Game Thread Game Five: #1 Ohio State 38, #13 Iowa 17 (9/30/06)

[briegg]

Successful yes but sometimes I would like to see a little razzle dazzle just to give the other teams something to think about down the line. These are minor quibles of course when you are 5 and 0 you must be doing something right, just my what if 2 cents

Am I the only one who saw the catch by Robo to ice the game? JT had a chance to run the ball (and the clock) & kick a FG. Instead, he lets Troy place a football in a 18" space from 20 yards away at 40 MPH. Yeah, I need some razzle f-ing dazzle.

 

[jlb1705]

Losing Russell hurts. Would he be able to medical RS? I hope JamO or someone else can step up.

Anderson Russell would not be eligible for a Hardship Waiver for this season, because he has participated in more than two games this season.

Get better, Mr. Russell, and come back strong next season!

 

[Welsh0913]

I'm all for running a vanilla offense if we're up by a lot.

Save the trick plays and open it up when we play Michigan and for the bowl game.

 

[WaitingforKickoff]

Sorry to hear about Russell. That's really tough for a kid who was really starting to play good ball. Hopes he makes a full comeback soon.

Great victory for us tonight. I thought Freeman stepped up his game a notch. The dline played well as usual. Iowa did not attempt to attack Malcolm Jenkin's side and the safeties made some plays. Overall as an unit, we will still have to get more physical and not allow big run plays. The offense played well as usual.

 

[lvbuckeye]

Outstanding game. I love the fact that no one (national media/fans) realized how much they were overrating Iowa. Makes a great game by our boys look even better.

Iowa isn't overrated. the Buckeyes are THAT good.

 

[osugrad21]

BN $

Transcript of post game PC with Kirk Ferentz.

 

[osugrad21]

BN $

Dave Biddle's account of Troy's 4 TDs.

 

[osugrad21]

DDN

Tom Archdeacon: Gonzalez says Iowa's easy on the eyes


By Tom Archdeacon
Staff Writer

Sunday, October 01, 2006

IOWA CITY, Iowa ? Superman had laser vision.
Anthony Gonzalez, well, he's colorblind, and Saturday night at Iowa's Kinnick Stadium, that made the Ohio State junior receiver just as powerful as the Man of Steel.
With two touchdown catches, 77 yards in receptions overall, a numbing open-up-the-field block that paved the way for a long Antonio Pittman run and even carrying the ball once himself, Gonzalez did all that "faster than the speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive" stuff in the No. 1 Buckeyes' 38-17 victory over No. 13 Iowa.
So much for that Kinnick curse.
Since the days of former coach Hayden Fry, the visiting team's dressing room here has been painted pink. It's supposed to be a calming color, disarming, make the rivals feel like little schoolgirls in Little Bo Peep bedrooms.
And when they'd finished the $90 million update of this old stadium before the season, pink had been taken to the extreme. Even the toilets and urinals had the color scheme.
Gonzalez wasn't fazed.
He's colorblind. He said the whole room looked white to him.
Maybe that's why Kinnick's frenzied crowd ? all dressed in gold, primed from a day's tailgating festivities and literally within spitting distance of the field ? never got to him either.
Maybe he looked at them and saw scarlet and gray. Maybe it's just that he's like the rest of the Buckeyes. The bigger, more electric, more hostile the stage, the more they make it their own.
They did that in Texas earlier this season and they did it this night. Both of those had huge national buildups and prime-time broadcasts, and more than just football games, they were turned into events.
The Buckeyes ? with their No. 1 ranking, their tradition, their Heisman Trophy front-runner at quarterback, their big-play receivers and that young, take-away defense ? are becoming a must-see draw.
Not quite along the lines of the old Mike Tyson or the current Shaq, but the Buckeyes are cementing their standing as the dominant force in college football this season.
The 5-0 Buckeyes ? who should have smooth sailing until their Nov. 18 matchup with Michigan ? are loaded with offensive weapons and complemented by a defense that already has 13 take-aways, one more than all of last season.
"We had a great defense a year ago, and this year, we may not be as good in the yardage category, but we're a lot better at taking the ball away from the other team," OSU coach Jim Tressel said.
And the team is more explosive offensively.
Gonzalez had the play of the game midway through the third quarter when he took a Troy Smith pass, zigzagged across the entire field and got a Brian Hartline block that bulldozed two Hawkeyes to finalize the 30-yard score.
Gonzalez credited Smith as the key to the Bucks' offensive success. The senior quarterback threw four touchdown passes and once again outplayed a much-hyped rival quarterback.
This time it was Iowa's veteran Drew Tate, who was intercepted three times. At Texas it was the young Colt McCoy who melted on the national stage. At the Fiesta Bowl, Smith eclipsed Notre Dame's Brady Quinn.
"Ohio State is just one (heck) of a team," said Iowa guard Mike Elgin. "They outplayed us in every phase tonight. Hands down, they're as good as they come. Nothing bothered them tonight."
Not even that "all white" dressing room Gonzalez saw.

