Game Thread Game Two: #1 Ohio State 24, #2 Texas 7 (9/9/06)

[BB73]

If anyone had any doubts whether Laurinaitis knocked the ball loose from Pittman before Pittman was down:

After seeing the TV replay, I think Brent's comments helped give Mack Brown more criticism for his decision to challenge than was deserved.

Brent said 'they review everything'. The officials in the booth look at every play, but they only are doing an official 'review' if they notify the officials on the field and stop play. There are times that the booth doesn't get a good enough look soon enough and a team will lose out on a play that should be overturned. In the stadium, you don't get the TV replays on the scoreboard if the play is controversial. A coach has to rely on what he sees live, what his players and coaches tell him, and what somebody upstairs that is looking at TV replays tells him. That play was so crucial that I thought Mack was correct in calling timeout and using his only challenge. But perhaps he doesn't have a good system in place of having someone see the TV replays and communicate with him. Mack did correctly wait until tOSU started to line up before calling the timeout and requesting the challenge. A coach never wants to call the timeout until it looks like the booth isn't going to do it on their own and the next play is about to start, ending the ability to change the previous play.

They made a big deal about him using his only challenge and losing a timeout. But Texas ended up not needing more first half timeouts, after it was 14-7 they got the ball back on their own 20 with less than 20 seconds left, and weren't going to try moving it.

And he never really needed the challenge later. He could have challenged Pittman's TD, but it would have been upheld.

I think that what should have occurred is that the booth should have done an official review on both of those plays. The first one was obviously critical to the game, so make sure it's correct. By doing a review and taking 30 seconds to see it twice and then say, OK keep playing, no harm would have been done. And with Pittman's TD, delaying the extra point a little bit to get a better look at the replays wouldn't have affected the flow of the game at all. Neither of those plays would have been overturned, but they both should have been reviewed without the coach asking for the process.

I think this is a problem of giving the coaches the power to issue a challenge. The guys in the booth will sometimes hesitate to institute an 'official review' because the coach has the ability to request one.

 

[MililaniBuckeye]

After seeing the TV replay, I think Brent's comments helped give Mack Brown more criticism for his decision to challenge than was deserved.

True. My post was more directed towards those here who may have to deal with Texas fans who say they got jobbed...

 

[osugrad21]

DDN

Smith makes right read for key TD

By Doug Harris
Staff Writer

Monday, September 11, 2006
COLUMBUS ? If Ohio State offensive coordinator Jim Bollman ever wished he could master the art of mental telepathy, it would have been late in the first half against Texas when he saw receiver Ted Ginn Jr. in single coverage.
But quarterback Troy Smith, who's becoming increasingly adept at reading defenses, didn't need any prodding.
"Teddy was manned up, and the safety was playing over to the (other) side," Bollman said. "We were sitting upstairs (in the coaches box) hoping Troy would take a shot. And he did."
Ginn streaked past his defender, and Smith hit him in stride to give the Buckeyes a 14-7 lead with 16 seconds to go.
Of his 29-yard touchdown, Ginn said: "It was huge. It changed the whole momentum of the game."
Defense shines
OSU defensive coordinator Jim Heacock wasn't thrilled with the 326 yards his unit surrendered, including 164 to the tailback duo of Selvin Young and Jamaal Charles.
But the Longhorns scored just one TD ? and they wouldn't even have accomplished that if it weren't for a debatable roughing-the-passer penalty on third down.
"Confidence and experience are the two things we've been lacking, and hopefully, this will help," Heacock said.
Kicker shakes nerves
Aaron Pettrey knew his grace period as the new OSU kicker expired after missing a 28-yard field goal in the first quarter, making him 0-for-2 for the season. After shaking initial jitters, the redshirt freshman drilled a 31-yarder in the third quarter to solidify his hold on the job.
"I was real happy to see that go through," he said. "There were going to be a lot of hateful fans if it didn't. Everything became a lot easier after that. Hopefully, it stays that way."
Trapasso delivers
The Longhorns' reputation for blocking punts ? senior Michael Griffin has already batted down a school-record six ? didn't faze OSU's A.J. Trapasso.
The sophomore from Pickerington had a six-punt average of 50.8 yards.
"I just try to focus on what I need to do," he said. "I try not to look at those guys (like Griffin). That's when you start hitting bad punts ? when you take your eye off the ball.
"But I've got to kick it toward the sidelines more. I'm kicking it down the middle, and those guys are dangerous returners."

