Ohio State at Indiana To Begin Two-Game Road Swing – Ohio State Buckeyes
10/20/2003 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 20, 2003
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OSU HOPES TO KEEP PACE AT IU
Following a 19-10 win over ninth-ranked Iowa, No. 8 Ohio State is at Indiana this week, the first of two-consecutive road games for the 6-1, 2-1 Buckeyes. Saturday’s game in the Hoosiers’ Memorial Stadium (capacity: 52,180) will kickoff at 12:02 p.m. ET (11:02 in Bloomington) and will be televised nationally by ESPN.
Jim Tressel’s Buckeyes are looking for their first road win of the year after falling 17-10 at Wisconsin two weeks ago in their only road trip of the season.
At 2-1 in conference action, the Buckeyes are hoping to stay within striking distance of current conference leaders Michigan State (4-0) and Purdue (3-0), both of whom are on Ohio State’s home schedule in mid-November. Indiana is 1-6 on the year and 0-3 in Big Ten play. The Hoosiers, whose lone win of the year came against Indiana State, are trying to halt a four-game losing skid. Coach Jerry DiNardo’s team was idle last week.
Saturday’s game will be broadcast by WBNS Radio, the flagship station for the Ohio State radio network.
Traditionally a favorite road trip for Buckeye fans, the OSU ticket office has sold more that 15,000 seats for Saturday’s game in Bloomington.
ABOUT THE BUCKEYES
Ohio State bounced back from a 17-10 loss at Wisconsin two weeks ago with a 19-10 win over visiting Iowa this past week. The hard-fought victory over the No. 9 Hawkeyes gives the Buckeyes a 3-1 record against Top 25 teams this year.
As a result of Saturday’s win, the Buckeyes are 6-1 on the year and 2-1 in the Big Ten and for the second-consecutive week hold down the No. 8 slot in both the ESPN/USA TODAY and the Associated Press polls. The Buckeyes continue to be the Big Ten’s highest-ranked team.
Ohio State opened the season with five-consecutive wins before having its 19-game winning streak snapped at Wisconsin. The Buckeyes kept another streak intact this past week, however, by recording their 14th-consecutive victory in Ohio Stadium.
The Buckeyes have won 20 of their last 21 starts, including 11 of 12 Big Ten tilts. The win over Iowa snuffed out the possibility of back-to-back conference losses for the first time since 1999.
The Buckeyes are averaging 23.0 points and 278 yards per game on offense and giving up 14.9 points and 269 yards on defense. The latter total includes 60.6 yards per game rushing.
OHIO STATE LAST WEEK
In a classic defensive struggle between two of the Big Ten’s top defenses, Ohio State prevailed 19-10. Neither team scored an offensive touchdown. The Buckeyes, who were trying to get back on the winning track after a disappointing loss at Wisconsin, did so by scoring on a 53-yard field goal, a 54-yard punt return, a blocked punt and a safety. Iowa scored on a 36-yard field goal and a 5-yard run on a fake field goal.
The Buckeye defense, which came into the game leading the nation in rushing defense, held the Hawkeyes to 66 yards on the ground, including just 42 by talented tailback Fred Russell.
Iowa was equally stingy, limiting OSU to 56 yards rushing and 185 yards of total offense.
The difference in the game was the special teams, OSU scoring for the first time this year on either a punt return or a blocked punt. Michael Jenkins had the former, fielding the ball near midfield, slipping a tackle and racing into the end zone to give OSU a 10-0 lead. Ohio State had led 3-0 on a 53-yard field goal by Mike Nugent
Redshirt freshman Roy Hall blocked the punt for the Buckeyes, giving OSU a 17-3 lead midway through the third period. Hall came clean up the middle and blocked the ball at the goal line. Freshman Donte Whitner then fell on the loose ball in the end zone.
The Buckeyes picked up two more points on an errant shotgun snap that sailed through the end zone with 3:03 to play in the game.
Iowa got the ball back one more time, but Chris Gamble assured the Buckeyes of a win with an interception at the OSU 26-yard line.
In a game where offensive yards were hard to come by, senior receiver Drew Carter caught six passes for 95 yards to spark the Buckeyes’ aerial game. Carter led both teams in receptions.
The OSU defense was sparked by the play of end Will Smith and tackle Tim Anderson who combined for 4.5 tackles-for-loss and generally wreaked havoc all day long in the Iowa offensive backfield. Safety Will Allen and linebacker A.J. Hawk paced the Buckeyes with seven tackles each.
