Ohio State Visits Wisconsin in Early Big Ten Showdown – Ohio State Buckeyes
10/7/2003 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 7, 2003
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BUCKEYES OPEN ROAD PLAY AT WISCONSIN
After a successful five-game home stand in which unbeaten and third-ranked Ohio State has stretched its winning streak to 19 games, the Buckeyes take to the road for the first time this season Saturday, playing at Wisconsin in a nationally televised prime-time showdown with the Badgers.
ESPN will telecast the game between the 5-0 Buckeyes and 5-1 Badgers. A sellout crowd of more than 78,000 is expected to jam Camp Randall Stadium (cap. 76,634) for the 71st meeting between the two teams. Kickoff is set for 9:10 p.m. EDT (8:10 p.m. in Madison).
This will be the second-consecutive year the Buckeyes have played in Madison. Ohio State won last year’s slugfest, 19-14, in a classic Big Ten struggle in front of 79,729 mostly-Wisconsin faithful. The victory was the eighth of the year for the unbeaten Buckeyes. That streak now stands at 19 and is the longest in college football. Additionally, the Buckeyes have won 10-consecutive Big Ten games, including five straight road tilts. The Buckeyes, who were idle last Saturday, opened the Big Ten campaign with a 20-0 blanking of visiting Northwestern a fortnight ago.
Sophomore linebacker A.J. Hawk led the Buckeyes over the Wildcats, collecting a career-high 13 tackles and winning Big Ten Co-Defensive Player of the Week acclaim. OSU also had solid performances from punter B.J. Sander, who averaged 44.6 yards per kick and downed three punts inside the 20-yard line, and senior quarterback Scott McMullen who ran his record this year to 2-0 as a starter. McMullen, who was filling in for injured starter Craig Krenzel (elbow), completed 16-of-25 passes for 166 yards and a touchdown and directed the Buckeyes to touchdowns on the opening possessions of both halves.
Wisconsin returns home after consecutive road wins over Illinois and Penn State. The Badgers are 2-1 in Madison this year, sandwiching wins over Akron and North Carolina around a loss at the hands of surprising UNLV.
ABOUT THE BUCKEYES
Ohio State, 5-0 on the year and ranked third nationally by both the ESPN/USA TODAY and the Associated Press polls, owns the nation’s longest winning streak at 19 games, and is 2-0 this year against teams ranked in the Top 25.
After opening the season with a convincing 28-9 win over the Washington Huskies, the Buckeyes went down to the wire each of the next three weeks, before besting San Diego State, 16-13, North Carolina State, 44-38 in triple overtime, and Bowling Green, 24-17. They then opened their Big Ten season with a 20-0 shellacking of visiting Northwestern to record their 10-straight Big Ten triumph.
In blanking the Wildcats, the Buckeyes recorded their first shutout since a 41-0 whitewashing of Illinois in 1998 in Champaign. It was the first home shutout since Toledo (49-0) in 1998 and the first Big Ten home blanking since Indiana (31-0) in 1997.
Ohio State has played the past three weeks without center Alex Stepanovich and the past two without quarterback Craig Krenzel, both of whom have been sidelined with injuries. Stepanovich (ankle) is a candidate for the Rimington Award as the top center in college football and the brainy the top center in college football and the brainy Krenzel (elbow) is 18-1 as a starter. The good news is, both are expected back this week.
Additionally, fullback Branden Joe is back after missing the first four games of the 2003 season with a torn pectoral muscle. Joe made his season debut against Northwestern.
If tackle Darrion Scott, who sat out the Northwestern game with an ankle injury, answers the bell as expected this week, the Buckeye defense should be at full strength against the Badgers.
Through the first five games, the Buckeyes rank as one of the nation’s premier defensive units, giving up 273 yards and 15.4 points a game. OSU is first nationally against the rush, allowing 43.4 yards per game and 1.5 yards per carry. Ohio State has given up just two rushing touchdowns in five games. The Buckeyes also rank second in the Big Ten in sacks with 18.
Special teams play has figured prominently in the Buckeyes’ success. Punter B.J. Sander is averaging 42.8 yards per punt and 21 of his punts have not been returned. All-America Mike Nugent has been brilliant in the kickoff department and has made 7-of-8 field goal attempts and all 15 of his extra point attempts. Teams are averaging 15.1 yards on kick returns and 6.6 on punt runbacks against the Buckeyes.
