The ghosts of October 16, 2004 were exorcised last Saturday night as Ohio State returned to the scene of its worst defeat under Jim Tressel and ripped Iowa 38-17 behind a career-high four touchdown passes from quarterback Troy Smith and four more turnovers from the defense.
The scene inside Kinnick Stadium was absolutely electric as ABC’s blimp shots captured a sea of “Old Gold” in the stands. The game had been touted as the biggest in Iowa City since top-ranked Miami had visited-and won- in 1992, or when the #1 Hawkeyes got a field goal from Rob Houghtlin as time ran out to beat #2 Michigan 12-10 in 1985, just two weeks before Iowa came to Columbus and got toppled in the rain. The Hawks had posted a 25-2 record at home since the 2002 season, losing only to TBGUN last year in overtime and to Iowa State in ’02, a loss that may have kept Iowa out of the national championship game. Kirk Ferentz has certainly established a premier program, turning down overtures from the NFL to continue building it, but he has looked for that eye-popping win to really get his team into the national consciousness, and what better stage to do it than at home with a crazed crowd, facing the nation’s #1 team on national TV?
Aaron Pettrey’s kickoff carried into the endzone, but back upfield freshman safety Anderson Russell sustained a reported season-ending injury to his right knee and he was helped off. James Laurinaitis immediately sparked the defense by sacking Iowa quarterback Drew Tate for a loss of 10, but tailback Albert Young got 11 of it back, then Tate- in the arms of Laurinaitis- floated a pass for Herb Grigsby that was good for 31 yards. Young carried three straight times for 15 yards and Grigsby could only manage 2 on a wide receiver screen. Tate’s third down throw for freshman Dominique Douglas actually drilled corner Donald Washington in the helmet, but Washington was hit with an absolute phantom interference call, giving Iowa new life at the Buckeye 23. It turns out the officials were just getting the “home cooking” stove warmed up, as Vernon Gholston and Marcus Freeman clobbered Tate on the next play, forcing a fumble which was ruled an incomplete pass. Evidently the “stripes” mistook Tate’s arm flailing around after being sandwiched as a passing motion even though the ball went backwards.
Dominique Douglas came through with an 11-yard reception on a 3rd-and-11 play to put the Hawks on OSU’s 13, but the Buckeye “D” held tough and Kyle Schlicher booted a 32-yard field goal to get the Hawkeyes on the board at 7-3.
The Bucks began their next series at their own 12, and for the second straight week Troy Smith had Ted Ginn, Jr. wide open deep but overshot him. The drive went nowhere and A.J. Trapasso launched a solid evening with a 52-yard punt, backing Iowa to its’ 34. Dominique Douglas got the possession off to a great start with a 23-yard catch-and-run, but the Hawks couldn’t do anything after that and punted. Roy Hall’s second catch of the season was good for 16 yards and a first down, but the march bogged down and Trapasso got off a 46-yard kick, setting the Hawkeyes up at their own 18 as the first quarter ended.
As the second period started, Drew Tate came out of play-action and fired toward Grigsby but was intercepted by Brandon Mitchell, who returned the pick to the Iowa 30. Antonio Pittman took an option pitch for 3, then on second down “Pitt” slipped away from safety Miguel Merrick in the backfield, got great blocks from Gonzalez and Brian Robiskie, and maneuvered his way to the Iowa 4. Tim Schafer, who has lined up at guard and tackle this season, came in as a tight end on first-and-goal, and Antonio Pittman breezed into the endzone easily behind fine blocking from Schafer and fullback Stan White, Jr. It was “Pitt’s” tenth consecutive game with a rushing touchdown and it lifted Ohio State into a 14-3 advantage.
The Hawkeyes responded with some big plays from their offense. Following an incompletion, backup tailback Damian Sims cut back left on a counter through a huge hole and broke two tackles on a 21-yard pickup. Drew Tate scrambled for 11, Sims eluded David Patterson in the backfield and rambled for 12, then the Buckeye defense left the middle of the field wide open for big tight end Scott Chandler to get loose for 21. The Hawks had OSU wobbly, and the uppercut came from Albert Young who burst over the right side, split Antonio Smith and James Laurinaitis, and dragged Jamario O’Neal into the endzone, narrowing the margin to 14-10. It was the first touchdown Ohio State’s defense had given up on the ground this season, and it reenergized the crowd. The din continued to build as defensive tackle Matt Kroul short-circuited OSU’s ensuing drive, sacking Troy Smith for minus-3 then throwing Antonio Pittman for a 2-yard loss. A.J. Trapasso turned in his worst effort of the evening with a 30-yard boot, and just like that the Hawkeyes were at midfield. Three plays later they were still at the 50 as the Buckeye defense responded brilliantly, and Ted Ginn, Jr. fair-caught the Hawkeye punt at his 11.
Just as Kirk Ferentz had inserted Damian Sims into the contest for a change of pace, Jim Tressel countered by sending in freshman Chris Wells. Wells answered the bell immediately, torching the right side of the Hawkeye defense for 19 yards on first down. He bulled for 3, then worked an option pitch for 11 to the OSU 44. Wells showed off his athletic prowess on the next play as he made a one-handed grab of a Troy Smith pass for six yards. Two plays later on 3rd-and-3, Troy bought some time before dialing up Ginn along the sideline for 12 and a first down at Iowa’s 37. Ginn and Smith hooked up again moments later for 11 more before three Antonio Pittman runs moved the ball to the 6.