Punter B.J. Sander again turned in an exceptional performance, averaging 44.8 yards per kick and nailing a 62-yarder in the fourth quarter when the Buckeyes needed to pin the Hawkeyes deep in their own territory.
Nugent’s 53-yard field goal was the second longest in Ohio Stadium history by an OSU kicker and the fourth longest ever by a Buckeye.
EFFICIENT IN THE RED ZONE
Despite coming up empty handed on its two chances against Iowa, the Ohio State offense has been productive when it counts most — in the red zone. The Buckeyes are 20-of-23 on the year, scoring 13 touchdowns (seven rushing and six passing) and seven (of eight) field goals. OSU’s seven opponents are 16-of-22 (11 TDs and 5 FGs).
GETTING IT DONE ON DEFENSE
Ohio State is sixth nationally in total defense, allowing an average of 269 yards per game. Georgia is first at 249.86 yards and Purdue leads the Big Ten with a 265.67 figure. The Buckeyes are second against the run at 60.57. LSU is the pacesetter at 53.14. Ohio State also is 12th nationally in scoring defense at 14.8. LSU leads at 9.86.
BUCKEYES HOLD STEADY IN THE POLLS
For the second week in a row Ohio State checks in at the No. 8 spot in both major polls. The Buckeyes are 3-1 against ranked teams this year (1-0 against Top 10 teams) and are 8-1 since the beginning of the 2002 campaign. The Buckeyes’ highest ranking this year was second (they opened the season in the No. 2 spot).
OSU-IU SERIES HISTORY
Ohio State leads the series 61-12-5 and has posted a 21-2-1 record in Bloomington. The Buckeyes have won the last 10 games played in the series, five of which were hosted by the Hoosiers. Between 1952 and 1986, Ohio State posted a 30-0-1 record against IU, that streak coming to an end in 1987 when Indiana scored a stunning 31-10 victory in Columbus. In 1988, the Hoosiers recorded their first win in Bloomington since 1904 with a 41-7 thrashing of the Buckeyes behind 190 yards and four touchdowns by tailback Anthony Thompson.
Other memorable individual performances in the series include 224 yards rushing by Ohio State’s Calvin Murray in 1980, 351 yards passing by the Buckeyes’ Joe Germaine in 1998 and 335 yards passing and four touchdowns by IU’s Babe Laufenberg in 1982.
Team highs include 568 yards in total offense by the 1974 Buckeyes and 315 yards rushing by the 1988 Hoosiers.
COACH Jim Tressel
Jim Tressel is in his third year as head coach at Ohio State. His record with the Buckeyes is a glittering 27-6 for all games and 15-4 in Big Ten play and includes a Big Ten co-championship and a consensus national title, both last year. He is 18-2 in games played in Ohio Stadium and 11-3 against teams ranked in the Top 25.
After guiding the Buckeyes to the summit of college football in 2002 with a perfect 14-0 record, the 50-year-old Tressel was named National Coach of the Year by the Football Writers Association of America, the American Football Coaches Association and The Sporting News. He also received the Bobby Dodd and Paul “Bear” Bryant National Coach of the Year awards and was honored by the Pigskin Club of Washington D.C. and the Columbus Touchdown Club.
Tressel, who prior to coming to Ohio State spent 15 years as the head coach at Youngstown State where his teams won four Division 1-AA national championships, has an overall record of 162-63-2 as a head coach.
Tressel is just the fourth coach to lead Ohio State to an unbeaten, untied season, joining John Wilce in 1916 (7-0), Carroll Widdoes in 1944 (9-0) and Woody Hayes in 1954 (10-0) and 1968 (10-0).
This is Tressel’s second stop at Ohio State. He was an assistant coach under Earle Bruce from 1983 to 1985, serving as quarterbacks and receivers coach the first year before taking on the added responsibility of the running backs the next two years. During those three years, the Buckeyes played in the Fiesta, Rose and Citrus bowls and posted a combined record of 27-9.
Tressel is the son of the late Lee Tressel, a coaching legend at Baldwin-Wallace College in northern Ohio. His brother, Dick Tressel, who currently serves on the Ohio State football operations staff, is also a former head coach, spending 22 years at Hamline University in suburban Minneapolis. As a family, the Tressels have won 441 games. Jim’s nephew, Mike Tressel (Dick’s son), is a graduate assistant for the Buckeyes.
