Game Thread Game Three: #1 Ohio State 37, Cincinnati 7 (9/16/06)

[Dryden]

So, did Vegas call it, or did Vegas call it?

The line was OSU +29-1/2, the O/U was 45-1/2. So, the predicted final score, by the Vegas line, was OSU 37-1/2, UC 8.

 

[BuckeyeTillIDie]

Well the first half was quite a bore. The second half was better. To me, it did not seem as if tOSU had an offensive gameplan. It was almost like randomly picking a play from the playbook. Defense improved, 3 TOs against anyone is great. I also managed to pick up a right-side sunburn, the only pitfall to this wonderful day!

 

[Taosman]

Freeman isn't getting it done. His recognition is slow.
Kerr is just plain slow.
Terry is coming on.
Homan is coming on.
I'm still concerned about outside LB!

D line looks great! 8 sacks!
We must be averaging about 5 a game.
D giving up only 8 points a game! That's outstanding.

Did Boone just have a bad day or does he get replaced?

 

[Dryden]

Who is in charge of updating the stats on the masthead for the site? Whoever added todays number has shorted Ginn about 3 TDs on the season.

*cough*

 

[akronbuck]

Freeman isn't getting it done. His recognition is slow.
Kerr is just plain slow.
Terry is coming on.
Homan is coming on.
I'm still concerned about outside LB!

D line looks great! 8 sacks!
We must be averaging about 5 a game.
D giving up only 8 points a game! That's outstanding.

Did Boone just have a bad day or does he get replaced?

great points.

Boone was having an ok game while, he was playing because, he wasnt called on a penalty that much like a few others were.

I still cant believe that 8 points a game. They gave up so many big yards it would seem to easy for them to give up 21 a game

A few things bothering me was Trapasso punting inconsistently. He was doing his hanging time and booting it long at the wrong times.

O-line was having some serious problems

Lbers play one play then go on nap time. I'm so surprised that hasn't got them badly yet

 

[Best Buckeye]

The first thing I remember from the Shoe today was a smile.
I was watching TBDBITL come over to the rotunda and I was thinking how hard it is for these kids to get and HOLD a spot on this band.

Anyway I noticed this kid with a certain look and smile on his face. The smile said " I'm on the band of the Ohio State University, life is good"

I was thrilled and excited for that kid.

 

[martinss01]

Here's my thoughts on the game:

• Ginn needs to just run forward when he gets the ball. His kick/punt return efficiency has taken a bit of a hit, due to trying too much sideway-running.​

i really think people are SIGNIFICANTLY overlooking the importance of holmes standing right beside ginn throwing a key block on the punt returns. i think people need to go back and take a long hard look at ginn's punt return td's. in just about every single return holmes throws a key block on the first gunner coming in giving ginn an alley. he's side stepping not because he wants to dance or because he's tentative. he's side stepping because he doesn't have holmes setting him up with a great block. anyone know if there is a reason we went away from the 2 return guys?


watching the last two games it has become blatantly obvious that when beanie said pitt had taken him under his wing, it wasn't just fluff talk for the reporters. beanie most certainly has latched onto pitt. and i can't think of a better teacher.

 

[VprHis]

The first thing I remember from the Shoe today was a smile.
I was watching TBDBITL come over to the rotunda and I was thinking how hard it is for these kids to get and HOLD a spot on this band.

Anyway I noticed this kid with a certain look and smile on his face. The smile said " I'm on the band of the Ohio State University, life is good"

I was thrilled and excited for that kid.

...and if anybody in the band caught that smile, said kid will catch hell for it...

 

[osugrad21]

DDN

Defensive line exploits UC weakness

Quinn Pitcock has a career-best three sacks in leading the team to eight for the game.

By Doug Harris
Staff Writer

Sunday, September 17, 2006
COLUMBUS ? Ohio State defensive end Jay Richardson didn't record a sack Saturday against Cincinnati, but he could hardly be faulted.
By the time Richardson infiltrated the backfield, defensive tackle Quinn Pitcock usually had quarterback Dustin Grutza in a headlock.

