No. 16 Ohio State Drills Fresno State, 43-10 – Ohio State Buckeyes
9/2/2000 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 2, 2000
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%^$By Rusty Miller
%^$Associated Press%^$
COLUMBUS, Ohio – David Mitchell returned a fumble and an interception%^$for scores and Michael Doss and Matt Wilhelm also provided defensive touchdowns%^$as No. 16 Ohio State routed Fresno State 43-10 on Saturday before the largest%^$crowd ever in Ohio Stadium.%^$
Mitchell’s 34-yard fumble recovery came just 21 seconds after Doss plopped%^$on another Bulldogs fumble in the end zone, giving the Buckeyes a 13-0 lead%^$late in the first quarter.%^$
Mitchell later took a tipped pass 51 yards for a touchdown and Wilhelm%^$returned another pass 25 yards for a score.%^$
Fresno State turned the ball over six times, including four interceptions%^$thrown by quarterback David Carr. Ohio State does not keep track of defensive%^$touchdowns in a game, but the school’s sports information office said it%^$believed the four was a record.%^$
The victory ended a three-game losing streak for Ohio State, trying to%^$bounce back from a 6-6 season.%^$
Ohio State’s defense provided almost all of the thrills for the record crowd%^$of 96,583, breaking the mark of 95,537 set at the 1995 Notre Dame game.%^$
The opener for both teams was the first played in the expanded 78-year-old%^$stadium. Two years into a three-year rebuilding program that will cost $187%^$million, new permanent stands were built in what used to be the open end of the%^$”Horseshoe” and 19 rows were added atop the second deck. In addition, the%^$field was lowered 14 1/2 feet to accommodate expanded seating near the field.%^$
The crowd was quiet late in the first quarter after the Buckeyes failed to%^$score on four runs from inside the Fresno State 2.%^$
But two plays later, after taking over at their 6-inch line, the Bulldogs%^$made their first big mistake. Derrick Ward ran up the middle and was hit by%^$Ryan Pickett and fumbled. Doss, laying on the grass on the goal line, reached%^$out with his hand and raked in the ball for the score.%^$
The Buckeyes were assessed a celebration penalty after the TD, with Dan%^$Stultz missing the extra-point attempt.%^$
After the kickoff Carr flipped a first-down pass to David Shabaglian at the%^$right sideline, but he dropped the ball. Mitchell picked it up in stride and%^$raced 34 yards for the score.%^$
Again Ohio State was penalized for excessive celebration, but this time%^$Stultz converted to make it 13-0.%^$
The Buckeyes were leading 20-0 early in the third quarter when they were%^$again stopped on a fourth-and-1, at the Fresno 40. But Carr’s pass to the right%^$sideline was tipped at the line and sailed to Mitchell near midfield. He%^$coasted into the end zone.%^$
Wilhelm picked off another Carr pass and rumbled 25 yards for a touchdown%^$late in the game.%^$
Carr finished 26-of-44 for 238 yards with the four interceptions.%^$
Ohio State’s offense also struggled all day. In addition to the two drives%^$that stalled on fourth down, quarterback Steve Bellisari fumbled a center snap%^$that was returned 46 yards by Orlando Huff. But Doss intercepted Carr on the%^$next play.%^$
Bellisari was erratic throwing the ball, but had a 23-yard TD pass to Chad%^$Cacchio.%^$
Fresno State’s points came on a 25-yard field goal by Asen Asparuhov and a%^$10-yard touchdown pass from Jeff Grady to Marque Davis with 5 seconds%^$remaining.%^$
After covering the onside kick with just three seconds left, Ohio State%^$elected to throw a bomb. Scott McMullen heaved a 44-yard TD pass to Ricky%^$Bryant on the last play of the game.
