No. 4 Buckeyes Entertain Northwestern in Big Ten Opener – Ohio State Buckeyes
9/23/2003 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 23, 2003
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BUCKEYES OPEN DEFENSE OF BIG TEN TITLE
Make it 18 in a row for the Ohio State football team, which completed the non-conference portion of its 2003 schedule Saturday by defeating a valiant Bowling Green squad, 24-17, in Ohio Stadium. Now the 4-0 Buckeyes open defense of their 2002 Big Ten co-championship by hosting Northwestern at 12:10 p.m. Saturday in the final game of a five-game homestand. The contest Saturday against the 2-2 Wildcats will be televised nationally by ESPN2. Some tickets do remain for the game, but a sell-out crowd of more that 104,000 is expected as the Buckeyes go after their 10th-consecutive conference win.
The Buckeyes are coming off their best rushing performance of the year, netting 205 yards against BGSU, including a career-high 107 markers by Maurice Hall and 94 more by Lydell Ross. Quarterback Scott McMullen, subbing for injured regular Craig Krenzel and making just his second career start, threw for 118 yards and completed his first touchdown pass of the year by tossing a 7-yard strike to flanker Drew Carter.
The stout-hearted OSU defense held the Falcons to 40 yards rushing and forced four turnovers. Sophomore linebacker A.J. Hawk led the way with eight tackles and an interception and senior safety Will Allen sealed the deal with his second interception of the year on the final play of the game.
Northwestern is coming off a 28-10 drubbing of Duke in Durham. The Wildcats are 2-0 on the road this year, opening the season with a 28-20 victory at Kansas. In the win over Duke, Jason Wright ran for 149 yards and a pair of touchdowns and Noah Herron added an even 100 yards on the ground.
TICKETS ON SALE FOR NORTHWESTERN
A limited number of tickets are available for the game this week and can be purchased in person at the Athletics Ticket Office in the Jerome Schottenstein Center, by going on-line at www.hangonsloopy.com, or by phone at either 614-292-2624 or 1-800-GO-BUCKS. Tickets are $49.50 each.
ABOUT THE BUCKEYES
Ohio State, 4-0 on the year and ranked fourth nationally by both the ESPN/USA TODAY and the Associated Press polls, owns the nation’s longest winning streak at 18 games, has won 12 in a row at home, 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 have been taken to the limit each of the past three weeks, downing San Diego State, 16-13, North Carolina State, 44-38 in triple overtime, and Bowling Green, 24-17. In each of the last two games, the outcome has not been decided until the final play of the game.
“We believe in ourselves and we believe in each other,” said senior safety Will Allen, whose stellar play has been key in the last three games. “We know that somehow we will make the play when we have to.”
Allen has done just that the past three weeks, returning an interception 100 yards for a touchdown against San Diego State, delivering the hit at the goal line in the third overtime against N.C. State that stopped the Wolfpack from scoring the game-tying touchdown on fourth down and picking off an interception on the last play of and picking off an interception on the last play of the Bowling Green game with the Falcons trying to tie the score.
The Buckeyes boast one of the nation’s most formidable defenses, a unit that has grudgingly surrendered a total of 96 yards rushing and is allowing 0.9 yards per play on the ground and 3.9 yards per play overall. Ohio State is second nationally against the run. Sophomore linebacker A.J. Hawk paces the OSU defense with 34 tackles, including 18 solos, has 5.5 tackles-for-loss, two sacks and two interceptions. He leads, or is tied for the team lead, in all of those categories. Allen is tied with linebacker Robert Reynolds for the second-highest number of tackles at 24.
The Ohio State offense is averaging 28 points a game and has outscored its first four opponents 112-77. The Buckeyes are averaging 295.2 yards per game — 167.5 passing and 127.8 rushing — even though four starters (tackle Ivan Douglas, fullback Branden Joe, quarterback Craig Krenzel and center Alex Stepanovich) are, and have been, sidelined with a variety of injuries.
THE BUCKEYES IN BIG TEN PLAY
Ohio State first began Big Ten play in 1913. The Buckeyes now have an all-time conference record of 408-155-24 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 nine-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 will not play Illinois and Minnesota this year. The Buckeyes and Illinois had played every year since 1914.
