No. 12 Ohio State Buckeyes at No. 16 Purdue – Ohio State Buckeyes
10/23/2000 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 23, 2000
Depth Chart
Top 25 Polls Weekly Release in .PDF format CoachCooper’s Press Conference Football Quotes
This Week
Ohio State is on the road for the second consecutive week, traveling to West Lafayette, Ind., to play the Purdue Boilermakers. The game Saturday in Ross-Ade Stadium (67,332) is sold out and will kickoff at 3:30 p.m. EDT and will be televised by ABC Sports. WBNS Radio, the flagship station for the Ohio State radio network, will begin its coverage four hours prior to kickoff. Westwood One Radio will carry the game nationally in regions outside Ohio and Indiana.
Travel Plans
Ohio State will hold a light walk-through at home Friday and will depart Port Columbus via charter jet at 7 p.m. for West Lafayette. The Buckeyes will stay at the Holiday Inn in West Lafayette and will return home immediately following the game.
The Teams
Ohio State is 6-1 on the year and 3-1 in the Big Ten. Purdue is now 6-2 for all games and 4-1 in league play. The Boilermakers and Michigan (idle this week) are tied for the league lead, half a game ahead of both the Buckeyes and Northwestern (at Minnesota Saturday). The Buckeyes downed Iowa, 38-10, in Iowa City last week as Steve Bellisari threw for a career-high 315 yards and three touchdowns and the OSU defense recorded 12 tackles-for-loss, including eight sacks, and forced a pair of turnovers. The Boilers stretched their winning streak to three Saturday, downing Wisconsin 30-24 in overtime in Madison. Quarterback Drew Brees threw for 274 yards and a pair of TDs, in the process becoming the Big Ten’s all-time leader in passing yardage (10,567). The Boilers, who are averaging 34 points a game, lead the league in passing offense with an average of 298.8 yards per game and are averaging 469 yards per game in conference play. Ohio State leads the Big Ten in total defense (289.5) and scoring defense (13.0). The Buckeyes also are tied for the league lead in interceptions with 10. OSU Last Week
The defense set the tone early, forcing a pair of turnoverson Iowa’s first two possessions that resulted in a quick 10-0 leadfor the visiting Buckeyes. Senior defensive end Rodney Baileystarted the ball rolling by forcing a fumble that was recovered byteammate Courtland Bullard at the Iowa 30. Three plays later,quarterback Steve Bellisari hit flanker Ken-Yon Rambo from 8-yardsout and OSU led 7-0. Iowa took over at its own 24, but after anincompletion, OSU safety Donnie Nickey picked off a Hawkeye pass atthe 27. Kicker Dan Stultz made it 10-0 on a 37-yard field goal with10:15 still to play in the first quarter. It was all Ohio Statefrom that point on, the Buckeyes jumping to a 31-10 lead at thehalf. Junior nose guard Mike Collins led the OSU defense with acareer-high nine tackles. Bailey had three tackles-for-loss and apair of sacks. Iowa netted just 13 yards rushing against theBuckeyes. Led by Bellisari, the OSU offense rolled up 446 yards intotal offense, with Rambo and Germany each going over the 100-yardmark in receiving yardage.
Stultz Ties Record
Senior kicker Dan Stultz has tied the Ohio State record for career field goals made with 49 (on a school-record 79 attempts). Stultz connected from 37 yards out at Iowa to tie the mark originally set by Tim Williams (1990-93). Stultz also moved into second place on the Buckeyes’ all-time scoring list with 303 points. The school point record of 348 points belongs to Pete Johnson (1973-76).
A Quick Look at Ohio State
Picked anywhere from seventh in the Big Ten to seventh in the country by the preseason prognosticators, the Buckeyes began the season by reeling off five-consecutive wins, including impressive road victories at Arizona (27-17) and Wisconsin (23-7), and climbing to No. 5 in the coaches’ poll. Minnesota burst the Buckeyes’ bubble two weeks ago by upsetting OSU 29-17 in Columbus, but the Buckeyes bounced back at Iowa to keep pace with Big Ten leaders Michigan, Purdue and Northwestern, and become bowl eligible. The Buckeyes are averaging 376 yards and 31.4 points a game on offense. In addition to leading the Big Ten in total defense and scoring defense, they also lead in sacks (34) and turnover margin (+11). Following the game this week, the Buckeyes host Michigan State, then visit Illinois before entertaining Michigan in the traditional regular-season showdown.
