THE PEOPLE. THE TRADITION. THE EXCELLENCE.

Transcription

1 A T H L E T I C S C O M M U N I C A T I O N S Rm. 124, St. John Arena 410 Woody Hayes Dr. Columbus, OH Phone (614) Fax (614) THE PEOPLE. THE TRADITION. THE EXCELLENCE. Ohio State Football Release Sept. 3, 2007 No. 10 (coaches)/11 (AP) Ohio State (1-0) vs. Akron (1-0) GAME FACTS Saturday, Sept. 8, 2007, noon, EST Ohio Stadium (102,329) Columbus, Ohio THE BROADCASTS Television - The Big Ten Network will televise the game. Thom Brennaman will call the play-by-play and be joined in the booth by Charles Davis. Charissa Thompson is the sideline reporter. Radio - WBNS (AM 1460 The Fan) is the flagship station for the 73-station Ohio State radio network. The Jim Tressel pregame show airs 30 minutes prior to kickoff. Paul Keels will call the play-by-play and will be assisted by former Buckeye Jim Lachey in the booth and Marty Bannister on the sidelines. In addition, Sirius Satellite Radio will have the game on Channel 140. OHIO STATE BUCKEYES Head Coach...Jim Tressel, Baldwin-Wallace, 75 OSU Record (.818), 7th Year Home Record Road Record Neutral Record Career Record (.733), 22nd year Big Ten Record (.783) Against Top Against Top In Overtime In Overtime at Ohio State In Bowl Games In BCS Games OHIO STATE VS. AKRON SERIES INFORMATION The Buckeyes are 5-1 all-time against Akron and won the last meeting in Jim Tressel s first game as Ohio State head coach, Sept. 8, SCHEDULE & RESULTS Date Opponent Rk.* TV Result 9/1 1-Youngstown St. 10/- BTN W, /8 2-Akron BTN noon 9/15 at Washington ESPN 3:30 p.m. 9/22 Northwestern TBA TBA 9/29 at Minnesota TBA 8 p.m. 10/6 at Purdue TBA 8 p.m. 10/13 Kent State TBA TBA 10/20 3-Michigan State ABC 3:30 p.m. 10/27 at Penn State TBA 8 p.m. 11/3 Wisconsin TBA TBA 11/10 Illinois TBA TBA 11/17 at Michigan TBA TBA *USA Today/Coaches Poll ranking at time of game. OSU listed first. 1-Alumni Band Day - 2-Hall of Fame Day - 3-Homecoming Ohio State Welcomes Akron to Ohio Stadium Buckeyes coming off 29th-consecutive season-opening win; game marks six-year anniversary of Tressel s first game at Ohio State FIRST AND 10 - Ohio State is 1-0 and 0-0 in the Big Ten - Akron is 1-0 and 0-0 in the Mid-American Conference - This game is the seventh meeting between the schools; OSU leads Coach Jim Tressel is in seven years at Ohio State; in 22 years overall - Tressel was against Akron as head coach at Youngstown State - Coach J.D. Brookhart is in five seasons at Akron - Brian Robiskie leads the Big Ten with nine receptions per game - Ohio State is the two-time defending Big Ten champion - The Akron contest will be the 499th Buckeye game all-time at Ohio Stadium - The Buckeyes have scored at least one touchdown in their last 126 games Ohio State (1-0) hosts Akron (1-0) at Ohio Stadium (102,329) in a noon game Saturday, Sept. 8, The Buckeyes are coming off a 38-6 win at home over Youngstown State last Saturday, while the Zips defeated Army, 22-14, at Cleveland Browns Stadium. OHIO STATE VS. AKRON The Buckeyes are 5-1 all-time against Akron in a series that began in The Buckeyes and Zips met five-consecutive seasons from 1891 to 1895 before meeting again in Jim Tressel s first game as Ohio State head coach Sept. 8, Date Location Result 12/5/1891 at Akron OSU, /22/1892 at Akron OSU, /11/1893 at Ohio State OSU, /15/1894 at Ohio State Akron, /5/1895 at Ohio State OSU, /8/2001 at Ohio State OSU, THE CAPTAINS Senior offensive tackle Kirk Barton, senior fullback Dionte Johnson and junior linebacker James Laurinaitis were elected 2007 captains by their teammates. Because of close voting on the defense, a second defensive captain will be named for each game. Larry Grant was captain for Youngstown State. HONORARY CAPTAIN Ohio State s honorary captain for the Akron game will be Butch Reynolds, an Akron native who earned Olympic gold (1600m relay) and silver (400m) medals in track. A 1991 Ohio State graduate, track All-American and a competitor in three Olympiads, Reynolds currently serves as speed coordinator for Ohio State football. MORE ABOUT THE CAPTAINS After being elected an Ohio State captain, senior Dionte Johnson and his father Thomas Pepper Johnson became the third father-son combination to be elected Buckeye captains. The elder Johnson was an OSU captain in 1984 and The two previous father-son captain duos were the Herbstreits, James (1960) and Kirk (1992); and the Davidsons, Jim (1964) and Jeff (1989). James Laurinaitis is the first junior to be elected a captain since 2000 when Steve Bellisari and Joe Cooper both were chosen captains as juniors. Bellisari and Cooper were re-elected as seniors in OHIO STATE ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS Assistant AD for Communications...Dan Wallenberg Contact...wallenberg.1@osu.edu; Director, FB SID... Shelly Poe Contact... poe.45@osu.edu; Poe Cell Associate Director...Leann Parker Assistant Directors... Pat Kindig, D.C. Koehl, Tim Stried, Courtney Walerius, Jerry Emig, Danielle Warner Sport Associate...Emily Meyer Office Associate... Jennifer Kirchner Office Phone/Fax / Web site...ohiostatebuckeyes.com BUCKEYES AGAINST THE BUCKEYE STATE Ohio State is in its history against opponents from the state of Ohio; that list includes Akron, Bowling Green, Case, Cincino h i o s t a t e b u c k e y e s. c o m

