – and the unit is blessed with terrific team speed throughout, a big reason why opponents are rushing for only 99.4 yards per game (14th nationally and third in the Big Ten). Opponents have thrown seven interceptions and only two touchdowns, and have completed just 48-percent of their passes against the Buckeyes. OSU’s secondary, profiled in Sports Illustrated last week, has picked off five interceptions and it provides the top two tacklers on the team (Moore has 31; Winfield 27). The defensive line is young – three sophomores and a true freshman are starting – but they are quick enough to supply enough pressure and they are more than holding their own against the run. The linebackers have been outstanding, with Katzenmoyer the anchor and rising star Na’il Diggs and savvy Jerry Rudzinski making big plays from their outside positions.
SOME IMPRESSIVE DEFENSIVE NUMBERS
The Buckeyes have allowed just 40 points this season (and only three in the first quarter and 13 total in the second half) in registering two shutouts, allowing just three field goals to be attempted and surrendering just four touchdowns. The defense has also limited the opponents to a paltry and Big Ten Conference-best 19 percent on third down plays (14-of-73).
DEFENSIVE TOUCHDOWNS
Ohio State has received a defensive touchdown in each of the last two games. Saturday at Illinois, end James Cotton rocked IU quarterback Kurt Kittner, forcing a fumble that Na’il Diggs scooped up and scored from 47-yards out. The key play in OSU’s 28-9 win over Penn State was Jerry Rudzinski recovering A fumble in the end zone after he had sacked quarterback Kevin Thompson.
OFFENSIVE BALANCE
Ohio State’s offense has 12 drives of 70 yards or more this season, including three drives of over 90 yards (OSU went 96 yards for a touchdown vs. WVU, 98 yards for a TD vs. Toledo and 92 yards for a TD vs. Missouri). Of the team’s 27 scoring drives, 11 have ended with rushing touchdowns, 10 with passing and six via field goal. The Buckeyes are averaging 24 first downs per game, and of the 121 total first downs, 61 have been by rushing and 58 by the pass.
IN THE RED ZONE
Ohio State is converting on 90 percent of its trips inside the red zone (opponents’ 20). The Buckeyes have made 20 trips inside the 20 and have come away with 14 touchdowns and four field goals. Opponents have managed just six trips inside Ohio State’s red zone, and have scored four times (66.7 pct.).
JOE TIES “300-YARD” PASSING RECORDS
Saturday senior quarterback Joe Germaine tied Art Schlichter’s career and single season records for 300-yard passing games. Germaine’s 307 yards passing against the Illini was the third 300-yard game of his career – after a career-best 378-yard game last year vs. Penn State and 301 yards vs. West Virginia – and his second this season.
TRIOS OF TDS FOR GERMAINE
Joe Germaine’s three touchdown passes against Illinois represented the seventh three-touchdown game of his career. Not bad for having just six career starts. The trio of TDs upped Germaine’s touchdown pass total to 40 for his career and moves him into sole possession of third place in that category behind Bobby Hoying (57 from ’92-95) and Art Schlichter (50 from ’78-81).
WINFIELD SETS BREAK-UP BEST
Antoine Winfield had a personal best four pass-break-ups Saturday against Illinois, in addition to a team-best six solo tackles. The Thorpe Award candidate leads the team with seven break-ups this season. He now has 21 for his career.
STULTZ STEPS UP
Dan Stultz kicked his two longest field goals of the season vs. Illinois, hitting from 40 yards out in the first quarter and from 46 yards out in the fourth. He also hit on all five extra points to extend his consecutive streak to 53 straight, fourth-longest at OSU.
DAVID & DEE CONTINUE TO SHINE
The nation’s best pair of receivers, Biletnikoff Award candidates David Boston and Dee Miller, continue to shine for the Buckeye offense. Saturday, Boston had five catches for 96 yards and one touchdown, while Miller caught four passes for 99 yards. For the season, Boston has caught 28 passes for 429 yards and three touchdowns while Miller is right behind with 24 receptions for 420 yards and two touchdowns.
BOSTON AMONG OHIO STATE’S GREATS
David Boston now has 134 career catches for 1,849 yards and 24 touchdowns, stats that rank third, fifth and second, respectively, among Ohio State’s receiving greats. He needs 21 receptions for second place all-time (topping Gary Williams’ 154; Cris Carter had 168) and he needs just 46 yards to pass Joey Galloway (1,894 yards) for fourth-place in receiving yards. Fifty-one receiving yards against Minnesota would make Boston one of just four Buckeyes to top 2,000 receiving yards. His touchdown total is topped only by Carter’s 27.
