Ohio State, Illinois Set to Battle for Illibuck Trophy
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
OOct.ct. 331,1, 22014014 FFightingFightingighting TTheThehe IIlliniIllinillini OOhiohio State,State, IllinoisIllinois SSetet TToo BBattleattle FForor IllibuckIllibuck TTrophyrophy 2 BSB Quickly Oct. 31, 2014 This Week At OSU Ohio State Returns Home To Face Illinois By Blake Williams had scored 50 points in each of their pre- vious four games while rolling Big Ten When Ohio State left State College with and nonconference opponents alike. The a 31-24 double-overtime victory against Nittany Lions entered having lost back-to- Penn State, it felt like stealing. When a back games to Northwestern and a strug- Oct. 31, 2014 team goes scoreless in the second half, gling Michigan team. allows 24 unanswered points and falls But Penn State tested the Buckeyes in Publisher ........... Frank Moskowitz down seven in the first overtime in a deaf- a way they hadn’t been challenged since Asst. Publisher .....Becky Roberts ening road environment, it’s supposed to the loss to Virginia Tech in the second Editor ...........................Jeff Svoboda lose. week of the season. This time Ohio State The Buckeyes, however, found a way was up for it. to win. “I think it was one of those deals, learn Staff Writers “You’re not supposed to win in that situ- from the past,” Barrett said. “Virginia Ryan Ginn ation,” cornerbacks coach/special teams Tech, it was one of those type of deals Marcus Hartman coordinator Kerry Coombs admitted. “You where we were down, we didn’t make Blake Williams get caught from behind in an environment plays. I didn’t make plays, the offense like that and then go behind in overtime didn’t make plays, the defense didn’t make Intern going into their student section, you are plays. The whole team didn’t make plays not supposed to win that game. The only for us to win that game. So using that and Kane Anderson way you win that game is if the men on learning from that, I think it was just how your team are men of incredible character Penn State was. We were up, they came Designer/Staff Writer and resilience, and they are, and that was back then we were down, so we used that Matthew Hager a fantastic finish. Do I think it makes a dif- experience from Virginia Tech and used ference this week? I don’t know.” that to win a game.” Photographers The staff and the team are trying to make sure it does make a difference, look- Not Looking Past Illini Sonny Brockway ing to build off the narrow escape moving Despite the scare in State College, Kevin Dye forward. Ohio State fans have been looking to the Josh Winslow While the play was sloppy at times, Nov. 8 showdown with Michigan State for there are positives to be drawn from the virtually the entire season as that game Editorial Offi ce win at Penn State. The Buckeyes played is seen as a play-in game for the Big Ten East Division’s spot in the conference Columbus Sports Publications in front of 107,895 fans Oct. 25, and nearly all of them were white-clad Nittany Lions. championship game. 1350 W. Fifth Ave., Suite 30 They won’t face an environment quite that By all accounts the team isn’t worried P.O. Box 12453 hostile again this season. about the Spartans yet, instead keeping Columbus, Ohio 43212 Plenty of mistakes were made in the fully focused on a 4-4 Illinois team that (614) 486-2202 • (800) 760-2862 game as many of the team’s young play- comes to Columbus on Nov. 1. ers adjusted to their first true road test. “You take every game seriously because when you don’t, when you think On The Cover: There were too many penalties and quar- terback J.T. Barrett made some crucial you’re just going to go in there and slap Ohio State head coach Urban mistakes before saving the day in over- somebody, that’s when you get in a Meyer will lead his Buckeyes Sat- time, but those are teaching moments for fight,” safety Tyvis Powell said. “Nobody’s urday night against Illinois. (Photo the coaching staff, and it’s always better to mind-set should even be thinking about courtesy of Sonny Brockway) learn while winning. Michigan State at this time. We got “It’s not a good thing, it’s a great thing,” Illinois up right now and Illinois just beat Check Out Our Premius Website head coach Urban Meyer said of the close Minnesota so they are definitely a good call. “Not just the environment, but the team.” www.BuckeyeSports.com toughness element that you just were in a As the sophomore said, the Illini are street fight, and you’re