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No. 6 Ohio State at Wisconsin Game Notes
November 14, 2012 By Press Release
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#6 Ohio State (10-0, 6-0) at Wisconsin (7-3, 4-2)
Saturday, Nov. 17, 2012 - 3:30 p.m. ET
Camp Randall Stadium (80,321)
Madison, Wis.
THE BROADCASTS
Television: ABC will televise the game with Joe Tessitore and Matt Millen in the booth and Quint Kessinich on the sidelines.
Radio: WBNS (FM 97.1 The Fan) is the fl agship station for the 73-station Ohio State radio network. The Urban Meyer pregame show airs 30 minutes prior to kickoff. Paul Keels will call the play-by-play with former Buckeye Jim Lachey in the booth and Marty Bannister on the sidelines. The game can also be heard nationwide on Sirius channel 91 and XM channel 91.
FIRST AND 10
The game matches the Big Ten's No. 2 (Ohio State) and No. 4 (Wisconsin) rushing offenses against the Big Ten's top two rush defenses (Wisconsin is first at 103.4 yards per game with Ohio State second at 107.9).
Coming off its first off week of the season, the Buckeyes are ranked No. 6 nationally by the Associated Press.
Ohio State is 10-0 overall, 6-0 in the Big Ten and is already a co-champion of the Leaders Division.
Ohio State can claim the Leaders Division outright with a win Saturday, while the Badgers have already secured their second consecutive trip to the Big Ten championship game Dec. 1 in Indianapolis.
Urban Meyer, the 24th head coach in Ohio State football history, is 114-23 in his 11th season.
Meyer has now guided six of his 11 teams to 10-or-more win seasons.
Brett Bielema is in his seventh season as head coach at Wisconsin and has a 67-22 career mark.
The two-time defending Big Ten champion Badgers are 5-1 at Camp Randall Stadium this season.
Ohio State will honor members of the 2002 national championship team with an on-field recognition during the season-ending game against Michigan Nov. 24 at Ohio Stadium.
Ohio State is playing its 100th season in the Big Ten conference, having joined the league in 1912 and playing its first season of Big Ten football in 1913.
The Last Meeting
Wisconsin 29
Ohio State 33
October 29, 2011
Columbus, Ohio Late Touchdown Pass Lifts Buckeyes Over Badgers
Freshman quarterback Braxton Miller found classmate Devin Smith wide open for a game-winning 40-yard touchdown pass with 20 seconds left to give Ohio State a thrilling 33-29 Homecoming upset of No. 11/12 Wisconsin Saturday night in front of 105,511 at Ohio Stadium.
GAME ON
The unbeaten, 10-0 and sixth-ranked (Associated Press) Ohio State Buckeyes will face their most difficult test of the season against the home-standing Wisconsin Badgers Saturday at Camp Randall Stadium. ABC will televise the game with an ESPN2 reverse mirror. Joe Tessitore, Matt Millen and Quint Kessinich will describe the action.
BUCKEYES EARN CO-CHAMPIONSHIP
Ohio State is co-champion of the Big Ten Conference's Leaders Division, earning no less than a share of the division title with its 6-0 Big Ten record. Wisconsin and Penn State are each 4-2 and a game-and-a-half back of the Buckeyes with two games left to play in the season. Any combination Ohio State wins or Penn State and Wisconsin losses will clinch the Leaders Division title outright for the Buckeyes in Urban Meyer's first season as coach.
OHIO STATE ONE OF FOUR UNBEATEN
Ohio State is one of only four unbeaten teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision and, at 10-0, is riding its longest winning streak in five years (the 2007 team also opened 10-0). Those FBS schools still unbeaten, with their Associated Press ranking, include:
10-0 - No. 1 Oregon (Pac 12)
10-0 - No. 2 Kansas State (Big 12)
10-0 - No. 3 Notre Dame (Independent)
10-0 - No. 6 Ohio State (Big Ten)
A Top 10: APR Rankings
Looking at teams in the Associated Press Top 25 poll by Academic Progress Rate scores, Ohio State has the top APR based on the four-year average scores (ending in 2010-11) released by the NCAA in June. (See the Top 10 FBS schools on page 9 of this release).
1. Ohio State 988
2. Clemson 983
3. Rutgers 982
4. Stanford 977
5. Florida 972
6. Alabama 970
Notre Dame 970
Georgia 970
Oklahoma 970
10. South Carolina 966
MEYER TEAMS: 32-2 WITH LONGER PREP TIME
Coach Urban Meyer's teams are 32-2 when having more than one week to prepare for an opponent (includes season-openers, after "off" weeks, and bowl games) and his teams have won 11 consecutive games with more than a week to prepare. The only losses: Bowling Green vs. Miami in 2001; and Florida vs. Florida State in 2007.