A Look At The Polls
Ohio State is 12th in the Associated Press poll (up two spots from last week) this week and 13th in the ESPN/USA Today poll (the same as last week). The Buckeyes, who began the season 15th in the coaches’ poll and 16th in the writers’ balloting, are the Big Ten’s highest-rated team. Prior to the loss to Minnesota Oct. 14, the Buckeyes had climbed to fifth in the coaches’ poll and sixth in the writers’ poll. Purdue checks in this week at No. 16 in both polls.
Series Notes
Ohio State leads the overall series, 32-10-2, and has a 9-4-0 edge in games played in West Lafayette. The Buckeyes have won seven in a row from the Boilers and have a five-game winning streak in West Lafayette dating back to 1984. Purdue’s last win over Ohio State was in 1988 in Columbus (31-26). The two teams began their rivalry in 1919. Ohio State won the first six and nine of the first 10 games played in the rivalry. Between 1943 and 1952, Purdue posted a 4-0-1 record against the Buckeyes, winning back-to-back games in 1943 and 1945 and again in 1947 and 1952. Purdue’s only other two-game winning streak against the Buckeyes came in 1960 and 1967. In the latter contest, the Boilers, behind the play of All-Americans Mike Phipps and Leroy Keyes, throttled the Buckeyes 41-6 in Columbus, the largest margin of victory by Purdue in the series. In 1968, the Buckeyes returned the favor, knocking off the top-ranked Boilers, 13-0 in Columbus, on the way to an unbeaten season and the Big Ten’s last consensus national championship. There have been a number of outstanding individual performances in the series. In 1981, Scott Campbell threw for 516 yards and three touchdowns against the Buckeyes. In 1984, OSU tailback Keith Byars rushed for 191 yards and two TDs. Both performances were in losing efforts. Ohio State won the 1981 shootout, 45-33, and Purdue won the 1984 showdown, 28-23.
Last Year
On a rainy, soggy day, Ohio State emerged with a hard-fought 25-22 victory in Columbus. Purdue led 13-7 at the half, but the Buckeyes scored 10 unanswered points in the third quarter to take a 17-13 lead. After Purdue forged ahead 22-17 early in the fourth quarter, Ohio State scored the game winner with 5:13 to play on a 2-yard run by Jonathan Wells. Michael Wiley’s run put OSU on top by three at 25-22. Purdue quarterback Drew Brees then marched his team down the field, but OSU’s Brent Johnson saved the day by blocking a 29-yard field goal attempt with less than a minute to play. The Buckeyes then ran out the clock.
OSU Head Coach John Cooper
Now in his 24th season as a head coach on the collegiatelevel, John Cooper is in his 13th year at the helm of the Buckeyes.Cooper has a lifetime mark of 191-80-6 and ranks sixth among activeDivision I coaches in terms of victories. Cooper’s record at OhioState is 109-40-4 and includes two Big Ten championships and 10bowl appearances. His 1996 and 1998 teams came within an eyelash ofwinning national championships, each notching 11-1 records andfinishing second in the polls. Cooper is the second winningestcoach in Ohio State history, trailing only the legendary WoodyHayes (205 victories in 28 years). Only Hayes (1951-78) and John W.Wilce (1913-28) have enjoyed longer coaching tenures at OSU. Whileat Ohio State, Cooper has compiled a Big Ten record of 68-28-4,including a 7-1 ledger against Purdue. He currently is the dean ofBig Ten coaches. Prior to coming to Ohio State, Cooper spent threeyears at Arizona State, where he was National Coach of the Year in1986. His three-year record of 25-9-2 with the Sun Devils includeda 10-1-1 mark and the school’s first ever Rose Bowl appearance in1986 (he is the only person to coach a team from both the Pac 10and the Big Ten to victories in the Rose Bowl). The 63-year-oldCooper also spent eight seasons as head coach at Tulsa, compiling a57-31 record between 1977 and 1984. Cooper is a 1962 graduate ofTulsa, where he was team captain and MVP as a senior.
