Postgame Notes From No. 6 Ohio State vs. Illinois – Ohio State Buckeyes
11/3/2012 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 3, 2012
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No. 6 Ohio State (10-0, 6-0 Big Ten) 52, Illinois (2-7, 0-5 Big Ten) 22
Ohio Stadium – Columbus, Ohio
Nov. 3, 2012
Attendance: 105,311
OHIO STATE POSTGAME NOTES
Ohio State is 64-7 at Ohio Stadium since the start of the 2002season.
At 10-0, Ohio State has tied its longest win streak since theScarlet and Gray went 10-0 during the 2007 campaign. The Buckeyeswere one of only six unbeaten teams left in Football BowlSubdivision entering week 10 of the season.
With the 52 points, Ohio State scored 50 points or more four timesin a season for the first-time ever.
With the win over Illinois, head coach Urban Meyer has now guided six different teams to at least one10-win season in his coaching career. Meyer becomes the secondfirst-year coach in Ohio State history to open 10-0 (Earl Bruceopened 11-0 in 1979). Meyer is 27-0 when his teams score 50 pointsor more.
Ohio State is 274-0-1 all-time when it scores at least 35 points.The tie was 35-35 against SMU in 1978.
SERIES NOTES
Ohio State and Illinois met for the 99th time since the serieswas initiated in 1902. With the win, the Buckeyes improve to64-30-4 vs. the Fighting Illini and now hold a 38-18-4 advantage inColumbus.
OFFENSIVE
CarlosHyde rushed for three touchdowns and now has 13 rushingtouchdowns this season. Hyde has 11 touchdowns in the last fivegames. He finished the game with a game-high 137 yards.
With his three touchdowns today, Hyde is now tied with teammateBraxton Miller and Wisconsin’s Montee Ball with 13 rushingtouchdowns this year and leads the league with 14 touchdownsoverall. Hyde also leads the league in scoring (10.5 points pergame).
Ohio State leads the Big Ten with 34 rushing touchdowns this year.It’s only the third time in the last 29 years Ohio State has had atleast 30 rushing touchdowns (2002- 31, 1984 – 35).
Rod Smith’s 51-yard touchdown reception in the second quarterwas his first touchdown catch of his career and his first receptionof 2012. The touchdown reception was Braxton Miller’s fifth touchdown completion of 50 yards or morein 2012.
Miller was 12-for-20 with 226 yards and two touchdowns in the airvs. the Fighting Illini. Miller finished the game with 73 yards onthe ground with a touchdown.
With his rushing touchdown in the third quarter, Miller passedformer Buckeye Cornelius Greene (12; 1973) for sole possession ofsecond place on the Ohio State single-season rushing touchdown listby a quarterback (13).
Corey Brown posted the team’s sixth touchdown in the fourthquarter on a 37-yard reception from Miller. Brown had four catcheswith a game-high 79 yards.
Nick Vannett had a career-high 45 receiving yards on twocatches.
Ohio State rushed for more than 200 yards for the seventh time thisyear. The Buckeyes came into the game ranked 10th in the country inrushing offense (247.89).
Bri’onte Dunn scored his second career touchdown in the fourthquarter. His first came vs. Miami Sept. 1.
The Buckeyes were 6-for-7 in the red zone today, collecting 38points with five rushing touchdowns.
DEFENSIVE
Sophomore linebacker Ryan Shazier collected a team-high 14 tackles, including twotackles for loss (ties career-high) vs. the Fighting Illini.Shazier has had five double-digit tackle performances this season.He set a career best with 11 solo tackles, passing the 10 he hadvs. California earlier this season.
Travis Howard claimed the game’s first turnover at the end ofthe second quarter and now has a team-high four interceptions. TheOSU defense has had one interception in the last four games.
Zach Boren started at linebacker for the fourth-consecutivegame, notching eight tackles to match his career best set atIndiana Oct. 13. He has 29 tackles in five games on defense thisyear.
SPECIAL TEAMS
DrewBasil made a 31-yard field goal in the second quarter toimprove to 4-of-6 in 2012.
Basil was 7-for-7 on PATs.