KRENZEL ON THE MEND
Senior quarterback Craig Krenzel is expected to be back in the driver’s seat this week when the Buckeyes take the field against Wisconsin. Krenzel, who is 18-1 as a starter (18-0 in games where he has played extensively), has missed the past two games after injuring his right elbow in the triple overtime win over North Carolina State. Before being hurt, the 6-4 signal caller had completed 46-of-83 passes for 552 yards and four touchdowns. He also had run for 78 yards and three touchdowns. In the win over N.C. State, he threw for 273 yards and four touchdowns and also rushed for a score — sore elbow and all.
BUCKEYE OFFENSE GETTING IT DONE IN THE RED ZONE
The Ohio State offense has been almost perfect when in the red zone this year, scoring on 18-of-19 possessions inside the opponent’s 20-yard line. OSU has scored 12 touchdowns (seven rushing and five passing) and six (of seven) field goals. OSU’s four opponents are 12-of-18 in the red zone (nine TDs and three FGs).
HALLOWED GROUND
In the first five games of the 2003 campaign, the Ohio State defense has given up a total of 217 yards rushing on 143 attempts. That averages out to 1.5 yards per carry and 43.4 yards per game. Both figures lead the nation. In the season opener with Washington, the Buckeyes, anchored by the stout defensive front of ends Will Smith and Simon Fraser and tackles Tim Anderson and Darrion Scott, allowed the Huskies a total of 7 yards on 24 carries, or 0.3 yards per attempt. The next week, San Diego State finished with 28 yards on 26 carries (1.1 yards per carry). North Carolina State managed 21 yards on 30 carries for an average of 0.7 yards per attempt. Bowling Green ran the ball 23 times and netted 40 yards, an average of 1.7 yards per carry. In the Big Ten opener with Northwestern, the Wildcats had 40 running plays and wound up with 125 yards, becoming the first team this year to net more than 50 yards rushing against the Buckeyes.
BUCKEYES THIRD IN THE POLLS
Ohio State is third in both major polls this week. The Buckeyes are 2-0 against ranked teams this year and are 7-0 since the beginning of the 2002 campaign. The Buckeyes highest ranking this year was second (they opened the season in the No. 2 spot) and their lowest ranking was fifth (following the Bowling Green game).
OSU WIN STREAK NOW 19
Ohio State owns the longest winning streak in the country with 19-consecutive wins to its credit. The Buckeyes’ last loss was a 31-28 setback at the hands of South Carolina in the 2002 Outback Bowl. The OSU record for consecutive wins is 22, set between 1967 and 1969. In putting that streak together, the Buckeyes won their last four games in 1967, posted a perfect 10-0 record in 1968 and then won the first nine games of the 1969 campaign. The current streak of 19 is the second longest in school annals. During their current streak, the Buckeyes have won 10 games by a touchdown or less. Ohio State also has won 13-consecutive games in Ohio Stadium and 10-straight Big Ten games.
SERIES HISTORY
Ohio State leads the all-time series with Wisconsin, 50-15-5, and has won 23 of the 34 games played in Madison (there have been two ties). The Buckeyes dominated between 1960 and 1980, reeling off 21-consecutive wins. But the two teams have been much more competitive since 1981 with Ohio State holding an 11-8-1 edge in the last 20 games.
This will be the Buckeyes’ second-consecutive trip to Camp Randall Stadium. Jim Tressel’s troops emerged with a hard-fought 19-14 win last year, scoring the winning touchdown on a 3-yard pass from Craig Krenzel to Ben Hartsock with 9:59 left in the game. Cornerback Chris Gamble’s interception in the end zone on Wisconsin’s next possession played a huge role in preserving the victory.
The Buckeyes have won the last three games played in Madison dating back to a 14-all tie in 1993. Ohio State’s last loss in Madison was a 20-16 decision in 1992. The visiting team has won the last four games in the series — Wisconsin winning in Columbus in both 2001 (20-17) and 1999 (42-17).
Two of the more notable individual performances in the series came in 1983 when Badger quarterback Randy Wright threw for 319 yards and three touchdowns and Ohio State tailback Keith Byars ran for 174 yards and a pair of scores in a 45-27 Buckeye win.