Purdue Coach Joe Tiller
Joe Tiller is in his fourth year at Purdue, where he has directed the Boilermakers to a 26-12 record heading into the game Saturday against Ohio State. Tiller, who spent six seasons as head coach at Wyoming prior to taking over for Jim Colletto at Purdue prior in 1997, has a lifetime mark of 65-42-1 in this, his 10th season as a head coach. A native of Toledo and a 1965 graduate of Montana State, Tiller is 0-1 against Ohio State.
Success On the Road
This will be Ohio State’s fourth road game of the year. The Buckeyes are 3-0 thus far and are 21-6 in their last 27 regular-season road games dating back to the start of the 1995 season. In 13 years as Ohio State’s head coach, Cooper’s road record is an impressive 45-25-3.
Getting Offensive
Ohio State offense is averaging 376 yards per game — 207.1 through the air and 168.9 rushing. The Buckeyes are averaging 31.4 points a game and have outscored their opponents 66-27 in the first quarter and 66-22 in the third. The Buckeyes have committed just seven turnovers — four lost fumbles and three interceptons. The OSU offense has totaled 29 plays of 20 or more yards so far this year. Senior flanker Chad Cacchio is the pace setter with seven, including four that have gone for touchdowns. Ken-Yon Rambo has five to his credit
Bellisari On Target
Junior quarterback Steve Bellisari had his best day as a Buckeye at Iowa, registering career highs in completions (17 of 29), passing yards (315) and touchdowns (3). The 6-3 left-hander, who threw for 1,616 yards and 12 touchdowns all of last year, has thrown for 1,320 yards and 10 TDs so far this season. His 17 completions at Iowa included touchdown strikes to flanker Ken-Yon Rambo (8 yards), split end Reggie Germany (37) and back-up flanker Chad Cacchio (32). Bellisari has thrown at least one touchdown pass in all seven games this year and currently has a streak of 11-consecutive games with a TD toss.
Elite Status
By throwing for 315 yards at Iowa, Steve Bellisari becomesjust the fifth Ohio State quarterback to top the 300-yard mark in agame. The others are Joe Germaine (8 times), Art Schlichter (3),Bobby Hoying (2) and Greg Frey (1).
Flank Attack
Flanker Ken-Yon Rambo and split end Reggie Germany had their best days of the year Saturday. Rambo hauled in eight receptions for 130 yards and Germany grabbed six for 123. Both scored their first touchdowns of the year. It was the first time since 1998, in the eighth game of the season against Indiana, that two OSU receivers (Dee Miller 159, David Boston 110) had gone over the 100-yard mark in the same game. Flanker Chad Cacchio, who missed the Wisconsin and Minnesota games with an ankle sprain, also had a touchdown catch against Iowa. Cacchio has just eight catches on the year, but four of those have resulted in touchdowns. He is averaging 32.1 yards per catch.
Doss Leads Tacklers
Strong safety Mike Doss leads the Buckeyes in both solo (39) and total tackles (47). Linebacker Joe Cooper is next with 41, followed by cornerback Nate Clements with 40. Sophomore linebacker Matt Wilhelm is the team leader in tackles-for-loss with 10, one more than senior defensive end Brent Johnson.
Sack Guys
Senior defensive end Rodney Bailey is having his best year. Bailey picked up two more sacks at Iowa Saturday and now has five on the year. Senior linebacker Courtland Bullard also has five, with two of those coming against Wisconsin and two vs. Minnesota. Fourteen different players have recorded sacks this year for the Buckeyes.
Big Ten Leaders
A look at the most recent Big Ten stats (based on conference games only) shows Ohio State leading the league in total defense (289.5 ypg.), rushing defense (88.2 ypg.) and scoring defense (13.0 ppg.). The Buckeyes also are first in pass efficiency defense (102.8). OSU also has a league-best 34 sacks and is tied for the lead in interceptions with 10. They are first in turnover margin with a +11 figure.
Solid on Defense
For all games, the Ohio State defense is allowing 298.9yards and 13.6 points a game. Opponents are averaging 89.9 yards agame rushing and 209 yards passing against the Buckeyes. TheBuckeyes have been a strong second-half team allowing 35 totalpoints, including just 13 in the fourth quarter. Ohio State hasforced 18 turnovers and has scored 72 points following thosemiscues. The defense has scored five touchdowns this year, three ofthose coming on interceptions and the other two on fumblerecoveries.
