Defense Scores Four Times in Buckeye Win – Ohio State Buckeyes
9/2/2000 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 2, 2000
Box Score| Quotes| Notes
COLUMBUS, Ohio–Ohio State opened its 2000 football season on a defensive note, using four touchdowns from the defense in a 43-10 win over Fresno State in Ohio Stadium Saturday.
Ohio State won its season opener for the 12th time in coach John Cooper’s 13 years, and stands at 1-0. Fresno State is 0-1.
The first big defensive play came when senior Rodney Bailey blocked Asen Asparuhov’s 44-yard field goal attempt on Fresno State’s first drive of the game. The Buckeye’s took over and drove inside the Bulldog 1-yard line but were not able to push the ball into the end zone, giving up possession on downs.
The defense gave Ohio State the lead three plays later when Mike Doss recovered a Fresno State fumble in the end zone. The Buckeyes missed the extra point and led 6-0 with 1:52 remaining the first quarter.
The second score from the defense came on the first play of the Bulldogs’ next drive, when Derek Ross forced a fumble after a completed pass. David Mitchell picked up the loose ball and ran 34 yards to give the Buckeyes a 13-0 lead.
Ohio State stretched the lead to 20-0 at the half when quarterback Steve Bellisari hooked up with Chad Cacchio for a 23-yard completion. The score capped a six-play, 90-yard drive.
The second half saw Mitchell score his second TD of the afternoon, when he intercepted a David Carr pass and returned it 51 yards for a 27-0 lead at the 10:54 mark of the third quarter. After the teams traded field goals, OSU’s defense again went on the offensive as Matt Wilhelm returned an interception 25 yards for a touchdown.
Fresno State’s lone touchdown came with just five seconds remaining in the game, when Marque Davis grabbed a 9-yard pass from, Jeff Grady. Ohio State was not finished. Following a failed on-side kick, Ricky Bryant hauled in a 44-yard pass from Scott McMullen on the game’s last play for the final 43-10 margin
Derek Combs lead Ohio State’s rushing attack with 88 yards on 14 carries, followed by Jonathan Wells with 66 yards on 14 carries. Bellisari completed 8 of 14 passes for 95 yards and one touchdown.
Fresno State was led by Carr’s 238 yards passing. He completed 26 of 44 attempts. However, he threw four interceptions.
The Buckeyes totaled 389 yards to Fresno’s 372.
The game was played in front of a school-record 96,583 in the re-furbished Ohio Stadium