MICHAEL WILEY’S WORLD
Michael Wiley and the OSU running backs have had to face an eight and nine-man front the past two weeks. Wiley managed to gain 62 yards against Penn State and 68 vs. Illinois, numbers that still keep him as one of the top 10 rushers in the nation with a 126.0 per game average. Wiley is second in the Big Ten in rushing, second in scoring and he leads in all-purpose yards (143.8 ypg).
OHIO STATE’S CHART CLIMBERS
Imagine this: Antoine Winfield is just 13 solo tackles shy of 200 for his career, a figure that only four Buckeyes – all linebackers – have ever attained. He needs four solos to pass Pepper Johnson and move into OSU’s all-time top five..Dee Miller needs three receptions for 100 for his career. He’ll move into eighth-place in career catches when he does. Miller topped 1,500 career receiving yards in the Illinois game. He now has 1,595..Michael Wiley is 106 yards away from 1,500 career rushing yards..Joe Montgomery, without ever starting a game in his career, needs 177 yards to reach 1,000 for his career..Joe Germaine topped 4,000 career passing yards in the Illinois game. His 4,222 career yards rank sixth at Ohio State..Brent Bartholomew has now punted 203 times in his OSU career. Tom Tupa holds the school record with 214 punts.
SOME DEFENSIVE BALANCE
Ohio State boasts a defense that is so balanced that not one player has reached 10 assisted tackles and nine have between 10 and 24 solo tackles. Damon Moore leads the team with 31 tackles (22 solos, 9 assists) with Antoine Winfield (24-5-29), Andy Katzenmoyer (25-4-29) and Na’il Diggs (20-7-27) in hot pursuit. Also, 19 players have combined for the team’s 41 tackles-for-loss, six different Buckeyes have intercepted passes and 10 have recorded sacks. Saturday against Illinois, Winfield, Katzenmoyer and Diggs led the team with six tackles apiece.
OHIO STATE BUCKEYE GOOD STUFF
Only Bobby Hoying (1,235 yards in 1995) and Art Schlichter (1,198 yards in 1981) had more passing yards after five games than Joe Germaine does this year (1,182)..Fred Pagac-coached Ohio State defenses have recorded six shutouts in only 30 games..Ohio State did not fumble against Illinois..Joe Montgomery ripped off an 18-yard rush in his first carry in his home state of Illinois. He finished with 58 yards rushing and a strong 5.8 yards per carry average..Tight end John Lumpkin had three catches against Illinois, including his seventh career touchdown..Germaine is 12th nationally and first in the Big Ten in passing efficiency (154.4 rating)….True freshman Jamar Martin had two catches, including a career-best 17-yard gain, in the Illinois win….Another true freshman, Ryan Pickett, made his second career start in the Illinois game….True freshman defensive lineman Mike Collins was in on three tackles vs. the Illini, as was sophomore Brent Johnson….History buff Randy Homa has recorded three tackles for losses coming off the bench….Heath Queen’s fourth down stop at the OSU 17 yard line late in the game kept Illinois from averting a shutout.
COOP’S AMONG BIG TEN’S BEST
John Cooper is ranked fifth on the Big Ten Conference’s all-time win list. Cooper’s .720 Big Ten winning percentage (57-21-4 in his 11th year) trails only Bo Shembechler (.850; 143-24-3 in 21 years at Michigan), Fielding Yost (.796; 42-10-2 in 25 years at Michigan), Woody Hayes (.785; 152-39-7 in 28 years at Ohio State) and Fritz Crisler (.777; 42-11-3 in 10 years at Michigan).
TWO BILETNIKOFF AWARD CANDIDATES
OSU’s outstanding receivers – David Boston and Dee Miller – are each among the initial list of candidates for the Biletnikoff Award. Keith Jackson Sept. 19: “There is spectacular talent here in Dee Miller and David Boston.” Ten semifinalists will be chosen Oct. 20. OSU’s Terry Glenn won the award in 1995.
THREE THORPE AWARD MENTIONS
The initial list of 44 prospects for the 1998 Jim Thorpe Award as the nation’s best defensive back in college football includes three Ohio State Buckeyes. All-American Antoine Winfield and Damon Moore are listed as leading candidates and Gary Berry is one of the additional prospects. The Thorpe Award winner will be announced Dec. 10 from Disney World in Orlando, Fla.
