Badgers and Buckeyes Clash in Big Ten Tilt – Ohio State Buckeyes
9/29/1999 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 29, 1999
By BRIAN OREFICE
%^$AP MegaSports Writer%^$
%^$Wisconsin and Ohio State would each tell you that there are few things%^$worse than having to play Cincinnati. Having to take on each other, however,%^$might be one of them.%^$
%^$The 12th-ranked Buckeyes, coming off a win against the Bearcats in which%^$they found themselves outplayed for most of the game, play host to a Badgers%^$team Saturday afternoon that was upset by Cincinnati two weeks ago.%^$
%^$While the Bearcats were giving Ohio State (3-1, 0,0) all it could%^$handle in an eventual 34-20 loss last week, Michigan put the clamps on Wisconsin%^$tailback Ron Dayne, holding the senior to zero second-half yards in a 22-16 win.%^$
%^$The Buckeyes defense will have to match that type of effort if they%^$are to be successful this week.%^$
%^$”We are not happy with the way we are playing,” said Ohio State coach%^$John Cooper, whose team struggled against lightweight Ohio prior to its win over%^$Cincinnati.%^$
%^$”We need to step it up, especially against Wisconsin this week. They%^$are a strong team and will run the ball down our throat. To win, we will have to%^$stop Ron Dayne.”%^$
%^$Dayne, the Big Ten’s career rushing leader, totaled 88 yards against%^$Michigan, leaving him with 5,175. With three more yards, he will crack the%^$NCAA’s Top 5.%^$
%^$The Badgers (2-2, 0-1) are No. 1 in the conference in rushing while Ohio%^$State is ninth in the Big Ten in rush defense.%^$
%^$”You always have to be a step ahead of Ron Dayne. … We want to stop him%^$in that first half and keep that momentum throughout the game,” said Buckeyes%^$cornerback Ahmed Plummer.%^$
%^$Ohio State has some weapons of its own in running back Michael Wiley and%^$wide receiver Ken-Yon Rambo. Rambo caught three passes for 164 yards a week%^$ago and has 345 yards in his last two games.%^$
%^$The league rivals will be meeting for the first time since 1996, when the%^$Buckeyes took a 17-14 decision. Ohio State leads the series 48-13-5 and has%^$won the last three meetings.%^$
%^$Wisconsin trails the series at Columbus 4-27-3.