"Quinn didn't even let me get there," Richardson said. "I'd look up and say, 'Oh, I beat my guy ? I've got him now.' But Quinn already had him."
Pitcock registered a career-high three sacks, exploiting a weakness he spotted while watching film of UC's loss to Pitt last week.
"I saw how No. 50 (Rashaad Duncan) was able to get a lot of pressure ? I think he ended up with three sacks himself," Pitcock said.
"They protect the 'B' gap (between the guard and tackle) really well, but they had a lot harder time with the 'A' gap (between the guard and center)."
The Buckeyes finished with eight sacks in all, including one from sophomore defensive end Vernon Gholston. They have 13 in three games this season after leading the Big Ten with 44 last year.
Coach Jim Tressel has been saying he has the best defensive-tackle tandem in the nation in Pitcock and fellow senior David Patterson, who had one tackle for negative yardage. And after watching the duo blow up his blockers, UC coach Mark Dantonio wouldn't disagree.
"Patterson is one of the best defensive linemen I ever saw play as a freshman," said Dantonio, who coached at OSU from 2001-04. "And I feel Pitcock will be a first-round draft pick. Ohio State has a great front four. It allows their linebackers to run free."
OSU intercepts three
Sophomore cornerback Malcolm Jenkins collected his first interception of the season, and teammates James Laurinaitis and Anderson Russell also picked off one each as the Buckeyes' turnover margin improved to plus-four this season.
They forced just 12 turnovers while going 10-2 last season and committed 21 themselves.
"Our coaches challenged us this year to get more turnovers," Jenkins said. "We're flying around the ball more. And when you're around the ball, good things happen."
Richardson admitted the lack of takeaways last season was perplexing, given that OSU had the top-rated defense in the Big Ten.
"Supposedly, our defense was amazing," he said. "But we didn't have as many turnovers as we'd like ? at all. We looked at that in the offseason and asked, 'How'd that happen?'
"Now we have periods in practice we call maize-and-blue periods, where we cut out everything else and just focus on interceptions, fumbles, picking it up, knocking it out."
Maize and blue? Thinking about Michigan already?
"Exactly," Richardson said.
Ginn gives OSU lead
A 12-yard TD grab by Ted Ginn Jr. ? on a streak from one side of the field to the other ? gave the Buckeyes a 13-7 lead with three minutes to go in the first half.
But quarterback Troy Smith deserves to take bows for withstanding a heavy rush and hitting his target in stride.
"Troy is maturing a lot," said Ginn, who has five TD catches this season, one more than last year. "He's becoming a complete quarterback. It's not always about taking off (and scrambling). I think he's starting to realize that. He stays in the pocket and delivers the ball."
Smith hasn't thrown an interception since the second quarter against Northwestern in the team's 10th game last year. In five outings since then, he has gone 105-of-153 passing (69.4 percent) for 1,411yards and 10 TDs.
Local players chip in
Tailback Greg Moore, a junior from Trotwood-Madison, led UC with 14 rushing yards on three attempts. And safety Cedric Tolbert, a sophomore from Xenia, had two tackles.
Buckeye bits
? The NCAA rules to speed up college football has hacked off 13 plays per game in Buckeye contests, going from 132.3 last year to 119.3 this season.
? Kicker Aaron Pettrey connected from 47 and 43 yards in his only field-goal tries and is 3-for-5 this year. Back-up Ryan Pretorius put a thrill into the crowd with a 52-yarder with
1:14 to go.
? Roy Hall, the Buckeyes' third receiver, made his first appearance of the season and caught one pass for 5 yards.
? To keep UC from pooch-kicking, OSU placed Ginn on one flank at the 15-yard line and put Maurice Wells deep. Ginn had just one return for 18 yards.
? OSU allowed a 53-yard kickoff return by sophomore Dominick Goodman, a former star quarterback at Colerain High School.

 

[osugrad21]

DDN

OHIO STATE 37, CINCINNATI 7
Buckeyes rally from early deficit

Bearcats held 7-3 advantage, but could not build on it.