2 THE COACHES Jim Tressel Coach J.D. Brookhart Ohio State School Akron Baldwin-Wallace Alma Mater Colorado State (7th) Rcd. at School (4th) (22nd) Career Rcd (4th) nati, Denison, Heidelberg, Kent State, Kenyon, Marietta, Miami, Mount Union, Muskingum, Oberlin, Ohio Medical, Ohio, Ohio Wesleyan, Otterbein, Toledo, Western Reserve, Wilmington, Wittenberg, Wooster and Youngstown State. The last time the Buckeyes matched up against three in-state rivals was in 1926, when they defeated Wittenberg (40-0), Ohio Wesleyan (47-0) and Wilmington (13-7); OSU faces Youngstown State, Akron and Kent State in The Buckeyes have played at least one team from Ohio each season since Ohio State has not lost to an Ohio opponent since 1921, falling to Oberlin 7-6; the Buckeyes tied Wooster 7-all in 1924 in Columbus. TRESSEL TO FACE ANOTHER FORMER TEAM One week after facing a Youngstown State program he led to four national championships in 15 seasons, Ohio State head coach Jim Tressel will face another opponent this week that he used to call his own. Tressel s coaching career began at Akron in 1975 as a graduate assistant. He then served as a full-time assistant coach from , where Tressel coached the offensive backs and was the kicking game coordinator. OPENING DAY NUMBERS Following the 38-6 win over Youngstown State last Saturday, the Buckeyes now have an all-time opening day record of and have won their last 29 home openers. Ohio State s last opening day loss at home was to Penn State in The Buckeyes last opening day loss away from Columbus was to Miami in the 1999 Kickoff Classic. All-time, the Buckeyes are in home openers since REGULAR-SEASON WINS Ohio State has won 19-consecutive regularseason games, dating back to a loss at Penn State Oct. 8, The Buckeye record is 21- consecutive regular-season wins from BUCKS WIN 77 PERCENT OF OHIO STADIUM GAMES The Buckeyes boast an all-time record of (.771) in Ohio Stadium since that facility opened in The Akron game will be the 499th home game all-time for the Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium. Ohio State has won 13-consecutive and 17 of the last 18 games played in the Horseshoe. Ohio State s all-time record in Columbus is in 703 games. Ohio State has hosted 35-consecutive crowds of 100,000 or larger at Ohio Stadium, including an opening-day audience of 105,038 against Youngstown State, the 18th-largest crowd in Ohio Stadium history. This summer the old grass field in place at Ohio Stadium since 1990 was removed for a new synthetic surface called FieldTurf. The old field was rolled up and donated to the Columbus Parks and Recreation Service. OHIO STATE W/L RECORDS Seasons All-time Record Big Ten Ohio Stadium Bowl Games Games in September September home games Against Ohio opponents CATCHING ON Nine Ohio State players had at least one reception against Youngstown State, including four who had the first receptions of their collegiate careers: fifth-year senior Trever Robinson and true freshmen Dane Sanzenbacher, Devon Torrence, and Taurian Washington. Sanzenbacher, Washington and Robinson each scored a touchdown on his first career catch; the last Buckeye to do that was Jake Ballard against Indiana in The receiving leader for the Buckeyes against YSU was junior Brian Robiskie, who went into the locker room at halftime Saturday with six catches for 113 yards and ended the game with nine catches for 153 yards. That total is the most receiving yardage by a Buckeye since Ted Ginn Jr. had 167 vs. Notre Dame in 2006 Fiesta Bowl. Robiskie s nine grabs were a career best, topping the seven he had vs. Michigan last year. The nine receptions are the most since Ginn had 10 against Bowling Green last season. On the opening drive Saturday, Robiskie pulled in three catches for 64 yards. The 41-yard grab that put the Buckeyes on the Penguins 13-yard line was the longest of his career, topping a 39-yard catch and run last season vs. Michigan. In Robiskie s last two games at Ohio Stadium, he has totaled 16 catches for 242 yards. In the OHIO STATE CAREER RECORDS Rushing Yards 5,589 Archie Griffin 924 att ,668 Eddie George 683 att ,553 Tim Spencer 644 att ,200 Keith Byars 619 att ,121 Pepe Pearson 659 att ,974 Carlos Snow 610 att , 91 2,951 Michael Wiley 509 att ,945 Antonio Pittman 557 att ,649 Raymont Harris 574 att ,576 Calvin Murray 438 att ,542 Jim Otis 585 att Pass Receptions 191 David Boston 2,855 yds Cris Carter 2,725 yds Michael Jenkins 2,898 yds Gary Williams 2,792 yds Santonio Holmes 2,295 yds Ted Ginn Jr. 1,943 yds Dee Miller 2,090 yds John Frank 1,418 yds Joey Galloway 1,894 yds Billy Anders 1,318 yds Ken-Yon Rambo 1,849 yds Doug Donley 2,252 yds Pass Reception Yards 2,898 Michael Jenkins 165 rec ,855 David Boston 191 rec ,792 Gary Williams 154 rec ,725 Cris Carter 168 rec ,295 Santonio Holmes 140 rec ,252 Doug Donley 106 rec ,090 Dee Miller 132 rec ,943 Ted Ginn Jr. 135 rec ,894 Joey Galloway 108 rec ,849 Ken-Yon Rambo 106 rec ,809 Jeff Graham 99 rec Passing Yards 7,547 Art Schlichter ,232 Bobby Hoying ,370 Joe Germaine ,316 Greg Frey ,878 Steve Bellisari ,720 Troy Smith ,569 Mike Tomczak ,089 Jim Karsatos ,493 Craig Krenzel ,660 Stanley Jackson Points 356 Mike Nugent XP, 72 FGs Pete Johnson TDs Dan Stultz XP, 59 FGs Keith Byars TDs Vlade Janakievski XP, 41 FGs Rich Spangler XP, 39 FGs Tim Williams XP, 49 FGs Eddie George...45 TDs, 1XP Josh Jackson XP, 36 FGs Tim Spencer TDs, 1x2PT Howard Cassady TDs Total Tackles 572 Marcus Marek Tom Cousineau Chris Spielman Steve Tovar A.J. Hawk Pepper Johnson Alvin Washington Ed Thompson Glen Cobb Mike Doss Quarterback Sacks 36.0 Mike Vrabel 245 yards Jason Simmons 210 yards Matt Finkes 170 yards Eric Kumerow 163 yards Will Smith 140 yards Brent Johnson 114 yards Na il Diggs 118 yards Andy Katzenmoyer 114 yards Interceptions 22 Mike Sensibaugh 248 yards Fred Bruney 212 yards William White 153 yards Ted Provost 124 yards Ohio State Football Release, Sept. 3,