CLOSE TO THE VEST
In his two-plus years at Ohio State, Coach Jim Tressel has demonstrated an ability to win the close ones, including three overtime decisions. In 2001, Tressel’s first year at Ohio State, the Buckeyes won two games by a touchdown or less (Minnesota and Michigan). In posting a perfect 14-0 record in 2002, the Buckeyes won seven games by that same margin, including overtime wins at Illinois and in the national championship game. So far this year, theBuckeyes are 3-1 in games decided by a touchdown or less. Under Tressel’s guidance, the Buckeyes have a 12-5 record in games decided by seven or fewer points.
BUCKEYE AWARD CANDIDATES
Quarterback Craig Krenzel is 19-2 as a starter. The Buckeyes’ co-MVP last year and the offensive MVP of the Fiesta Bowl, the heady signal caller is a candidate for the Unitas and O’Brien awards. In the win over N.C. State, he threw touchdown passes in each of the three overtime periods — and did it with a sore throwing arm that subsequently forced him to miss two games. A molecular genetics major, he has been nominated for a National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame Scholarship as well as the NCAA’ prestigious Top VIII Award.
Split end Michael Jenkins is a leading contender for the Biletnikoff Award as the nation’s top receiver. The 6-5 senior turned in a stellar performance against N.C. State by grabbing seven passes for 124 yards and scoring the winning touchdown in the third overtime session. Jenkins had five receptions against Northwestern to move into fourth place on the all-time OSU receiving list. He currently paces the Buckeyes with 28 receptions for 395 yards and three touchdowns and has caught passes in 33-consecutive games. Against Iowa, Jenkins returned a punt 54 yards for a touchdown to give Ohio State a 10-0 lead.
Center Alex Stepanovich, in his second year as a starter, is on the watch list for the Rimington Award as the nation’s best center. Stepanovich was selected by the OSU coaches as the offensive lineman of the week following the Washington game. After suffering an ankle sprain the following week against San Diego State, Stepanovich sat out the N.C. State, Bowling Green and Northwestern games before returning to action at Wisconsin. He started at guard against Iowa.
Junior Chris Gamble starts at cornerback and also return punts and kickoffs Now a much more physical player at 200 pounds (up 16 from a year ago), he will be a leading candidate for all of the player of the year awards, as well as the Thorpe Award as the top defensive back in college football. The Buckeyes’ “shutdown corner” leads the Buckeyes in passes broken up. His interception against Iowa, abruptly ended the Hawkeyes’ final drive.
Mike Nugent is coming off a spectacular sophomore year in which he set nine school kicking records, led the team in scoring and won first-team All-America honors. Nugent finished second in the voting for the Lou Groza award last year and should be a finalist again this year. Nugent has made 9-of-10 attempts this year, including a career-long 53-yard shot in the win over Iowa. He is 34 of 38 since the beginning of last year.
The Buckeyes also boast three of the top defensive linemen in the nation in seniors Will Smith, Darrion Scott and Tim Anderson. All three are candidates for the Lombardi Award in 2003. Smith leads the Buckeyes in tackles-for-loss (11.5) and sacks (6.5) and has 27 total tackles, one more than Anderson, who had two tackles for loss in the win over Iowa.
Sophomore linebacker A.J. Hawk has projected himself into the national spotlight and possible consideration for the Butkus Award. Hawk leads the Buckeyes in solo stops and total tackles with 29 and 65, respectively. He has 43 tackles in the last four games.
TRESSEL ON THE BUCKEYES
“Saturday’s win over Iowa was a win over a good team,” said the Ohio State head coach. “You saw two great defenses out there. Ultimately, it came down to the special teams and we were fortunate enough to win that battle. We know we have to get better on offense and we will continue to work on that.”
ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICA NOMINEES
Five Ohio State players have been nominated for the Verizon Academic All-America team which is selected annually by a vote of college sports information directors across the country. In order to be eligible for consideration, a player must have a GPA of 3.2 or better on a 4.0 scale, be at least a sophomore in terms of eligibility and be a starter or significant reserve. The Ohio State nominees are: quarterback Craig Krenzel, tight end Ben Hartsock, running back Maurice Hall, cornerback Dustin Fox and safety Will Allen.
HARTSOCK ENJOYING BANNER YEAR
Senior tight end Ben Hartsock, always a highly regarded blocker, is having his best year as a receiver. The 6-4 Hartsock has 21 receptions on the year, four more than he had all of last year and four shy of his career total coming into this year. Hartsock had a career-high seven catches against North Carolina State and hauled in five receptions against Wisconsin.