winning. You start- coming off a surprising 28-24 win over The next print edition of ed getting your tail kicked, and you came what had been a 6-1 Minnesota team. That Buckeye Sports Bulletin (Nov. back and won. That builds toughness.” victory came with Illinois backup quarter- 8 cover date) will be mailed Ohio State entered the game at Penn back Reilly O’Toole getting the start for Nov. 4. State as the heavy favorite, as the Buckeyes Wes Lunt, who is out with a broken leg. This Week At OSU Oct. 31, 2014 BSB Quickly 3 This Week’s BSB Reprints In this week’s issue of BSB Quickly we reprint several Buckeye Sports Bulletin stories covering the decade of the 1950s as part of the celebra- tion of the 125th anniversary of Ohio State football. Included are stories on Ohio State’s two Heisman Trophy win- ners from the 1950s, Vic Janowicz and Howard “Hop” Cassady, as well as a fea- ture on one of the most famous games in Ohio State history, the 1950 Snow Bowl. We also look back 20 years to one of the most devastating losses in the John Cooper era at Ohio State, the 63-14 thrashing administered by top-ranked Penn State on Oct. 29, 1994. SONNY BROCKWAY READY – Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett (16) sprained his left MCL late in the It was the Illini’s first conference road win second quarter against Penn State but should be good to go Saturday. since October 2011. things that they’ve put on film, but there’s limited. Not on throwing. It’s on run- Illinois got the win despite being out- got to be a greater emphasis for what ning.” gained by the Gophers by a 411-263 mar- they’re doing right now.” Barrett completed just five passes for gin, winning the turnover battle 3-1. Still, 22 yards with two interceptions after sus- Meyer said he isn’t worried about the Barrett Good To Go taining the injury. He was able to run the Buckeyes looking past a team with a 1-3 While the Illini have been forced to go ball six times for 36 yards and two scores, conference mark. to their backup quarterback, the Buckeyes both in overtime. “If they were lousy, then you’d have are relieved they don’t have to. a problem, and the good thing is for our Barrett sprained his left MCL late in Notes conference and them, Illinois won,” Meyer the second quarter against Penn State. He • Defensive back Cam Burrows said. “Illinois is much better. I know they was able to finish that game, and though (shoulder) and defensive lineman Rashad lost their quarterback, but they’re play- he has been somewhat limited in practice Frazier (ankle) are both expected to be ing much better. I just spent all morning since the sprain, he expects to be full-go back in action for the game against Illinois watching their defense, and they’re much against the Illini. after not playing vs. Penn State. Reserve better than a year ago on defense.” Meyer left State College impressed by running back Bri’onte Dunn is out as he Despite the coach’s insistence, the his quarterback’s toughness. battles a leg injury, while defensive back Illinois scoring defense is second to last “We were down by seven points after Ron Tanner, a special teams contributor, in the conference, and its total defense is blowing the lead, and to see him lead an will be a game-time decision. last, allowing 475.4 yards per game. offense as a redshirt freshman into the • Senior running back Rod Smith was The Illini fare better on the offensive student section, I’ll probably never forget dismissed from the team Oct. 28 for a side of the ball, as they check in at seventh that look when I saw our offense taking reported failed drug test. Meyer said that in the league in scoring and first in passing the field against the White Out of the stu- he will remain on scholarship but not offense. The latter number is less signifi- dent section, down by seven, against the return to the team. The coach released cant as most of their yards in the air came defense that really kind of shut us down the following statement: “Rod Smith has from the arm of Lunt, who was passing for in the second half,” Meyer said. left the Ohio State football team in order nearly 314 yards a game before his injury. Barrett is wearing a brace on his left to deal with some personal issues. We will Coombs, however, feels that while knee and said the joint was still sore and continue to support Rod and we wish him O’Toole – who has been running more a little stiff when he addressed the media the best.” Meyer said freshman Curtis read option plays since taking over – isn’t Oct.