 

[osugrad21]

DDN

OHIO STATE NOTES
OSU drew the line at two night games


By Doug Harris
Staff Writer

Sunday, October 01, 2006

IOWA CITY, Iowa ? The Ohio State football team may seem like it's getting a raw deal in having to play so many Big Ten road games at night ? always potential ambushes ? but the school actually has a choice in the matter.
The Buckeyes, who went into the Iowa game having lost their last three nocturnal affairs in the conference, could have opted not to have those games moved to prime time but chose to accommodate the networks.
"We want to be a good partner for the Big Ten, and we'll play at night as long as it's not a hardship for our players or fans," OSU spokesman Steve Snapp said.
"We know the networks are always going to want us ? and that's what we want."
OSU was asked to move the Penn State game Sept. 23 to 8 p.m., but the school declined because it didn't want a third night game this season.
Snapp said he expects the road game at Washington next year to be at night.
ESPN crew excites
The College GameDay show has followed the Buckeyes to three of their last four games, but the ESPN crew's first appearance in Iowa City in 10 years turned into a monstrous event.
A crowd of about 5,000 Hawkeye fans huddled behind the stage during the 9 a.m. (local time) broadcast, and many wore T-shirts with co-host Lee Corso's likeness or some other reference to the popular cable program.
Although Centerville native Kirk Herbstreit and Corso traditionally make predictions about the day's top games, Herbstreit begged off the OSU-Iowa spat because he would be doing commentary later for ABC-TV.
Corso, though, placed the top of the Hawkeye mascot costume over his head and picked Iowa in an upset.
Media throng
Iowa issued a school-record 500 media credentials for the game, including 200 to sideline photographers.
The New York Times, the Chicago Tribune and Sports Illustrated all were represented.
Iowa catching up?
Has the Big Ten become the Big Three and Little Eight?
Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz believes the conference hierarchy has changed, saying his program is closing the gap on perennial powers Ohio State and Michigan.
All three went into Saturday's games with identical 26-7 Big Ten records over the last four-plus seasons. And each has won or shared two titles.
Of course, the Buckeyes have played in three Bowl Championship Series games in that span (winning all three, including a national title) and the Wolverines have appeared in two (losing twice), while the Hawkeyes' lost their lone BCS contest.
But Iowa is the only one that can say it has played in four straight January bowls.
"The last four years would suggest we've been in the mix," Ferentz said. "We're dead even right now, record-wise, all three of us. Yeah, it's only four years, but I'm the author. I get to pick my survey."
Buckeye bits
? Ted Ginn Jr. fumbled after making an 11-yard grab on OSU's first offensive play, but he retrieved the ball himself. And the Buckeyes drove to the game's first touchdown.
? OSU's Troy Smith ran a quarterback draw on the third play ? one of the few designed runs for him this season ? and gained six yards.
? Starting safety Anderson Russell suffered a season-ending right knee injury on the Buckeyes' second kickoff and was helped off the field.
? OSU freshman Chris Wells had a 19-yard run in the second quarter, his longest of the year.