NO SURPRISE FOR BEST LB
1997 Butkus Award winner Andy Katzenmoyer heads a list of 68 of the nation’s linebackers on the preliminary list for the Butkus Award. The list will be trimmed to 10 semifinalists Oct. 15. Last year Katzenmoyer, from Westerville, Ohio, became the first Buckeye to win the award.
SENIOR SUCCESS
The senior class this year has a chance to become the third-consecutive senior class to break or tie a four-year Ohio State record for wins. This year’s class enters 1998 with a record of 32-6 with sights set on breaking the 1996 seniors’ mark of 41 wins. The 32-6 mark also represents the fifth-best record in Division IA football over the last three years, trailing only Nebraska (36-2), Florida (34-4), Florida State (32-4) and Tennessee (32-5).
PLAYMAKERS
Ohio State now has 28 passing or running plays of 20 yards or more this season. Six of the plays came against Illinois. David Boston has the team single game high with four plays of 20-or-more yards against West Virginia. Michael Wiley’s 76-yard run from scrimmage, vs. Toledo, is the longest. Eight different players have taken part.
20-YARD RECEPTIONS (19) 9 David Boston – 39TD, 38, 30TD, 29, 29, 27, 23, 23, 21 5 Dee Miller – 42, 40, 37TD, 34, 33 2 Reggie Germany – 47TD, 37TD. 1 John Lumpkin – 28 1 Michael Wiley – 20TD 1 Ken-Yon Rambo – 39
20-YARD RUSHES (9) 5 Michael Wiley – 76TD, 59, 37, 29, 21TD 3 Joe Montgomery – 24, 20, 20 1 Joe Germaine – 22
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The Scoop on Coop
Twelve Buckeyes have been first round NFL draft picks under John Cooper.
THE COACH
John Cooper, now in his 11th season as head coach of the Ohio State University Buckeyes and in his 22nd season overall, is building as fine a collegiate coaching resume as any active coach in the business. Period. And the resume is getting better every year. Cooper, the second-winningest coach in OSU history – behind Woody Hayes’ 205 victories – and with the third-longest coaching tenure behind Hayes (28 seasons) and John W. Wilce (16), has guided four- consecutive Ohio State teams into New Year’s Day bowl games and each of his last three Ohio State teams to at least 10 victories. The former is part of nine-consecutive bowl appearances for the Buckeyes under Cooper. The latter is an accomplishment only three other current head coaches can match (Bobby Bowden at Florida State, Steve Spurrier at Florida and Phillip Fulmer at Tennessee).
THE 1990’s
Cooper’s Buckeyes have won 56 games since 1993 and in the decade of the 1990s, Ohio State has amassed a 79-22-3 record, the ninth-best record in the decade among all Division IA schools. These streaks of successes has positioned Cooper with an Ohio State record of 91-32-4 and an all-time mark of 173-72-6.
THE AWARDS
Regarding student-athletes, the honors, awards and accomplishments Ohio State student-athletes have garnered under Cooper is matched by no other active coach. Consider, under John Cooper 15 Buckeyes have won first-team All-America honors, 12 have been first-round NFL draft picks, six have won National Football Foundation Scholarships, five have been named first-team Academic All-Americans and eight have won major athletic and academic awards in the last three years alone.
THE MAN
Away from football, Cooper likes any outdoor activities such as golf, fishing and lawn work and hates being confined to a desk and being in the office. As for dining, he says he has never had a bad meal and still loves an old fashioned home-cooked meal of beans, potatoes and cornbread. He enjoys oldies and country music and truly enjoys relaxing with his family.
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Minnesota
After giving Penn State a scare last Saturday, the Golden Gophers will come to Columbus with an upset on their mind.
QUICK START
After starting the season a perfect 3-0, the Minnesota Golden Gophers have dropped a pair of Big Ten games over the last two weeks. Minnesota returns 14 starters from last year’s 3-9 squad (1-7 Big Ten), the first under head coach and Ohio State graduate Glen Mason.
LAST WEEKEND
Minnesota closed to within six points midway through the third quarter, but a 65-yard touchdown reception by Penn State’s Corey Jones gave the Nittany Lions all the cushion they would need. The Gophers, owners of the Big Ten’s No. 1 ranked rushing defense entering the game, surrendered 163 yards on the ground and 425 yards overall in the 27-17 loss. Minnesota quarterback Andy Persby was sacked seven times, and the Gophers were held to 90 yards rushing and 224 yards overall.