3 OSU SINGLE-GAME RECORDS Rushing Yards Game 314 Eddie George-36 att. Illinois Keith Byars-39 att. Illinois Archie Griffin-30 att. Iowa Archie Griffin-27 att. North Carolina Raymont Harris-39 att. BYU (Holiday Bowl) Maurice Clarett-31 att. Washington St Ollie Cline-32 att. at Pittsburgh Calvin Murray-35 att. Indiana Eddie George-29 att. at Michigan State Eddie George-36 att. Washington Michael Wiley-24 att. Missouri Bob White-33 att. at Iowa Pass Receptions 14 David Boston at Penn State David Boston at Indiana Gary Williams Florida State Brian Stablein Michigan Billy Anders Washington Bob Grimes Pittsburgh Dee Miller at Indiana David Boston vs. Texas A&M Dick Wakefield Colorado David Boston Minnesota David Boston Michigan Dimitrious Stanley Wisconsin John Frank at Michigan Santonio Holmes at Northwestern Santonio Holmes Marshall Ted Ginn Jr. Bowling Green Pass Reception Yards 253 Terry Glenn at Pittsburgh Santonio Holmes Marshall Gary Williams Florida State David Boston Michigan Dimitrious Stanley Wisconsin David Boston Minnesota Robert Grimes Washington State Joey Galloway Michigan State Ken-Yon Rambo Ohio Ken-Yon Rambo Iowa Passing Yards 458 Art Schlichter Florida State Joe Germaine at Penn State Greg Frey at Minnesota Bobby Hoying at Penn State Joe Germaine at Indiana Troy Smith vs. Notre Dame Joe Germaine at Northwestern Joe Germaine Minnesota Art Schlichter at Purdue Joe Germaine Michigan Justin Zwick Marshall Points 30 Keith Byars... Illinois Pete Johnson...North Carolina Terry Glenn...at Pittsburgh Joel Payton... Purdue 1977 Total Tackles 29 Chris Spielman Michigan Tom Cousineau Penn State Tom Cousineau Southern Methodist David Adkins Oklahoma Arnie Jones Michigan Tom Cousineau Baylor Tom Cousineau Indiana Chris Spielman at Washington State Tom Cousineau Michigan Randy Gradishar Washington State Quarterback Sacks 4 Bobby Carpenter Michigan State Jason Simmons Washington State Several players, last: Quinn Pitcock Cincinnati Interceptions 3 Fred Bruney Illinois Fred Bruney Michigan Arnie Chonko Indiana Ted Provost at Northwestern Bruce Ruhl Wisconsin Craig Cassady Michigan State Mike Guess at Southern Methodist William White West Virginia Damon Moore at Iowa Ohio State Football Release, Sept. 3, 2007 regular-season finale last year vs. Michigan, Robiskie had seven catches for 89 yards and a TD. Robiskie has caught a pass in 13-consecutive regular-season games. COACHING STAFF ASSIGNMENTS Here is a breakdown of the Ohio State coaching staff assignments for the 2007 season. On the field: Paul Haynes: Safeties Darrell Hazell: Wide Receivers, Assistant Head Coach Jim Heacock: Defensive Coordinator, Defensive Front John Peterson: Tight Ends, Recruiting Coordinator Dick Tressel: Running Backs In the booth: Jim Bollman: Offensive Coordinator, Offensive Line Joe Daniels: Quarterbacks, Passing Game Luke Fickell: Co-Defensive Coordinator, Linebackers Taver Johnson: Cornerbacks 2007 PRESEASON HONORS Defending champion Ohio State was picked to finish third behind Michigan and Wisconsin in the preseason Big Ten poll. Individual preseason honors for the Buckeyes: - Kirk Barton: Outland watch list - Alex Boone: Outland watch list - Jim Cordle: Rimington watch list - Marcus Freeman: Bednarik watch list - Vernon Gholston: Bednarik, Hendricks watch lists - Malcolm Jenkins: Thorpe watch list - James Laurinaitis: Big Ten preseason defensive player of year; Playboy All-America; Bednarik, Nagurski, Walter Camp watch lists, - Chris Wells: Maxwell, Doak Walker watch lists SUCCESS AGAINST THE BEST Since 2005, Ohio State has won 20 of its last 21 games. During that tear, the Buckeyes have recorded wins over six of college football s most successful programs: Michigan, Notre Dame, Texas, Penn State, Illinois and Iowa. Michigan tops the all-time victories list ( ), Notre Dame is second ( ) and Texas ranks fourth ( ). The Buckeyes are fifth all-time with 787 wins and Penn State is sixth (781). Iowa (552) and Illinois (549) rank in the Top 50 on the all-time wins list. FOR STARTERS When the Ohio State-Akron game kicks off, the Buckeyes will have a total of 25 players with at least one game of starting experience. Tops among those are: Kirk Barton (14); Vernon Tale of the Tape Ohio State... Offense... Akron Pts/gm Total yds/gm Rush yds/gm Carries/gm Yds/carry Pass yds/gm Pass att/gm Yds/completion Ohio State... Defense allows... Akron Pts/gm Total yds/gm Rush yds/gm Carries/gm Yds/carry Pass yds/gm Pass att/gm Yds/completion Gholston (14); Malcolm Jenkins (14); James Laurinaitis (14); Marcus Freeman (12); Alex Boone (11); Rory Nicol (11) and Steve Rehring (11). First-time starters for the Buckeyes this season: Todd Boeckman, Kurt Coleman, Jim Cordle, Todd Denlinger, Dionte Johnson, Ben Person, Chris Wells, Lawrence Wilson and Doug Worthington. NOT SINCE Ohio State ranks second among all NCAA Div. I programs with 82-consecutive seasons since last posting back-to-back losing records. The Buckeyes have not been under.500 for two or more consecutive seasons since , which trails only Tennessee, which has not had back-to-back losing seasons since , a span of 95-consecutive seasons. School...Years Last Tennessee Ohio State Southern Miss Arizona State Alabama* Nebraska Southern Cal Michigan Georgia VARSITY O WELCOMES NINE TO HALL OF FAME The Ohio State Varsity O Alumni Association inducts nine members into the Ohio State Athletics Hall of Fame this weekend. In all, 74 women have been inducted since 1993 and 227 men have been honored since The 2007 class includes: Andy Dumpis Volleyball ( ) Dumpis finished his Ohio State career as a two-time All-American (1978, 1980) and a three-time first-team MIVA selection. The 1980 co-miva MVP, Dumpis was part of the