 

[osugrad21]

DDN

OHIO State 38 | IOWA 17
Buckeyes pass second tough road test


By Doug Harris
Staff Writer

Sunday, October 01, 2006

IOWA CITY, Iowa ? Yes, the No. 1-ranked Ohio State football team has its warts, and national talking heads will be only too happy to point them out.
The Buckeyes have their defensive flaws, and even a few shortcomings yet on offense.
But they stormed into enemy land Saturday against No. 13 Iowa and came away with a 38-17 triumph, navigating their way through one of the season's sternest tests.
Quarterback Troy Smith polished his Heisman Trophy portfolio, going 16-of-25 passing for 186 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions. And junior Antonio Pittman rushed for 117 yards on 25 carries with one TD.
Iowa (4-1, 1-1 Big Ten) scored early in the fourth quarter to cut the margin to 14 points. But an interception by sophomore linebacker and Wayne High School graduate Marcus Freeman with 6:22 left ? a ball he batted to himself ? sealed the Buckeyes' 12th win in a row, the longest streak in the nation.
"We knew how brutal that September schedule was going to be," OSU coach Jim Tressel said. "They made mistakes, and we didn't. That's why we're the happy locker room."
Senior safety Brandon Mitchell also had an interception and fumble recovery for Ohio State, and sophomore linebacker James Laurinaitis picked off his fourth pass of the year.
Leading 21-10 at the half, the Buckeyes (5-0, 2-0) began the third quarter with an 80-yard march, capped by Anthony Gonzalez's zigzagging 30-yard TD catch and run.
Turning point
The Buckeyes rambled 89 yards to take a 21-10 lead with 2:19 left in the first half. The drive lasted 12 plays ? punctuated by a 6-yard TD reception from senior Roy Hall, who reached the end zone for only the second time in his career.
Crowd boisterous
The din created by 70,585 gold-clad, towel-waving Iowa fans shook the foundations of Kinnick Stadium, but the Buckeyes never lost their equilibrium. They didn't have a turnover and committed just three penalties for 18 yards.
What it means
The schedule sets up favorably for the Buckeyes, who don't play a ranked team until the season finale at home against Michigan. That could end up being a de facto national semifinal game.

 

[osugrad21]

CPD

[FONT=arial,sans-serif]Saturday, September 30, 2006[/FONT]

[FONT=arial,sans-serif]FINAL: No. 1 Ohio St. 38, No. 13 Iowa 17

11:34 p.m.

DOUG LESMERISES
Plain Dealer Reporter

IOWA CITY, Iowa - As Ohio State receiver Anthony Gonzalez was running circles around his defense Saturday night, maybe Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz was thinking about what he had said earlier in the week.

Asked directly about the possibility of covering the speedy Gonzalez with a linebacker, Ferentz said, ?We have a certain way that we play, and that?s something we believe in.?

Maybe that?s the best thing Buckeye opponents can do this year, play their way and hope they play well. It doesn?t seem like it matters to Ohio State, which added another entry to its resume as the No. 1 team in the country with a 38-17 win over No. 13 Iowa.

After slow starts the previous two weeks, the Buckeyes stepped into a gold bowl of desperation and exhilaration at Kinnick Stadium and did their thing.

A weaving 30-yard touchdown catch by Gonzalez in the third quarter was the signature moment, but the Buckeyes had established their supremacy by then, scoring first on a 12-yard pass from Troy Smith to Gonzalez and holding a 21-10 lead at the half.

Ohio State was marching again in the third quarter, ready for the 11th play of a drive that had started at the 20-yard line. Gonzalez lined up in the slot, defended by Iowa middle linebacker Mike Klinkenborg. Gonzalez immediately beat the backer on a quick slant, Smith hitting him at the 24-yard line. At the 13-yard line, Gonzalez began a reversal of field, cutting right and backward to the 19-yard line, another slower Hawkeye in pursuit.

As he reached the far sideline, Gonzalez picked up a block from receiver Brian Hartline and jumped to the end zone, scoring two touchdowns against Iowa for the second consecutive season.

Gonzalez finished with five catches for 77 yards and the two scores. Ted Ginn Jr. caught seven passes for 70 yards. OSU?s Roy Hall had two catches, including his first touchdown of the year. Smith completed 16 of 25 passes for 187 yards and four touchdowns. Running back Antonio Pittman had his third consecutive 100-yard game, rushing 26 times for 119 yards.

On defense, the Buckeyes (5-0) forced four turnovers, with interceptions by Brandon Mitchell, Marcus Freeman and James Laurinaitis and a Mitchell recovery of a fumble forced by Antonio Smith. That gives the Buckeyes defense 13 turnovers in five games ? one more than last year?s defense forced in the entire 12-game season.

