Hall Reaches Century Mark In Buckeye Victory Over Bowling Green – Ohio State Buckeyes
9/20/2003 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept 20, 2003
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By RUSTY MILLER
AP Sports Writer
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State survived another scare.
For the 10th time in the last 15 games, the No. 5 Buckeyes won a game decided by a touchdown or less, holding off a late Bowling Green charge in a 24-17 victory Saturday.
Will Allen intercepted Josh Harris’ pass on the final play as the defending national champion Buckeyes (4-0) ran their winning streak to 18 games.
Lydell Ross scored two touchdowns and the Buckeyes’ defense held the nation’s most prolific offense to 366 yards. The Falcons came in averaging 575 yards and 51 points.
A week ago, the Buckeyes blew a 24-7 fourth-quarter lead before beating North Carolina State 44-38 in three overtimes. Ohio State again led 24-7 with less than 4 minutes left yet barely slid past the Falcons (3-1), who had won their last five games against teams from BCS conferences.
Ohio State did not have quarterback Craig Krenzel, who watched the game from the sideline because of a hyperextended right elbow. Scott McMullen took his place and passed for one touchdown.
Ohio State has not lost to another Ohio college since falling 7-6 to Oberlin in 1921. That streak might have ended had not Bowling Green tight end Craig Jarrett dropped a touchdown pass early in the third quarter.
The Buckeyes led 24-7 on Ross’ 4-yard touchdown run with 8:46 left and appeared to be close to putting a team away for a change.
But with 3:25 left, Harris hit Cole Magner on a 25-yard scoring pass. The Falcons’ Janssen Patton then recovered the onside kick and Bowling Green was right back in business at the Ohio State 44.
The Falcons drove to a third-and-1 situation at the Ohio State 5 before a pair of penalties forced them to settle for Shaun Suisham’s 33-yard field goal with 1:46 left.
Ohio State’s Ben Hartsock covered the onside kick, but the Buckeyes ran only three plays – nearly losing the ball on third down when Ross fumbled but was awarded the ball in a wild scramble under a pile of players.
Bowling Green took over after the punt at its own 24. Harris, who completed 33-of-54 passes for 326 yards and two touchdowns with three interceptions, was incomplete on two passes before finding Magner over the middle for 29 yards to the Ohio State 47 with 23 seconds left.
Out of timeouts, the Falcons stopped the clock by spiking the ball on first down. Harris’ pass for Patton was too long in the end zone on second down. On the next play, Harris stepped up to avoid a rush and tossed a pass into the left flat where Allen picked it off and ran out the clock.
It was just another week of heroics for Allen. Two weeks ago, he had a 100-yard interception return as the Buckeyes edged 32-point underdog San Diego State 16-13. Allen recovered a fumbled kickoff and also made the critical tackle just inches short of the goal line on the final play of the game as the Buckeyes held off the Wolfpack last week.
Ohio State was on top 17-7 when McMullen’s pass was intercepted by Patton on the third play of the second half, Patton returning the ball to the Ohio State 23.
On first down, Harris tossed a lateral pass to Magner to the left. Magner, who had 13 catches for 168 yards, then fired a pass over the middle to a wide open Jarrett at the goal line – but he dropped the touchdown. On the next play, Ohio State linebacker A.J. Hawk intercepted Harris’ pass to end the threat.
The Buckeyes went 7-0 in games decided by seven or fewer points a year ago while going 14-0 and winning their first national title in 34 years.
McMullen finished 10-of-16 for 118 yards with the one interception.
Ohio State has been struggling to find a ground game since starting tailback Maurice Clarett was suspended for the year for breaking NCAA bylaws regarding accepting improper benefits and for lying to investigators.
Maurice Hall carried 19 times for 107 yards and Ross added 22 carries for 94 yards.