“There can’t be a better blocking tight end in college football than Ben Hartsock,” said Ohio State coach Jim Tressel. “He is a terrific blocker and now he is also making spectacular catches.”
A NICE OPTION
Everyone knows split end Michael Jenkins is “The Man” when it comes to catching passes for the Buckeyes. Jenkins, after all, is the Buckeyes’ leading receiver and has caught passes in 33-consecutive games. But senior flanker Drew Carter is giving OSU quarterback Craig Krenzel a nice option to go to. With Jenkins constantly drawing double coverage, Carter has caught eight passes for 185 yards the past two weeks and now has 22 receptions for 335 yards and a touchdown.
“When he is on the field, he is the fastest guy out there on either side of the ball,” said Krenzel. “He is a great weapon.”
Not surprisingly, Carter is enjoying his new role.
“I feel like the coaches and the players have more confidence in me,” he says. “That is a nice feeling.”
Carter entered the year with 16 career receptions.
NUGENT DRILLS IT
Junior kicker Mike Nugent left no doubt about his 53-yard field goal attempt in the first quarter of Saturday’s win over Iowa, effortlessly booting the ball through the uprights at the north end of Ohio Stadium. “It felt good as soon as I hit it,” said Nugent, who is nine-of-10 on the year and has made his last seven attempts.
Nugent’s kick was the second longest in Ohio Stadium history by a Buckeye and the fourth longest in school history. The Ohio Stadium record for an OSU player is 55 yards by Dan Stultz in 1997. Former three-time All-American Tom Skladany holds the school record with a 59-yard trey at Illinois in 1975. Gary Cairns (1966) also has a 55-yard field goals to his credit and Bob Atha had a 53-yard boot at Purdue in 1981.
CLIMBING THE CHARTS
Quarterback Craig Krenzel ranks eighth in career passing yards at Ohio State with 3,336. Jim Karsatos (1984-86) is in seventh place with 5,089 yards.
Krenzel also ranks 11th in career total offense at OSU with 3,802 yards. He went around former Heisman Trophy winner Eddie George (1992-96) this past week. George is now 12th with 3,768, all via the rush. The No. 10 spot belongs to Rex Kern at 4,158.
Split end Michael Jenkins is fourth in both career receptions (138) and career receiving yards (2,452) at OSU. Jenkins needs 17 receptions and 274 yards to move into third place on the OSU career lists.
Kicker Mike Nugent has 41 career field goals. The school record of 59 belongs to Dan Stultz (1996-2000). Nugent has made 41-of-52 attempts and ranks first in career percentage with a fanciful .788 figure.
BUCKEYE PLAYER NOTES
Offensive lineman Mike Kne (knee) has been converted to scholarship by the OSU coach Jim Tressel. Kne, a native of Cleveland, originally enrolled at Fordham where he started as a freshman in 2000. After transferring to Ohio State and sitting out the 2001 season, he lettered last year. The 6-4 junior made his first start as a Buckeye against Northwestern (at right tackle). Junior wide receiver Bam Childress made his first collegiate start againstWisconsin, getting the nod when the Buckeyes opened in a 3-wide out set. Redshirt freshman defensive lineman Quinn Pitcock had his best game as a Buckeyes against Iowa, recording six tackles, including 2.5 tackles-for-loss and a sack.
PACKING THE STADIUM
Saturday’s crowd of 105,044 was the second largest of the year and the fourth largest in Ohio Stadium history. In six home games this year, the Buckeyes have drawn 628,483 fans, an average of 104,747 per Saturday in the Horseshoe. The single-game record of 105,539 was set last year against Michigan. The highest single-season average in Ohio Stadium history is 103,488 in eight games last year.
OHIO STATE IN THE RECORDS BOOK
Ohio State set an NCAA Division 1-A record in 2002 with 14 wins. In doing so, the Buckeyes recorded their fifth unbeaten, untied season (1916, 1944, 1954 and 1968 previously) and claimed their seventh national championship (1942, 1954, 1957, 1961, 1968 and 1970).
BUCKEYES ALL-TIME WIN TOTAL NOW 752
With the win over Iowa, the Buckeyes, who first fielded a team in 1890 and are now in their 114th season of gridiron play, have an all-time record of 752-293-53. That is a wining percentage of .709 for the Scarlet and Gray.
THE BUCKEYES IN BIG TEN PLAY
Ohio State began Big Ten play in 1913. The Buckeyes currently have an all-time conference record of 410-156-24 and have either won outright or shared 29 Big Ten titles. The Buckeyes were a perfect 8-0 last year in conference play and shared the league title with Iowa. Ohio State’s last outright crown was in 1984 (6-2).