Troy took the 2nd-and goal snap and tossed towards the right corner of the endzone for Roy Hall, who had gotten behind Adam Shada. Hall made a fine catch for his first score since the Marshall game in 2004, capping off OSU’s longest drive of the season- 89 yards in 12 plays. Aaron Pettrey’s point-after made it 21-10 and that’s how it stood at halftime.
The Buckeyes got the ball first in the third quarter, and Antonio Pittman led off with an 8-yard gain by bouncing to the right side for a change. Three consecutive completions from Troy Smith to Ted Ginn, Jr. moved the ball to the OSU 49, then Anthony Gonzalez chipped in with a 10-yard grab for a first down. The Hawkeye defense forced a 4th-and-1 call from their 32, but Chris Wells was equal to the task and scratched out two yards to the 30. Gonzalez then ran a short stop route, but as the linebacker approached he broke towards the middle and hauled in a pass from Smith at the 25. Gonzo raced to the 15, then cut back to his right where he was knocked off stride by Mike Klinkenborg. Gonzo steadied himself with his right hand, then backtracked all the way to the Iowa 20 before he successfully turned the corner. Defensive end Bryan Mattison and defensive tackle Mitch King looked as if they had him hemmed in, but Brian Hartline knocked Mattison into King to spring Gonzo to the endzone for the second time in the game. Folks, Troy Smith’s touchdown pass to Brian Robiskie against Penn State was a dynamite toss, but it’ll take something absolutely incredulous to top this play by Gonzalez, not to mention Hartline’s crushing block. The score was now 28-10, OSU, and in one play Kinnick Stadium turned from a concert hall to a church.
Iowa could get nothing going, and Ginn fair-caught Andy Fenstermaker’s punt at the OSU 13. Two Pittman carries and an 11-yard reception by Gonzalez earned a first down. After a six-yard run by “Pitt”, Chris Wells re-entered and bulled for 19 on three totes to put the ball at midfield. Facing 3rd-and-3, Troy Smith shook off Edmond Miles and showed some of his 2005 form, scampering for 10 and a first down. Two plays later Ted Ginn, Jr. got another first down by juking Charles Godfrey out of his jock on a 15-yard pickup. An end-around by Gonzo lost a yard, then the officials topped off an evening of absolute boneheaded calls by ruling a clear catch by Ginn incomplete. Remember the name of referee John O’ Neill, people, and pray we never get him and his merry band of idiots again this season. This was the biggest game in the country, and we get these clowns? What, last year’s Super Bowl crew wasn’t available?
Anthony Gonzalez made yet another first down catch on Ohio State’s next drive, but Mitch King batted away a third-down pass moments later, forcing an A.J. Trapasso punt. Trap’s kick took a Hawkeye bounce and stopped at the Iowa 33, and here came the Kinnick crowd. Two plays later they took a seat as Antonio Smith stripped the ball away from Scott Chandler and Brandon Mitchell recovered at the Buckeye 47. The “O” was able to burn off a little more clock before punting away, and this time Trapasso got a friendly bounce and the football was downed at the Hawkeye 6.
Tate and Brodell immediately hooked up for 12 yards, but on the very next snap Marcus Freeman snared his first career interception and returned it to the Iowa 14. On 3rd-and-9 Smith made still another highlight-reel throw, connecting with Brian Robiskie in the back of the endzone on a ball that I still don’t know how it threaded its way past Miguel Merrick. Here’s a tip- don’t ever play darts with Troy Smith, especially for money. For all of you at the NCAA and in the compliance office reading this, IT’S A JOKE! Smith and Robiskie’s hookup was the knockout blow as the Buckeyes had reached their final winning margin of 38-17. Just to rub salt in the wound, Freeman added a sack of Tate on the ensuing series before James Laurinaitis picked off his fourth pass in as many games to seal the deal.
Ohio State returns home Saturday to face Bowling Green, while Iowa hosts a Purdue team coming off a loss to Notre Dame but who is 1-0 in Big Ten play.
RANDOM THOUGHTS- With Saturday’s victory, Jim Tressel has now won at least once in every Big Ten stadium. The only locales he has never won with Ohio State are the Outback Bowl (we’ll not look to even that score anytime soon) and the Los Angeles Coliseum. Tressel will get an opportunity to level that count when the Bucks travel to L.A. in 2008 to face Southern Cal…The Big Ten has announced that Ohio State’s October 14th game at Michigan State will kickoff at 3:30 and be televised by ABC. Penn State vs. Michigan had already been chosen for the 8PM slot that night back in the summer…With TCU losing to BYU and West Virginia having a bye week, the Buckeyes now have the nation’s longest winning streak all to themselves with 12 straight victories…After Aaron Pettrey’s field goal had given OSU a 31-10 lead, the Bucks were called for delay of game- ON THE KICKOFF! Jim Tressel’s response- “When they spot the ball ready for play, you have 25 seconds to kick it. We’re so used to…people standing around for hours it seems like and we didn’t notice…(You) almost fall asleep during some of these TV timeouts.” And the television audience said, “Amen”, except those who were sawing logs…