QUESTION AT QB
Persby made his first career start at quarterback and struggled in the first half, completing just 5-of-19 passes. The North St. Paul, Minn. native rallied somewhat in the second half, completing 8-of-15 passes and throwing for one touchdown. Junior Billy Cockerham had started the first four games for Minnesota, and played one series against Penn State. A much more mobile quarterback and a threat to run, Cockerham seemed to energize the Minnesota offense in his fourth quarter appearance last weekend, completing 2-of-2 passes for 21 yards and a touchdown. Mason did not divulge who would start at quarterback for Minnesota against OSU after last weekend’s game. “I don’t know,” he said of the quarterback controversy, “either Cockerham or Persby or Persby or Cockerham. Maybe both.” Thomas Hamner anchors Minnesota’s running game. A junior from Hamilton, Ohio, Hamner has rushed for 409 yards on 101 carries (81.8 yards per game.) Luke Leverson leads the Gopher receiving corps with 26 catches for 400 yards. The speedy, sure-handed wideout also returns kickoffs and punts, and leads the Gophers in scoring (five TDs) and all purpose yardage (97.4 yards per game).
STINGY AT TIMES
Although it didn’t show up in the game statistics, Minnesota showed signs of dominance on defense against Penn State. The Gophers limited the Lions to five third down conversions on 17 attempts. Prior to the Penn State games, Minnesota was surrendering just 64.3 rushing yards per game. Strong safety Tyrone Carter, the Big Ten’s leading tackler, leads the Gopher defense. Carter was on everyone’s preseason all-Big Ten list, and picked up a whopping 19 tackles against Penn State last weekend. He was also named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 21. Senior linebacker Parc Williams returns for his third straight season as a starter. Williams, who collected 15 tackles and two fumble recoveries against Penn State, was rated the 10th best outside linebacker in the country by Lindy’s preseason publication. Columbus native Keith Dimmy starts at free safety for the Gophers and is the team’s third leading tackler. Minnesota has been vulnerable to the pass through the first five games, surrendering an average of 315 passing yards per game. The Gophers are giving up just under 400 yards per game overall.
1998 MINNESOTA STATISTICAL LEADERS
RUSHING Att. Yards Avg. TD Thomas Hamner 101 409 4.0 2 Byron Evans 8 125 15.6 1
PASSING Att. Co. Yds. TD Int. Billy Cockerham 71 40 502 5 1 Andy Persby 63 27 265 2 3
RECEIVING No. Yards Avg. TD Luke Leverson 26 400 15.4 5 Ron Johnson 15 148 9.9 2 Jermaine Mays 8 119 14.9 1
TACKLES Solo Asst. Tot. Sacks Tyrone Carter 61 18 79 3 Parc Williams 28 11 39 2 Facts & Figures Location Minneapolis, Minn. Enrollment 38,018 President Mark Yudof Athletic Director Dr. Mark Dienhart Nickname Golden Gophers Colors Maroon and Gold 1998 Record 3-2, 0-2 Big Ten Head Coach Glen Mason Alma Mater Ohio State ’72 UM Record 3-9 (second year) Career Record 62-73-1 (13th year) Record vs. Ohio State 0-1 Offensive Coordinator Steve Loney Defensive Coordinator David Gibbs Letterman Returning/Lost 45/14 Offensive Starters Returning 6 Defensive Starters Returning 8 Specialists Returning 4 Offensive Formation Multiple I Defensive Formation 4-3 1998 Schedule/Results Sept. 5, ARKANSAS STATE, W 17-14 Sept. 12, at Houston, W 14-7 Sept. 19, MEMPHIS, W 41-14 Oct. 3, at Purdue, L 56-21 Oct. 10, PENN STATE, L 27-17 Oct. 17, at Ohio State Oct. 24, MICHIGAN STATE Oct. 31, MICHIGAN Nov. 7, at Wisconsin Nov. 14, at Indiana Nov. 21, IOWA
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Ohio State Last Week
