Published: Monday, September 25, 2006
Buckeyes get ready for Hawkeyes
Iowa City is where OSU suffered its worst loss two seasons ago.
By TOM WILLIAMS
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
COLUMBUS — Having avenged their 2005 losses to Texas and Penn State, the top-ranked Ohio State football team now can focus on offering a better performance at the site of their worst loss two seasons ago.
In October 2004, Ohio State journeyed to Iowa City's Kinnick Stadium, losing 31-7 to the Hawkeyes and averting a shutout in the game's final two minutes.
Saturday at 8 p.m., Ohio State (4-0, 1-0 Big Ten) will play the Hawkeyes (4-0, 1-0) with the dream of an unbeaten season on the line.
Both winners
On Saturday, the Buckeyes defeated Penn State, 28-6, while the Hawkeyes opened Big Ten play with a 24-7 win over Illinois.
"Iowa is a great team, it's going to be a great challenge for our football team," Buckeyes defensive tackle David Patterson said.
Quarterback Troy Smith said this week's game "is going to test our football team."
That said, Smith would prefer the Buckeyes move on rather than look back.
"I hope that guys don't work off the revenge factor and want to beat up on teams just because they beat you in the past," Smith said.
Playing on the road for the second time in September, the Buckeyes will need better offensive performance than they produced against the Nittany Lions.
Penn State's defense kept the Buckeyes pinned in their own half of the field in jumping out to a 3-0 halftime lead.
Momentum shifted in the third quarter when tailback Antonio Pittman broke free for a 19-yard gain on the Buckeyes' second possession.
A 17-yard gain by Pittman on a screen pass to the Penn State 12 set up his touchdown run on the next play that put Ohio State ahead, 7-3.
The Buckeyes took command in the fourth quarter after Smith scrambled to elude Penn State's Tim Shaw then hit wide receiver Brian Robiskie in the end zone for a 37-yard touchdown.
Ginn covered
On the flip side, junior wide receiver Ted Ginn was not much of a factor, catching two passes for 15 yards.
Smith credited Penn State's blanket coverage for tying up Ginn and suggested there's a price to pay.
"By concentrating on him, you open up a zone elsewhere," said Smith who completed 12-of-22 passes for 115 yards.
"That opens up room for guys like Brian Hartline, Brian Robiskie, Rory Nicol.
"Teddy is the most electrifying player in college football, but we don't just stop there. I would love to throw him a bomb on every play but that's not reality," Smith said. "It's not reality to drop back and throw Gonzo [Anthony Gonzalez] a bomb on every play."
Gonzalez had two receptions for 16 yards.
"As an offense, we were out of synch," Gonzalez said.
"It was a collection of things not working for us."
The Buckeyes' defense excelled, limiting the Nittany Lions to two field goals and returning two interceptions for fourth-quarter touchdowns. Malcolm Jenkins' pickoff covered 61 yards while Antonio Smith's was for 55 yards.
williams@vindy.com
Monday, September 25, 2006
Iowa City is where OSU suffered its worst loss two seasons ago.
By TOM WILLIAMS
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
COLUMBUS — Having avenged their 2005 losses to Texas and Penn State, the top-ranked Ohio State football team now can focus on offering a better performance at the site of their worst loss two seasons ago.
In October 2004, Ohio State journeyed to Iowa City's Kinnick Stadium, losing 31-7 to the Hawkeyes and averting a shutout in the game's final two minutes.
Saturday at 8 p.m., Ohio State (4-0, 1-0 Big Ten) will play the Hawkeyes (4-0, 1-0) with the dream of an unbeaten season on the line.
Both winners
On Saturday, the Buckeyes defeated Penn State, 28-6, while the Hawkeyes opened Big Ten play with a 24-7 win over Illinois.
"Iowa is a great team, it's going to be a great challenge for our football team," Buckeyes defensive tackle David Patterson said.
Quarterback Troy Smith said this week's game "is going to test our football team."
That said, Smith would prefer the Buckeyes move on rather than look back.
"I hope that guys don't work off the revenge factor and want to beat up on teams just because they beat you in the past," Smith said.
Playing on the road for the second time in September, the Buckeyes will need better offensive performance than they produced against the Nittany Lions.
Penn State's defense kept the Buckeyes pinned in their own half of the field in jumping out to a 3-0 halftime lead.
Momentum shifted in the third quarter when tailback Antonio Pittman broke free for a 19-yard gain on the Buckeyes' second possession.
A 17-yard gain by Pittman on a screen pass to the Penn State 12 set up his touchdown run on the next play that put Ohio State ahead, 7-3.
The Buckeyes took command in the fourth quarter after Smith scrambled to elude Penn State's Tim Shaw then hit wide receiver Brian Robiskie in the end zone for a 37-yard touchdown.
Ginn covered
On the flip side, junior wide receiver Ted Ginn was not much of a factor, catching two passes for 15 yards.
Smith credited Penn State's blanket coverage for tying up Ginn and suggested there's a price to pay.
"By concentrating on him, you open up a zone elsewhere," said Smith who completed 12-of-22 passes for 115 yards.
"That opens up room for guys like Brian Hartline, Brian Robiskie, Rory Nicol.
"Teddy is the most electrifying player in college football, but we don't just stop there. I would love to throw him a bomb on every play but that's not reality," Smith said. "It's not reality to drop back and throw Gonzo [Anthony Gonzalez] a bomb on every play."
Gonzalez had two receptions for 16 yards.
"As an offense, we were out of synch," Gonzalez said.
"It was a collection of things not working for us."
The Buckeyes' defense excelled, limiting the Nittany Lions to two field goals and returning two interceptions for fourth-quarter touchdowns. Malcolm Jenkins' pickoff covered 61 yards while Antonio Smith's was for 55 yards.
williams@vindy.com
Monday, September 25, 2006
Having avenged their 2005 losses to Texas and Penn State, the top-ranked Ohio State football team now can focus on...
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