"On" after being "Off" Bowling Green (2001-02) 5-1
Utah (2003-04) 7-0
Florida (2005-10) 19-1
Ohio State (2012) 1-0
OHIO STATE 12-9 AFTER "OFF" WEEK
Officially, the Buckeyes are 12-9 in games after an "off" week (the 2010 win at Penn State was vacated) with three consecutive wins and a 6-5 record against Big Ten opponents. This is the sixth time Ohio State has faced Wisconsin after an "off" week. The Buckeyes are 3-2 vs. the Badgers in the previous five games, including last year's 33-29 victory at Ohio Stadium.
Ohio State vs. Wisconsin after "off" week
2011 - W, 33-29, at Ohio Stadium
2003 - L, 17-10, at Camp Randall Stadium
2000 - W, 23-7, at Camp Randall Stadium
1992 - L, 20-16, at Camp Randall Stadium
1991 - W, 31-16 at Ohio Stadium
OHIO STATE vs. UW SERIES RECORD
The series between the Buckeyes and the Badgers, which dates back to 1913, shows Ohio State with a 54-17-5 lead. In games played in Columbus, the Buckeyes lead 30-7-3. In games played in Madison, the Buckeyes lead 24-10-2. Ohio State has a 9-5-1 advantage over the last 14 meetings (back through 1980).
SUPER COMPETITIVE LAST 27 YEARS
Contrary to the decided Buckeye advantage in this series, fueled by a 21-game win streak by Ohio State from 1960-80, Ohio State only has a four-win edge over Wisconsin in the last 27 games played: 15 wins to 11 with one tie (14-all in 1993).
EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED
Since 1999 on the playing field, Ohio State holds a 6-to-5 edge in wins. And there have been some unexpected, and surprising, results in those last 11 meetings when one considers...
Wisconsin held a 42:47 to 17:13 possession time advantage and outgained Ohio State, 368-184, in 2009, yet lost, 31-13, as Ohio State got 21 points from its defense and special teams.
Ohio State snapped Wisconsin's 16-game home unbeaten streak with a 20-17 win in 2008.
Wisconsin led in the third quarter of the 2007 game at Ohio Stadium, but Ohio State scored 28 consecutive points to win, 38-17.
Wisconsin snapped a national-best, 19-game winning streak by Ohio State with a 17-10 win at Camp Randall in 2003.
Unranked Wisconsin game back from a 17-0 deficit in 1999 at Ohio Stadium to record its largest margin of victory in the series - 25 points - with a 42-17 win.
Wisconsin also came back from a 17-0 deficit at Ohio Stadium in 2001 to win, 20-17.
WHO WOULD HAVE EXPECTED THIS?
Last year, 4-3 and unranked Ohio State defeated No. 15 and 7-1 Wisconsin, 33-29, when Braxton Miller hit Devin Smith for a game-winning, 40-yard touchdown pass with 20 seconds left to play. It was an amazing play - and memorialized this year on "Watch ESPN" commercials - and finish to a game that featured 31 fourth-quarter points and an extraordinary rally by the Badgers in the final minutes. Trailing 26-14 with 4:39 to play, Russell Wilson hit Jared Abbrederis on touchdown passes from 17 and 49 yards to take a 29-26 lead with 1:18 remaining and set the stage for Miller, Smith and the Buckeye offense. The Ohio State defense held Wisconsin 169 yards below its total offense average on the day.
MORE SERIES NOTES...
The last time these teams met at Camp Randall Stadium in 2010, David Gilreath returned the opening kickoff 97 yards for a score to spark the Badgers to a 31-18 victory over No. 1-ranked and 6-0 Ohio State ... Ray Small had a 96-yard return in the 2009 win (31-13) for Ohio State ... Braxton Miller's 1-yard TD run last year vs. Wisconsin - game No. 8 of the season and No. 7 for Miller - was the first rushing TD of his career. In his 15 games since: he has scored 19 more touchdowns.
UW HAS STOPPED STREAKS TWICE
Wisconsin will be looking to snap a lengthy Ohio State winning streak for the third time. The Badgers snapped Ohio State's 19-game winning streak in 2003 and stopped a 13-game streak in 1958. Ohio State's current 10-game winning streak is its 15th of 10-or-more games.
Ohio State Winning Streaks (buster)
22 - 1967-69 (at Michigan, 24-12)
19 - 2005-06 (vs. Florida, 41-14)
19 - 2002-03 (at Wisconsin, 17-10)
17 - 1915-17 (tied Auburn, 0-0)
14 - 1899-00 (Ohio Medical, 11-6)
13 - 1957-58 (tied at Wisconsin, 7-7)
12 - 1944-45 (Purdue, 35-13)
11 - 1995 (at Michigan, 31-23)
11 - 1979 (vs. USC, 17-16)
11 - 1975 (vs. UCLA, 23-10)
11 - 1954-55 (at Stanford, 6-0)
10 - 2012 (current)
10 - 2010 (Illinois, 28-21)
10 - 1996 (Michigan, 13-9)
10 - 1934-35 (Notre Dame, 18-13)
MOST RECENTLY
Before the Buckeyes enjoyed their off weekend, the team took care of business by thumping Illinois, 52-22, in a game the home team dominated in all aspects. Ohio State outgained its visitors, 567-170, held a 32-15 advantage in first downs and allowed the Illini to convert just 2 of 14 third down conversions.
