No. 11/10 Ohio State (0-0) vs. Youngstown State (0-0)
Date: Saturday, September 1
Time: 12:00 PM ET
Place: Ohio Stadium - capacity 102,329
TV: Big Ten Network will televise the game. Roger Twibell will call the play-by-play and be joined in the booth by former Ohio State quarterback Mike Tomczak.
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. “Big Daddy” 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. Also, Sirius Satellite Radio will have the game on Channel 126.
Weather: Live Doppler 10 meteorologist Brandon Roux is calling for sunny skies and a high temperature of 80 degrees.

by Matt Barker
September 1, 2007

In the National Football League, teams are afforded four to five exhibition games before their season-openers, but that’s not the case in NCAA football, though in essence this is an exhibition game of sorts for the Buckeyes.

Ohio State will try to use as many players as possible to evaluate the talent on hand, including at the quarterback position where junior Todd Boeckman and sophomore Rob Schoenhoft are expected to play.

Sophomore Chris “Beanie” Wells, junior Maurice Wells, and true freshman Brandon Saine will also get their opportunities toting the rock.

Several receivers will also have their chances snaring passes, including true freshmen Taurian Washington and Dane Sanzenbacher.

This is the 118th season of intercollegiate football at Ohio State, but this will mark the first time the Buckeyes have faced Youngstown State, and the first instance where OSU has taken on a Division I-AA opponent, or the Football Championship Subdivision which it is now known.

The Buckeyes have an all-time opening day record of 101-12-4 and have won their last 28 home openers. OSU’s last opening day loss at home was to Penn State in 1978. 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.

Ohio State has 11 starters back from its 2006 team that went 12-1, won its second-consecutive Big Ten championship and played in the BCS national championship game. It marked the Buckeyes’ third Big Ten crown under head coach Jim Tressel, the fourth appearance in a BCS bowl and the second appearance in the national championship game.

Youngstown State is aiming for a third-consecutive Gateway Football Conference title in 2007 behind seventh-year head coach Jon Heacock. Last season the Penguins made their 11th appearance in the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs and first since doing so in 1999 under then-head coach Jim Tressel, who left YSU after the 2000 season for Ohio State.

Five all-conference performers are back for Youngstown State, including linebacker James Terry, defensive tackle Mychal Savage, guard Brad Samsa and tight end Derrick Bush. Quarterback Tom Zetts is in his third season as a starter and owns 44 career touchdown passes.

The bottom line is this, and it’s all in the numbers. Division I-A teams are allowed 85 scholarship players, to just 63 at the I-AA level. Most of the players from Youngstown State were passed over by the bigger schools, so they will have a chip on their shoulder and will be jacked up entering the ‘Shoe. But Ohio State has depth at every position and the rout will be on early.

Prediction: Ohio State 45, Youngstown State 7

Tags: Buckeye Football //