Postgame Notes From No. 1 Ohio State vs. Michigan State – Ohio State Buckeyes
10/20/2007 12:00:00 AM | Football
No. 1/1 Ohio State (8-0, 4-0 Big Ten) 24, Michigan State (5-3, 1-3 Big Ten) 17
Ohio Stadium
Columbus, Ohio
Oct. 20, 2007
Attendance: 105, 287
Ohio State has won a school-record 26-consecutive regular-season games. The Buckeyes last lost a regular-season contest at Penn State, 17-10, Oct. 8, 2005. Overall, the Buckeyes have won 27 of their last 28 games. The previous record for consecutive regular-season wins was 21, set from 1967-69.
The Buckeyes have won a school-record 18-consecutive Big Ten Conference games, dating to the 17-10 loss at Penn State Oct. 8, 2005. The win over the Spartans broke the former record for consecutive conference wins (17), set from 1954-56, 1967-69 and 1974-76. The Big Ten record is 19, set by Michigan from 1990-92.
Ohio State is now 65-9-1 when ranked No. 1 in the country.
Overall, the Buckeyes are 410-124-14 as a Top 25 team.
The Buckeyes boast an all-time record of 378-104-20 in Ohio Stadium. Ohio State has won 17 straight and 21 of the last 22 games played in the Horseshoe. Ohio State’s all-time record in Columbus is 521-151-35 in 707 games.
Jim Tressel’s record with the Buckeyes now is 70-14 and his career record is 205-71-2.
Ohio State now is 795-301-53 in its 118th season of play.
The Buckeyes have scored at least one touchdown in 134-consecutive games.
Under Tressel, the Buckeyes now are 54-3 when leading at the half (17-0 Saturday) and 57-3 (24-14 Saturday) when ahead after three quarters.
Ohio State is 31-2 during the last five seasons at Ohio Stadium.
The Buckeyes are 353-124-28 in the month of October.
SERIES NOTES
Ohio State leads the all-time series with Michigan State 26-12 and owns a 14-7 lead in games played at Ohio Stadium. Ohio State has won the last six meetings.
OFFENSIVE NOTES
Chris Wells ran for a career-high 221 yards on 31 carries, ranking ninth all-time in program history for yards in a game. His previous high of 143 yards came against Akron earlier this season (Sept. 8). It was the first 200-yard rushing performance for a Buckeye since Maurice Clarett ran for 230 yards on 31 attempts vs. Washington State Sept. 14, 2002, and the 15th 200-plus yard rushing day for a Buckeye all-time.
Wells recorded his longest run of the season with a 47-yarder on the second play of the game vs. Michigan State.
Sophomore tight end Jake Ballard caught his first touchdown of the season with a 14-yarder from Todd Boeckman on the opening drive of the first quarter. He finished the game with three catches for 35 yards.
Ohio State has scored on its opening drive in the last four games and 6-of-8 games this season.
Ohio State led 10-0 after the first quarter and has outscored the opposition 80-2 in the first quarter this season. They led 17-0 at the half and have outscored opponents 161-19 in the first half.
Boeckman completed his first 10 passes and tied a school record with 12-consecutive completions. He completed his last two against Kent State and his first 10 Saturday. He finished the game 15-of-23 (.652) for 193 yards and two touchdowns.
The Buckeyes were 2-for-3 on red zone chances Saturday with two touchdowns. The Buckeyes now are 28-for-31 this season in the red zone.
Brian Robiskie with two catches for 92 yards, has caught a pass in 20-consecutive regular-season games. In Robiskie’s last four games at Ohio Stadium, he has totaled 29 catches for 547 yards.
The combo of Boeckman to Robiskie connected on a 42-yard completion in the first quarter and 50-yarder in the third. Boeckman has hooked up with Robiskie six times this year for plays of 40 or more yards.
DEFENSIVE NOTES
Ohio State has yet to allow an offensive touchdown in five home games this season.