4 Buckeye s 1977 and 78 MIVA championship teams and helped the squad to unblemished 12-0 (1977) and 13-0 (1980) home records. Ivan Gilbert Fencing ( ) A first-team All-American in foil, Gilbert was part of the 1942 national championship team, the program s first national championship and second overall national title for a team at Ohio State. Gilbert later was named Ohio State s Male Fencer of the Century by the Touchdown Club of Columbus. Marv Homan Administrator ( ) A member of the Ohio State Department of Athletics from 1948 to 1987, Homan began serving as director of sports information in He was awarded the Ohio State Athletics Hall of Fame Loyalty Award in 1998 and is just the fourth administrator to be inducted into the Ohio State Athletics Hall of Fame. Pete Johnson Football ( ) Part of four Big Ten championship teams, Johnson owns the OSU record for the most touchdowns scored in a game (5) and is second in career points (348). In 1975, he led the nation in scoring, tallying a school and Big Ten record 26 touchdowns en route to first-team All-Big Ten honors. The 1975 (156) and 1976 (114) OSU points leader also captured Academic All- America laurels. Kristy Dascoli Tennis ( ) The first Buckeye to earn All-America honors and the OSU Tennis Player of the Century, Dascoli is a four-time All-Big Ten honoree and was the conference s first consecutive Big Ten Player of the Year recipient. Owning the OSU singleseason and career wins record (31 and 104, respectively), she is the first Buckeye to qualify for the NCAA singles championship. Yelena Kalkina Fencing ( ) Kalkina became the first woman to win a national championship for the Buckeyes in foil (1997) and was a three-time All-American. During her run to the title, she compiled a 69-0 record and later was awarded the Outstanding Athlete of the Year honor by the Touchdown Club of Columbus. Conny Kirsch Rowing ( ) Kirsch helped lift the program to its first Big Ten championship and was part of the varsity eight boat that won the grand final (2002). The first OSU Big Ten Rower of the Year, Kirsch earned first-team All-America honors and was a three-time first-team All-Big Ten and All-Central Region selection. She is the first rower to be inducted into the OSU Athletics Hall of Fame. HONOR ROLL A league-best 23 Ohio State football players were named to the Big Ten s 2006 all-academic team, marking the fifth year in a row the Buckeyes led the conference. Additionally, a record 54 Ohio State football players qualified for the annual OSU Scholar-Athlete Dinner in May, which requires a grade-point average of 3.00 or better for the past academic year. That number was an increase from the previous best of 46 established in WHERE THEY GO NEXT Ohio State visits Washington next Saturday for a 3:30 pm (ET) game at Husky Stadium that will be televised by ESPN. Akron is at Indiana that day for a game that will be televised by the Big Ten Network. Winningest Active Division I-A Coaches (As of Sept. 2, Ranked by percentage, minimum of 5 full years as a head coach) Rk. Coach Record Winning % 1. Pete Carroll (USC) Urban Meyer (Florida) Bob Stoops (Oklahoma) Mark Richt (Georgia) Phillip Fulmer (Tennessee) Bobby Bowden (Florida State) Steve Spurrier (South Carolina) Lloyd Carr (Michigan) Joe Paterno (Penn State) Paul Johnson (Navy) Dan Hawkins (Colorado) Jim Tressel (Ohio State) Gary Patterson (TCU) Brian Kelly (Cincinnati) Butch Davis (North Carolina) Best Home Winning Percentage - Last Five Years ( ) (As of Sept. 2) Rk. School W-L Winning % 1. USC Ohio State Boise State Louisville LSU Oklahoma Texas Virginia Tech Michigan Wisconsin Iowa Georgia Troy Texas Tech TCU Auburn Northern Illinois Toledo Navy UCLA Most Wins Last Five Years ( ) (As of Sept. 2) Rk. School Wins 1. USC Boise State Texas 45 LSU Oklahoma Ohio State Auburn 42 Louisville Georgia Virginia Tech Wisconsin 39 West Virginia 39 TCU Florida Michigan 37 Utah 37 Boston College 37 Miami (Fla.) Navy Tennessee 35 Ohio State Football Release, Sept. 3,

5 Ohio State vs. Akron - Weekly Media Schedule (all times EST) Day Time Event/Location Sunday: Monday: No Interviews Scheduled... weekly release posted at ohiostatebuckeyes.com No Interviews Scheduled... weekly award winners and depth chart released Tuesday: 11:45 a.m.-1 p.m. Media Luncheon (Jack Nicklaus Museum) 5:30 p.m. Player Interviews (Woody Hayes Athletic Center Media Suites) Wednesday: 6 p.m. OSU Assistant Coaches: Jim Heacock, Dick Tressel, Luke Fickell, Butch Reynolds (WHAC Media Suites) 6 p.m. Players Return Out-of-Town Phone Calls Thursday: 5:45 p.m. Jim Tressel, WHAC Media Suites Friday: No Interviews Scheduled Saturday: Postgame Jim Tressel, captains, requested players Notes: *Coach Tressel s Tuesday press conference will be available for replay Tuesday afternoon on ohiostatebuckeyes.com. *The entire transcript of Coach Tressel s press conference also will be available on ohiostatebuckeyes.com Tuesday afternoon. *Quotes from selected players will be available at ohiostatebuckeyes.com Tuesday evening. Media Notes - Tuesday Media Luncheon - Jack Nicklaus Museum - Location: 2355 Olentangy River Road, Parking: Satellite trucks please park in back, all others along south side - Lunch: Served at 11:30 a.m. - Who is Available: Coach Tressel will address the media and take questions from 12:10 until 12:45. Selected players will be available from 12:45 until 1:30. - Live webcast: Available at ohiostatebuckeyes.com - Transcript: Available Tuesday afternoon in its entirety at ohiostatebuckeyes.com - Player quotes: Available Tuesday afternoon at ohiostatebuckeyes.com Tues./Wed./Thurs. Postpractice Interviews - Woody Hayes Athletic Center - Location: 2491 Olentangy River Road - Parking: Enter through front entrance off Olentangy River Road. Satellite trucks enter through gate (buzz entrance if not open) and park along south side of WHAC. All others park at Jack Nicklaus Museum. - Interview Location: Media use main lobby entrance (NE corner of WHAC), buzz for entrance to main hallway. Media suites located approx. 