The Hawkeyes (4-1) were outmatched, though 70,585 Iowa fans gave their team every possible edge in the second primetime home game in school history. Pockets of scarlet were contained to the two lower corners of the stands on Ohio State?s side of the field, though dots of gold were visible even there, Iowa fans obviously willing to pay to be present at the biggest game at Kinnick Stadium since 1985. No. 1 Iowa defeated No. 2 Michigan on that night, but two decades later, it wasn?t to be for the Hawkeyes.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:
[email protected]

[/FONT][FONT=arial,sans-serif]Print | Send To A Friend | Permalink (Learn More)[/FONT][FONT=arial,sans-serif]

[/FONT]

[FONT=arial,sans-serif]OSU-Iowa: THIRD-QUARTER UPDATE

10:45 p.m.

Doug Lesmerises' third-quarter update
Ohio State 28, Iowa 10

* You have to feel good for senior OSU receiver Roy Hall. An ankle injury left him on the sideline for the first two games, and he was nearly nonexistent in the offense when he returned the last two weeks, catching just one pass for five yards late in a game that was over.

Against Iowa, he saw more meaningful action than he had all season, catching just the second touchdown of his career in the second quarter, beating a Hawkeye in the corner of the end zone for a 6-yard score. It was also his first TD thrown by Troy Smith. His other touchdown catch was thrown by Justin Zwick against Marshall in the second game of the 2004 season

* OSU left guard Steve Rehring, 6-8 and 329 pounds, and left tackle Alex Boone, 6-8 and 325, are quite the tandem in the run game tonight. Early in the season, the Buckeyes usually ran to the right behind veterans Kirk Barton and T.J. Downing, but Antonio Pittman bounced to the left often tonight, with plenty of room to run. And when OSU needed one yard on fourth down in the third quarter, Chris Wells ran left for a 2-yard gain.

[/FONT][FONT=arial,sans-serif]Print | Send To A Friend | Permalink (Learn More)[/FONT][FONT=arial,sans-serif]

[/FONT]

[FONT=arial,sans-serif]OSU-Iowa: HALFTIME UPDATE

9:45 p.m.

Doug Lesmerises? halftime update
Ohio State 21, Iowa 10

* Drew Tate looked a lot like Penn State?s Anthony Morelli, staring down an open receiver in the middle of the field before throwing too late, allowing Brandon Mitchell to break on the ball for his interception early in the quarter.

* LeBron is not here, like at the Texas game, but his karma might be. There?s about a 6-year-old kid in the first row of the stands behind the Ohio State bench wearing a James jersey.

* Albert Young?s 15-yard TD run was the first rushing touchdown allowed by Ohio State this year.

* Notice that several of Antonio Pittman?s run have come bouncing out to the left tonight. The Buckeyes ran a lot to the right early in the year behind veterans Kirk Barton and T.J. Downing, but sophomores Alex Boone and Steve Rehring have been clearing space.

[/FONT][FONT=arial,sans-serif]Print | Send To A Friend | Permalink (Learn More)[/FONT][FONT=arial,sans-serif]

[/FONT]

[FONT=arial,sans-serif]OSU-Iowa: FIRST QUARTER UPDATE

Doug Lesmerises' First Quarter Update, 9:01 p.m.
Ohio State 7, Iowa 3

* Teams insist on covering Anthony Gonzalez with someone other than a cornerback, and he continues to burn them. Safety Marcus Paschal wasn?t close to Gonzalez on his 12-yard touchdown catch.

* Jamario O?Neal looked like he gave up on his coverage a little bit, allowing Herb Grigsby to get behind for the 33-yard completion on third down that kept Iowa?s first drive alive. The Hawkeyes are playing without starting center Rafael Eubanks, with guard Mike Elgin, who started at center as a sophomore two years ago, taking over in the middle.

* No update on Anderson Russell, who had to be helped off the field and was replaced by O?Neal. But he is on the sideline with his helmet off and an ice pack on his right knee.

* Drew Tate has already made a few plays no quarterback Ohio State had previously played is capable of making.

