Ohio State Golden Against Kent State in 51-17 Win – Ohio State Buckeyes
9/7/2002 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept 7, 2002
Box Score| Quotes| Notes
COLUMBUS, Ohio – No. 8 Ohio State scored 40 points for the second-consecutive game, including two defensive touchdowns, as the Buckeyes cruised to a 51-17 victory over Kent State Saturday at Ohio Stadium in front of 98,689 fans.
Quarterback Craig Krenzel completed 12-of-14 passes for 190 yards and one touchdown after completing his first 11 passes to start the game. Combine those passes with his final completion vs. Texas Tech in the season opener, and he tied an Ohio State record for consecutive passes (12) completed at Ohio State.
Ohio State completed 11-consecutive passes against Kent State before Scott McMullen threw an incompletion in the second quarter. McMullen finished the game 7-for-11 for 78 yards as the Buckeyes threw for 268 yards and two touchdowns. McMullen hit Ryan Hamby late in the fourth quarter to put OSU on top 51-17.
The defense scored two of the Buckeyes’ six touchdowns, both of interceptions. Michael Doss scored on a 45-yard interception return in the first quarter and then A.J. Hawk returned his pick 34 yards for a score in the second quarter.
After Kent State went three-and-out on its first possession. Ohio State’s Donnie Nickey partially blocked the punt and began its drive from the 31-yard line. Maurice Clarett gave the Buckeyes the lead five plays later on a 2-yard touchdown run with two minutes, 44 seconds into the first quarter. The blocked punt was the first for Ohio State since Michael Doss blocked a punt at Indiana in the 2000 season.
Doss then picked off a Josh Cribbs pass at the Kent State 45-yard line and returned it for the Buckeyes’ second score of the game with 9:21 remaining in the first. It was Doss’ fourth career touchdown. Derek Ross had the last Buckeye interception return for a touchdown, also a 45-yard return last year vs. Penn State.
Maurice Hall ran off the right side for 28 yards and the third OSU score of the game to put the Buckeyes on top, 21-0. It was his first career touchdown. A Craig Krenzel 33-yard pass to Chris Gamble on the second play of the four-play, 76-yard drive set up the touchdown.
Krenzel capped a 7-play, 66-yard drive with a 7-yard touchdown pass to Clarett to give OSU a 28-0 lead 1:03 into the second quarter. It was Ohio State’s first passing TD of the season against nine rushing scores. Krenzel was 9-for-9 with 104 yards after the score.
Mike Nugent gave the Buckeyes a 31-0 lead with a 40-yard field goal with 9:05 in the second quarter. Hawk scored on the second interception of the game by the Buckeyes, returning it 34-yards for the touchdown. The freshman gave the Buckeyes a 38-0 lead with 7:31 remaining in the first half. The last time the Buckeyes had two defensive touchdowns in a game was against Fresno State in 2000, when the Buckeyes recorded a school-record four defensive scores.
Kent State got on the board thanks to a 28-yards pass from Cribbs to Daryl Moore with 3:11 to go in the first half. It capped a 13-play, 75-yard drive. The Golden Flashes capitalized on an Ohio State fumble on the Buckeyes’ next possession and added another touchdown, a 13-yard pass from Cribbs to Antonio King, just before the end of the half. Ohio State led 38-14 at intermission.
Nugent kicked his second field goal of the day, this time from 33 yards out, to put the Buckeyes up 41-14. Kent State kicker Travis Mayle missed a 26-yard field goal try wide right. Nugent then kicked a 45-yard field goal, equaling his career long, which he kicked in the season-opening win over Texas Tech, to put Ohio State up 44-14 with 14:56 to play in the game. Mayle added a 33-yard field goal with 8:25 remaining in the game to pull within 44-17.
Ohio State added a late touchdown in the fourth quarter when McMullen hit Hamby for an 18-yard score with 4:09 to play.
The Buckeyes finished the game with 412 total yards, including 268 through the air. Michael Jenkins had 89 yards receiving while Chris Gamble recorded 87 yards on the day. Clarett was the leading ground gainer with 64 yards on 12 carries.
OSU will play host to Washington State next Saturday at 3:30 p.m. on ABC-TV.