35 yards down hall. - Notes: Media please remain in the media suite area... OSU staff will escort players to suites... wireless internet access and phone lines are available. The Buckeyes This Week... Volleyball... Contact DC Koehl, koehl.1@osu.edu, Tues., Sept. 4 vs. Youngstown State, 7 p.m., St. John Arena Women s Soccer... Contact Jerry Emig, emig.2@osu.edu, Tuesday, 7:30 pm. vs. Wright State, Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium - Friday, 7:30 p.m. vs. Pepperdine, Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium - Sunday, 1 p.m. vs. San Diego, Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium Men s Soccer... Contact Tim Stried, stried.3@osu.edu, at Penn State Nike Classic, Friday-Sunday (vs. Old Dominion, William & Mary) Field Hockey... Contact Courtney Walerius, walerius.2@osu.edu, Tuesday, 3 p.m. at Kent State, Kent, Ohio - at Terrapin Invitational Saturday-Sunday (vs. American, Maryland) Cross Country... Contact Pat Kindig, kindig.3@osu.edu, next meet: Sept. 14 at Tennessee OSU SINGLE-SEASON RECORDS Rushing Yards 1,927 Eddie George 328 att ,764 Keith Byars 336 att ,695 Archie Griffin 256 att ,577 Archie Griffin 247 att ,538 Tim Spencer 273 att ,484 Pepe Pearson 299 att ,450 Archie Griffin 262 att ,442 Eddie George 276 att ,344 Raymont Harris 273 att ,331 Antonio Pittman 243 att Pass Receptions 85 David Boston 1,435 yards David Boston 970 yards Cris Carter 1,127 yards Terry Glenn 1,411 yards Michael Jenkins 1,076 yards Ted Ginn Jr. 781 yards Dee Miller 915 yards Dee Miller 981 yards Cris Carter 950 yards Santonio Holmes 769 yards Michael Jenkins 834 yards Billy Anders 671 yards Pass Reception Yards 1,435 David Boston 85 rec ,411 Terry Glenn 64 rec ,127 Cris Carter 69 rec ,076 Michael Jenkins 61 rec Dee Miller 58 rec David Boston 73 rec Cris Carter 58 rec Joey Galloway 47 rec Gary Williams 50 rec Dee Miller 59 rec Passing Yards 3,330 Joe Germaine ,269 Bobby Hoying ,551 Art Schlichter ,542 Troy Smith ,335 Bobby Hoying ,319 Steve Bellisari ,311 Jim Karsatos ,282 Troy Smith ,132 Greg Frey ,122 Jim Karsatos ,110 Craig Krenzel ,062 Greg Frey Points 156 Pete Johnson Eddie George Keith Byars Keith Byars Mike Nugent Harold Henson Pete Johnson Maurice Clarett Terry Glenn Mike Nugent Pepe Pearson John Brockington Jim Otis 1968 Total Tackles 211 Tom Cousineau Chris Spielman Marcus Marek David Adkins Chris Spielman Rowland Tatum Ed Thompson Marcus Marek Tom Cousineau Quarterback Sacks 13.0 Mike Vrabel 101 yards Andy Katzenmoyer 74 yards Mike Vrabel 78 yards Matt Finkes 80 yards Jason Simmons 69 yards Will Smith 66 yards Interceptions 9 Mike Sensibaugh 125 yards Craig Cassady 105 yards Neal Colzie 80 yards Mike Sensibaugh 40 yards Derek Ross 194 yards Ohio State Football Release, Sept. 3, 2007

6 Jim Tressel Ohio State Head Coach since 2001 Career Record: (.733), 22nd season At Ohio State: (.818), 7th season Tressel vs. the Big Ten: (.792) Tressel vs. Michigan: 5-1 Tressel in Bowl Games: 4-2 As he begins his seventh year at Ohio State, Jim Tressel has elevated an already storied program to even greater heights. Since taking over the reins of the Ohio State football team in 2001, Tressel has guided the Buckeyes to an overall record of 63-14, six bowl appearances, including four BCS games, four 10-win seasons, three Big Ten titles and one national championship. Four of Tressel s teams have finished in the Top 5 in the national polls, including the 2006 team which posted a 12-1 record and finished second. He is 4-2 in bowl games and has a 3-1 record in BCS games. On two occasions Tressel s teams have recorded 19-consecutive victories. He is 5-1 against Michigan in one of the most storied rivalries in college football. Since coming to Ohio State, Tressel has fashioned a record of 25-8 against ranked teams and an 8-3 mark against Top 10 teams. He is a master in close games, posting a 4-1 record in overtime at OSU and going 19-9 in games decided by a touchdown or less. He is in Big Ten play, including a perfect 8-0 mark in 2006 when the Buckeyes captured their first outright conference title since Tressel was named as the Buckeyes 22nd head coach Jan. 18, His original five-year contract was extended through 2008 following the 2002 season. He was given a new five-year contract at the end of the 2005 campaign that runs through TRESSEL S CAREER RECORD Year School W L T Postseason (Round) 1986 Youngstown State Youngstown State Playoffs (1) 1988 Youngstown State Youngstown State Playoffs (2) 1990 Youngstown State Playoffs (1) 1991 Youngstown State Champions 1992 Youngstown State Runners-up 1993 Youngstown State Champions 1994 Youngstown State Champions 1995 Youngstown State Youngstown State Youngstown State Champions 1998 Youngstown State Youngstown State Runners-up 2000 Youngstown State Playoffs (1) YSU TOTALS Ohio State Outback Bowl 2002 Ohio State Tostitos Fiesta Bowl (National Champions) 2003 Ohio State Tostitos Fiesta Bowl 2004 Ohio State Mastercard Alamo Bowl 2005 Ohio State Tostitos Fiesta Bowl 2006 Ohio State Tostitos BCS National Champ. Game 2007 Ohio State OSU TOTALS CAREER TOTALS FIRST ROUND NFL PICKS UNDER TRESSEL Player Team Pick Year Chris Gamble Carolina Panthers 18th 2004 Michael Jenkins Atlanta Falcons 28th 2004 Will Smith New Orleans Saints 29th 2004 A.J. Hawk Green Bay Packers 5th 2006 Donte Whitner Buffalo Bills 8th 2006 Bobby Carpenter Dallas Cowboys 18th 2006 Santonio Holmes Pittsburg Steelers 25th 2006 Nick Mangold New York Jets 29th 2006 Ted Ginn, Jr. Miami Dolphins 9th 2007 Anthony Gonzalez Indianapolis Colts 32nd 2007 Tressel in Season Openers (16-5-1) 1986: Nicholls State 34, YSU : Eastern Michigan 35, YSU : Kent State 34, YSU : Maine 28, YSU : YSU 43, Bloomsburg : YSU 24, Edinboro : YSU 48, Clarion : YSU 17, Western Michigan : YSU 10, Stephen F. Austin : Kent State 17, YSU : YSU 28, Wofford : YSU 33, Slippery Rock : YSU 50, Clarion : YSU 44, Slippery Rock : YSU 24, Slippery Rock : Ohio State 28, Akron : Ohio State 45, Texas Tech : Ohio State 28, Washington : Ohio State 27, Cincinnati : Ohio State 34, Miami (Ohio) : Ohio State 35, Northern Illinois : Ohio State 38, Youngstown St. 6 Tressel s Milestone Wins 1 Youngstown