? Doug Lesmerises

[/FONT][FONT=arial,sans-serif]Print | Send To A Friend | Permalink (Learn More)[/FONT][FONT=arial,sans-serif]

[/FONT]

[FONT=arial,sans-serif]OSU-Iowa: LIVE FROM THE PRESS BOX

7:58 p.m.
DOUG LESMERISES
Plain Dealer Reporter

IOWA CITY, Iowa - Another big college football game, another call for every fan in the place to wear the same color. Here at Kinnick Stadium tonight, it?s a Gold-Out, and the pockets of scarlet are harder to find than most Ohio State road games.

The Buckeyes have gathered in one end zone as a team, with Troy Smith and Chris Wells exchanging a quick hug. Now they?ve moved to midfield, jumping around on the 45-yard line, Jim Tressel circling in a red sweater vest.

The aura is one of almost desperate anticipation for the Iowa fans, many of whom have been tailgating for a good 12 hours by now. This is really the fifth night game in stadium history, but only the second to start in primetime. The presence of ESPN?s Gameday has been treated as a larger than life happening, dwarfing the fact that every four years the future President of the United States hops through the state, talking to eight people at a time in diners.

The talk in the press box is of Illinois? upset of Michigan State, not that anyone is surprised to see the Spartans fall short again. Good for Ron Zook, and it seems like he has a keeper at quarterback is freshman Isaiah ?Juice? Williams.

I?ve been looking for LeBron James on the sideline, like he was for the Texas game. Haven?t seen him yet.

- Doug Lesmerises, [email protected]

[/FONT][FONT=arial,sans-serif]Print | Send To A Friend | Permalink (Learn More)[/FONT][FONT=arial,sans-serif]

[/FONT]

 

[osugrad21]

Canton

Comment on this story.
[FONT=Verdana,Times New Roman,arial,helvetica,sans-serif]OSU goes Gonzo in Iowa[/FONT]
Sunday, October 1, 2006 [FONT=Verdana,Times New Roman,arial,helvetica,sans-serif]By Todd Porter REPOSITORY SPORTS WRITER[/FONT]

Ohio State?s Anthony Gonzalez (left) is congratulated by quarterback Troy Smith after the two connected on a touchdown pass in the first quarter Saturday night at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. ​