Cooper on Iowa
“I thought we played well. I liked the way we set the tone early on defense and jumped out to a quick lead. We definitely showed improvement from the Minnesota game. Steve (Bellisari) had his best day throwing the ball, and our receivers ran good routes. We also were able to play a lot of young players.”
Cooper on Purdue
“Drew Brees is a tremendous talent at quarterback and Joe Tiller is an excellent football coach, who does a great job of getting his teams ready to play. When people think of Purdue they think of offense, but Joe has done a great job with their defense, too. They are a good all-around football team and we are going to need to play our best game. This is a key game for both teams.”
Injury Report
Linebacker Jason Ott began limited drills last week, but is not expected to be cleared to play this week. Ott, who started all 12 games a year ago, tore a muscle in his right shoulder Aug. 15 and underwent surgery the next day. Linebacker Jack Tucker, who suffered a fractured clavicle Aug. 22, and tackle Tyson Walter, who has missed the entire season because of a back infection, are both out this week. Also, fullback Jesse Kline is expected to miss the rest of the season with a back injury.
Janowicz’ No. 31 Retired
Vic Janowicz’ No. 31 was retired at halftime of the Penn State game (9/23/00) and is now permanently on display in Ohio Stadium. Janowicz, who lettered for the Buckeyes from 1949 to 1951, won the Heisman Trophy in 1950 as a junior. A native of Elyria, Ohio, Janowicz is considered by many historians to be the finest all-around athlete ever to play for Ohio State. Janowicz, who died in February of 1996, is just the second football player and third Ohio State athlete to have a number retired. Two-time Heisman Trophy winner Archie Griffin had his number (45) retired in 1999 (the Iowa game), and three-time basketball All-America and two time National Player of the Year Jerry Lucas had his number (11) retired this past winter.
Attendance Marks
In four home games this year, the Buckeyes have drawn a total of 389,568 fans, an average of 97,392. The Ohio Stadium single-season record for average attendance is 94,028, set in six games in 1996. The season record for total attendance is 654,500, set in seven games in 1991, when the Buckeyes averaged 93,500 fans per game. Coming into this year, the single-game attendance record was 95,537, set in 1995 against Notre Dame. With seating capacity this year expanded to 95,346 as part of a three-year renovation project, the Notre Dame mark fell in the season opener against Fresno State (96,583). That record has since been broken twice – against Miami (96,721) and then against Penn State (98,144). The homecoming game against Minnesota attracted 98,120 fans.
OSU In The Big Ten
The Buckeyes now have an all-time Big Ten record of 395-173-28 since beginning conference play in 1913. Over the years, Ohio State has won 28 Big Ten championships, and is tied for the league lead with 15 outright titles. Between 1992 and 1998 the Buckeyes finished either first or second every year, winning titles in 1993, ’96 and ’98. The Buckeyes are 74-19-1 since Penn State entered the league in 1993. That represents the best mark in the conference in that time period.
Ohio State All-Time
This is the 111th season of football for the Buckeyes, who began play in 1890. OSU’s all-time record now stands at 723-284-53. Over the years the Buckeyes have experienced just 11 losing seasons, with six of those coming prior to 1925.
Spartans in Town
Ohio State returns home Nov. 4 to host Michigan State in sold out Ohio Stadium (95,346). Kickoff time will be announced at a later date.
Adam Taliaferro Fund
Ohio State will donate $20,000 to the Adam Taliaferro long-term care fund. The money comes from program sales at the Oct. 14 game against Minnesota, as well as through contributions by the Department of Athletics. Taliaferro suffered a spinal cord injury against Ohio State Sept. 23. About 4,000 programs remain and can be purchased through the official Ohio State website at www.ohiostatebuckeyes.com. The Department of Athletics will donate all monies from the sale of the remaining programs to the Taliaferro fund.
Rookies Measuring Up
The freshman class this year, billed last February by most recruiting gurus as one of the best in the nation, appears to living up to its advance billing. Through the Buckeyes’ first seven games, 11 true freshmen have seen game action. On offense, Shane Olivea and Alex Stepanovich have worked their way into the two-deep on the offensive line. On defense, Robert Reynolds (LB), Will Smith (DE) and Darrion Scott (DT) have all figured in the fray when the game was on the line. The rest have made their contributions as members of the special teams.