State 30, Tennessee Tech 6 ( ) 23 Youngstown State 28, at Eastern Kentucky 24 ( ; first NCAA playoff win) 25 Youngstown State 31, Edinboro 27 (9-8-90) 46 Youngstown State 25, Marshall 17 ( ; NCAA championship) 50 Youngstown State 30, at Indiana State 24 ( ) 70 Youngstown State 17, at Marshall 5 ( ; NCAA championship) 75 Youngstown State 17, North Alabama 14 ( ) 84- Youngstown State 28, Boise State 14 ( ; NCAA championship) 100 Youngstown State 31, at Indiana State 0 ( ) 108 Youngstown State 10, McNeese State 9 ( ; NCAA championship) 125 Youngstown State 41, North Carolina A&T 3 ( ) 136 Ohio State 28, Akron 14 (9-8-01; first OSU win) 150 Ohio State 19, at Wisconsin 14 ( ) 156 Ohio State 31, Miami 24 (1-3-03; national championship) 175 Ohio State 33, Oklahoma State 7 ( ) 38 FIRST TEAM ALL-BIG TEN SELECTIONS 2001 LeCharles Bentley C Mike Doss SS Tyson Walter OT 2002 Maurice Clarett RB Mike Doss SS Chris Gamble CB Andy Groom P Mike Nugent K Darrion Scott DL Matt Wilhelm LB 2003 Will Smith DE Will Allen SS Alex Stepanovich OG Ben Hartsock TE Tim Anderson DT A.J. Hawk LB Chris Gamble CB B.J. Sander P 2004 A.J. Hawk LB Mike Nugent PK 2005 A.J. Hawk LB Mike Kudla DE Nate Salley FS Rob Sims OG Josh Huston PK Santonio Holmes WR Donte Whitner SS Ashton Youboty CB 2006 Troy Smith QB Antonio Pittman RB Anthony Gonzalez WR T.J. Downing G Doug Datish C Ted Ginn, Jr. WR Quinn Pitcock OL James Laurinaitis LB Malcolm Jenkins DB Antonio Smith DB IN ADDITION... Tressel has coached five Academic All- Americans at Ohio State. Ohio State Football Release, Sept. 3,

7 Top 25 Polls 2007 ASSOCIATED PRESS PRESEASON TOP 25 Rk. Team Rcd. Points Prv. 1. Southern Cal (62) 0-0 1, Louisiana State (2) 0-0 1, West Virginia (1) 0-0 1, Texas 0-0 1, Michigan 0-0 1, Florida 0-0 1, Wisconsin 0-0 1, Oklahoma 0-0 1, Virginia Tech 0-0 1, Louisville 0-0 1, OHIO STATE California Georgia UCLA Tennessee Rutgers Penn State Auburn Florida State Nebraska Arkansas TCU Hawaii Boise State Texas A&M OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES: Missouri 128, Georgia Tech 94, Boston College 75, Oregon 73, South Carolina 69, Miami (Fla.) 68, Alabama 66, Oregon State 42, Wake Forest 40, South Florida 28, Arizona State 17, Brigham Young 14, Southern Miss 12, Notre Dame 11, Virginia 7, Clemson 6, Oklahoma St. 3, Texas Tech 2, Purdue 1, Houston 1, Kentucky 1, North Carolina St. 1 Buckeyes in the NFL - as of Sept. 2 Name, Pos. Team Will Allen, FS... Tampa Bay Buccan rs Tim Anderson, DT... Buffalo Bills Rodney Bailey, DE... Arizona Cardinals LeCharles Bentley, C... Cleveland Browns David Boston, WR... Tampa Bay Buccan rs Bobby Carpenter, LB... Dallas Cowboys Drew Carter, WR... Carolina Panthers Adrien Clarke, G... New York Jets Nate Clements, DB... San Francisco 49ers Na il Diggs, OLB... Carolina Panthers Mike Doss, DB... Minnesota Vikings T.J. Downing, G... Arizona Cardinals Simon Fraser, DE... Cleveland Browns Joey Galloway, WR... Tampa Bay Buccan rs Chris Gamble, CB... Carolina Panthers Ted Ginn Jr., WR... Miami Dolphins Terry Glenn, WR... Dallas Cowboys Anthony Gonzalez, WR. Indianapolis Colts Roy Hall, WR... Indianapolis Colts Ben Hartsock, TE... Tennessee Titans A.J. Hawk, OLB... Green Bay Packers Santonio Holmes, WR... Pittsburgh Steelers Kevin Houser, FB... New Orleans Saints Michael Jenkins, WR... Atlanta Falcons Nick Mangold, C... New York Jets Donnie Nickey, DB... Tennessee Titans Mike Nugent, K... New York Jets Shane Olivea, T... San Diego Chargers 2007 USA Today PRESEASON TOP 25 Rk. Team Rcd. Points Prv. 1. Southern Cal (45) 0-0 1, Louisiana State (4) 0-0 1, Florida (9) 0-0 1, Texas 0-0 1, Michigan (2) 0-0 1, West Virginia 0-0 1, Wisconsin 0-0 1, Oklahoma 0-0 1, Virginia Tech 0-0 1, OHIO STATE Louisville California Georgia Auburn Tennessee Rutgers UCLA Penn State Nebraska Arkansas Florida State TCU Boise State Hawaii Texas A&M OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES: Boston College 150, Georgia Tech 150, Miami (Fla.) 91, Notre Dame 90, South Carolina 90, Wake Forest 71, Missouri 58, Oregon State 52, Brigham Young 47, Clemson 30, Oregon 30, South Florida 26, Texas Tech 20, Alabama 16, Oklahoma State 15, Southern Miss 14, Iowa 12, Kansas State 8, Memphis 5, Houston 4, Arizona 1, Duke 1, Kentucky 1, Washington State 1 Name, Pos. Team Orlando Pace, T... St. Louis Rams David Patterson, DL... Atlanta Falcons Kenny Peterson, DE... Denver Broncos Ryan Pickett, DT... Green Bay Packers Quinn Pitcock, DT... Indianapolis Colts Jay Richardson, DE... Oakland Raiders Nate Salley, DB... Carolina Panthers Darnell Sanders, TE... Detroit Lions Darrion Scott, DE... Minnesota Vikings Rob Sims, G... Seattle Seahawks Troy Smith, QB... Baltimore Ravens Antonio Smith, DB... Indianapolis Colts Will Smith, DE... New Orleans Saints Shawn Springs, CB... Washington Redskins Alex Stepanovich, C... Cincinnati Bengals Mike Vrabel, OLB... New England Patriots Tyson Walter, T... Green Bay Packers Donte Whitner, SS... Buffalo Bills Matt Wilhelm, LB... San Diego Chargers Antoine Winfield, CB... Minnesota Vikings Ashton Youboty, CB... Buffalo Bills 2007 Ohio State Pronunciation Guide Last names Abdallah... Abb-DOLL-lah Amos...A-mose Bauserman... BOW-ser-man Boeckman...BECK-man Chekwa...CHEEK-wah Cordle... CORD-dull DeLande... de-land-dee Denlinger... DEN-ling-gur Dougherty... Dah-hurt-tee Ebner... EBB-nurr Evege...EVV-edge Fickell...rhymes with tickle Gantz... rhymes with pants Gholston... GOAL-stun Haas...Haaz Hazell...as in hazel Heacock...hay-cock Homan...HOH-man Kacsandi...KACK-sand-dee Larimore... LARE-rih-more Laurinaitis... Larr-en-EYE-tiss Makridis... muh-cree-dis Moeller... as in molar Nicol...as in nickel Pentello... pen-tell-oh Pettrey...pet-tree Potokar...poe-toe-car Pretorius... preh-tore-ree-us Rehring... RARE-ing Rietschlin... RICH-lin Robiskie...ROW-biss-key Ruhl...as in rule Saine... as in sane Sanzenbacher... san-zen-bock-ur Schoenhoft... shown-hoff Sika... SEE-kah Slagle...SLAY-goal Spitler...spit-lurr Thoma...TOE-mah Trapasso... tra-pass-oh Ullery...YUL-err-ee Whaley... whale-lee First names Nader (Abdallah)... NAY-dur Chimdi (Chekwa)...CHIM-day Jermale (Hines)... jur-mail Dionte (Johnson)... DEE-on-tay Taver (Johnson)...TAY-vur Devon (Lyons)... DEV-un Devon (Torrence)... de-von Taurian (Washington)... TORE-ree-an 7 Ohio State Football Release, Sept. 3, 2007