 

[osugrad21]

CPD

Questions answered, OSU's defense rests


Monday, September 11, 2006Doug Lesmerises
Plain Dealer Reporter
Austin, Texas- Defensive coordinator Jim Heacock's voice was raw, but asked just after Saturday's 24-7 Ohio State win over Texas what the game would do for his young defense, he croaked out an answer.
"I think it's unbelievable," Heacock said. "I think confidence and experience are two things we've been lacking, and hopefully this will help with the confidence."
Said sophomore cornerback Malcolm Jenkins, "I think it answers a lot of questions that people had about us. Now we can stop trying to show the world what we can do, because now they know."
Before, no one had known about a defense replacing nine starters, including three first-round NFL draft picks.
Then the Longhorns had their 21-game winning streak broken.
Seven points was their lowest total since their most recent loss, 12-0 to Oklahoma in 2004. Texas had scored 40 points in 12 consecutive games. Sure, quarterback Vince Young is no longer around, but seven points?
"Any time you play a great offense in a hostile environment and hold them to seven points, you have to be excited about that," senior safety Brandon Mitchell said. "I think this definitely gives us a swagger."
The defense wasn't perfect, but it was better than in Week 1, when Northern Illinois gained 343 yards against the Buckeyes. The 326 yards allowed to Texas would have been middle of the pack a year ago -- six times in 2005, opponents gained more than that on the Buckeyes, and six times they were held to fewer yards.
The second Texas drive of the game had the defense and Buckeyes fans on their heels. Jamaal Charles started that drive with runs of 12 yards, 13 yards and 9 yards, and the questions about Ohio State's tackling from Week 1 were being repeated.
Quarterback Colt McCoy completed a 10-yard pass, Selvin Young ran for 12 yards, and it looked like the Longhorns' running game might allow their offense to win the game without asking much of McCoy.

"That drive was tough," Mitchell said. "They gashed us a couple of times."
That drive ended on the 1-yard line on a fumble forced by Mitchell and linebacker James Laurinaitis, and scooped up by cornerback Donald Washington.
"It was a little bit of a relief knowing we didn't execute well and let them get down there and to come up with a play like that is pretty good," said defensive end Vernon Gholston.
Young and Charles combined for 164 rushing yards, but 91 of those came in the first quarter. Texas never gashed OSU that hard again, even though Ohio State lined up in a nickel defense most of the game. Ohio State got in the backfield often enough to wrap up seven tackles for losses.
Washington, a freshman, made plays. Laurinaitis, a sophomore making his third start, led the team with 13 tackles. Freshman linebacker Ross Homan made four tackles. Freshman safety Anderson Russell played nearly the entire game and made three tackles. Freshman corners Andre Amos and Kurt Coleman both played.
Maybe now their class years don't matter anymore.
"This proves to some of the guys that maybe had some doubts before that we do have a lot of talent on this defense," Laurinaitis said.
A little more experience, too. And, it sounds like, a lot more confidence.

 

[osugrad21]

Link

Waking up from the dream
Ohio State breaks hearts all over Texas in victory over UT

By William Wilkerson

Media Credit: Peter Franklin
Tailgaters wince in agony during the Longhorns losing battle against Ohio State Saturday evening on the southern fringes of the university campus.

Media Credit: Joe Buglewicz
Buckeye fans crowded in one end of Texas Memorial Stadium, give their final high-fives to their players as they head for the locker rooms after a victory against the Longhorns.

Texas's secondary had Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith right where it wanted him: surrounded in the middle of the field with burnt-orange jerseys closing in on every side.

There was only one problem.

Smith and the Buckeyes were already celebrating their 24-7 victory at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. The Longhorns were simply sending him off with hugs and back pats, paying their respects to a quarterback who cemented himself as a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate.

Smith, who had Longhorn coaches nervous because of his running abilities before the game, impressed many of the 89,422 fans in attendance, the biggest football crowd in the history of the state of Texas. Smith, once considered more of a scrambler, looked every bit the traditional quarterback by throwing for 269 yards and two touchdowns.

"He's a big-play guy," Texas co-defensive coordinator Gene Chizik said. "I think he proved tonight he's a legitimate passer. I don't think he could have played any better."

The versatile Smith, who ran for negative-13 yards, also didn't yield an interception, which is something Longhorn quarterback Colt McCoy could not claim.

The red-shirt freshman lost sight of Buckeyes linebacker James Laurinaitis on Texas's opening drive of the second half. With Texas already down 14-7, Ohio State turned the interception into a 31-yard field goal.

McCoy was a productive 19-for-32 for 154 yards. But dropped balls and a costly turnover inside the Ohio State five-yard line derailed the Longhorns' hopes of another undefeated season.

"I think he handled [the pressure] well," Texas receiver Billy Pittman said. "We could have made more big plays for him."