KEYS TO THE GAME
Northwestern is 2-0 on the road and Ohio State 4-0 at home this year and 12-0 since the beginning of last year. The Wildcats are rushing for 198 yards per game. The Buckeyes are allowing 24 yards per game. Far from one dimensional, Northwestern is also throwing for 225 yards a game and is averaging 424 yards in total offense. Ohio State is giving up 295 yards per game. The Wildcats have rushed for 12 touchdowns (eight by Jason Wright) and the Buckeyes have given up just two rushing TDs. On the flip side of the coin, Northwestern is giving up 394 yards a game in total offense.
COACHES, WRITERS IN ACCORD
Ohio State is fourth in both major polls this week, holding on to that spot in the ESPN/USA TODAY poll for the second-consecutive week and moving up a notch in the Associated Press voting. Four opponents this year — Michigan, Iowa, Washington and Purdue — are in the Top 25 in one or both polls this week. The Buckeyes are 2-0 against ranked teams this year and are 7-0 since the beginning of the 2002 campaign.
OSU WIN STREAK NOW 18
Ohio State owns the longest winning streak in the country with 18-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 18 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 12-consecutive games in Ohio Stadium and nine-consecutive Big Ten games.
SERIES HISTORY
Ohio State has a commanding 54-13-1 lead in the series, including a 29-8 edge in games played in Columbus. The Buckeyes have won the last 23 games played between the schools, last losing in 1971 (14-10 in Columbus). In the game last year in Evanston, Ohio State ran its record to 6-0 with a 27-16 victory that was closer than the final score might indicate. In the most recent meeting in Columbus, the Buckeyes recorded a 38-20 triumph in 2001.
There have been a number of outstanding performances in the series, including 206 yards rushing by Ohio State’s Eddie George in 1994 and 342 yards passing by the Buckeyes’ Joe Germaine in 1998. On the Northwestern side, Sandy Schwab threw for 393 yards and three touchdowns, albeit in a losing effort, in 1982.
RECAPPING THE BOWLING GREEN GAME
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, the most by an OSU opponent so far this year.
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, the most by an OSU opponent so far this year.
TRESSEL ON THE BUCKEYES
“We are happy to be 4-0, but I am concerned about our turnovers and the way we have let teams back in the game in the fourth quarter,” said Ohio State head coach Jim Tressel. “We accomplished some of what we wanted to get done in the non-conference portion of the schedule, but we still have a long way to go and it is going to get even tougher now that we are beginning Big Ten play.”
COACH Jim Tressel
Jim Tressel is in his third year as head coach at Ohio State. His record with the Buckeyes is a glittering 25-5 for all games and 13-3 in Big Ten play and includes a Big Ten co-championship and a consensus national title, both last year. He is 16-2 in games played in Ohio Stadium and 10-2 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 160-62-2 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 439 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. The 24-17 win over Bowling Green last Saturday gives the Buckeyes a 12-4 record in games decided by seven or fewer points under Tressel.
BUCKEYES TO WATCH IN 2003
Quarterback Craig Krenzel, the consummate leader and winner, is now 18-1 as a starter. The Buckeyes’ co-MVP last year and the offensive MVP of the Fiesta Bowl, Krenzel somehow just finds a way to win. A molecular genetics major, he 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 sessions. Krenzel missed the Bowling Green game with an elbow injury and is currently listed by the OSU medical staff as “day-to-day.”
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 three receptions against Bowling Green, including season-long 46-yard snag that set up the Buckeyes’ winning touchdown.
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 and Bowling Green games with an injury but is expected back for the Big Ten opener.
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.
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, who did not have a field goal attempt against Washington, connected on 3-of-4 field goals in the win over San Diego State and is 5-for-6 on the year. He hit a season-long 47-yard trey against Bowling Green to give the Buckeyes the lead for good at 10-7.
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 with his steady play. Hawk, who picked off his second interception of the year against Bowling Green, leads the Buckeyes in solo stops, total tackles, tackles-for-loss, sacks and interceptions.
CLIMBING THE CHARTS
On the heels of a personal best 273 yards in the win over N.C. State, quarterback Craig Krenzel now ranks eighth in career passing yards at Ohio State with 3,005. Jim Karsatos (1984-86) is in seventh place with 5,089 yards.
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. projected himself into the national spotlight with his steady play. Hawk, who picked off his second interception of the year against Bowling Green, leads the Buckeyes in solo stops, total tackles, tackles-for-loss, sacks and interceptions.
