OSU Survives Indiana

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Luke Fickell waited all day for a big turnover.

With just over 4 minutes left and the Buckeyes holding on to a tenuous seven-point lead against Indiana, it finally came.

Braxton Miller ran for two scores including a record 81-yarder and Travis Howard ended Indiana's last chance at tying it with an interception, leading Ohio State to a 34-20 victory on Saturday.

Not until Howard picked off Tre Roberson's pass over the middle at the Ohio State 28 with 4:07 left were the Buckeyes assured of the win.

"That was the one thing that you keep staring at, looking out there: Man, we've got to get a turnover. We've got to get a turnover," said Fickell, the Buckeyes' interim head coach. "It wasn't until the very end of the game that we came up with it."

Indiana had driven from its own 28 and faced a second-and-1 when Howard made his big play.

"I locked eyes with the receiver and the quarterback," Howard said. "I was just, like, 'There's no way he's going to throw that pass.' I was able to run over there and make a great interception."

Roberson, who like Miller is a freshman, took the blame.

"I was trying to get it to (the medium receiver)," said Roberson, who rushed for 70 yards and completed 11 of 21 passes for 174 yards and a score. "But it was a bad ball by me. It was all my fault."

Moments later, Carlos Hyde added a clinching score on a 2-yard run and the Buckeyes (6-3, 3-2 Big Ten) had their third win in a row to remain in solid contention in the Leaders Division despite an 0-2 start in the conference and a season fraught with suspensions and the possibility of NCAA sanctions.

Three Buckeyes topped 100 yards rushing: Dan Herron with 141 yards on 14 carries, Hyde with 105 on 15 and Miller with 105 on 14. It was the first time Ohio State had three runners over 100 since Scottie Graham, Carlos Snow and Dante Lee did it in 1989 against Northwestern.

The Buckeyes totaled 346 rushing yards on 46 attempts.

It was another learning experience for the young Hoosiers (1-9, 0-6), who lost their seventh in a row.

"We didn't need to play perfect to beat those guys," coach Kevin Wilson said. "But we did need to play up to our potential."

After fighting to a 13-13 stalemate at the half, the teams traded scores.

The Buckeyes took leads of 20-13 and 27-20 in the third quarter, the first when Herron danced outside to cover the last 15 yards before edging inside the left pylon to make it 20-13. Miller helped the Buckeyes regain the lead when, on third and goal at the Indiana 20, he raced up the middle through a gaping hole on a draw and faked out the last defender, Mark Murphy, who never got a hand on him.

In between, Roberson had tossed a spot-on 34-yard scoring pass to Kofi Hughes to knot it at 20.

Down a touchdown at the start of the fourth quarter, the Hoosiers came right back but Mitch Ewald, who had converted two earlier attempts, was wide left on a 40-yard field goal try.

After forcing a punt, the interception killed Indiana's hopes of ending a string of 16 straight losses to the Buckeyes since 1988.

Ohio State once again had trouble passing the ball. Miller was 5 of 11 for 55 yards with an interception. He also lost a fumble.

Indiana grabbed a quick 10-0 lead, silencing a crowd of 105,195. Ewald kicked a 35-yard field goal on the Hoosiers' first possession. Three plays later, Miller was sacked by Bobby Richardson and he fumbled, with Jeff Thomas recovering for Indiana at the Ohio State 41. Stephen Houston then scored on a 5-yard run.

On the second play after the kickoff, Miller squeezed through a hole at the line and then outraced the secondary for an 81-yard touchdown -- the sixth-longest run ever at Ohio State and the longest ever by a Buckeyes quarterback.

The Buckeyes can still make the Big Ten title game if they win out and Penn State loses twice.

First, they had to survive a scare from the Hoosiers.

"We could have definitely (done) a better job coming out with better energy and better pace," Herron said. "We finished the game, you know. It's not how you start the game it's how you finish."

Bucks Down Buffs In Miller's Starting Debut

By:  Coop


After a tough loss to Miami last week, the Buckeyes were trying to turn the page.  Coach Fickell decided to start Freshman QB, Braxton Miller, rather than Senior, Joe Bauserman. 


Braxton was very impressive.  Not so much with his passing game, but his running game, and his ability to make things happen helped the Buckeyes get the win.  The final score was 37-17, here is how it all happened.


With just under 8 and a half minutes to go in the 1st, Jordan Hall ran it in from 1 yard out, OSU was up 7-0. About 4 minutes later, Drew Basil kicked a 28 yard field goal, the score would be 10-0 at the end of the 1st quarter. 


In the 2nd quarter, Braxton Miller connected with Devin Smith for a 32 yard touchdown, 17-0 the score.


The Buffaloes would get on the board when Toney Clemons caught and 11 yard touchdown pass from Tyler Hansen, it was now 17-7.