By Doug Harris
Staff Writer

Sunday, September 17, 2006

COLUMBUS ? As the frustration mounted, as Ohio State's offensive players tried to figure out how a 30-point underdog had become such a pest, they could have cast blame and pointed fingers.
But they can raise those digits in the air today ? symbolic of being the nation's No. 1 team ? because they refused after reaching their boiling point to thrust them at each other.


"We looked at each other ? whether it be in the huddle or on the sideline ? and understood that the group of guys that were in the game would have to be the group of guys that would get the job done," quarterback Troy Smith said. "And we did just that."
Smith did his Heisman quest no harm, submitting his third straight turnover-free effort Saturday while going 21-of-30 passing for 203 yards and two TDs. But the Buckeyes needed a 17-point fourth quarter to put away lowly Cincinnati, 37-7.
"After the first half, quite honestly, it looked a little bit like a letdown situation," said coach Jim Tressel, whose team was coming off a major road win at Texas. "And none of us cognitively thought we were doing that because we worked hard and prepared hard. But, for whatever reason, we didn't have that burst within."
Turning point
The Bearcats made 105,037 fans squirm while taking an early 7-3 edge on an 80-yard TD drive ? the first time the Buckeyes trailed this season. And after surrendering the lead late in the first half, UC quickly stormed into Buckeye territory. But linebacker James Laurinaitis' second interception in two games preserved OSU's 13-7 advantage at the break.
National rankings
The Buckeyes probably won't drop in the polls after the lackluster effort, although they could lose some first-place votes. They had the top nod on 59 of 63 ballots in the coaches poll and 56 of 65 in the AP Top 25.
By the numbers

• -4: Rushing yards allowed by the Buckeyes after giving up 323 in their first two games.
• 152: Consecutive passes without an interception for OSU senior quarterback Troy Smith.
• 22: Straight games with at least one reception for junior Ted Ginn Jr.
• 22: Straight wins over Ohio foes for the Buckeyes since a 7-6 loss to Oberlin in 1921.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2125 or

 

[osugrad21]

DDN

Wayne's Mickens tried to keep Ginn from big gains


By Lucas Sullivan
Staff Writer

Sunday, September 17, 2006

COLUMBUS ? Cincinnati cornerback Mike Mickens was not going to let Ohio State's Ted Ginn Jr. run underneath a Troy Smith bomb for a 50-yard touchdown.
The Wayne High School grad had seen too much film of Ginn doing it to Northern Illinois and Texas. Mickens studied Ginn's ankle-breaking moves like he was preparing for one of his criminology exams and had personally staked his reputation as one of the top 40 cornerbacks in college football on it.
So, even though the Bearcats were trounced 37-7 at Ohio Stadium on Saturday in a game that seemed closer than the 30-point spread covered by the Buckeyes, Mickens did his own covering ? of Ginn.
"I don't think (the deep pass) was ever there for them," said Mickens, a sophomore criminal justice major who was named second-team All-Big East last season. "They didn't want to take the shot. He's a fast guy, but I think I can stay with him."
Ginn finished with five catches for 33 yards and two touchdowns. Take away the two scores, and Mickens said Ginn's performance was just what he hoped it would be ? lackluster.
"It was just good technique, and our scout team did a good job all this week helping us prepare for Ginn," Mickens said. "We should have made plays. Ohio State made plays and we didn't. That's how they win. We did a good job of containing their receivers, but they ran the ball on us."
Antonio Pittman's 48-yard touchdown run with 9:57 left in the game put the Buckeyes up 27-7 and put the game out of reach. That was also the only play on which Ginn got the best of Mickens.
As Pittman was running down the sideline, Mickens was closing hard, but Ginn spotted him and laid him out to allow Pittman an unimpeded path to the end zone.
The Buckeyes finished with 444 yards of total offense ? 278 passing and 166 rushing.
"I still feel real good about the game," Mickens said. "We were fired up to come here and play this team. We played against these guys in high school. Plus, my mom (Marsha), dad (Robert) and girlfriend (Jessica Wadell) were here watching, so that was cool, too."