Pittman tried to stretch a pass from McCoy into the end zone in the first quarter but yielded a ly turnover. His fumble was returned 48 yards, and Smith turned it into a five-play, 50-yard touchdown drive. Ohio State receiver Anthony Gonzalez beat cornerback Brandon Foster, who started at cornerback for the suspended Tarell Brown, on an out pattern in the corner of the end zone to make the score 7-0.

That catch was the precursor to a career day for the Buckeyes No. 2 receiver. With so much attention concentrated on Heisman candidate Ted Ginn, Gonzalez became Smith's favorite target, catching a career-best eight balls for 141 yards.

Pittman, however, would get his revenge late in the second half on the seventh and final play of a 78 yard drive when he caught a 2-yard touchdown pass from McCoy.

Just as it seemed the two powerhouses would return to the locker room at halftime knotted up 7-7, the Buckeyes' formidable duo of Smith and Ginn made it clear that they had other plans.

With less than 20 seconds left in the half, Ginn lined up on an island with Texas corner Aaron Ross on the Texas 29 yard line, gave him a subtle head fake, and beat Ross into the end zone where he caught a Smith fade over his right shoulder.

"Ross hung in as long and as hard as he could," Texas coach Mack Brown said. "But Ginn's a great player."

Texas, which has scored at least 40 points in 12 straight games, could never get into a rhythm from that point on.

"We were in the thick of things," McCoy said. "It just seemed like we couldn't get over the edge."

The closest Texas came to scoring in the second half was a missed 45-yard field goal attempt from Greg Johnson midway through the fourth. It was the Longhorns' worst scoring output and first loss since being shut out by Oklahoma 12-0 in 2004.

Texas outrushed Ohio State 172-79, making it the first time under Brown in 73 games they lost while beating their opponents on the ground.

"I told them not to be embarrassed, because Ohio State is a great team," Brown said. "I told them to walk out of here with their heads up. It's early in the season. We have to start over."

 

[osugrad21]

Link

Atmosphere in Austin friendly as newly minted rivals take to gridiron

By Nolan Hicks

It was a sea of burnt-orange spanning for blocks in every direction near campus.

Sitting beneath a canopy, Ana and Louie Villoalobos reclined in lawn chairs joined by their family eating fajitas, drinking beer and waiting for kickoff. They arrived early Wednesday night to claim a prime spot.

In the laid-back atmosphere, they talked about the upcoming football game. Ana said she thought Colt McCoy's performance would be critical to the win all present were predicting.

A couple of blocks away, a group of college-age Buckeye fans were playing flip cup while George Keller, an Ohio State alumnus, watched. He had arrived from Columbus on Thursday to explore Austin and meet with friends. He said he loved Austin, especially Sixth Street. He said everyone in Austin had been extremely nice to him and other Ohio fans. Keller described himself as one of the lucky fans who had been able to obtain his tickets before flying down. His seats were in the upper deck of Royal-Memorial Stadium.

Joel Walker, another Buckeye fan from Columbus, was also out tailgating near Congress Avenue. He had flown down Friday night, and said he was enjoying himself in Austin. Walker had no worries about the game and said he was confident the Ohio State defense would shut down the Longhorn's offense.

Zack Shelley, of Shelley's Automotive Services, brought a restored 1960 Chevrolet Packwood station wagon. Named the Hornfan Hoopty, it was painted in burnt-orange complete with burnt-orange interior linings and burnt-orange-and-white seat upholstery with the Longhorn logo.

 

[osugrad21]

Link


9/11/06
Troy Smith is no VY

By Cody Hale

Media Credit: Joe Buglewicz
Troy Smith, who threw for 269 yards, is drawing even more Heisman hype because of Saturday night's performance against Texas. Anthony Gonzalez caught eight of Smith's passes for 142 yards and Ted Ginn caught five passes for 97 yards and one touchdown.

All the talk about Ohio State's quarterback Troy Smith being this year's Vince Young needs to stop.

Because to tell you the truth, the only way these two quarterbacks compare is their ability to elude defenders when the pocket collapses.

When this happened, Young would find the open running lanes and hurt the opposing defenses by using his legs.

For Smith, well, let's just say the Texas defense saw how much damage his arm could do when forced out of the pocket.

Smith completed 17-of-26 passes for a game-high 269 yards and two touchdowns, but only finished the game with seven rushes for -13 yards. Now, does the latter sound like a stat Young would put up last year?

"Troy Smith is a good player, and he made some great throws out there to really get his team going," defensive end Tim Crowder said. "We knew going into the game that he was not just a great runner, but a good passer as well."