http://ads.cantonrep.com/Repads/adview.php?what=zone:4&n=a33d1097 IOWA CITY, Iowa - Ohio State players will tell you Anthony Gonzalez wants to be president one day. That may be, but the Buckeyes? wide receiver probably won?t win the Iowa caucus.
Gonzalez made another Ohio State highlight-reel catch Saturday night and the Buckeyes beat another Top 25 team on the road, at night. Their 38-17 win over No. 13 Iowa left no doubt about which is the No. 1 team in the country.
OSU?s 12-game winning streak is the longest in the country. That streak includes wins over Michigan, Notre Dame, Texas, Penn State and now Iowa.
Maybe Iowa wasn?t watching the last time the Buckeyes played on prime time on the road in last month?s Texas win. Gonzalez introduced himself to the rest of the country that night, yet the Hawkeyes tried to use a linebacker or safety to cover OSU?s fastest receiver.
That didn?t work for Texas, and it surely didn?t work Saturday night. Gonzalez caught five passes for 77 yards and two touchdowns.
His 30-yard touchdown catch in the third quarter underscored an impressive night for the Buckeye offense. OSU had scoring drives of seven plays for 54 yards, 12 for 89, 11 for 80 and 14 for 68.
Then Gonzalez hammered in the final nail.
?Any guy with phenomenal speed, they learned early in their career to give ground and get ground,? quarterback Troy Smith said. ?Guys like Anthony Gonzalez, he can do that. He can turn the boosters on and get around the side.?
Leading 21-10 coming out of halftime, Ohio State went 80 yards in 11 plays. The Buckeyes converted one fourth-and-one play at the Iowa 32.
On the next play, Smith connected with Gonzalez, who lined up right with two other receivers. He caught the ball in the middle of the field near the 15, ran back across the field beyond the 20 and down the right sideline.
Brian Hartline threw a block that wiped out two Iowa defenders inside the 10 and Gonzalez scored. The crowd went silent. Ohio State led, 28-10.
?The real long drive int he second quarter was huge. It was a confidence builder,? Tressel said. ?Our guys took it down the field with both run and pass.?
The lead grew to three touchdowns after a Smith-to-Brian Robiskie 12-yard TD pass. It was the Heisman Trophy candidate?s fourth TD pass, his 12th of the season.
?The challenge is, can you handle the success of being 5-0,? Tressel said. ?We handled the tough environement, and the ebb and flow.?
Ohio State got the fast start it lacked the last two weeks. The Buckeye defense forced Iowa to go three-and-out. Then Smith went to work.
He connected with Ted Ginn Jr. on the first play for 11 yards. Ginn fumbled the ball, but managed to recover it himself to save the night.
Antonio Pittman went 20 yards when he bounced an off-tackle play around left end to the Iowa 23. Five plays later, Smith saw safety Marcus Pashal covering Gonzalez in the slot. He immediately threw that way and the Buckeyes had an easy 12-yard slant pass for a touchdown on third-and-9.
Iowa answered on its ensuing drive. Quarterback Drew Tate made something out of nothing on the first third-down play. James Laurinaitis blitzed and almost sacked Tate. Nickel back Jamario O?Neal hesitated and wide receiver Herb Grigsby ran past him to catch Tate?s floater for 31 yards to OSU 31.
The Hawkeyes were aided by a gift pass interference call on Donald Washington. TV replays showed mutual contact between Washington and Iowa?s Dominique Douglas. The third-down pass hit Washington in the helmet, but the interference gave the Hawkeyes a first down at the OSU 23. Iowa settled for a 32-yard field goal from Kyle Schlicher to make it a 7-3 OSU lead.
The Hawkeyes were in the game until Tate helped take them out of it.
He threw for Herb Grigsby and Buckeye free safety Brandon Mitchell jumped in front of the ball and returned it to the Iowa 30. Tate was picked off three times.
?Any time you creat takeaways on the road, that?s huge,? Tressel said.
Three Pittman running plays later, Ohio State held a convincing 14-3 lead.
Iowa cut the lead to 14-10, but the atmosphere made it seem as if the Hawkeyes were winning. The sold-out crowd of 70,585 rocked Kinnick Stadium.
Smith and the Buckeye offense went three-and-out on the next series. Momentum had shifted. A rowdy crowd snapped pictures during a commercial break after a 30-yard Ohio State punt.
Iowa didn?t seize the momentum, going four-and-out after a dropped pass and a near interception.
Ohio State stole the momentum back. The Buckeyes started at their own 11 with 7:28 left in the half. Smith led the offense 89 yards in 12 plays (eight runs, four passes). Freshman running back Chris Wells started the drive with 33 yards on three straight carries.
Shortly after, Smith delivered a perfect laser-guided pass into the chest of Roy Hall. The ball went past cornerback Adam Shada?s shoulder and OSU led by 11 again, 21-10.
Reach Repository sports writer Todd Porter at (330) 580-8340 or e-mail: [email protected].

 

[NOTREDAMECHIEF]

Nice win! Troy Smith looked great.

 

[osugrad21]

Canton

Comment on this story.
[FONT=Verdana,Times New Roman,arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Tressel likes the night life[/FONT]
Sunday, October 1, 2006 [FONT=Verdana,Times New Roman,arial,helvetica,sans-serif]OHIO STATE NOTEBOOK TODD PORTER[/FONT]