BATTLE OF THE TITANS
Wisconsin is the Big Ten’s No. 2 rushing team, averaging 222.5 yards per game on the ground. The Badgers are third in the league in total offense at 422.3 yards per game. Ohio State counters with the No. 1 rush defense in the Big Ten at 43.4 yards per game. The Buckeyes are third in total defense, allowing 273 yards a game in conference action. Wisconsin is averaging 30.5 points a game and has scored 23 touchdowns. The Buckeyes are giving up 15.4 points and have allowed nine TDs all year long.
COACH Jim Tressel
| Head Coach Jim Tressel |
Jim Tressel is in his third year as head coach at OhioState. His record with the Buckeyes is a glittering 26-5 for allgames and 14-3 in Big Ten play and includes a Big Tenco-championship and a consensus national title, both last year. Heis 17-2 in games played in Ohio Stadium and 10-2 against teamsranked 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 161-62-2 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. Some of Tressel’s more stellar students during those three seasons included Cris Carter, Mike Tomczak and Keith Byars.
Tressel is the son of former Baldwin-Wallace coach Lee Tressel. 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 440 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). Last year, in posting a perfect 14-0 record, the Buckeyes won seven games by that same margin, including overtime wins at Illinois and in the national championship game. So far this year, the Buckeyes are 3-0 in games decided by a touchdown or less. Under Tressel’s guidance, the Buckeyes have a 12-4 record in games decided by seven or fewer points.
BUCKEYE AWARD CANDIDATES
Quarterback Craig Krenzel, the consummate leader and winner, is 18-1 as a starter. The Buckeyes’ co-MVP last year and the offensive MVP of the Fiesta Bowl, the heady signal caller somehow just finds a way to win. A molecular genetics major, he is a candidate for the Unitas and O’Brien awards. He also has been nominated for a National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame Scholarship. 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 has since forced him to miss two games.
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.
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. He can also play guard or tackle should the need arise. Stepanovich was selected by the OSU coaches as the offensive lineman of the week following the Washington game. Stepanovich sat out the N.C. State, Bowling Green and Northwestern games with an injury but is expected back this week.
Junior Chris Gamble, arguably the best all-around player in college football, starts at cornerback, return punts and kickoffs and also plays flanker. 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. Gamble had four tackles and a pass broken up against Washington, holding Husky receiver Reggie Williams to just three receptions and 36 yards in the first half as the Buckeyes built a 21-0 lead. He also returned five punts. In the win over San Diego State, it was Gamble who deflected a pass that teammate Will Allen intercepted and returned 100 yards for a touchdown. He had eight tackles, including two tackles-for-loss, against North Carolina State and four stops and a pair of crucial passes broken up against Bowling Green. The Buckeyes’ “shutdown corner” batted down two passes in the win over Northwestern.
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 connected on 3-of-4 field goals in the win over San Diego State and is 7-of-8 on the year. He hit a season-long 47-yard trey against Bowling Green.
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. They combined for eight tackles and three tackles-for-loss in the win over Washington and never let Husky quarterback Cody Pickett settle into any kind of a comfort zone.
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, total tackles, tackles-for-loss and interceptions. He has 25 tackles the past two games — 12 against BG and a career-high 13 vs. Northwestern.
RECAPPING NORTHWESTERN
| Junior tailback Lydell Ross |
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 this year that the Buckeyes had scored ontheir 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 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.
TRESSEL ON THE BUCKEYES
“We are making progress in some areas. But we have to get better at running the ball and we have to become a much more consistent offensive unit,” said Ohio State coach Jim Tressel. “We face a great test this week on the road at Wisconsin and we had better be ready to play a very good and well-coached football team. The atmosphere in Madison is tremendous. Fortunately, many of the players on our team were there last year so they have an idea of what to expect.”
HARTSOCK DOES IT ALL
Senior tight end Ben Hartsock went airborne against Northwestern, laying out on a 17-yard catch that set up Mike Nugent’s first field goal. It marked the second time this year that Hartsock has gone horizontal to make a grab. Not an easy feat at 6-4 and 265 pounds.
“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.”
