Buckeyes Blank Boilers, 49-0 – Ohio State Buckeyes
10/23/2010 12:00:00 AM | Football
Recap | Notes | Quotes | Photos | Box Score (html) | Box Score (pdf) | Postgame Transcript
Video: Highlights | Head Coach Jim Tressel | Ohio State Players
Audio: Pudue Head Coach Danny Hope
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Playing with a bit of an edge off a loss last week and with a firm realization of the havoc that Purdue is capable of creating, No. 11 Ohio State shutout the Boilermakers, 49-0, Saturday in the 89th Homecoming Game at Ohio Stadium. The win improved Ohio State’s records to 7-1 overall and 3-1 in the Big Ten. Purdue drops to 4-3 and 2-1, respectively.
The Buckeyes jumped out to a 42-0 halftime lead behind a 415 offensive yards – a first-half record for a Jim Tressel-coached Buckeye team – and a defense that didn’t let Purdue cross the 50 and limited the Boilermakers’ to 44 first half yards.
“Our guys came out ready to go, and set the tone early with a nice opening touchdown,” head coach Jim Tressel said after the game. “Our defense took over from there with a nice shutout.”
Junior Terrelle Pryor enjoyed another big day for the Buckeyes, completing 16-22 passes for 270 yards and three touchdowns, passing Troy Smith for third place on the all-time passing yards list. Dane Sanzenbacher hauled in four passes for 86 yards and a touchdown, while Dan Herron paced the Scarlet and Gray on the ground, totaling two touchdowns and 74 yards on 16 carries.
Ohio State set a punishing tone early, handing off to Herron five-consecutive times on its first drive. He finished with a touchdown off the left side from the 10 for a quick 7-0 lead.
The Buckeyes went back to Herron on their third possession of the game, a series that was set up by a fumbled punt recovered by Jermale Hines. Herron ripped off a gain of nine yards to get the drive started and a 27-yard Pryor-to-DeVier Posey completion set the team up on the Purdue 1. Herron finished it off from there for a 14-0 lead.
Ohio State made it 21-0 early in the second quarter with an 11-play, 91-yard drive that Jordan Hall capped with another one-yard power play up the middle.
Three second-quarter Pryor touchdown passes increased the lead to 42-0. He hit Posey for a 22-yard score, Sanzenbacher with a seven-yarder and Corey Brown with a 15-yarder, Brown’s first career touchdown reception.
The 42 first-half points were the most since scoring 45 in 2007 against Northwestern.
Ohio State controlled the clock for much of the second half behind the running back trio of Jamaal Berry, Carlos Hyde and Jordan Hall. Pryor played only two possessions in the third quarter before turning the ball over the Joe Bauserman and Kenny Guiton for the duration of the game.
Purdue continued to struggle on offense in the second stanza against the Silver Bullet defense, totaling only 74 yards over the final two periods for a game total of 118, the lowest offensive output against the Buckeyes this season. Despite starting inside Ohio State territory several times in the second half, the Boilermakers were unable to capitalize. Purdue’s best chance to score came late in the fourth, as Carson Wiggs’ 56-yard field goal attempt fell short of the goal post.