CLIMBING THE CHARTS
On the heels of a personal best 273 yards in the win over N.C. State, quarterback Craig Krenzel now ranks eighth in career passing yards at Ohio State with 3,005. Jim Karsatos (1984-86) is in seventh place with 5,089 yards.
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 fifth in career receptions (128) and fourth in career receiving yards (2,354) at OSU. He needs five catches to move into the fourth spot on the receiving list ahead of Dee Miller (1995-98) who had 132 career grabs. The No. 3 spot in receiving yardage currently belongs to Cris Carter (1984-86) with 2,725 yards on 168 career receptions.
Kicker Mike Nugent has made 37 career field goals. The school record of 59 belongs to Dan Stultz (1996-2000). Nugent has made 37-of-48 attempts and ranks first in career percentage with a .770 figure.
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 NOTCH CAREER WIN NO. 750
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 750-292-53.
OHIO STATE’S RECORD IN OHIO STADIUM
The Buckeyes own an all-time record of 346-101-20 since Ohio Stadium was opened in 1922. Ohio State has won 12 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. Patterson has a sack and a fumble recovery to his credit.
RED ZONE NUMBERS
The Ohio State offense has been almost perfect when in the red zone this year, scoring on 15-of-16 possessions inside the opponent’s 20-yard line. OSU has scored 10 touchdowns (six rushing and four passing) and five field goals. OSU’s four opponents are 12-of-17 in the red zone (nine TDs and three FGs).
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.
THREE 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.
SCOUTING THE WILDCATS
Northwestern brings a 2-2 record into its first Big Ten game of the year. The Wildcats defeated Kansas (28-20) in the season opener and then dropped a pair of games to Air Force (22-21) and Miami (44-14) before claiming victory last week at Duke (28-10).
The Wildcat offense is averaging 424.0 yards per game, including 225.8 yards per game through the air. Brett Basanez has thrown for 756 yards having completed 65-of-117 passes with one touchdown and five interceptions. When in search of a score, Basanez typically hands off to Jason Wright, who has scored eight of Northwestern’s 12 rushing touchdowns. He has 101 carries for 473 yards, an average of 118.2 yards per game. Roger Jordan has been the leading receiver. He has 15 catches for 237 yards, an average of 59.2 yards per game.
On the other side of the ball, Northwestern is holding opponents to 394.2 yards per game. The defensive unit has proven more susceptible to the pass, giving up 242.5 yards per game through the air. On the ground, the Wildcats allow 151.8 yards per game. Northwestern’s defense has recovered six fumbles, intercepted three passes and tallied six sacks. Tim McGarigle is the leading tackler with 33 take downs, including one sack. He also has forced and recovered one fumble.
LAST TIME OUT
Jason Wright ran for 149 yards and two touchdowns and Noah Herron ran for 100 yards and a 69-yard touchdown as Northwestern beat Duke 28-10. Wildcat quarterback Brett Basanez also ran for a score. One week after allowing 44 points and 515 yards in a loss to Miami (Ohio), Northwestern held Duke to 151 yards through three quarters and 279 yards for the game. On Northwestern’s first two possessions of the game, the Wildcats accumulated 188 yards and a quick 14 points. Wright has at least one TD in each of Northwestern’s four games. Basanez was 15-of-23 passing for 176 yards.
MEET COACH RANDY WALKER
Randy Walker (Miami University, 1976) is in his fifth season as head coach at Northwestern after coaching at Miami (Ohio) for nine seasons from 1990-98. At Northwestern, the 27-year coaching veteran has produced a 20-30 record, highlighted by an 8-4 mark in 2000. That season, the Wildcats won a share of the Big Ten title, which was Northwestern’s third conference crown since 1995. Overall, in his 14th year as a college head coach, Walker is 79-65-5. Walker departed his alma mater prior to the 1999 season as the program’s winningest coach with a 59-35-5 (.621) record.
OLD FRIENDS GET TOGETHER
Ohio State defensive end Simon Fraser and Northwestern defensive back Jeff Backes were teammates at Upper Arlington High School and starters on the Golden Bears’ 2000 state championship team. Backes did not play in the game last year in Evanston, so this will be the first time the two friends have played against one another.
BUCKEYES VISIT BADGERS
Ohio State is idle Oct. 4 but then returns to action the following week, Oct. 11, at Wisconsin. It will be the first road game of the year for the Buckeyes. Kickoff Saturday evening is scheduled for 8 p.m. (9 p.m. EDT) on ESPN.