Hartsock, an honor student and a pre-med major, is the Buckeyes’ second-leading receiver with 14 receptions for 118 yards and one touchdown. He had 17 receptions all of last year and came into the season with 25 career receptions, so he is clearly enjoying his best year with the Buckeyes.
CLIMBING THE CHARTS
| Senior quarterback Craig Krenzel |
On the heels of a personal best 273 yards in the win overN.C. State, quarterback Craig Krenzel ranks eighth in careerpassing yards at Ohio State with 3,005. Jim Karsatos (1984-86) isin seventh place with 5,089 yards. Krenzel has not played the pasttwo games because of an elbow injury, but is expected back againstWisconsin.
Krenzel also ranks 13th in career total offense at OSU with 3,432 yards. Current Ohio State running backs coach Tim Spencer (1979-82) is 12th at 3,553 and Eddie George (1992-96) is 11th at 3,768.
Split end Michael Jenkins is fourth in both career receptions (133) and career receiving yards (2,405) at OSU. Jenkins needs 22 receptions and 321 yards to move into third place on the OSU career lists.
Kicker Mike Nugent has 38 career field goals. The school record of 59 belongs to Dan Stultz (1996-2000). Nugent has made 38-of-49 attempts and ranks first in career percentage with a fanciful .775 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). Other first-time starters against Northwestern included defensive tackles Quinn Pitcock and Marcus Green (career-high seven tackles). Free safety Nate Salley also had a career-high against NU, recording nine tackles. Redshirt freshman quarterback Justin Zwick saw his first extensive action as a Buckeye against Northwestern and completed three-of-seven passes for 20 yards.
PACKING THE STADIUM
In five home games in Ohio Stadium this year, the Buckeyes have drawn a total of 523,439 fans, an average of 104,688 per game in the majestic horseshoe. The largest crowd of the season was 105,078 for the opener with Washington. Each of the next four games all topped the 104,000 mark.
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 751
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 751-292-53.
THE BUCKEYES IN BIG TEN PLAY
Ohio State began Big Ten play in 1913. The Buckeyes currently have an all-time conference record of 409-155-24 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 has won 10-consecutive conference games, dating back to a 34-22 loss to Illinois in the next-to-last game of the 2001 regular season. The Buckeyes current streak began the following week with a 26-20 win at Michigan. The OSU record for consecutive Big Ten wins is 17, accomplished three times (1954-56, 1967-69, 1974-76). The Buckeyes also won 15 in a row in 1979-80. The Big Ten record is 19 games, set by Michigan (1990-92). Ohio State does not play Illinois and Minnesota this year. The Buckeyes and Illinois had played every year since 1914.
OHIO STATE’S RECORD IN OHIO STADIUM
The Buckeyes own an all-time record of 347-101-20 since Ohio Stadium was opened in 1922. Ohio State has won 13 in a row in the Horseshoe, last losing to Illinois in the final home game of the 2001 season.
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
| Junior defensive end Simon Fraser |
Playing on national television and led by heady quarterbackCraig Krenzel and an unrelenting defense that proved mature beyondits youth at linebacker and safety, the Buckeyes easily dispatchedvisiting Washington 28-9 in their season opener. Krenzel, who tookcontrol of the game from the outset, was only slightly short ofsensational in running his record to 16-1 as a starter. His 37-yardstrike 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 inthe first quarter. The senior signal caller made it 14-0 with a23-yard scramble around left end with 2:51 to play in the firststanza and 21-0 with an 11-yard scramble, this time to the rightside, with 11 seconds left in the half. The latter play came onthird down and took the bark out of the Huskies. Krenzel threw for203 yards (his third career 200-yard game) and ran for 27 more inwhat has become typical of his stellar play. Six of his 15completions went to senior split end and fellow co-captain MichaelJenkins. Junior tailback Lydell Ross accounted for OSU’ otherscore, a 15-yard power burst off tackle with 6:06 remaining in thethird quarter. In addition to their two touchdowns, Hall and Rosscombined 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
| Senior safety Will Allen |
As was the case so many times last year in the Buckeyes’championship run, the Ohio State defense was the difference in OhioState’s 3-point win over San Diego State. On a day when the OSUoffense could muster but 196 total yards and was held without atouchdown, the defense got the job done by coming up with fourturnovers (two interceptions and two fumble recoveries) and holdingthe 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
| Sophomore linebacker A.J. Hawk |
Ohio State prevailed 44-38 in triple overtime, running itsrecord to 3-0 and extending its unbeaten string to 17 games in arow. The game was every bit as exciting as the final score wouldindicate.