Smith proved last night to the entire nation how pure of a passer he truly is. He completed 65 percent of his passes on Saturday, with most of those completions thrown while being pressured out of the pocket. But Smith kept his poise even under immense pressure, and shined in the most highly anticipated game of the season.

And while the Longhorns knew Smith was a gifted passer, they sure didn't prepare enough to stop it.

On only the second play of the game, Smith hooked up with Ted Ginn Jr., who turned an eight-yard in route to a 46-yard scamper down Texas' sideline to the Longhorns 31-yard line.

From then on, the Longhorn defense was no match for the electric Buckeye offense.

"We didn't think Troy would pass this much," Texas coach Mack Brown said. "We concentrated on Troy's rush and Ted Ginn, Antonio Pittman, and Anthony Gonzalez were able to get a lot of yards. He [Gonzalez] and Troy were probably the difference in the ball game."

 

[osugrad21]

ABJ

Car hits OSU administrator

Associated Press

COLUMBUS - An Ohio State University administrator was treated at a hospital Sunday after being struck by a car following the No. 1-ranked Buckeyes' 24-7 win over No. 2 Texas, which sparked fires in student neighborhoods.
Burning couches and mattresses were among the 35 to 40 fires set Saturday night, said Columbus police Sgt. David Howson. A trash bin also was set ablaze, burning two nearby cars.
About 17 people were arrested.
Barbara Rich, Ohio State's assistant vice president for student affairs, her husband and a city fire official were struck by a car and suffered minor injuries, said Ohio State Assistant Chief Rick Amweg.
The driver of the car, George Karadimas, 22, a student at the school, has been charged with vehicular assault, Amweg said. He declined to comment on whether alcohol was involved.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Toledo-Blade

Tressel downplays victory
Too many more big games left for Buckeyes

By MATT MARKEY
BLADE SPORTS WRITER


AUSTIN - Even before the post-game revelry had reached its apex following his team's dominant performance in a 24-7 win over Texas late Saturday night, Ohio State coach Jim Tressel was already easing back on the throttle.

Sure, it was the No. 1 Buckeyes against the defending national champion Longhorns, the No. 2 team in the country. It was the most hyped game of the young season, played in front of the largest football crowd in Texas history, and staged for a massive national television audience.

And the convincing victory cemented Ohio State's position at the top of the rankings. But rather than just piling on the praise, Tressel was shoveling a little in the other direction, trying to keep the early September game from carrying too much weight.

He doesn't want the biggest game of the year to come before the first leaf on the nearest buckeye tree changes color, or more than two months before the traditional blood sport with rival Michigan.

"This was a terrific win for our kids, our fans and our program,"

Tressel said, "but we haven't really won or claimed anything yet. We still have to go back to the Horseshoe and keep winning games."

His Buckeyes stood alone at the top after this early round of king of the hill, but Tressel wanted everyone to recognize those mountain peaks looming in the near distance.

Eight Big Ten games remaining to be played.

Trips to play at Iowa and at Michigan State that have the makings of much more than a skirmish.

The Nov. 18 date with the Wolverines in Columbus.

And then the almost certainty that a bowl game will follow, and it just might be the big one, when the actual national championship is decided on the field, not by a poll.
"We felt this was a big game, a game we definitely needed to win, but you can't have any game this early make or break your season," Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith said. "We still have 10 games left in this season - and all of our Big Ten games ahead of us - there's so much more football left to be played."
The atmosphere surrounding the rematch with Texas was bowl-like, and since it was the first No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup in the regular season in 10 years, the aura was definitely present.
Tressel and the Buckeyes knew this one meant a lot, especially after Texas came into Columbus a year ago and bounced Ohio State 25-22, propelling the Longhorns toward the successful national championship run.
Smith, who was masterful in the Ohio State win Saturday night, throwing for 269 yards and two touchdowns and avoiding any mistakes, was the leader of the restrained celebration movement. He took a very businesslike approach to what had just transpired, after the Buckeyes players and coaches met the Ohio State fans and OSU marching band in the corner of Darrell K. Royal Memorial Stadium for a spirited rendition of "Carmen Ohio."
"We prepared for this game just like any other, with a lot of film study and hard practice," Smith said. "We didn't come down here with a chip on our shoulder, looking for revenge or anything like that. This game means a lot, but so do the rest of the games on our schedule. Right now, none of them are any more important than the next one."
Tressel made his point about maintaining focus on the big picture, and the ultimate prize combination for the Buckeyes - playing for a Big Ten championship and then contending for a national title. But a little of the proud papa slipped through when he was reminded how his team had just manhandled the defending national champion Longhorns on their home field.
"Our guys played hard," Tressel said. "They came into a tough environment down here and they just kept slugging away. Our defense kept hanging in there and battling, and they caused some turnovers that were critical in the game, and did a good job. Any time you hold someone to seven points in their stadium, that's incredible."
Ohio State plays host to Cincinnati on Saturday before opening Big Ten play the following week in Ohio Stadium against Penn State, the defending co-champion of the conference along with the Buckeyes.