And in another dominating effort: Wisconsin set a school record with 564 rushing yards in a 62-14 win at Indiana this past Saturday. Montee Ball (27-198 with three TDs), James White (14-161 and two TDs) and Melvin Gordon (8-96 with one TD) led the ground assault which, according to published reports, was the third-highest rushing total by a Big Ten team since World War II.
137 & 3 TDS FROM "RUGGED" & "ANGRY" HYDE
Carlos Hyde rushed for 137 yards and three touchdowns to power the Buckeye offense against Illinois. He was so fierce, and impressive, that one writer described his running as "rugged" and another described it as "angry." Both are true as the junior is averaging 104.7 yards in Big Ten play with 12 touchdowns and is within 267 yards of joining Braxton Miller as a 1,000-yard rusher for the season...despite playing in only eight games so far.
Hyde's 100-Yard Games in 2012
22 att. 156 yards and 1 TD vs. Indiana
28 att. 140 yards and 4 TDs vs. Nebraska
18 att. 137 yards and 3 TDs vs. Illinois
18.2 YARDS PER COMPLETION FOR MILLER
Braxton Miller had his second highest passing game of the season - and third highest of his career - with 226 yards passing and two touchdowns. He was sharp in the pocket, with an 18.2 yards per completion average that included connections of 24 yards to Jake Stoneburner, 31 to Nick Vannett, 32 to Corey Brown and 51 to Rod Smith. Miller also rushed for 73 yards and one touchdown for a 299-yard total offense day.
BRAXTON CONTINUES TO CLIMB CHARTS
Braxton Miller leads the Big Ten and ranks 22nd nationally with his 291.9 yards of total offense per game (he averages 217.9 for his career). School records for season and career are 270.6 by Joe Germaine in 1998 and 185.2 by Terrelle Pryor, respectively. Miller's 4,793 career yards are good for 12th place on Ohio State's all-time career records list. He needs just 304 yards to climb into Ohio State's Top 10.
Nearing these career total offense totals:
9. 5,261 by Jim Karsatos, 1983-86
10. 5,097 by Craig Krenzel, 2000-03
11. 4,815 by Terrelle Pryor, 2008-09
12. 4,793 by Braxton Miller, 2011-12
T.O. SCHOOL RECORD IN REACH
Braxton Miller has 2919 yards of total offense - the third-most in school single season history - and he needs just 372 more yards in his final two games to break Bobby Hoying's 1995 record of 3,290 yards.
DEFENSE: 43 POINTS ALLOWED LAST THREE
Ohio State's improving defense allowed just one touchdown vs. Illinois with the Illini's scores coming on two field goals, a rushing touchdown and a 77-yard fumble return (plus two-point conversion). The Buckeye defense has given up just 43 points the last three games.
BACK-TO-BACK PoWs FOR LB SHAZIER
A 14-tackle performance, including a career-best 11 solo tackles and two tackles-for-loss, earned Ryan Shazier the Big Ten's defensive player of the week award following the Illinois game. It was the second consecutive week that Shazier had been honored by the Big Ten. He was co-defensive player of the week after recording eight tackles, two sacks and intercepting a pass for a touchdown in the Buckeyes' win over Penn State two weeks ago.
DUNN B1G FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
Bri'onte Dunn was named the Big Ten Conference freshman of the week after his career-best day against Illinois: 13 rushes, 73 yards and a 5.6 yards per carry average. He had a long gain of 11 yards and he capped Ohio State's scoring with a three-yard touchdown run with 1:26 left to play. Dunn is averaging 5.3 yards per carry off 25 rushes this season. Dunn has 133 net yards this season, two touchdowns and he has not lost a yard from scrimmage.
SHAZIER: SEEKING 100 TACKLES
Ryan Shazier's 14 tackles in the team's win over Illinois marked his fifth double-digit tackling game of the season and leaves him two shy of becoming the first sophomore at Ohio State since James Laurinaitis in 2006 to top 100 tackles in a season. Shazier leads the team with 98 tackles, a total that ranks second in the Big Ten and 25th nationally.