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
| Senior quarterback Scott McMullen |
On a day when the Mid-American Conference was pulling offupset-after-upset, senior quarterback Scott McMullen filled in forinjured regular Craig Krenzel and piloted Ohio State to ahard-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.
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-Defensvie Player of the Week after a career-high 13 tackles in the 20-0 win over Northwestern in the Buckeyes’ conference opener.
SCOUTING THE BADGERS
Wisconsin improved to 5-1 on the year and 2-0 in Big Ten action with a 30-23 victory last Saturday at Penn State. The Badgers opened conference play the week before with a 38-20 win at Illinois after beating North Carolina 38-27. Wisconsin opened the season with a pair of wins: at West Virginia, 24-17, and Akron, 48-31 before dropping a 23-5 decision to UNLV at Camp Randall.
The Badgers are averaging 443 yards on offense and 30.5 points. On the ground, Wisconsin is averaging 222.5 yards while the team is throwing for 199.8 yards, giving the Badgers a potent attack on both sides of the ball. Anthony Davis, who has been limited to just four games, is averaging 115.0 yards rushing and has four scores, while Dwayne Smith is averaging 77.8 yards with four scores in six games. Booker Stanley also has four rushing TDs. Jim Sorgi has completed 73 of 142 (51.4 percent) passes for 1,182 yards, and an average of 197.0 yards per game. He has seven TD passes and five interceptions. He has hooked up with Lee Evans for five touchdowns and 517 yards, an average of 86.2 yards per game.
On defense, Wisconsin is holding opponents to 337.5 yards and 23.5 points per contest. The Badger defense is keeping opponents to 106.2 yards on the ground, but is giving up 231.3 yards per game through the air. Jeff Mack has 50 tackles, including 23 solo tackles, 27 tackle assists, four tackles-for-loss, one sack and one forced fumble. The defense has 13 sacks, four interceptions and has recovered six fumbles. Jonathan Welsh has four sacks totaling 36 yards. Jim Leonhard has three of the four interceptions.
LAST TIME OUT
Wisconsin quarterback Jim Sorgi passed for two touchdowns and the Badgers ran for 234 yards, as the Badgers defeated Penn State, 30-23, at Beaver Stadium last Saturday. The victory was the Badgers second straight Big Ten win on the road. Anthony Davis carried the ball eight times for 35 yards, before leaving the game after re-injuring his ankle. However, redshirt freshman Booker Stanley led the Badgers’ run attack carrying the ball 24 times for 119 yards including a 6-yard touchdown run. Dwayne Smith also got in on the action, carrying the ball nine times for 56 yards. Sorgi completed 9-of-26 passes for 140 yards and two scores, finding Lee Evans for a 30-yard TD in the first quarter before finding Brand Williams for a 20-yard strike just before halftime. The Badgers gave up only 74 yards rushing to the Nittany Lions, but surrendered 379 yards through the air by Penn State QB Michael Robinson.
COACH BARRY ALVAREZ
Barry Alvarez is in his 14th year as the head coach at Wisconsin. His record with the Badgers is 97-62-4 and includes three Big Ten titles (1993, ’97 and ’98). He is the only Big Ten mentor to coach back-to-back Rose Bowl victories, recording that feat in the 1998 and 1999 Rose Bowl games. Alvarez, a 1969 graduate of Nebraska, spent three years as the top assistant at Notre Dame before taking over at Wisconsin. His record against Ohio State is 2-7-1.
TICKETS AVAILABLE FOR OHIO STATE AT INDIANA
A limited number of tickets are available for the Ohio State at Indiana game, Oct. 25, and can be purchased in person at the Athletics Ticket Office in the Jerome Schottenstein Center or by phone at either 614-292-2624 or 1-800-GO-BUCKS. Tickets are $41.00 each.
BUCKEYES RETURN HOME
Ohio State returns home next week to host Iowa in a battle of last year’s Big Ten co-champions. The game will be televised by ABC-TV and will kickoff at 3:36 p.m. EDT. It is Homecoming weekend at Ohio State.