8 OHIO STATE DEPTH CHART AS OF SEPT. 4 OFFENSE LT 75 ALEX BOONE** JR. 73 Josh Kerr R-Fr. LG 71 STEVE REHRING** JR. 70 BRYANT BROWNING R-FR. 78 Dan Dye th/Sr. C 64 JIM CORDLE SO. 66 Andrew Moses So. RG 63 BEN PERSON** JR. 77 Connor Smith Rf-Fr. RT 74 KIRK BARTON*** TH/SR. 70 Bryant Browning R-Fr. TE 88 RORY NICOL** JR. 86 JAKE BALLARD* SO. 87 Brandon Smith** Jr. FL 80 BRIAN ROBISKIE** JR. 19 Taurian Washington Fr. QB 17 TODD BOECKMAN JR. 11 Robby Schoenhoft So. TB 28 CHRIS WELLS* SO. 34 MAURICE WELLS** JR. 3 Brandon Saine Fr. FB 49 DIONTE JOHNSON*** SR. 16 TREVER ROBINSON*** TH/SR. 42 Tyler Whaley th/Sr. SL 9 BRIAN HARTLINE* SO. 12 Dane Sanzenbacher Fr. DEFENSE DE 9 ROB ROSE* So. 97 Cameron Heyward Fr. DT 84 DOUG WORTHINGTON SO. 93 Nader Abdallah Jr. DT 92 TODD DENLINGER* SO. 72 DEXTER LARIMORE R-FR. 69 Bryan Gray So. DE 50 VERNON GHOLSTON* JR. 78 Alex Barrow* Jr. 9 Rob Rose* R-Fr. WLB 1 MARCUS FREEMAN** JR. 51 Ross Homan* So. MLB 33 JAMES LAURINAITIS** JR. 38 Austin Spitler* So. SLB 6 LARRY GRANT* SR. 26 Tyler Moeller R-Fr. 37 Thaddeus Gibson R-Fr. BC 2 MALCOLM JENKINS** JR. 32 Eugene Clifford Fr. FC 20 DONALD WASHINGTON* SO. 5 Chimdi Chekwa R-Fr. SS 4 KURT COLEMAN* SO. 3 Jamario O Neal** Jr. FS 21 ANDERSON RUSSELL* SO. 8 Aaron Gant* So. Specialists PK 85 RYAN PRETORIUS* JR. 20 Aaron Pettrey* Jr. KO 20 AARON PETTREY* JR. 85 RYAN PRETORIUS* JR. H 48 JON THOMA SO. LS 56 DIMITRIOS MAKRIDIS TH/SR. SS 96 JAKE MCQUAIDE R-FR. P 15 A.J. TRAPASSO** JR. 48 Jon Thoma So. PR 80 BRIAN ROBISKIE** JR. 9 Brian Hartline* So. KR 34 MAURICE WELLS** JR. 21 Anderson Russell* So. Ohio State Football Release, Sept. 3,

9 Buckeyes Last Time Out Youngstown State 6 No. 10 Ohio State 38 Sept. 1, Ohio Stadium (105,038) No. 10 Ohio State Defeats Youngstown State, 38-6 Quarterback Todd Boeckman throws for 225 yards and two touchdowns Columbus, Ohio The Ohio State Buckeyes kicked off their 118th season of football with a 38-6 victory over Youngstown State last Saturday before 105,038 sun-drenched fans in Ohio Stadium. The win was Ohio State s 29th-consecutive to open a season. I thought we came out and played against a good football team, Jim Tressel, Ohio State head coach, said. I thought we did some good things. The most important thing is now we ll have an opportunity to study real game football. Our guys will have a chance to learn a great deal and to have an opportunity to get better. Quarterback Todd Boeckman, a junior making his first start, looked comfortable in the pocket all day as he led the offense to 417 total yards. Boeckman found seven receivers as he completed 17-of-23 passes for 225 yards and two touchdowns. His favorite target was Brian Robiskie, who had a terrific day with nine receptions for 153 yards. I thought Todd did a lot of good things today, Tressel said. I don t know if you d call it a winning performance because that s pretty hard to get as an Ohio State quarterback. He did have excellent command. He had a good completion percentage. There are some things we ll need to work on, but his performance was solid. Boeckman, Robby Schoenhoft and Antonio Henton all played at quarterback for Ohio State. The trio combined for 31 pass attempts. Henton connected with freshman Taurian Washington on a 37-yard touchdown late in the fourth quarter for Ohio State s final points. We went into the game wanting to work on the pass, Tressel said. We have new quarterbacks. We can t ask them to pass only when we re ahead or only when we re behind. We went in knowing we were going to throw a lot and not just on significant downs. The Buckeyes gained 147 rushing yards but did not have their way against the Penguins, the two-time defending Gateway Football Conference champion who were formidable for 15 years while under Tressel s leadership. Still, there were some highlight runs for the Buckeyes: Maurice Wells had a 26-yarder; Beanie Wells ripped off a 20-yarder that included two 360-degree spins; and Brandon Saine had an 18-yard burst between the tackles on his first collegiate carry. Ohio State s defense looked solid in keeping the Penguins out of the end zone all afternoon. James Laurinaitis, Anderson Russell and Austin Spitler led the defenders with seven tackles apiece. Although void of any turnovers, the defense allowed only 176 total yards including just 85 rushing yards. The game, though, was about the Ohio State quarterbacks and how they would lead Ohio State in the post-troy Smith era. Boeckman started off hot by leading Ohio State into the end zone on the team s initial offensive possession of the season. He was accurate on all four of his pass attempts on the drive, including three completions to Robiskie for 64 yards. His 3-yard strike to true freshman Dane Sanzenbacher, who was crossing over the middle, capped a nine-play, 70-yard drive and gave Ohio State an early 7-0 lead. The Buckeyes cashed in early in the second quarter to make the score Sophomore Beanie Wells scored from 1-yard out to cap a six-play, 27-yard drive. A tipped punt handcuffed the Penguins and gave Ohio State possession on the YSU 27. After a penalty moved the ball back to the 32, the heralded freshman Saine sparked the scoring drive by carrying four times for 28 yards. Youngstown State moved into Ohio State territory for the first time with just over eight minutes to play in the second