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ON THE CLOCK WITH DOUG LESMERISES
Walkthrough foretells run-over
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Champaign, Ill. -
Friday night:
During the team walkthrough at Memorial Stadium, Beanie Wells notices something.
"I just got the feeling that coach [Jim] Tressel was going to run the ball," Wells said, "because we were going over a lot of running plays in walkthrough. I was kind of excited about it."
The Buckeyes ran 62 offensive plays in their 30-20 win over the Illini on Saturday - 52 of them were running plays.
11:01 a.m. Central Standard Time:
Ohio State loses the coin toss and Illinois chooses to receive. It's the first time in 11 games the Buckeyes won't start with the ball. Danger ahead.
Continued..........
The Bottom Line
Saturday, November 15, 2008 6:38 PM
By Ray Stein
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
One down, one to go on Ohio State's season-ending reunion tour with its oldest, deepest rivals. In terms of degree of difficulty, the Buckeyes probably cleared the much higher hurdle in breezy Illinois. Leaves are awarded on a zero-to-five basis.
Offense (three leaves)
That game plan was so old school, accounts should tell how the Bean got tackl'd after a smart gain. 'Tis the way it went, anyway, with 52 rushes, a mountain next to the molehill of 10 passes attempted. A Mike Leach fun house it ain't, but it works when the Big Ten wind is hard from the west.
Defense (three leaves)
As hideous goes, it doesn't get much uglier than this: Illinois ran 20 plays that gained double-digit yardage. Redeeming that mess is that the Illini had only one such play in the pivotal third quarter. All the Buckeye blitzing made for harried Juice; in the end, the unit was stout when it counted.
Continued...............
Six points
Saturday, November 15, 2008 6:43 PM
By Tim May
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
THE PLAY
Malcolm Jenkins' block of an Illinois punt late in the first quarter. It gave Ohio State the lead for good and led to an OSU touchdown after a short free kick.
THE STAR
Nickel back Tyler Moeller. He saw his first significant action because of the Jermale Hines injury, and he was the straw that stirred OSU's defense. He had two tackles for loss and a QB hurry that led to an interception.
THE STAT
OSU's season-high 305 yards rushing compared with Illinois' 241 passing. It was a day for running. Chris "Beanie" Wells and Terrelle Pryor each topped 100 yards.
Continued...............
Ohio State Buckeyes' beat Illini with smashmouth football but with UM up next, something's awry, writes The Plain Dealer's Bud Shaw
Share of Big Ten title would still be cool, right?
Sunday, November 16, 2008 Bud Shaw
Plain Dealer Columnist
Champaign, Ill.- Bragging rights in the Big Ten leave a lot to be desired but at least Ohio State still has half a chance at some.
Another example of the downturn in conference fortunes over the past few years came Saturday when - in an attempt to salvage something out of a 30-20 loss to the Buckeyes - Illinois fans mocked the Ohio State cheering section with chants of "U-S-C."
Ouch?
When the fans of a team that lost to the Trojans by 32 points in last year's Rose Bowl go hard after the fans of a team that lost to them by 32 earlier this season, that's not much of an insult.
It's a free commercial for the Pac-10 is what it is.
The best football isn't being played there either this year. The Big 12 and SEC argue that distinction.
But in a season that lost its drum roll in September and its cymbals against Penn State, nobody could blame the Buckeyes for turning their attention Saturday to how best to keep hopes alive for a share of their intramural championship.
Continued.............
Opposite sideline
Saturday, November 15, 2008 8:08 PM
By Rob Oller and Tim May
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
Facts of the matter
Illinois has irritated Ohio State the past two seasons, primarily behind quarterback Juice Williams. But the magic disappeared as Williams threw an interception deep in OSU territory and also lost a fumble. His final act was a 24-yard TD pass with 42 seconds remaining, but that was after he returned from a second-half "timeout" (aka benching), and only because backup Eddie McGee suffered a toe injury. The mistakes marred an Illini offense that looked better on paper - 455 yards, 25 first downs - than in reality. Defensively, Illinois had no answer for the one-two punch of Chris "Beanie" Wells and Terrelle Pryor, who combined for 253 yards rushing.
Shining moment
The Illini's first touchdown. It turned out to be a big moment for Brookhaven product Jeff Cumberland. The receiver worked his way to the back of the end zone, then crossed into wide-open spaces to haul in Williams' 7-yard fling. It tied the score at seven midway through the first quarter, and for a fleeting moment made the Illini think they could make a game of it.
Continued................
TAKING THE HIGH ROAD
Buckeyes stay focused: Ohio State sticks to ground
By MATT MARKEY
BLADE SPORTS WRITER
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Before they could talk about playing for the Big Ten championship, or even utter that forbidden word - Michigan - the Ohio State Buckeyes had to first navigate four quarters against Illinois, the most explosive team in the conference.
Yesterday the Buckeyes (9-2, 6-1) held Illinois to one touchdown while the outcome was being contested, and supplemented that defensive effort with more than 300 yards rushing. That added up to a 30-20 win.
The victory puts Ohio State in position to clinch at least a share of the Big Ten title if it can defeat its rival in the final game of the season Saturday. And it gave the Buckeyes formal permission to talk about playing Michigan.
OSU plows through Illini
Sunday, November 16, 2008 2:27 AM EST
By Jason Lloyd Journal Register News Service
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. ? It shouldn't be surprising Beanie Wells is hurdling people again, seeing how he admitted after Saturday's 30-20 victory over Illinois that he's athletic enough to dunk a basketball.
An average man standing 6-foot-1 and weighing 237 pounds isn't dunking if you spot him a trampoline and an 8-foot rim. Then again, Wells proved long ago he was slightly above normal.
His hurdle of Illinois defensive back Donsay Hardeman in the third quarter illustrated the type of day it was for Ohio State's offense.
On a blustery day in central Illinois, when the rain never came but gusting 20 mph winds made passing nearly impossible, the Buckeyes rushed for 305 yards, their most since a 317-yard performance against Northwestern in 2005. Terrelle Pryor threw just 10 passes, while Wells rushed for 143 yards and Pryor had 110.
Continued..................