 

[DaddyBigBucks]

Texas spent more than seven minutes on its only touchdown. Got a little help in the red zone, too, when the Buckeyes' 6-6 Jay Richardson slammed into McCoy and apparently was flagged for being too tall.

Ohio State's response: Smith goes for 23 yards to Brian Robiskie, 14 and 23 to Gonzalez and the final 29 to Ginn.

Elapsed time: 1 minute, 39 seconds. Just long enough to suck all the air from Texas.

This quote from the Dallas Morning News is priceless.

 

[TimTaylor75]

I got to see the entire game except for this TD (other than in a replay) so this .gif was a nice find. Thanks for hosting that.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

Campus-area revelry after football win leads to 17 arrests
OSU official among 3 people hit by car; 4 vehicles set on fire

Monday, September 11, 2006

Sherri Williams
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH




A former Ohio State University cheerleader was charged with aggravated vehicular assault early yesterday after a car he was driving struck three people in a parking lot near the Ohio Union.
He and 16 others were arrested on or near the OSU campus after the Buckeyes? football victory over the University of Texas Longhorns.
Columbus firefighters responded to 45 trash-bin fires and four car fires from late Saturday until about 3:30 a.m. yesterday.
Most were on the southern edge of campus with nine on Indianola Avenue, eight on Summit Street and two on Chittenden Avenue.
Authorities were ready for some rowdiness in the campus area, which was not unusual after a big game, said Battalion Chief Doug Smith, a Columbus Fire Division spokesman.
The damage to the trash bins was minimal, Smith said, but damage to the cars was probably in the thousands.
Five people were arrested for setting fires and 12 others for disorderly conduct and alcohol-related offenses, police Sgt. David Howson said.
One current and one retired fire official were among the three injured outside the Ohio Union, Smith said.
Shortly before 2 a.m., Battalion Chief Kevin O?Connor, retired Lt. Bill Rich and his wife, OSU Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs Barbara Rich, were standing in a parking lot at a temporary command post set up by the Fire Division in anticipation of unruly fans, Smith said.
"It appeared that the car was going to go into the parking garage, then it veered to the left and struck the three people," Smith said. The Riches were treated at OSU Medical Center. O?Connor, who was treated at the scene, was bruised, Smith said.
Mrs. Rich, who has worked at OSU for more than 20 years, was at home resting yesterday, said Shelly Hoffman, an OSU spokeswoman.
The driver, George C. Karadimas, 22, was in the Franklin County jail last night.
OSU Assistant Police Chief Rick Amweg said the incident remained under investigation, and he would not give details. A police report said the incident occurred on the east side of the Ohio Union garage.
Karadimas is a human-nutrition major who lives on Indianola Avenue, according to OSU?s Web site.
Anna Karadimas, his mother, said her son is a fifth-year senior who was a cheerleader last year but is not on the squad this year. She was on her way to Columbus from their home in Strongsville yesterday.
"He has always been a very good student and a respectable person in the city of Columbus and here," she said. "This was some kind of accident, and we are not clear about all the details."
Christos Karadimas, George?s father, said his son was shaken and concerned about the victims when he spoke to him yesterday. "It?s a very tough situation," said Mr. Karadimas, of Cleveland. "You don?t want anything to happen to your child. You don?t want anything to happen to anybody." [email protected]

Postgame problems
Monday, September 11, 2006

</IMG>

An unidentified man adds a trash can to a fire at E. 14 Avenue and Summit Street after Ohio State?s football victory over the University of Texas. Nearly 50 fires and 17 arrests were reported in the campus area after the nationally televised game Saturday night. Most of the fires were set in trash bins, but four cars also were torched. Many of the arrests were alcohol related. See story, Page B4

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

OSU FOOTBALL
Buckeyes were deep in heart of Texas
Tressel followed plan to use many players on hot night