OHIO STATE’S RECORD IN OHIO STADIUM
The Buckeyes own an all-time record of 348-101-20 since Ohio Stadium was opened in 1922. Ohio State has won 14 in a row in the Horseshoe, last losing to Illinois in the final home game of the 2001 season. The Buckeyes have two home games remaining this year — Michigan State and Purdue.
2003 OSU CAPTAINS
Quarterback Craig Krenzel, split end Michael Jenkins, defensive end Will Smith and defensive tackle Tim Anderson are the Ohio State captains this year. The four seniors were selected by a vote of their teammates.
GETTING THEIR FEET WET EARLY
Five true freshmen have seen action in the Buckeyes’ first four games — tailback Ira Guilford, tight end Louis Irizarry, defensive backs Donte Whitner and Ashton Youboty and defensive tackle David Patterson.
GAME 1 RECAP — OHIO STATE 28, WASHINGTON 9
Playing on national television and led by heady quarterback Craig Krenzel and an unrelenting defense that proved mature beyond its youth at linebacker and safety, the Buckeyes easily dispatched visiting Washington 28-9 in their season opener. Krenzel, who took control of the game from the outset, was only slightly short of sensational in running his record to 16-1 as a starter. His 37-yard strike to flanker Drew Carter set up Ohio State’s first touchdown, a 2-yard run by junior tailback Maurice Hall with 8:31 to play in the first quarter. The senior signal caller made it 14-0 with a 23-yard scramble around left end with 2:51 to play in the first stanza and 21-0 with an 11-yard scramble, this time to the right side, with 11 seconds left in the half. The latter play came on third down and took the bark out of the Huskies. Krenzel threw for 203 yards (his third career 200-yard game) and ran for 27 more in what has become typical of his stellar play. Six of his 15 completions went to senior split end and fellow co-captain Michael Jenkins. Junior tailback Lydell Ross accounted for OSU’ other score, a 15-yard power burst off tackle with 6:06 remaining in the third quarter. In addition to their two touchdowns, Hall and Ross combined for 101 yards rushing.
The Ohio State defense, meanwhile, picked up where it left off a year ago, limiting the Huskies to nine points and 262 total yards, including just 7 on the ground. Washington quarterback Cody Pickett completed 26-of-49 passes for 255 yards, but no touchdowns, and most of that yardage came in the second half after the outcome had been decided. Pickett had just 77 yards at halftime.
Junior Simon Fraser, starting his third game but first as a regular at defensive end, led the defense with seven tackles, including three for losses and a sack and was named Big Ten co-defensive player of the week. Sophomore linebacker A.J. Hawk also had seven tackles in his first start.
Junior All-America candidate Chris Gamble had four tackles and a pass broken up and effectively took Husky receiver Reggie Williams — who like Pickett was being mentioned as a Heisman Trophy candidate — out of the game.
GAME 2 RECAP — OHIO STATE 16, SAN DIEGO STATE 13
As was the case so many times last year in the Buckeyes’ championship run, the Ohio State defense was the difference in Ohio State’s 3-point win over San Diego State. On a day when the OSU offense could muster but 196 total yards and was held without a touchdown, the defense got the job done by coming up with four turnovers (two interceptions and two fumble recoveries) and holding the Aztecs to 216 total yards, including just 28 on the ground.
Will Allen’s 100-yard interception return for a touchdown midway through the first quarter was THE PLAY of the day and turned out to be Ohio State’s only touchdown. Allen’s tally, the Buckeyes’ first defensive touchdown of the year, and three field goals by All-American Mike Nugent, were enough for the OSU defense, which allowed only a pair of field goals over the last three quarters. Allen’s interception, which was tipped by cornerback Chris Gamble, and subsequent coast-to-coast runback, was the longest interception return in Ohio Stadium history, breaking the old mark of 88 yards, set by Howard “Hopalong” Cassady against Wisconsin in 1954. San Diego State led 7-3 before Allen, who is in his first year as a starter, gave the Buckeyes the lead for good. In addition to his interception, Allen, a senior from Dayton, also forced a fumble and had six tackles.
Cornerback Dustin Fox led the defense with nine tackles, equaling his career high. Sophomore linebacker A.J. Hawk was in on seven tackles and had three tackles-for-loss and two sacks.
