Buckeyes Score Most Points Since 1950 in 73-20 Win Over Eastern Michigan – Ohio State Buckeyes
9/26/2010 12:00:00 AM | Football
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Video: Highlights | Head Coach Jim Tressel | Ohio State Players
Audio: Eastern Michigan Head Coach Ron English
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Another tremendous offensive effort, sparked by the passing, running and receiving of Terrelle Pryor and the record-tying receiving day of Dane Sanzenbacher, carried No. 2 Ohio State to a fourth-consecutive convincing win, 73-20, over Eastern Michigan Saturday at Ohio Stadium.
The Buckeyes are now 4-0 this season and have won 10 consecutive games over the last two seasons. Eastern Michigan dropped its 16th-consecutive game and fourth this season.
Pryor, a native of Jeannette Pa., completed 20-of-26 passes for 224 yards and four touchdowns on the day and he rushed for another 104 yards. The effort was his fourth career game of at least 200 passing yards and 100 rushing yards and his 328 yards of total offense for the game leaves him one short of the school record of six such games, set by Joe Germaine between 1996-98.
Sanzenbacher tied the school record held by Terry Glenn (vs. Pitt in 1995) and Bob Grimes (Washington State in 1952) with four receiving touchdowns. His huge day topped out with nine receptions for 108 yards. Pryor’s four touchdown passes to Sanzenbacher marked just the second time in school history a quarterback and receiver combined for four touchdowns passes in a game.
Pryor was responsible for six touchdowns in the game – four passing, one rushing and one receiving – to tie the Ohio State record first set by Tony Curcillo against Iowa in 1951. The last player to score three different ways was Ted Ginn, Jr., against Michigan State in 2004 (rushing, receiving and punt return).
“I thought our guys came out ready to go and were focused in to get better,” Jim Tressel, head coach, said. “When you get a lead so quick sometimes you can relax just a little. Eastern Michigan did a nice job. They hit a couple of misdirection passes and longer passes that were well designed that our defense wasn’t used to, but a lot of guys got to play and our guys are excited to begin Big Ten play.”
Pryor was not the only Jeannette standout today. Jordan Hall, Jeannette Class of 2009, threw a touchdown pass (to Pryor) and caught a TD pass from Joe Bauserman to give the eastern Pennsylvania school credit for eight touchdowns on the day. The touchdown pass by Bauserman was his first in the Scarlet and Gray.
Ohio State’s defense had given up just two touchdowns all season, but Eastern Michigan, relying solely on its passing game, found a way to score three times off 75, 73 and 80-yard drives. Quarterback Alex Gillett threw for 200 yards, while the rushing game netted just 40 yards.
The stars of this game were shining early. Pryor raced 53 yards for a touchdown on the third play from scrimmage and followed it with a 31-yard touchdown strike to Sanzenbacher on the sixth play to propel the Buckeyes to a quick 14-0 lead.
Devin Barclay made it 17-0 on a 42-yard field goal. He is now 9-of-10 on field goals in 2010 and hit 10-of-10 extra points on the night, tying Vic Janowicz against Iowa in 1950.
Dan Herron gave the Buckeyes a 24-0 lead at the end of the first quarter on a seven-yard touchdown run. He rushed for 55 yards on 12 carries. In the second quarter, Sanzenbacher caught his second touchdown pass off a nine-yard reception on the sideline at 7:44 from Pryor to make the score, 31-7.
Sanzenbacher’s third score gave the Buckeyes’ 38 points heading into halftime following a seven-yard pass from Pryor through the middle of the Eagle defense at 4:18.
In the third quarter, the Buckeyes began the second half with a nine-play, 57-yard drive in under three minutes that was topped off by Sanzenbacher’s fourth touchdown from Pryor, which tied the school record.
Following the Buckeye drive, the Eagles scored their third touchdown after Gillett completed a 32-yard pass to Donald Scott to make it 45-20 at 9:11. Senior linebacker Brian Rolle blocked the attempted extra point.
Ohio State hit the 50-point mark for the first time in 2010 when Hall threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to Pryor, his high school teammate, at 2:57 left in the third quarter, making it 52-20 in favor of the Buckeyes.
With the 32-point lead heading into the fourth quarter, the Buckeyes received contributions from several new sources.
Hall caught his first career touchdown reception at the beginning of the final period on a 17-yard pass from Bauserman at 13:44, expanding the lead to 39 points and giving the Buckeyes the most points in the Tressel era with 59.
Running back Jaamal Berry scored his first career touchdown as a Buckeye in the fourth quarter, showing his speed on a 67-yard touchdown run down the sideline to close out a five-play, 94-yard scoring run to stretch the score to 66-20 with 8:39 to play.
Quarterback Kenny Guiton, the third Buckeye QB to take a snap in the game, also earned his first collegiate touchdown in the Scarlet and Gray on a 15-yard run up the middle with 3:26 left in the game to finalize the score at 73-20.
