The presence of Ohio State scarlet was big at Ryan Field Saturday, but it wasn’t the Buckeyes’ only red zone stronghold.
Entering the contest, the No. 5 Buckeyes (6-0, 2-0 Big Ten) had the best red-zone defense in the conference. In the course of beating Northwestern, 27-16, in front of 43,489, they proved that the numbers don’t lie, forcing the Wildcats to settle for five field goal attempts — three of them from 27 yards or closer.
Despite playing solid defense and creating offensive opportunities for the second time in as many weeks, NU was unable to capitalize.
“If they would have put some (more) points on the board in the first half, it would have been a totally different ballgame,” Ohio State linebacker Matt Wilhelm said.
Quarterback Brett Basanez completed 24 of 45 pass attempts, and tailback Jason Wright had 199 yards in total offense (including 95 yards rushing), but the Cats only put the ball in the endzone once.
“We were making some plays and taking Ohio State to a place they didn’t want to be,” NU head coach Randy Walker said. “But, as in every ballgame, there were a handful of critical plays and the credit goes to Ohio State. They made them and we didn’t.”
On a 2nd-and-2 from the Ohio State 21-yard line, NU wide receiver Mark Philmore caught a pass in the endzone on the right sideline that was called incomplete. The referee ruled that Philmore was juggling the ball as he fell out of bounds, but replays suggested the true freshman may have made the catch. The drive resulted in a third Wasielewski field goal.
Trailing 14-9, the Cats drove the ball 79 yards in nine plays on their final possession before halftime. But on 3rd-and-goal from the one-yard line, with a chance to take the lead heading into the locker room, Basanez threw an incomplete pass to Kunle Patrick. Kicker David Wasielewski then missed an 18-yard field goal, sending the team into halftime empty-handed.
“The biggest series of events was the goal line stand,” Walker said.
But opportunities were everywhere in the game, as the NU defense — which was ranked 116 out of 117 NCAA Division I-A teams in rush defense going into the game — consistently made big plays to keep the Cats close.
“We came out with the attitude that we were going to be physical, because they may have thought that with our defense — what it was in the past couple games — that they might be able to run all over us,” said NU safety Dominique Price, who led the Cats with 10.5 tackles. “But we had a different idea.”
Such as forcing Heisman-candidate running back Maurice Clarett to fumble three times.
On the true freshman’s third carry of the night, Price forced and recovered Clarett’s fumble. The Cats failed to get a first down on the ensuing drive, but on Ohio State’s next possession, Clarett fumbled again — this time on the Buckeyes’ nine-yard line. But NU gained only one yard in three downs and settled for a field goal.
“I think coming into the game I took them lightly,” Clarett said. “And you saw the result.”
The Buckeyes’ phenom summed up the game as “horrible,” despite rushing for 140 yards and two touchdowns.
“It doesn’t mean nothing when you have three fumbles,” Clarett said.
Clarett might not have prepared for NU’s defense, but it was prepared for him.
“Our attitude was to come out fast and aggressive,” Price said. “I think we made him realize that we’re not a pushover.”
In the second half, the Ohio State defense picked up its pace, led by hard-hitting safety Mike Doss, and the Buckeyes’ offense kept possession for nearly two-thirds of the half.
“They got the big guys rolling off the ball, and they had the ball forever, it seemed like,” Walker said. “They did a great job in a close ballgame keeping the ball rolling. Obviously we didn’t get as many offensive opportunities in the second half as we would have liked.”
Playing catch-up, Basanez completed 16 of 25 passes in the second half, keeping the game within reach until he threw an interception right into the hands of Ohio State linebacker Cie Grant late in the fourth quarter.
“I think they’re an improving football team,” Ohio State head coach Jim Tressel said. “They’re getting better every second, and their play didn’t surprise me. They had a disappointing loss last weekend, and they reacted the right way this weekend.”
But for the Cats, improving and keeping No. 5 Ohio State within reach for most of the game was as disappointing this week as it was last week at Michigan State.
“Almost does not count,” a frustrated Wright said after the game. “Until we’re not ‘almost’ anymore, we’re not going to beat anyone.”
