Post Game Notes From Ohio State vs. Indiana – Ohio State Buckeyes
10/25/2003 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 25, 2003
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With win over Indiana Saturday, Ohio State has now won 21of 22games, including 11 of its last 12 in Big Ten play and seven of itslast eight on the road overall and in conference. Since Ohio Statefirst fielded a team in 1890, the squad is 753-293-53 overall.Overall, when OSU is ranked in the AP Top 10, the squad is now271-64-9. Ohio State’s mark when ranked in the AP improves to370-117-14. With the win Saturday, Ohio State head coach JimTressel improves to 3-0 against the Hoosiers and 16-4 vs. the BigTen. Tressel’s career record improves to 163-63-2, including a 28-6mark at Ohio State With the 35-6 win, Ohio State avoided losingconsecutive regular season road games for the first time sincedropping 23-7 decision at Michigan State (Nov. 6) before sufferinga 24-17 defeat at Michigan (Nov. 20) in the 1999 season. Ohio Stateheld a 21-0 halftime advantage. With the win, the Buckeyes improvedto 7-0 when holding a lead at intermission. The 11-yard touchdownby Ohio State tailback Lydell Ross in the first quarter extendedthe Buckeyes’ streak to 85 games scoring at least one touchdown.The last time an Ohio State team was held without a touchdown was a13-9 loss to Michigan in the 1996 season.
Ohio State – Indiana Series
With the win Saturday, Ohio State now leads the all-time serieswith the Hoosiers 62-12-5 in 79 all-time meetings. The Buckeyeshave won the last 11 games in the series, including the last six inBloomington.
The last time Ohio State failed to claim victory over the Hoosiers was 1990 when OSU and IU played to a 27-27 tie in Bloomington. The last time Indiana defeated the Buckeyes was a 41-7 victory in Bloomington on Oct. 8, 1988.
With the win Saturday, Ohio State has now won 23 of the 26meetings between the Buckeyes and Hoosiers in Bloomington. TheBuckeyes are 33-3 in 36 all-time meetings with the Hoosiers as aranked team, which includes an unblemished 10-0 mark inBloomington. With the 35-6 win by Ohio State, the Buckeyes now holda 27-0 record when scoring 30 or more points against the Hoosiers.
Ohio State Offensive Team Notes
The Ohio State offense exploded for a season-high 603 yards oftotal offense, marking its highest output since recording 715 yardsagainst Utah in 1986.
The 603 yards of offense is the first time an Ohio State team topped the 500-yard mark in total offense since posting 562 yards against San Jose State last season.
Ohio State’s previous high for total yardage this season was 345 in the season opener. In Saturday’s game, the Buckeyes amassed 330 yards of total offense in the first half.
The previous high in yardage by an Indiana opponent was posted by Connecticut Aug. 30 of this season as the Huskies amassed 507 of offense defeating the Hoosiers 34-10.
Ohio State recorded a season-high 216 yards rushing, eclipsingits previous high this season of 205 yards against Bowling Greenthis season, marking the last time an Ohio State team rushed for200 yards. The 11-yard touchdown run by junior Lydell Ross on OhioState’s opening drive served as the second time this season theBuckeyes have scored a touchdown on its first offensive possessionand the third time this season Ohio State has scored on its openingdrive. Against Northwestern, Ohio State scored on a Ross touchdowncarry on its first drive. Place kicker Mike Nugent connected on a53-yard field goal on Ohio State’s first possession against Iowa.
The opening offensive series covered 79 yards on eight plays as the Buckeyes claimed a 7-0 advantage. On the drive, Ross rushed for 67 of the 79 yards on six carries.
Wide receiver Michael Jenkins’ 12-yard reception on third down accounted for the remaining yardage on the drive.
Ohio State totaled 387 Yards passing in Saturday’s game,marking the first time a Buckeye squad has thrown for 300 yardssince totaling 324 yards Jan. 1, 2002 in the Outback Bowl loss toSouth Carolina.
Ohio State Defensive Team Notes
Ohio State entered the contest allowing just 60.7 yards rushingper contest, which ranked second nationally. In the game, theBuckeyes held Indiana to minus 12 yards rushing on 32 carries,marking the lowest total by an opponent this season. The previouslow was seven yards on 24 attempts by Washington Aug. 30. In thefirst half, Ohio State limited Indiana to minus 13 yards rushing on16 carries. That effort marks the third time this season Ohio Statehas held its opponents to zero or negative yards rushing in thefirst half. Previously, the Buckeyes limited Washington to zeroyards on 12 attempts and N.C. State to minus one on 16 rushes.Overall, Indiana averaged 345.9 yards per game on offense and 17.7points per game heading into today’s contest, while the Buckeyesheld opponents to 265.7 yards and 14.8 points over the first sixgames. Saturday, the Hoosiers were held to 131 total yards,including minus 12 yards rushing, both season lows. Ohio State heldIndiana scoreless in the first half Saturday. In four Big Tencontests this season, Ohio State has allowed just 10 first halfpoints as Iowa scored a field goal last week and Wisconsin scoredon its opening drive on Oct. 11.