 

[osugrad21]

DDN

OHIO STATE 37, CINCINNATI 7
Buckeyes rally from early deficit

Bearcats held 7-3 advantage, but could not build on it.


By Doug Harris
Staff Writer

Sunday, September 17, 2006

COLUMBUS ? As the frustration mounted, as Ohio State's offensive players tried to figure out how a 30-point underdog had become such a pest, they could have cast blame and pointed fingers.
But they can raise those digits in the air today ? symbolic of being the nation's No. 1 team ? because they refused after reaching their boiling point to thrust them at each other.
"We looked at each other ? whether it be in the huddle or on the sideline ? and understood that the group of guys that were in the game would have to be the group of guys that would get the job done," quarterback Troy Smith said. "And we did just that."
Smith did his Heisman quest no harm, submitting his third straight turnover-free effort Saturday while going 21-of-30 passing for 203 yards and two TDs. But the Buckeyes needed a 17-point fourth quarter to put away lowly Cincinnati, 37-7.
"After the first half, quite honestly, it looked a little bit like a letdown situation," said coach Jim Tressel, whose team was coming off a major road win at Texas. "And none of us cognitively thought we were doing that because we worked hard and prepared hard. But, for whatever reason, we didn't have that burst within."
Turning point
The Bearcats made 105,037 fans squirm while taking an early 7-3 edge on an 80-yard TD drive ? the first time the Buckeyes trailed this season. And after surrendering the lead late in the first half, UC quickly stormed into Buckeye territory. But linebacker James Laurinaitis' second interception in two games preserved OSU's 13-7 advantage at the break.
National rankings
The Buckeyes probably won't drop in the polls after the lackluster effort, although they could lose some first-place votes. They had the top nod on 59 of 63 ballots in the coaches poll and 56 of 65 in the AP Top 25.
By the numbers

• -4: Rushing yards allowed by the Buckeyes after giving up 323 in their first two games.
• 152: Consecutive passes without an interception for OSU senior quarterback Troy Smith.
• 22: Straight games with at least one reception for junior Ted Ginn Jr.
• 22: Straight wins over Ohio foes for the Buckeyes since a 7-6 loss to Oberlin in 1921.

 

[osugrad21]

DDN

Bearcats go from riding high to bucked off



Sunday, September 17, 2006

COLUMBUS ? For visiting teams at Ohio Stadium, momentum can be like bull riding.
Grab hold and hang on, and it's the ride of a lifetime. But slip the grip, even the slightest bit, and you're going to get stomped.
That's what happened to the University of Cincinnati on Saturday. One minute the Bearcats were yee-hawing their way across the field with a 7-6 lead against the nation's No. 1-ranked team.
Then a snort and a buck later, and the 'Cats were sprawled out face down with hoof prints ? or rather, Horseshoe prints ? up and down their backs, the victims of a 37-7 beatdown.
"I thought we came to play. I don't think our guys were intimidated by the situation at all," UC coach Mark Dantonio said.
"We felt like we could really take them," added UC tight end Brent Celek, who caught three passes for 39 yards to break the school record for receiving yards by a tight end.
UC took its 7-3 lead with 6:36 left in the first quarter when quarterback Dustin Grutza scrambled out of the pocket and hit Jared Martin on the run for a 22-yard touchdown.
The Bearcat defense followed with a three-and-out, and the throaty throng of 105,037 went from chanting "O-H, I-O" to whispering "O-H, N-O."
But UC's inability to run the ball ? officially it was 22 carries for minus-4 yards when including the eight sacks, and still just 13 rushes for 32 yards on designed running plays ? enabled the Buckeyes to gain control of the game.
It was slow and subtle, but OSU was definitely separating.
Another field goal and a 12-yard touchdown pass from Troy Smith to Ted Ginn Jr. gave the Buckeyes a 13-7 lead and some much needed momentum.
The Bearcats' best chance to turn things back around came late in the first half when Grutza, again scrambling out of the pocket, found Celek wide open behind the OSU defense. But Grutza left the pass short, and James Laurinaitis ? the Buckeyes' hero in last week's victory against Texas ? intercepted the ball with 35 seconds left in the half.
"Even at halftime we were in the game," Dantonio said. "We talked to our players about playing one play at a time, and the nation would begin to watch."
But while the confidence was still there, the grip wasn't.
OSU drove 60 yards on its first possession of the second half to go up 20-7 on another Smith-to-Ginn strike, and the Bearcats officially went from bareback to broken back when Antonio Pittman went untouched around the left end for a 48-yard score to make it 27-7 early in the fourth quarter.
"Even at halftime, we felt like we could come out and give it to them," Celek said. "But the little mistakes started to add up and it just got away from us."
The Bearcats left Columbus bucked, bruised and ? just maybe ? a little better for it as they head into a tough atmosphere next weekend at Virginia Tech.
"We played with the No. 1 team in the country for three quarters," defensive back Haruki Nakamura said. "I think that says a lot."
Contact this columnist at (513) 820-2193 or [email protected].

