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