Ohio State Offensive Player Notes
Ohio State tailback Lydell Ross eclipsed his previousseason-high rushing with 167 yards in the game. Ross’ previous bestthis season was 94 yards vs. Bowling Green. Ross topped that outputwith 113 yards on 12 carries in the first quarter of today’s game.
Ross accounted for 113 yards of Ohio State’s 137 yards of offense in the first quarter, including 67 of the 79-yard game-opening touchdown drive.
His previous career-high for a game was a 130-yard effort against Cincinnati in 2002. Ross topped that mark midway through the third quarter.
The last time Ross played at Indiana he posted 124 yards on theground. For his career, Ross has gained 291yards rushing atMemorial Stadium and 337 in his career vs. Indiana. Ross rushed forthree touchdowns against the Hoosiers, marking his first careerthree-touchdown game by a Buckeye since Maurice Clarret scoredthree touchdowns against Indiana in the 2002 meeting. Ross’ threetouchdowns marks his sixth-career multiple touchdown game. Rossscored two touchdowns against Bowling Green this season and scoredtwo touchdowns twice in the 2002 and 2001 seasons. Ross recordedtwo-touchdown games against Texas Tech and Minnesota last seasonand accomplished the same feat at Indiana and vs. San Diego Statein 2001. Ross failed to score a touchdown against the Hoosiers lastseason. Freshman wide receiver Santonio Holmes also recorded acareer-best with six catches for 153 yards and scored his firstcareer touchdown on a 15-yard reception with just eight secondsremaining in the first half. Holmes scored his second careertouchdown on a 47-yard completion from senior quarterback ScottMcMullen.
The 47-yard play serves as Holmes career-long.
Holmes also recorded a 39-yard reception and a 37-yard grab both in the third quarter. Holmes entered the contest with 37 receiving yards in his career on two prior catches.
Holmes also is the first Buckeye to record two touchdownreceptions in one game since Jenkins against N.C. State on Sept. 13of this season. The 153 yards receiving by Holmes is the most thisseason by a Buckeye, topping the 124 yards posted by MichaelJenkins in the N.C. State game Sept. 13 and is the highest sinceJenkins posted 172 receiving yards at Penn State in 2001. OhioState wide receiver Drew Carter was on the receiving end of OhioState’s longest pass play this season when he and quarterback CraigKrenzel connected on a 49-yard completion in the first quarter.
The play eclipsed a 46-yard completion between Krenzel and Carter in the Wisconsin game Oct. 11. The play previously served as Carter’s career-long.
In the past three weeks, Krenzel and Carter have connected on 49-yard (at Indiana), 34-yard (vs. Iowa) and 46-yard (at Wisconsin) completions.
Carter – three receptions, 75 yards – had established career-highs in receiving yards in each of the last two weeks against with 95 yards against Iowa and 90 yards at Wisconsin.
Ohio State junior wide receiver Bam Childress, who started hissecond career game against Indiana, was on the receiving end offour passed for 41 yards, eclipsing his single-game best of tworeceptions for 18 yards against Washington Aug. 30, 2003. Enteringthe contest, Childress has eight career grabs for 85 yards,including four receptions for 47 yards in 2002. Ohio State flanker/defensive back Chris Gamble notched his first reception of theseason on a 21-yard catch in the third quarter. Krenzel completed15-19 pass attempts in the first half for 204 yards, marking thefourth time this season Krenzel has totaled 200 yards passing.
For the game, Krenzel was 19-for-26 for 272 yards passing, falling just one yard shy of his career-best 273-yard effort against N.C. State earlier this season.
With the win, Ohio State quarterback Krenzel improved to 20-2 as a starter.
Fellow senior quarterback Scott McMullen entered the game inthe third quarter and 5-fot-5 for 111 yards, including acareer-long completion of 47 yards in the third quarter. Ohio Statejunior fullback Branden Joe hauled in his first-career reception inthe second quarter. With his 12-yard catch in the first quarterOhio State split end Michael Jenkins has now caught at least onepass in 34 consecutive games. Ohio State freshman fullback StanWhite saw his first action of the season in the fourth quarter.
Ohio State Defensive Player Notes
Ohio State senior middle linebacker Fred Pagac, Jr. recordedhis first career sack on the Indiana’s initial play from scrimmage.Pagac’s father, Fred Pagac, Sr., was in attendance as Ohio State’shonorary captain. Pagac, Sr. is a former defensive coordinator atOhio State and now serves on the staff of the Oakland Raiders. OhioState freshman defensive back Donte Whitner recorded his firstcareer interception when he picked off a LoVecchio pass with lessthan two minutes left in the second quarter.
Miscellaneous
The 51, 240 fans to see the Buckeyes and Hoosiers is the firstsellout crowd at Memorial Stadium since Ohio State visitedBloomington Oct. 31, 1998 as the No. 1 ranked team in the country.Ohio State won that meeting 38-7. Ohio State served as thefirst-ever defending national champion to play at Indiana’sMemorial Stadium.