Buckeyes win their fifth in succession, 41-0, over Illinois behind another 300-yard passing game from Joe Germaine and a stifling defensive effort. CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Joe Germaine tied two Ohio State passing records on his way to a 307-yard, three-touchdown day and the OSU defense was dominant once again as the Buckeyes cruised to a 41-0 victory over Illinois. On spectacular fall Saturday afternoon in Champaign, Germaine tied Ohio State’s career mark with his third 300-yard passing game, and he also tied the school mark with two 300-yard passing games in the same season. Both records were held by Art Schlichter. Germaine completed 17-of-28 passes and threw touchdowns to John Lumpkin, David Boston and Reggie Germany in the first half, staking the Buckeyes to a 24-0 halftime lead. After Dan Stultz kicked a then-season’s best 40-yard field goal on the Buckeyes’ first possession, Germaine hooked up with Lumpkin on a one-yard pass to cap a 79-yard drive. The pass play came only after the Bucks were stopped on four-consecutive rushes inside the two. Two drives later, Germaine found Boston for a 30-yard touchdown. A big play in that drive was a 40-yard completion to Dee Miller. It then took OSU just six plays to travel 63-yards with Germany hauling in a 37-yard touchdown reception for a 24-0 lead. OSU did not score in the third quarter, but the Illini didn’t either, thanks in part to a defensive display by the Buckeyes that allowed just 199 total yards and just 2.9 yards per play. Antoine Winfield, Andy Katzenmoyer and Damon Moore led the Buckeyes with six tackles apiece. Winfield also had a personal best four pass break-ups. And it was the defense that scored OSU’s fourth touchdown. After Stultz topped his 40-yard field goal by drilling a 46-yarder, sophomore linebacker Na’il Diggs raced into the end zone on a 47-yard fumble return for a 34-0 Buckeye lead. James Cotton forced the fumble with a sack of Illini quarterback Kurt Kittner. Jonathan Wells capped the scoring with a two-yard touchdown run with 3:45 remaining to be played. The Buckeyes finished with 518 yards of offense on the day, but only 161 came via the rush. Michael Wiley and Joe Montgomery rushed for 68 and 58 yards, respectively. Boston and Dee Miller had five and four catches respectively, and totalled 195 receiving yards to spark the passing attack.
TOUCHDOWNS
Joe Germaine took over sole possession of third place all-time at Ohio State with his 38th, 39th and 40th touchdown passes. David Boston’s TD catch was the 24th of his career. Tight end John Lumpkin entered this season with six career touchdown receptions, but it took until the fifth game for him to add to that total. His TD catch was one of three catches against the Illini.
16 STRAIGHT TD-LESS QUARTERS
The Buckeye defense has held Illinois offense without a touchdown for 16 straight quarters now. The Bucks have outscored the Illini 171-9 over the last four games with the only Illini touchdown a fumble return for a score in 1997.
SIX MORE LONG PLAYS
Ohio State’s offense produced six plays of 30 or more yards and all were receptions. Joe Germaine connected with 33, 40, 30, 37 and 38-yard pass plays and Mark Garcia hooked up on a 39-yard play.
NO TURNOVERS
Ohio State had its second zero-turnover game of the season.
Game 5
No. 1 Ohio State 41 Illinois 0 Oct. 10, Memorial Stadium; ESPN Regional
Scoring Ohio State 10 14 0 17 41 Illinois 0 0 0 0 0
First Quarter OSU – Stultz 40 field goal, 11:32 OSU – Lumpkin 1 pass from Germaine (Stultz kick), 2:52
Second Quarter OSU – Boston 30 pass from Germaine (Stultz kick), 11:17 OSU – Germany 37 pass from Germaine (Stultz kick), 6:19
Fourth Quarter OSU – Stultz 46 field goal, 12:51 OSU – Diggs 47 fumble return (Stultz kick), 10:57 OSU – Wells 2 run (Stultz kick), 3:45 Attendance – 46,390
Team Statistics OSU ILL First downs 26 12 Rushes-yards 46-161 25-43 Passing yards 357 156 Return yards 131 69 Comp.-Att.-Int. 19-32-0 19-43-0 Sacked-yards lost 3-24 1-7 Punts 4-169 10-482 Fumbles-lost 0-0 2-1 Penalties-yards 11-104 3-35 Time of possession 32:44 27:16
Individual Statistics Rushing – Ohio State, Wiley 18-68, Montgomery 11-58, Wells 6-29, Combs 3-18, Garcia 1-7, Keller 2-3, Martin 1-0, Germaine 4-(-22). Illinois, Harvey 15-29, Havard 5-5, Cook 2-5, Kittner 3-4.
Passing – Ohio State, Germaine 17-28-307 0, Garcia 2-4-50 0. Illinois, Kittner 19-43-156 0.
Receiving – Ohio State Boston 5-96, Miller 4-99, Lumpkin 3-32, Germany 2-48, Martin 2-29, Rambo 1-39, Keller 1-11, Wiley 1-3. Illinois, Willis 6-39, Dean 5-55, Smalls 2-36, Hoffman 2-7, Majoy 1-13, Hodges 1-7, Davis 1-2, Harvey 1-(-3).
Missed Field Goals – None.