IOWA, CITY, Iowa - There isn?t much Jim Tressel doesn?t enjoy when it comes to playing at night. The Ohio State head coach wouldn?t mind playing in primetime at Ohio Stadium more, especially when his team is ranked No. 1 in the country.
The Buckeyes played their second night game on the road this season. They beat Texas in a No. 1 vs. No. 2 nationally televised showdown. Saturday night?s atmosphere at Kinnick Stadium easily surpassed the electricity in Austin.
?The only downside to night games is you have to wait,? Tressel said. ?The rest of it?s good. Shoot, it?s fun. You love knowing that the whole country?s watching you, and everyone?s back in from their games ... and they?ve settled in and they?re going to watch the Buckeyes and the Hawkeyes. That?s good stuff, but it?s the wait.?
Ohio State stayed in downtown Cedar Rapids, about 25 minutes north of Iowa City. The coaching staff filled the day with breakfast, meetings, lunch and more meetings. The players used down time to watch football, nap and play video games.
There is an advantage to playing at night, Tressel said. The team is more rested coming off an afternoon game the week before.
?A lot of coaches ... worry more about the week after that night game on the road than they do the night game on the road,? Tressel said. ?Theoretically, you should be more rested because you?ve played seven-plus days ago. If you played at noon, and then you play at night, you?ve gotten a few more hours of rest on your body.?
When the Buckeyes played at Texas, their charter plane didn?t arrive back in Columbus until 5:30 in the morning the following Sunday. They were scheduled to arrive at about the same time this morning.
?I could see us a little tired the week of the Cincinnati game, coming off getting home at 5:30 or something in the morning,? Tressel said.
Since Tressel took over at Ohio State, he is 8-4 in night games on the road prior to Saturday night?s game against Iowa. Three of those four losses were Big Ten road openers.
The Buckeyes will not play another night game this season. Kickoff time for the game at East Lansing will be determined Monday. Night games are determined in the spring.

SAY WHAT? ESPN analyst Lee Corso praised Buckeye tailback Antonio Pittman last week for his play against Penn State. With a slow-starting offense, Pittman got it going for the second straight week. He scored a TD and rushed for 110 yards. Corso said Ohio State was lucky to have such a back. Then Saturday morning on College GameDay, Corso said if he was Iowa?s head coach, he would play a nickel package and force Ohio State?s tailback to beat the Hawkeyes because he has yet to prove he can.
DIDN?T MAKE IT It?s three hours before kickoff, and more than a half dozen black-and-gold clad Iowa fans were in handcuffs along Melrose Street, which runs along Kinnick Stadium.
QUICK START Ohio State scored on its opening drive Saturday night for the first time since the season opener against Northern Illinois when the Buckeyes scored on their first four possessions. Against Iowa, OSU went 54 yards in seven plays and hit the end zone when Troy Smith connected with Anthony Gonzalez for a 12-yard score.
HARTLINE PLAYS GlenOak graduate Brian Hartline saw his most extensive action of the season in the first half Saturday night. He played more than half the snaps in the first quarter and was on the field as OSU?s third WR and fourth WR depending on the set.
BAITED OSU free safety Brandon Mitchell baited Iowa QB Drew Tate into his second-quarter interception. Mitchell read Tate?s eyes but never jumped the slot receiver until the ball left Tate?s hand. It set up the Buckeyes? second score and a 14-3 lead. It was also OSU?s 10th takeaway this season, two less than it had all of last seson.
BUCKEYES More than 500 media credentials were issued for this game, and 200 photographer field passes. Both were Kinnick Stadium records. ... Depending on the line you got over the last two years, during the Buckeyes? 11-game winning streaking coming into Saturday?s game, they?ve covered the spread on all 11 wins. ... Smith and Ted Ginn Jr. were about 2 yards too long on hooking up for an 88-yard TD pass in the first quarter. Smith?s pass was too far in front of Ginn, otherwise, he was clearly open on the deep pass. ... One scalper offered a ticket to the game Saturday, well before kickoff, for $700. ... FS Anderson Russell injured his knee in the first quarter and did not return. ... OSU?s defense went 33 quarters without allowing a rushing TD until Albert Young scored on a 15-yard run in the second quarter. ... Iowa?s young WRs dropped at least six passes in the first half. ... The Buckeyes have outscored opponents 76-30 in the first half this year.

 

[osugrad21]

ESPN


IOWA CITY, Iowa -- The season began with a debate. Only a month ago, Ohio State was named No. 1, but on a soft consensus. The Buckeyes collected fewer than half (63-of-130) of the combined first-place votes in the Associated Press and USA Today polls. Six other teams split the rest.
Five games into the season, and especially at Kinnick Stadium on Saturday night, the Buckeyes proved there is nothing soft about them. Not their offensive line. Not their quarterback. Not their defense. And certainly, after a 38-17 victory at No. 13 Iowa, not their standing as the best team in the nation.

Charlie Neibergall/AP Photo
Ohio State's Antonio Pittman chipped in 117 yards and one touchdown.


