OHIO STATE @ WASHINGTON

ON SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 15TH, THE 10TH RANKED OHIO STATE BUCKEYES TRAVELLED CLEAR ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO TAKE ON THE HUSKIES OF WASHINGTON IN A NON CONFERENCE MATCH UP. THE THIRD LARGEST CROWN IN THE HISTORY OF HUSKY STADIUM WITNESSED THE VISITING BUCKEYES RACK UP 30 2ND HALF POINTS ON THEIR WAY TO A CONVINCING 33-14 VICTORY. THIS WAS BY THE FAR THE TOUGHEST TEST OF THE SEASON. TYRONE WILLINGHAM IN HIS THIRD FULL SEASON WITH WASHINGTON HAS DONE A NICE JOB IN TRYING TO GET THEM BACK TO WHERE THEY ONCE WERE. HE HAS THEM GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. I WASNT A FAN OF HIS WHEN HE WAS AT NOTRE DAME, BUT APPARENTLY NO ONE IS A FIT THERE, SO HE SEEMS TO BE IN A BETTER POSITION NOW. IT WAS A GAME OF ERRORS AND MISSED OPPORTUNITES MOSTLY IN THE FIRST HALF AS THE BUCKEYES GATHERED PENALTY AFTER PENALTY AND MISSED 2 FIELD GOALS AS WELL. ONE OF THEM WAS BLOCKED. BIG PROPS GO OUT TO JAKE LOCKER WHO IS THE FACE OF THIS TEAM. THE REDSHIRT FRESHMAN IS BIG AND HAS A STRONG ARM AND HE CAN MOVE. HE RAN THE BALL 14 TIMES FOR 102 YARDS. HE WAS ALSO 16 OF 33 THROUGH THE AIR FOR 153 YARDS AND A TOUCHDOWN. HE DID HOWEVER THROW 3 INTS AS WELL. THIS IS A GUY THAT I LIKED TO DESCRIBE AS JUST A FLAT OUT FOOTBALL PLAYER. HE IS TOUGH AND AGGRESSIVE AND HE JUST MAKES PLAYS. THERE ARE TIMES THOUGH THAT PLAYERS LIKE THIS TRY TO DO TOO MUCH AND THAT IS WHEN THE TURNOVER BUG KICKS IN. HE WAS REALLY THE ONLY ONE THAT THE BUCKS HAD A TOUGH TIME CONTAINING. I GUESS YOU COULD SAY THEY SOMEWHAT CONTAINED HIM HOLDING HIM TO 102 YARDS ON THE GROUND BECAUSE HE HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BUST 200 ON ANYONE. WASHINGTON WAS SOLID ON DEFENSE BUT THE BUCKS OFFENSE HAD TOO MANY MISTAKES AND MADE THEM LOOK MUCH BETTER THAN THEY REALLY WERE. OHIO STATE HAD 10 PENALTIES IN ALL THAT ACCUMULATED TO 80 YARDS THE WRONG DIRECTION. THE FIRST HALF SAW THEM DOWN 7-3 IN A CONTEST THAT SEEMED SLOPPY AND QUITE BORING. ERIC LICHTER WHO IS THE BUCKEYE STRENGTH COACH GAVE A PRETTY FIERY SPEECH AT HALFTIME FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND. IN A NUTSHELL HE SAID IF THEY WERE A GOOD TEAM THEY WOULD GO OUT THERE AND PUT UP 30 MORE POINTS AND NOT GIVE UP ANYTHING ELSE. WELL THE D DID GIVE UP A LATE TOUCHDOWN, BUT IRONICALLY ENOUGH THEY PUT UP 30. WHAT A MEAN COACH WANTS, HE GETS. JIM TRESSEL PROBABLY PAYS HIM A LITTLE EXTRA TO YELL A THEM, BECAUSE HE JUST DOESNT FEEL IT NECESSARY TO DO SO. THE OFFENSE RESPONDED IN A MAJOR WAY AS YOU CAN SEE. TODD BOECKMAN HAD A GREAT 2ND HALF ON HIS WAY TO COMPLETING 14 OF 25 PASSES FOR 218 YARDS AND 2 TDS. HE DID NOT THROW AND INTERCEPTION IN THE BALLGAME. HIS MAIN TARGETS WERE THE BRIAN BROTHERS. BRIAN HARTLINE LED THE WAY WITH 6 CATCHES FOR 88 YARDS AND A TOUCHDOWN. BRIAN ROBISKIE ALSO SCORED AS HE HAD 4 CATHES FOR 107 YARDS. THEY BOTH ARE MAKING THE STATEMENT THAT THE OFFENSE CAN SURVIVE WITHOUT GONZO AND GINN. THE RUNNING GAME WAS TERRIFIC AGAIN AS BEANIE WELLS HAD OVER 100 FOR THE 2ND WEEK IN A ROW AS HE WENT FOR 135 ON 24 CARRIES AND A TOUCHDOWN. FRESHMAN PHENOM BRANDON SAINE ADDED 83 YARDS ON 9 CARRIES AND A TOUCHDOWN. THE BUCKEYE OFFENSE ROLLED UP 481 TOTAL YARDS OF OFFENSE, 277 OF THEM COMING IN THE 2ND HALF.

THE DEFENSE PLAYED A PRETTY SOLID GAME. THEY HAD TROUBLE STOPPING LOCKER ON THE RUN, BUT THEY DID TO MANAGE TO RACK UP 4 TURNOVERS INCLUDING 3 INTS AND A FUMBLE. MALCOM JENKINS, JAMES LAURINAITIS, AND ANDERSON RUSSELL HAD 8 TACKLES A PIECE TO LEAD THE WAY. JENKINS ALSO HAD ONE OF THE THREE INTERCEPTIONS. I HAD TO KEEP CHOOSING LITTLE ANIMAL MOST OF THE TIME FOR MY DEFENSIVE GAMEBALL BUT WHAT ELSE AM I SUPPOSED TO DO? HE ADDED 2 INTS AND A SACK TO THOSE 8 TACKLES. ONCE AGAIN HE WAS ALL OVER THE FIELD MAKING PLAY AFTER PLAY.

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

SATURDAYS OFFENSIVE GAMEBALL

BRIAN HARTLINE

DEFENSIVE GAMEBALL

JAMES LAURINAITIS