 

[osugrad21]

ABJ

Buckeyes notebook

Ginn works short game to advantage

By Marla Ridenour

Beacon Journal sportswriter

COLUMBUS - For all the amazing plays Ted Ginn Jr. has made at Ohio State, the junior flanker from Glenville has scored two receiving touchdowns in a game just twice in three years.
The second time came Saturday in a 37-7 victory over visiting Cincinnati, matching Ginn's feat in the season opener against Northern Illinois. He finished with five catches for 33 yards.
``He's the most exciting player in college football,'' OSU senior quarterback Troy Smith said. ``If you give him six inches, it might be too much.''
Ginn scored on passes of 12 and 9 yards as top-ranked OSU rallied from a 7-3 first-quarter deficit. At that point, the Buckeyes decided to abandon the deep bombs to Ginn.
``We knew I was going to get doubled,'' Ginn said. ``We watched film and knew we were going to run a lot of shallows and that's what we did.
``I run across and you see those three linebackers, you've got to make sure they can't put their hands on you. When you've got another guy coming from the other way doing the same thing, we're almost about to bump each other. It's hard to stop that.''
Ginn said he was not frustrated by the double coverage.
``Sometimes it's just hard, you've got to read this, read that. Then you've got guys jawing at you,'' he said. ``It's OK, though.''
Key play
Cincinnati senior tight end Brent Celek was wide open for what could have been a touchdown just before halftime that would have put the Bearcats ahead 14-13. But quarterback Dustin Grutza's pass was underthrown and picked off by linebacker James Laurinaitis.
``We played with the No. 1 team in the country for three quarters,'' Celek said.
Buckeyes . . .
Sophomore left tackle Alex Boone suffered a knee injury late in the third quarter, but returned later. He was flagged once for holding, his fourth penalty in two games. ``They've got to get fixed,'' offensive coordinator Jim Bollman said of Boone's miscues.... Tailback Antonio Pittman had the 10th 100-yard game of his career.... Senior split end Roy Hall, who missed the first two games with an ankle injury, caught one pass for 5 yards.... In three games, Anthony Gonzalez has 17 receptions, 16 for first downs.... Freshman tailback Chris Wells of Garfield caught his first pass, a 10-yarder, and sophomore Maurice Wells scored his first touchdown, a 9-yard run.... Smith on OSU's rally: ``A national championship-caliber team does just what we did.''... Cincinnati coach Mark Dantonio, the ex-Buckeye defensive coordinator, had never lost in the seven previous times his team led after the first quarter.