Later on, OSU had to punt the ball.  The Buffalo player who was going to return the kick, dropped the ball. OSU picked it up and had about 15 seconds with the ball on the 6.  Miller would run it to about the 1 yard line and call a timeout with 6 seconds left.  It was decision time for Fickell.  He decided to take the guaranteed  points.  Drew Basil kicked the field goal, Ohio State was up 20-7 at the half.


In the 3rd quarter Braxton Miller and Devin Smith hooked up for another scoring play.  This one for 17 yards, the Bucks were up 27-7.


Colorado made it a little bit closer when Will Oliver kicked a long 47 yard field goal, it was now 27-10.


But OSU was able to answer back when Carlos Hyde took it to the house for a 5 yard run, it was 34-10 going into the 4th.


Early in the 4th Basil kicked a field goal to make it 37-10.


The Buffs would get a touchdown when Hansen connected with McCulloch for a 14 yard score to make it 37-17, and that's how she finished.


Braxton Miller was not great with his passing game, as a previously mentioned.  He completed only 5 passes on 13 attempts, but 2 of those completions were for touchdowns, he threw for 83 yards.  However, he did run the ball 17 times, good for 83 yards, one yard shy of Jordan Hall's game-leading 84 yards.


Devin Smith had 3 receptions for 64 yards, and 2 touchdowns.


The Bucks are now 3-1, and will host Michigan State next week.

Ohio State Escapes Toledo Upset Bid

Johnathan Hankins (52) celebrates with his team after a stop by the
OSU defense. 

By:  Coop


1921 was a long time ago.  That was the last time the Buckeyes had lost to an in-state team.  That was when Oberlin beat the Bucks 7-6.  Teams like Cincinnati, Miami, Bowling Green, Akron, and Youngstown State have all been victims of Ohio State's streak.  Toledo head coach, Tim Beckman, did not want to be the next team to lose, he wanted to be the first Ohio team to beat OSU since 1921.  Well, his team sure did come close and gave the 15th ranked team in the country a serious scare, but it was the Bucks that kept the streak alive, as they won in the final minute, 27-22.  Here is how.


Joe Bauserman connected with the now star-Tight End, Jake Stoneburner for a 26 yard score on the Buckeyes opening drive.  It was 7-0, Buckeyes looking like they were going to start a blow out like they did last week.


Yeah, that didn't happen.


The Rockets answered back about 4 minutes later when Austin Dantin connected with Eric Page for a 6 yard score, then coach Beckman decided to be aggressive and go for 2. Well they got it when Page passed it to Keighley, the score was 8-7 Toledo.


Terrence Owens, the other Toledo QB got some action in this game, and with 2 minutes to go in the 1st, he threw the ball to Eric Page, Page would go 66 yards to the house, 15-7 the score at the end of 1.


The Buckeyes would make it a one-possession game when Carlos Hyde ran it in from 36 yards out, 15-14 the score.


Just before the half, Toledo had to punt it away.  Chris Fields was the return man.  Well wanna know what he did?  That's good because I'm about to tell you, he returned the punt and took it to the house for a 69 yard score, that put the Buckeyes up 21-15 at the half.


The Rockets got the ball to start the 3rd quarter, and started with good field position, they eventually got down to the 4 yard line.  From the 4 yard line Adonis Thomas ran it in for the score, the Rockets back on top 22-21.


With 3:17 to go in the 3rd, the Buckeyes answered back when Hyde ran for a 2 yard score, the 2-pointer was failed, but the score was 27-22.


A few drives later, the Bucks were getting close to the red zone, but then RB, Rod Smith, fumbled the ball.  It was picked up by Toledo.


The Rockets had the ball back with 3:08 to go in the game.  Eventually it was 4th and 14 at their own 42 yard line, Owens and Page connected for 19 yards to move the chains and keep the game alive.  A few moments later, it was 4th and 6 from the OSU 17.  Owens dropped back to pass, tried to get Kenny Stafford but it fell incomplete, a turnover on downs!  Bauserman then took a knee a couple of times, securing the win for OSU.


So the Buckeyes avoid the upset, and go to 2-0.


Some fans were wondering why Braxton Miller was never put in the game.  Well, this is Bauserman's team. He is here to be our starter, not a back up.  Right now, Miller is simply just a back up.


Joe did pretty good today, 16 of 30, 189 yards, 1 TD.


Hyde carried the ball 20 times, good for 76 yards.


Devin Smith had 2 receptions, good for 67 yards.


Those are all impressive stats, but the most impressive one, Ohio State was only penalized twice today.


The 2-0 Buckeyes will now get ready for the Miami Hurricanes.  Next week they head to South Florida in search of win #3. Game time is set 7:30 PM ET and it will be televised on ESPN.


For highlights, click here.