Ohio State (5-0, 2-0) extended the longest winning streak in Division I-A to 12 games. Quarterback Troy Smith completed 16 passes, four of them for touchdowns. Tailback Antonio Pittman bounced outside on play after play, rushing for 117 yards and a touchdown. The stars became so numerous that head coach Jim Tressel may need to run over to Staples and buy a bunch of Buckeye helmet stickers.
"It's the best we've played," said left offensive tackle Alex Boone, who, alongside left guard Steve Rehring, opened one hole after another for Pittman and tailback Chris Wells (14-78).
"I don't coach at Ohio State, but from my vantage point, this is the best they've played all year," said Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz.
The top three teams in the nation played conference road games this weekend. No. 2 Auburn beat South Carolina, 24-17 on Thursday night, but only after a Gamecock dropped a game-tying touchdown pass on the final drive, which ended when quarterback Syvelle Newton threw an incomplete pass into the end zone on the last play of the game.
No. 3 USC beat Washington State, 28-22 on Saturday evening, despite being outgained by the Cougars and giving up two turnovers. The game ended with Washington State in USC territory, out of time.
As for the Buckeyes, they seized control of the game by scoring a touchdown on their first possession of the game. They drove for a touchdown to go ahead 21-10 late in the first half, an 11-play, 89-yard road-grading drive that mixed Wells, Pittman and Smith in wonderful rhythm.
"A huge confidence builder for us," Tressel called the drive.
The Buckeyes came out of the halftime locker room and drove 80 yards in 11 plays, concluding with a 30-yard touchdown reception by wide receiver Anthony Gonzalez. The junior probably covered more than 50 yards, crossing to the left hash, then reversing field and scoring at the right pylon behind great blocks by fellow receivers Ted Ginn Jr., and Brian Hartline.
Toss in four Hawkeye turnovers that Ohio State converted into 14 points, and you have the story of the night.
No, check that. You have the story of the first month of the season. Ohio State has defeated three ranked teams -- No. 2 Texas, No. 24 Penn State, and the Hawkeyes -- by an average margin of 20 points.
"One of the great challenges that we talked about a lot was how brutal that September schedule was," Ohio State coach Jim Tressel said, "We've played against some tough teams that brought all they could bring at us."
And only one of them -- Penn State -- had the ball in the fourth quarter with a chance to tie the Buckeyes. Ohio State responded with two interceptions, both returned for touchdowns. Before this game, Ohio State had increased its share of first-place votes to 118 of 128 (two coaches didn't vote). After this game, the Buckeyes' haul should be complete.
Smith, who plays a violent, fast game with unhurried grace, said the Buckeyes believe they are the best.
"I think if there was a guy in the locker room who said we weren't the No. 1 team in the nation, he'd have a problem with me," Smith said. "Of course, you have to have that kind of attitude, that kind of swagger."
The night was a culmination of weeks of fanfare. The Hawkeye faithful turned Kinnick Stadium into a "Gold Bowl." Yellow shirts were everywhere, with a hint of Ohio State scarlet around the edges. The crowd is a big reason why Iowa had won 25 of its last 26 home games.
But the Buckeyes said the noise only pumped them up. That is, except when they quieted the crowd, which was often.
It's not as if Iowa played poorly. Tailback Albert Young's 15-yard touchdown run in the second quarter was the first rushing score Ohio State allowed this season. The Hawkeyes forced Ohio State to drive 10-plus plays on two touchdown drives, one more lengthy drive than the Buckeyes had in their first four games.
"They're No. 1 in the nation," Iowa middle linebacker Mike Klinkenborg said. "Their offense is fast. That's all you can describe it as."
September is over. Of the Buckeyes' next six opponents, only the next two have winning records: Bowling Green and Michigan State. Tressel won't allow them to cruise until No. 6 Michigan comes to the Horseshoe on Nov. 18. Neither will Smith.
"You never want to get into a time where you say, 'OK, now we're fine,'" Smith said. "We don't have to do anything more. We have to get better, day in and day out. We can still get better."
That's not good news for the rest of college football.
Ivan Maisel is a senior writer for ESPN.com. Send your questions/comments to Ivan at [email protected].