 

[osugrad21]

ABJ

Pittman ignites Buckeyes

Running back lifts team out of first-quarter letdown

By Marla Ridenour

Beacon Journal sportswriter

(Mike Cardew/ Akron Beacon Journal)
Ohio State University's Rory Nicol leaps over a Cincinnati defender after catching a pass for a first down in the second quarter on Saturday, Sept.16, 2006, at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. The Ohio State University defeated Cincinnati 37-7.
More photos

COLUMBUS - In the first half, the letdown everyone talked about but few believed would happen had slapped the top-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes in the face.
Their cheeks were stinging with shock and embarrassment.
OSU, a 29 ?-point favorite, trailed for the first time since the Fiesta Bowl in January when it fell behind Cincinnati by four points in the first quarter.
In the Horseshoe, no less.
``It didn't look to me like we had quite as much pep in our step,'' Ohio State coach Jim Tressel said. ``It didn't seem like we were as explosive and flying around to the degree we like.
`` After the first half, it looked a little bit like a letdown situation.''
Then Antonio Pittman came to the rescue in a 37-7 OSU win.
The junior tailback from Buchtel ignited the offense with back-to-back runs of 14 and 23 yards in the second quarter to help set up a field goal.
He began the second series of the second half with four runs for 38 yards during a 60-yard touchdown drive as OSU opened a 13-point lead.
Then for the fourth time in the past five games, he scored the game-clinching touchdown, this time on a 48-yard dash down the left sideline with 9:57 remaining for a 20-point cushion.
Finishing with 155 yards on 16 carries, the second-highest total of his career, Pittman sparked the undefeated Buckeyes before a crowd of 105,037.
``I've been telling you all along the spark Antonio provides for the offense,'' senior quarterback Troy Smith said. ``Too often you get a couple guys who get all the ink, and the people who are really doing the grinding don't get enough.
``That's why I talk all the time about the offensive line and Antonio Pittman. You give him enough opportunities, he's going to make something happen.''
With OSU opening the Big Ten season at home next week against Penn State, the game was about more than Pittman. The Buckeyes defense that replaced nine starters had eight sacks (three by senior defensive tackle Quinn Pitcock) and three interceptions (including one for the second consecutive game by sophomore linebacker James Laurinaitis).
It held the Bearcats (1-2) to minus-4 yards rushing on 22 attempts, its best effort since Sept. 24 against Iowa, when the unit that saw six starters drafted by the NFL allowed minus-9 yards on 18 carries.
On offense, the Buckeyes made superb adjustments after finishing the first quarter behind 7-3.
When Smith failed to connect on deep throws to Ted Ginn Jr. and out routes weren't working, OSU switched to crossing routes and throws over the middle.
Anthony Gonzalez finished with five catches for 85 yards; Ginn had five for 33 yards and two touchdowns.
Smith completed 21 of 30 passes for 203 yards and has now attempted 152 passes without an interception.
He and his backups connected with 11 receivers.
``There's always going to be enough in our game plan that we'll keep fishing until something bites,'' OSU offensive coordinator Jim Bollman said.
Gonzalez said: ``There was one third down in the first quarter, and I ran an out route, and I remember coming back to the sideline and saying, `Coach, we have to run this play. These guys who are in the slot are trying to get depth and sit underneath the out routes. If we hit them in the middle of the field, it will be wide open.' ''
As well as the tinkering worked, the Buckeyes were buzzing afterward about Pittman and his 48-yard touchdown, OSU's longest run this year.
Right guard T.J. Downing of GlenOak sprung him, and Ginn got him into the end zone by taking out cornerback Mike Mickens near the 10.
``I was just doing my job,'' Downing said. ``It shows how great Pitt is by reading it. That play is designed to stay inside, but he saw the block I made and bounced it out.
``When you see Pitt break for a (48)-yard touchdown, it's breathtaking.''
Ginn said he wanted to atone for missing the first block on the play at the line of scrimmage.
``He managed to get outside, and I just wanted him to score,'' Ginn said. ``You've got to bust your butt for your next guy.''
Pittman thought Bearcat defenders had collided when he got near the end zone.
``I thought it was the other team as I was running,'' he said. ``I turned around and saw the replay and saw it was Ted with the block. I was like, `Yeah.' ''
Gonzalez called Pittman ``one of the fastest guys on this football team and one of the toughest guys you'll ever meet in your life.''
``Him running over people, running through tackles, picking up extra yards, I would love to know how many yards he had after first contact,'' Gonzalez said. ``It's awfully encouraging to be blocking downfield and turn around and see your running back sprinting into the end zone.''