Junior tailback Maurice Hall led all rushers with 91 yards, including a career-long 33-yard jaunt. Hall had a career-high 19 carries and picked up crucial yardage late in the game when the Buckeyes were trying to maintain possession. Nugent made his first two field goals on the day, extending his record for consecutive field goals made in Ohio Stadium to 17, before missing a 28-yard attempt. Following that miss, he began a new streak by hitting from 35 yards out.
GAME 3 RECAP — OHIO STATE 44, NORTH CAROLINA STATE 38
Ohio State prevailed 44-38 in triple overtime, running its record to 3-0 and extending its unbeaten string to 17 games in a row. The game was every bit as exciting as the final score would indicate.
The Buckeyes jumped out to a 24-7 lead and seemed in control until turning the ball over with 9:26 to play. That started the ball rolling for North Carolina State, which scored 17-unanswered points to tie the score at 24 with 21 seconds left to play.
The two teams traded touchdowns in the first two overtimes, setting up a dramatic third extra session in which the Buckeyes scored a touchdown, missed the mandatory try for the two-point conversion, and then held on by stopping N.C. State on the half-yard line on fourth down.
In addition to being the first overtime game ever in Ohio Stadium, it was the longest game in Ohio State history, going four hours and 17 minutes from kickoff to the dramatic final play.
Quarterback Craig Krenzel again turned in a stellar performance, hitting 26-of-36 passes for 273 yards and four touchdowns, all career highs. Three of those TD passes came in the overtime periods. Krenzel also ran for a touchdown and was the Buckeyes’ leading rusher with 37 yards on 13 carries. Krenzel completed 10 of his 12 aerials in the three overtime periods.
Split end Michael Jenkins and tight end Ben Hartsock each caught seven passes and flanker Drew Carter had six receptions. Jenkins had TD grabs of 44 and 7 yards, the latter in the third overtime on third-and-three. Hartsock had a career high in receptions and grabbed his first touchdown catch of the season in the first OT. Carter also had a career-best day as the OSU offense totaled 317 yards.
Linebacker A.J. Hawk led the OSU defense with a career-high 12 tackles, including two for losses, and had a 55-yard interception return that set up Mike Nugent’s 22-yard field goal.
Will Allen added nine tackles and recovered a fumble that resulted in a 2-yard touchdown run by Lydell Ross, giving Ohio State a 14-0 lead with 2:47 to play in the first quarter.
It was Hawk and Allen who teamed up on the final play of the game to preserve the Ohio State victory. With the Wolfpack knocking at the door on fourth-and-goal in the third overtime, Hawk banged heads with T.A. McClendon at the half-yard line. As the two dueled for position like a couple of sumo wrestlers, Allen rushed in and lowered the boom, sending McClendon to the turf just short of the goal line, allowing the 104,890 fans on hand to breathe a collective sigh of relief.
The OSU defense recorded four sacks, two each by tackles Tim Anderson and Darrion Scott.
The Buckeyes also received an outstanding effort from punter B.J. Sander, who averaged 49.4 yards per kick on five punts. Sander dropped four of those punts inside the N.C. State 20.
GAME 4 RECAP — OHIO STATE 24, BOWLING GREEN 17
On a day when the Mid-American Conference was pulling off upset-after-upset, senior quarterback Scott McMullen filled in for injured regular Craig Krenzel and piloted Ohio State to a hard-fought 24-17 win over visiting Bowling Green.
McMullen got the Buckeyes on the board in the first quarter with a 7-yard touchdown strike to Drew Carter. McMullen, who was making just his second collegiate start and his first since 2001, completed 10 of his 16 pass attempts for 118 yards. One of those tosses, a 46-yarder over the middle to superstar split end Michael Jenkins, set up the Buckeyes’ final touchdown, a 3-yard run by Lydell Ross. It was the second TD of the day for Ross, who earlier scored on a 33-yard jaunt on fourth-and-one.
The Ohio State offensive line turned in its best performance since the season opener with Washington and, as a result, starting tailback Maurice Hall and Ross combined for 201 yards rushing, including a career-high 107 yards by Hall. Ross carried the ball 22 times and Hall 19.
The Buckeyes led 17-7 at the half and 24-7 in the fourth quarter before Bowling Green mounted a comeback and narrowed the deficit to 24-17. Suddenly the 104,358 fans in Ohio Stadium had visions of the triple-overtime win over North Carolina State in which the Wolfpack battled back from a 24-7 deficit to tie the score with 21 seconds left in the game. Senior safety Will Allen ended the comeback with an interception on the final play of the game.