John Simon: TOP 10 IN TFLs
John Simon, who earlier this year became the first Buckeye to ever have a five-TFL game and a four-TFL game, has clawed his way into Ohio State's all-time Top 10 for tackles for loss with 39.0. His sack vs. Illinois - his fifth of the season - moved him into a TFL tie with Na'il Diggs and Eric Kumerow. He needs. 6.5 TFLs in his last two games to claim a Top 5 spot all-time.
Ohio State Career TFLs:
5. 45.5 - Will Smith (2000-03)
6. 43.5 - Matt Wilhelm (1999-02)
7. 43.0 - Jerome Foster (1979-82)
8. 41.0 - A.J. Hawk (2002-05)
t9. 39.0 - John Simon (2009-12)
t9. 39.0 - Na'il Diggs (1997-99)
t9. 39.0 - Eric Kumerow (1984-87)
Note: the school record for career TFLs is 66.0 by Mike Vrabel (1993-96)
THORPE SEMIFINALIST ROBY LEADS NATION
Sophomore CB Bradley Roby continues to lead the nation with 18 passes defended (16 pass break-ups and two interceptions), despite only playing in nine games. One of 15 semifinalists for the Thorpe Award, Roby's 16 PBUs are just one off the school record and includes a personal best four in the win over Penn State.
Most Single Season PBUs - Ohio State
(Stats available since 1983)
1. 17 - Ahmed Plummer, 1998
2. 16 - Bradley Roby, 2012
3. 15 - Shawn Springs, 1996
t4. 14 - Dustin Fox, 2004
t4. 14 - Ashton Youboty, 2004
ON PACE TO BREAK PBU RECORD
The team single season record for pass break-ups is about to get broken by the 2012 Buckeyes. Led by Bradley Roby's 16 and with help from Ryan Shazier (10 PBUs), Christian Bryant (nine), Orhian Johnson (seven) and Travis Howard and C.J. Barnett with six apiece, the Buckeyes have 67 pass break-ups with the record 68 by the 2002 Buckeyes.
HOWARD T15th IN INTERCEPTIONS
Interception No. 4 on the season against Illinois for team leader Travis Howard keeps him in a tie for first in the Big Ten Conference and moved him into a tie for 15th nationally.
MORE B1G/NATIONAL NUMBERS
Ohio State is the No. 1 scoring offense in the Big Ten and is 12th nationally at 39.9 points per game. Ohio State's 445.2 yards per game are second in the Big Ten, and its 138.3 passing efficiency ranks second. Defensively, Ohio State is seventh in scoring defense (23.9), although that average has fallen three consecutive weeks as the defense has allowed just 43 points, and seventh in total defense (367.6) in the Big Ten. Ohio State is tied for the Big Ten lead with 13 interceptions.
IN THE RED ZONE
Ohio State is efficient, offensively and defensively, in the red zone. The offense ranks third in the Big Ten with an 88.6 pct. (39 of 44) and it is first with 35 red zone touchdowns. The defense is second in the Big Ten, allowing opponents to score on 74.2 pct. of its trips (23 of 31), and its 15 touchdowns allowed are third-fewest in the league.
MILLER: 3RD B1G QB TO TOP 1,000
Braxton Miller, 15th nationally with 116.6 rushing yards per game, is only the third quarterback in Big Ten history to top 1,000 yards rushing in one campaign. He is the 27th Ohio State player to rush for 1,000 in a season and the first since Chris "Beanie" Wells in 2008.
Big Ten QBs - Season Rushing Yards
5. 1,702 - Denard Robinson, Michigan (2010)
6. 1,270 - Antwaan Randle El, Indiana (2000)
7. 1,176 - Denard Robinson, Michigan (2011)
8. 1,166 - Braxton Miller, Ohio State (2012)
ONE DYNAMIC RUSHING DUO
The tandem of Braxton Miller and junior RB Carlos Hyde is the most productive rushing duo in the Big Ten with a combined 208.7 yards per game and 26 rushing touchdowns. Miller is fifth in the Big Ten in rushing and 15th nationally while Hyde, at 92.1 yards per game, ranks seventh and 40th, respectively. Only Stefphon Jefferson and Cody Fajardo from Nevada (222.9 ypg) and Trayion Durham an Dri Archer from Kent State (210.2) top Miller and Hyde's combined total.
POWER FOOTBALL
The Buckeyes recorded their third 300-yard rushing game of the season with 330 yards against the Illini. The team's five rushing touchdowns against the Illini marked the third time this season with five-or-more rushing scores in a game. Led by Miller and Hyde, and with sophomore Rod Smith chipping in 211 yards and a healthy 6.8 per carry average, the Buckeyes rank second in the Big Ten and eighth nationally with 256.1 rushing yards per game.
28-YEAR HIGH RUSHING TDs
Ohio State has scored 34 rushing touchdowns, a figure that not only leads the Big Ten but is the most in the last 28 years for an Ohio State team. The last Ohio State team to score more than 34 rushing touchdowns: the 1984 team scored 35.