Monday, September 11, 2006

Ken Gordon
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

When Ohio State?s secondteam offensive line trotted onto the field Saturday night, some may have wondered if coach Jim Tressel had lost his mind.
They aren?t household names: Kyle Mitchum, Tyler Whaley, Ben Person and Jon Skinner (regular left guard Tim Schafer moved to left tackle).
Was Tressel mad at his starters, locked in a scoreless tie with Texas late in the first quarter? Did he realize this was a clash of No. 1 vs. No. 2, on the road, with serious national-title implications at stake?
It wasn?t a time to be messing around. And yet, Tressel wasn?t. It was all part of the plan.
"Our goal was to have 57 guys play by the end of the first quarter," Tressel said after his Buckeyes had defeated Texas, 24-7. "We knew it was going to be a hot, tough night and we wanted to be strong in the fourth quarter."
It worked, maybe better than Tressel could have hoped. OSU scored on that drive behind its second-team line to take a lead.
And then in the fourth quarter, the Buckeyes? starting linemen still had something in the tank when they needed to eat clock and seal the victory.
Taking over with 12:18 left and leading 17-7, OSU moved 72 yards in 10 plays, taking up five minutes, 47 seconds.
When the Buckeyes reached the 6-yard line, they capped it with two power runs straight at the heart of the Longhorns? stout defense. Antonio Pittman plunged for 4 and 2 yards to clinch the win.
"I feel as if (the offensive line) was fresh," Pittman said. "They came out here, we weren?t sucking wind at all, and they took care of business on the entire D-line."
OSU struggled to run the ball all night but had its most rush- ing yards in the fourth quarter, 31 of 79 total.
"I think it was a little bit obvious from that standpoint that we were in pretty good shape," Tressel said, "because we could get after it in the fourth quarter and really start running the football.
"Our whole theme this entire week was to make sure we were better at the end of the game than we were at the beginning, and I think that was true."
It wasn?t just true on the offensive line. As was the case the previous week against Northern Illinois, OSU shuffled players in and out all game, particularly on defense.
By the end of the first quarter, the Buckeyes had played 21 different defenders.
And, had it not been for a third-down penalty that prolonged Texas? only scoring drive, the defense would have pitched a shutout against a team that came in with a 12-game streak of scoring 40 or more points.
"Everybody who came in did a great job of holding their spot down," cornerback Malcolm Jenkins said. "It tells you we have depth, because we can put anybody on the field and they can do the job just as well as anybody else."
Defensive coordinator Jim Heacock said he feels that gives OSU an important intangible going forward.
"I think what that does is makes everybody prepare harder, because they know they?re going to be in the game," he said. "So they all have to prepare hard and you don?t have a bunch of guys hanging around that aren?t going to play."
As if ending the Longhorns? 21-game winning streak wasn?t enough, the Buckeyes said playing so many players and winning gives them renewed confidence.
Receiver Brian Robiskie said, "It lets you know that beyond the stars, beyond the starters, we?ve got guys who can play." [email protected]

Dispatch

OHIO STATE-TEXAS NOTEBOOK
Smith’s play before halftime plays key role in OSU victory
Monday, September 11, 2006
Aaron Portzline and Bob Baptist
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

</IMG> CHRIS RUSSELL DISPATCH Ohio State’s A.J. Trapasso averaged 50.8 yards per punt, keeping Texas in bad field position.


AUSTIN, Texas — Quarterback Troy Smith was masterful in Ohio State’s 24-7 win over Texas on Saturday night, especially in the final two minutes of the first half.
The Longhorns had just scored to make it 7-7 with 1:55 left in the first half, and 89,442 in Darrel K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium were frenzied.
Smith and the Buckeyes took over at their own 34 yard line, starting with a 3-yard scramble by Smith.
After that, Smith completed four straight passes for 73 yards, including a 29-yard touchdown pass to Ted Ginn Jr. with 16 seconds left in the half. Ohio State had a 14-7 lead and never trailed.
Another big play in the drive – a 23-yard completion to Brian Robiskie – was called back because of a holding call on OSU’s Alex Boone.
"We went in to halftime feeling pretty good about our chances," Smith said.
Texas cornerback Aaron Ross, who had single coverage on Ginn on the touchdown pass, had no chance – first with Ginn’s speed but also with Smith’s pass.
"I was playing outside and the safety (Michael Griffin) was supposed to come over," Ross said.
"It was a great ball. Great play. Troy Smith threw a great ball."
On the other hand

The Longhorns freshman quarterback, Colt McCoy, seemed to regress in the second half, completing 11 of 18 passes for 79 yards.
He had no touchdowns and one interception.
McCoy may have had his welcome-to-major-collegefootball moment on the Longhorns’ last two drives of the first half, when he twice was leveled by hits from Ohio State defensive linemen.
After that, he didn’t look downfield very much, opting instead to get rid of the ball quickly.
"Anytime you hit a quarterback, I think it’s a positive," Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Heacock said.
"I would have to think it had an effect."
Smith passes test