Linebackers A.J. Hawk and Robert Reynolds and free safety Nate Salley led the Buckeyes in tackles with eight each, a career high for Salley. Hawk, Allen and cornerback Dustin Fox had interceptions for the Buckeyes, who also recorded five tackles-for-loss and four sacks.
The Falcons were held to 50 yards rushing.
GAME 5 RECAP — OHIO STATE 20, NORTHWESTERN 0
After forcing Northwestern to punt on its first possession, Ohio State marched 59 yards in 10 plays to take a quick 7-0 lead. It marked the first time in the 2003 season that the Buckeyes had scored on their opening possession.
Junior tailback Lydell Ross put OSU on the board with a 12-yard run on which he was bottled up inside but bounced outside and raced untouched into the left corner of the north end zone. Quarterback Scott McMullen, making his second-consecutive start in place of injured regular Craig Krenzel, completed all four of his passes on the drive.
The Buckeyes also scored on their next possession, taking a 10-0 lead with 4:24 to play in the first quarter on a 32-yard field goal by All-American Mike Nugent. Linebacker Robert Reynolds’ fumble recovery gave OSU the ball on the Northwestern 46-yard line.
McMullen made it 17-0 on the opening possession of the second half by flipping a 1-yard scoring strike to tight end Ryan Hamby on third-and-goal. The Wildcats were bunched up in the middle in expectation of an inside power play. Hamby was all alone. The 80-yard march was the longest of the year to date for the Buckeyes.
Nugent completed the scoring with a 42-yard field goal midway through the fourth quarter. McMullen and Drew Carter hooked up on a 19-yard pass on the five-play drive.
McMullen completed 16 of his 25 passes for a career-high 166 yards and the one touchdown. Jenkins finished with five catches and moved into fourth place on the all-time Ohio State receiving list. Tight end Ben Hartsock also had five receptions and turned in another impressive game from a blocking standpoint.
Lydell Ross rushed for 43 yards for the Buckeyes who outgained Northwestern 311 to 185 in total yards.
Led by sophomore linebacker A.J. Hawk’s career-high 13 tackles, the Buckeyes recorded eight tackles-for-loss and three sacks, never allowing the Wildcats, who crossed midfield on just two occasions, to mount a serious threat.
B.J. Sander averaged 44.6 yards per punt on five kicks and dropped three punts inside the 20.
GAME 6 RECAP — WISCONSIN 17, OHIO STATE 10
The host Badgers reversed a recent trend of visiting teams winning by upsetting the third-ranked Buckeyes, 17-10, in Camp Randall Stadium. Wisconsin scored first on a 2-yard run by Booker Stanley on the first play of the second quarter. Stanley’s run capped off a 13-play, 63-yard drive. Ohio State got on the board with 4:02 left in the half on a 24-yard field goal by Mike Nugent.
Wisconsin increased the lead to 10-3 on a 38-yard field goal by Mike Allen with 5:09 to play in the third period.
The Buckeyes tied the game with 6:09 to play on a 6-yard pass from Craig Krenzel to Michael Jenkins. Krenzel, back in action for the first time in three weeks after suffering an elbow injury against North Carolina State, marched the Buckeyes 75 yards in seven plays for the score. The drive included a 46-yard pass to flanker Drew Carter. Two plays later the Buckeyes scored and seemed to recapture the momentum.
But the Badgers yanked the rug out from under the Buckeyes on their next possession with a 79-yard scoring pass from Matt Schabert to Lee Evans, the longest play of the year against the Buckeyes. Evans’ only catch of the night gave the Badgers the win and ended the Buckeyes’ 19-game winning streak.
The Buckeyes wound up with 271 yards in total offense, while Wisconsin had 299. Krenzel completed 14 of his 26 passes for 202 yards, but the Buckeyes were held to 69 yards rushing. Senior center Alex Stepanovich saw his first action after sitting out three-and-a-half games with an ankle injury.
Punter B.J. Sander enjoyed another outstanding game, averaging 44.3 yards on seven punts. Linebacker A.J. Hawk continued his torrid play with 11 tackles, giving him 36 in the last three games.