quarter. An 18-yard pass from Tom Zetts to Da Michael Horne gave YSU a first down on the Ohio State 34. The two hooked up again on first down for 7 yards, and two plays later YSU was looking at a first-and-10 at the Buckeye 19. Two rushes for 15 yards by Jordan Edwards set up a first-and-goal from the 4. The Buckeye defense held from there, and YSU settled for a 21-yard field goal from Brian Palmer that made the score Boeckman brought the Buckeyes right back, marching them 75 yards in 10 plays with Saine going over from the 1 to give OSU a 21-3 lead at the intermission. Boeckman found Robiskie three times on the drive for 49 yards and he connected with Maurice Wells for 20 to set up Saine s first collegiate touchdown. The two teams traded field goals in the third quarter. Ryan Pretorius hit from 24-yards out to cap an 11-play drive. Two series later, Youngstown State s defense forced a fumble by sacking Boeckman. Starting at the OSU 27, the Penguins gained only 3 yards against Ohio State s defense. Kicker Stephen Blose connected from 41 yards to make the score Ohio State extended its lead to 31-6 early in the fourth quarter. Boeckman showed that he can find more than Robiskie as he completed passes to six different receivers during the 14-play drive that ended with a 1-yard Boeckman-to-Trever Robinson touchdown pass. Another season of football, another seasonopening win and Ohio State is now in September home games. Up next: Akron Sept. 8 in Ohio Stadium. Big Ten Network SCORING F YSU Ohio State FIRST QUARTER OSU - Sanzenbacher 3 pass from Boeckman (Pretorius kick), 9:36 SECOND QUARTER OSU - C. Wells 1 run (Pretorius kick), 14:57 YSU - Palmer 21 Field Goal, 4:34 OSU - Saine 1 run (Pretorius kick), :34 THIRD QUARTER OSU - Pretorius 24 Field Goal, 9:41 YSU - Blose 41 Field Goal, 6:44 FOURTH QUARTER OSU - Robinson 1 pass from Boeckman (Pretorius kick), 14:11. OSU - T. Washington 37 pass from Henton (Pretorius kick), 7:44 Team Statistics YSU OSU First downs Rushes-yards Passing yards Return yards Comp.-Att.-Int Sacks by-yards lost Fumbles-lost Penalties-yards Time of possession 27:08 32:52 Individual Statistics Rushing - Ohio State, C. Wells 16-46, M. Wells 8-45, Saine 10-42, Schoenhoft 3-27, Boeckman 4-(-13). YSU, Edwards 9-28, Scott 9-27, Nicholson 6-21, Williams 7-12, Horne 1-2, Zetts 2-(-4). Passing - Ohio State, Boeckman , Schoenhoft , Henton YSU, Zetts , Williams Receiving - Ohio State, Robiskie 9-153, M. Wells 3-23, Hartline 2-22, Sanzenbacher 2-8, T. Washington 1-37, Ballard 1-11, Nicol 1-10, Torrence 1-5, Robinson 1-1. YSU, Irizarry 4-19, Horne 3-37, Bush 2-12, Edwards, 1-18, Pitts 1-5. Missed Field Goals - Ohio State, none. YSU, none. 9 Ohio State Football Release, Sept. 3, 2007

10 Series Information - Ohio State vs. Akron Overall: Ohio State leads 5-1 Date Location Result 12/5/1891 at Akron OSU, /22/1892 at Akron OSU, /11/1893 at Ohio State OSU, /15/1894 at Ohio State Akron, /5/1895 at Ohio State OSU, /8/2001 at Ohio State OSU, LAST MEETING - Sept. 8, 2001 OHIO STATE DOWNS AKRON, 28-14, IN SEASON OPENER The Buckeyes opened the 2001 campaign Sept. 8 with a win over Akron in front of a then-ohio Stadium record crowd of 102,602. The game marked the debut of Ohio State head coach Jim Tressel and the unveiling of refurbished Ohio Stadium. I saw a lot of things I liked out there, Tressel said. We played hard, we competed, we played with class and we played through our fatigue. We made some mistakes, but I didn t expect us to be perfect. We need to get to work now and get better. I tend to believe that a team does make the most improvement between the first and second games. The Buckeyes rolled up 525 yards in total offense and ran 85 plays (20 more than Akron) on a hot, humid day. Quarterbacks Steve Bellisari and Scott McMullen threw for 289 yards, spreading the ball around to seven receivers. Bellisari had a pair of touchdown passes and sophomore split end Michael Jenkins had six receptions for 106 yards in his first career start. Senior tailback Jonathan Wells ran for 119 yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries. The Buckeyes netted 236 yards rushing. Meanwhile, the Ohio State defense limited the Zips to 248 yards (114 rushing and 134 passing) and one touchdown. Senior linebacker Joe Cooper had a teamhigh 9.5 tackles. The Buckeyes led 14-0 at the end of the first quarter and were ahead 21-0 before Akron got on the board with just over two minutes to play in the first half. The two teams traded long touchdowns in the second half, the Buckeyes scoring on a 61-yard pass in the third quarter, and the Zips on an 87-yard interception return in the fourth. Akron 14 No. 22 Ohio State 28 Sept. 8, Ohio Stadium (102,602) ESPN SCORING F Akron Ohio State FIRST QUARTER OSU - Wells 14 run (Nugent kick), 7:36 OSU - Martin 10 pass from Bellisari (Nugent kick), 3:30 SECOND QUARTER OSU - Wells 1 run (Huston kick), 9:14 AKR - Schifino 15 pass from Frye (Derr kick), 2:09 THIRD QUARTER OSU - Vance 61 pass from Bellisari (Huston kick), 3:37 FOURTH QUARTER AKR - Coble 87 interception return (Derr kick), 7:48. Team Statistics AKR OSU First downs Rushes-yards Passing yards Return yards Comp.-Att.-Int Sacks by-yards lost Fumbles-lost Penalties-yards Time of possession 24:35 35:25 Individual Statistics Rushing - Ohio State, Wells , Maldonado 14-68, Hall 3-30, Ross, 4-16, Bellisari 9-2, McMullen 2-1. Akron, Payne 13-75, Hendry 11-39, Basch 3-11, TEAM 1-(-2), Frye 5-(-9). Passing - Ohio State, Bellisari , McMullen Akron, Frye , Faler Receiving - Ohio State, Jenkins 6-106, Bryant 4-46, Martin 3-23, Vance 1-61, Sanders 1-27, Hartsock 1-15, Gamble Akron, Schifino 5-47, Payne 3-23, Zuercher 2-14, Szakos, 2-10, Ritley 1-23, Barbee 1-9, Cherry 1-8. Missed Field Goals - Ohio State, Nugent 35. Akron, Derr 37. Ohio State Football Release, Sept. 3,