For anyone not already aware, which was the majority of fans in Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium, Smith proved "he’s a legitimate passer."
Those were the words of Texas defensive coordinator Gene Chizik after Smith passed for 269 yards and two touchdowns and ran only when forced in the Buckeyes’ 24-7 win over the Longhorns.
"We went into the game expecting a lot of the run game with him and they went into the game saying, We’re going to throw it,’ " Chizik said.
"He was excellent. I don’t know that he could have had a better game, to be honest with you. When we were playing zone, he was on. When we were playing man, he was on. Even when he was under pressure, he did a nice job (handling) that.
"He is a legit quarterback. What I mean by that, he’s not just a runner, he’s a great passer. Everything you could see him getting from here on out ... he deserves it."
Texas coach Mack Brown said Smith’s game has evolved since the teams played last season because he won’t always run to escape pressure now.
"It’s really, really hard to get him on the ground," Brown said. "We blitzed him. We tried to get there. I think we only batted one ball and didn’t get a turnover, and we had (three) sacks. But we didn’t get to him very often. He got it out of his hands quickly. He did not hold the ball long, and that’s the mark of an experienced quarterback."
Unsung hero

Brown acknowledged that OSU punter A.J. Trapasso’s 50.8-yard average was one of the two "differences in the ballgame." Texas started only one of its 12 drives beyond its 23-yard line, at its 39, and its average starting position after Trapasso punts was its 21.
"We had to go the long field," Brown said, "and that was an advantage to them."
Texas’ seven points were its fewest since a 12-0 loss to Oklahoma in 2004, the last time the Longhorns lost before Saturday.
Talking points

Texas receiver Limas Sweed and OSU cornerback Malcolm Jenkins, matched up most of the night, engaged in more than bump-and-run.
"He was talking a little trash and I was talking a little trash," Sweed said.
"Any time there are teams, No. 1 and No. 2, playing like that with great athletes, there’s going to be trash-talking. It’s all fun and games."
Quick hitters

Texas had the nation’s longest winning streak snapped at 21 games. Texas Christian now holds that distinction, with 12 straight wins. Ohio State is second with nine straight. … Smith has thrown 122 straight passes without an interception.
[email protected]
[email protected]

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

OSU-NATIONAL INSIDER
Monday, September 11, 2006

MIKE MUNDEN DISPATCH A Texas defender grabs an elastic band to tackle Ohio State?s Ted Ginn Jr. on a punt return.

SATURDAY
: OHIO STATE 24, TEXAS 7
25 words or less
Son of Road Warrior Animal goes on road with men of Troy, sack defending champion, set sights on Queen City ?Cats. Heeeere, kitty kitty.
In the polls
The big debate over whether Ohio State was the legitimate No. 1 abated yesterday. The Buckeyes got 56 of 65 first-place votes in the Associated Press media poll and 59 of 63 coaches? votes in the USA Today poll. The big argument now concerns second to fourth ? in the AP it is Notre Dame, Auburn and USC; in the coaches? vote it is USC, Notre Dame and Auburn. Texas plummeted to eighth in both.
Who?s hot
Ohio State strategists. The 2-yard touchdown plunge by Antonio Pittman with 6:31 left was uplifting for an OSU running game otherwise throttled by Texas. But the Buckeyes knew the Texas secondary was vulnerable, which is where Anthony Gonzalez (eight catches, one TD) and Ted Ginn Jr. (five catches, one TD) did the dirty work.
Who?s not
Texas strategists. On offense, the Longhorns would rip off two or three big runs in a row and then would go to their puny side-to-side passing game. On defense, did they really cover Ted Ginn Jr. one-on-one with 22 seconds left in the first half? They might as well have taped "kick me" signs on their players? backs.
Heisman race at 2 nd furlong
Smith did something in the premier game of the week that Notre Dame?s Brady Quinn could not do the week before. He delivered a decisive win. But then, Vince Young did the same thing a year earlier but USC?s Reggie Bush won the Heisman. So for what it?s worth, at the moment Smith seems to have the lead, followed by Quinn and Oklahoma running back Adrian Peterson. But unlike Texas, don?t sleep on Ginn.
Impressed or depressed ?
Iowa loses QB Drew Tate for the game but manages to squeak by at Syracuse in two overtimes; Florida State escapes an upset at hands of Troy State thanks to two late Troy turnovers; Akron wins at always-goofy North Carolina State on the final play; New Hampshire beats host Northwestern by 17; Tennessee eludes Air Force, which for some reason opted to go for two after scoring what could have been an overtime-inducing late TD. Whatever happened to teams knowing their place?
Impressive no doubt
Notre Dame never let Penn State out of its cage; Louisiana State waxed Arizona; Boise State ripped Oregon State on Thursday night; Rutgers took a big lead on Illinois and this time didn?t give it away ? those were the more impressive wins last weekend. Meanwhile, this will be a TiVo weekend, with such games as Maryland at West Virginia on Thursday followed Saturday by Michigan at Notre Dame, LSU at Auburn, Oklahoma at Oregon, Florida at Tennessee, Nebraska at USC and Miami at Louisville.
0-2 vs . Buckeye state
Ohio definitely is a four-letter word to Northern Illinois, considering the way Ohio State ripped the Huskies in the opener followed by Ohio University?s 35-23 win Saturday in DeKalb, Ill. Ohio Wesleyan, Ohio Northern and Ohio Dominican had their hands up for next but were ignored.
Up next for Buckeyes
Tressel called the win at Texas a big step for the Buckeyes. Now that elephant?s foot is aimed at Cincinnati (1-1).