FOUR BUCKEYES SELECTED FOR BIG TEN HONORS
Junior defensive end Simon Fraser, who led the Buckeyes in solo tackles against Washington with six, including three tackles-for-loss and a sack, was named as the Big Ten Co-Defensive Player of the Week following OSU’s win over the Huskies. Senior strong safety Will Allen was accorded the same honor following the San Diego State game in which he scored the Buckeyes’ lone touchdown on a 100-yard interception return, forced a fumble and was credited with six tackles. Senior quarterback Craig Krenzel was the Big Ten’s pick as co-Offensive Player of the Week following the win over North Carolina State in which Krenzel threw for four touchdowns, including three in the overtime sessions, and rushed for yet another score. Sophomore linebacker A.J. Hawk was the Co-Defensive Player of the Week after a career-high 13 tackles in the 20-0 win over Northwestern in the Buckeyes’ conference opener.
SCOUTING THE HOOSIERS
Before a bye last Saturday, Indiana fell to 1-6 on the year with a 37-31 overtime loss at home to Northwestern Oct. 11. That was the fourth straight loss for the Hoosiers, whose only win on the year is a 33-3 victory against Indiana State. That was the third game of the year after opening with losses at Connecticut and at Washington. The other losses are to Kentucky (34-17), Michigan (31-17) and Michigan State (31-3). Indiana is the second straight team the Buckeyes have played that has come off a bye-week.
The offense is averaging 345.9 yards and 17.7 points per game. The Hoosiers have a balanced attack, rushing the ball and average of 160.0 yards per game while throwing for an average of 185.9 yards per game. Quarterback Matt LoVecchio has completed 101-of-194 passes (52.1 percent) for 1,301 yards. He has thrown two touchdowns and six interceptions. He has also run for another. Twelve different receivers have catches for Indiana, which is led by Glenn Johnson, who has 24 catches for 296 yards and one TD. Courtney Roby has 21 grabs for 275 yards and Aaron Halterman has 16 catches for 169 yards. The leading ground gainer is BenJarvus Green-Ellis, who has 103 carries for 407 yards and five of the Hoosiers’ 11 rushing touchdowns. LoVecchio has been sacked 23 times.
On defense, Indiana is allowing 407.4 yards and 29.7 points per game. The unit is better against the run, limiting opponents to 161.6 rushing yards, though giving up 245.9 yards passing. The Hoosiers have 12 sacks to their credit, led by Jodie Clemons, who has five sacks totaling 25 yards. He has a total of eight tackles for loss. Josh Moore and Kyle Killion share the team lead with 60 tackles. Moore has 36 solo tackles, while Killion has 232. Five different players have one interception.
INDIANA’S LAST GAME
Northwestern spoiled Indiana’s homecoming with a 37-31 overtime victory Oct. 11 at Memorial Stadium. The Hoosiers overcame a 17-0 deficit with a second-half rally, which gave them a chance to win on a 54-yard Bryan Robertson field goal with four seconds left. The kick was short and the game went to overtime. Indiana had the ball first in the extra period and then two plays after converting on fourth-and-inches, junior QB Matt LoVecchio was picked off in the endzone. Jason Wright scored on a four-yard run to give Northwestern the win. It was his fourth TD of the game. The Wildcats had led 24-14 at the half, but Indiana tied the team in the third quarter before going on top, 31-24, with less than 12 minutes to play in the game. Northwestern tied the game with a score with 4:57 to go. Indiana’s 327 yards were the most under coach Gerry DiNardo, eclipsing the previous high of 196 yards. BenJarvus Green-Ellis and Brian Lewis combined for 264 yards on the ground, while LoVecchio threw for 204 yards, completing 13-of-20 passes.
COACH GERRY DiNARDO
Gerry DiNardo (Notre Dame, 1975) is in his second year at Indiana, where he is 4-15, including last year’s 3-9 record. Now in his 11th year as a collegiate head coach, he is 55-64-1. His previous stops were at Vanderbilt, where he went 19-25 from 1991-94, and at Louisiana State, where his teams were 32-24-1 from 1995-99. Previous assistant coaching stops included Maine, where he earned a Master’s Degree in 1977, Eastern Michigan and Colorado. DiNardo also coached the Birmingham Thurderbolts of the XFL in 2001.
O BROTHER WHERE ART THOU
Ohio State freshman wide receiver Tony Gonzalez has a brother, Joe Gonzalez, who is a fifth-year senior at Indiana. The older Gonzalez plays strong safety.
OHIO STATE TRAVEL PLANS
The Buckeyes will travel by bus Friday afternoon to Indiana and will stay at the Fourwinds Resort in Bloomington. The team will fly back to Columbus following the game.
BUCKEYES VISIT PENN STATE NEXT WEEK
Ohio State concludes its only two-game road swing of the year next week with a trip to Penn State. The game will be televised by ABC. The Buckeyes return home the following week to host Michigan State.