Ohio State’s defense has allowed just two offensive touchdowns over the past 20 quarters of play. They have allowed just four offensive touchdowns through eight games.
The Buckeye defense has forced the opposition to go three-and-out on 49-of-103 possessions (.476 percent) this season.
Sophomore defensive tackle Doug Worthington recorded his first career interception in the second quarter, setting up Ohio State’s second touchdown of the game.
The Buckeyes entered the game with Michigan State leading the nation in total defense, allowing just 211.86 yards a game. Ohio State held the Spartans, which came into the game leading the Big Ten in total offense (467.0), scoring offense (36.9) and second in rushing (242.7), to only three points and 185 total yards Saturday. James Laurinaitis led the charge with a season-best 12 tackles.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Kicker Ryan Pretorius connected on a 41-yard FG in the first quarter. He is now 13-of-16 on the season and 5-of-6 from 40 yards or more.
MISCELLANEOUS
A crowd of 105,287 attended the game Saturday. Ohio State has had 39-consecutive home games with crowds of more than 100,000.
Former Buckeye Ryan Pickett (1998-2000) served as honorary captain Saturday.
The 1957 team, which won the national championship, was honored after the first quarter. The group had a reunion this weekend to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the squad’s win over Oregon in the Rose Bowl.
Rex Kern, Ohio State’s quarterback from 1968-70, was honored at halftime for his selection to the College Football Hall of Fame.
MICHIGAN STATE POST-GAME NOTES
In the 38th meeting between the two schools, No. 1/1 Ohio State defeated Michigan State before 105,287 at Ohio Stadium in Columbus…Ohio State now leads the overall series, 26-12, and has won the last six meetings in a row.
MSU was held to season lows in total yards (185), rushing yards (59) and passing yards (126).
OFFENSE:
Javon Ringer moved into MSU’s all-time Top 10 for rushing…he now ranks 10th all-time with 2,295 career yards…he finished Saturday with 49 yards on 18 carries (2.7 avg)…he passed Levi Jackson, who had 2,287 career yards from 1973-76.
DEFENSE:
Jonal Saint-Dic established a Big Ten record with his eighth forced fumble of the season…it came on a 7-yard sack in the third quarter, and SirDarean Adams picked up the ball and returned it 25 yards for the touchdown…it marked Adams’ second career TD (interception return vs. Notre Dame in 2005)…it marked Saint-Dic’s ninth sack of the season, tying for ninth best in an MSU season with Courtney Ledyard and Larry Bethea…Saint-Dic passed Penn State’s Michael Haynes, who had seven forced fumbles in 13 games in 2003…the eight forced fumbles ties for the third most in a season in Football Bowl Subdivision history (record: 10, Elvis Dumervil, Louisville in 2005)…Saint-Dic now has 10 career forced fumbles, which ranks tied for sixth best in FBS history (record: 14).
Otis Wiley recorded his team-leading third interception of the season and returned it 54 yards for a touchdown at the 3:52 mark in the third quarter…it marked Wiley’s first TD of his career…it was the second interception return for a TD for MSU this season (Travis Key, 31 yards vs. Pittsburgh).
MSU has scored four defensive TDs this season (two this afternoon; Key INT return vs. Pittsburgh; Baldwin fumble return vs. Indiana).
MSU has caused 14 turnovers this season, resulting in 60 points.
Greg Jones recorded a career-high 14 tackles (7 solo/7 assists), including a 6-yard sack.
Nehemiah Warrick recorded 10 tackles, marking the third time in his career he has registered double-figure tackles.
SPECIAL TEAMS:
Justin Kershaw blocked Ryan Pretorius field-goal attempt in the second quarter, his first career blocked field goal…it was the first blocked field goal for Michigan State since Ervin Baldwin blocked an attempt last year against Idaho on Sept. 2, 2006.
Devin Thomas had 60 kickoff return yards, moving up to sixth in a MSU single-season with 687 return yards in 2007.