? By Tim May [email protected]

Dispatch

COMMENTARY
OSU head coach has proved very heady
Monday, September 11, 2006

ROB OLLER

</IMG>


The Boy Scouts have been reinvited to the Horseshoe, but it?s not like their spirit ever left.
Even when the scouts were absent from Ohio Stadium in August, bounced by university officials who decided football games no longer needed their services as volunteer ushers, Jim Tressel carried their motto in his manicured manila folders: Be prepared.
If there?s an overriding message from the 24-7 win over Texas on Saturday, it?s that Tressel teams thrive on preparation. Give the OSU coach a month or so to ready his players for an opponent and the results usually will favor the Buckeyes, who are 4-1 in bowl games the past five seasons.
With few exceptions ? the Outback Bowl loss to South Carolina in 2001 and the Texas loss last season ? Tressel tops the competition when he has time to outline an opponent?s every weakness.
The Longhorns? weaknesses were manifold, so in hindsight, with all summer to prepare for Texas, it really was no contest. Mack Brown is a master recruiter who won a national championship last season, but the whispers continue even in Austin that the UT coach clenches in big games and that Vince Young?s talent masked his coach?s lapses last season. That may be a bit harsh, but it did appear that Tressel vs. Brown was a mismatch. Texas experienced numerous coaching gaffes, including oneon-one coverage of Ted Ginn Jr., failing to continue running the ball despite a 5.5-yard average, and the odd decision to challenge a fumble ruling despite clear replay evidence that the officials called it correctly.
Tressel can be accused of conservative play-calling, although he has shown a more wide-open side in the past two games, but don?t confuse his low-risk approach with low aptitude. The guy knows exactly what he?s doing. If there?s one thing he loves more than a successful ground game, it?s strong groundwork. He seems like a coach who most enjoys exposing the other team?s fault lines, also known as the game within the game. He also has an answer for nearly everything ? even when his answers don?t sound like answers ? except when a Vince Young crosses his path. But Texas didn?t have Young, which means it didn?t have a chance. Not against Tressel. Scout?s honor.
Lamb chops on OSU schedule ?

As if defeating No. 2 Texas wasn?t enough good news, the Buckeyes had to be smiling to see that other Saturday games had Notre Dame thumping Penn State, 41-17, California crushing Minnesota 42-7, Rutgers embarrassing Illinois 33-0, New Hampshire hammering Northwestern 34-17 and Ball State defeating Indiana 24-23. The Buckeyes face all of those losing teams this season.
Ohio State also had to notice that Iowa showed what it becomes without quarterback Drew Tate, who didn?t play in the Hawkeyes? narrow 20-13 double-overtime win against a Syracuse team that wasn?t supposed to be about to fight its way out of a wet paper bag. Tate, who played in the Sept. 2 opening win against Montana, missed the game because of a nagging abdominal strain suffered during preseason camp. The Hawkeyes play host to OSU in a night game on Sept. 30.
There were, however, a couple of Big Ten scores that might sober the Buckeyes. Michigan defeated Central Michigan 41-17, and Michigan State defeated Eastern Michigan 52-20. Then again, maybe not. Penn State crushed Akron 34-16 in its opener, then came the wake-up call against the Fighting Irish.

Rob Oller is a sports reporter for The Dispatch .

[email protected]

 

[Taosman]

"I think this is a problem of giving the coaches the power to issue a challenge. The guys in the booth will sometimes hesitate to institute an 'official review' because the coach has the ability to request one."

Excellent point!
And we are still subject to official's non-reviewable calls!