Badgers get TP’ed
Right: Buckeyes surround Terrelle Pryor after scoring the game-winning touchdown in the fourth quarter.
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Sure, there had been talk all week about how hostile the environment can be at Camp Randall Stadium, especially at night after a few thousand PBR’s are consumed, and that Ohio State was starting a true freshman at quarterback playing to a mostly national television audience.
The biggest talking media meathead, ESPN’s Mark May, questioned how Pryor would perform on a big stage in a rough environment. Clearly, Mr. May is eating crow now after the freshman phenom led the Buckeyes on the game-winning scoring drive.
Needing to go 80 yards in the fourth quarter, Pryor was 3-of-4 passing for 59 yards and scored the game-winner with 68 seconds left when he faked the option pitch to Beanie Wells and slashed 11 yards for the score.
On Wisconsin’s very first play following the kickoff, quarterback Allan Evridge’s pass was intercepted by Malcolm Jenkins that sealed the win.
Technically, OSU’s last possession was after the interception when the Buckeyes were in their victory formation to kneel down for two snaps to run out the clock, but there wasn’t much in the way of scoring or offensive production by Ohio State from the early in the first quarter until a little more than halfway through the fourth.
The Buckeyes’ won the toss and elected to receive and it took just three minutes, 11 seconds to put the first touchdown on the scoreboard.
The “Beanie & TP Show” covered 71 yards in six plays which was capped off on a 33-yard run by Wells that put Ohio State ahead 7-0 with 11:49 left in the first period.
On OSU’s next five possessions of the first half, the Buckeyes netted just 52 yards and two of those drives ended on turnovers, an interception by Pryor, and a fumble after Dane Sanzenbacher was crushed after a catch.
Meanwhile, Wisconsin was able to move the ball in the second quarter and mounted a 15-play, 91-yard scoring drive which took 8:16 off the clock, ending on a 9-yard touchdown pass from Evridge to Mickey Turner.
The Badgers went into the locker room at halftime leading 10-7 after Phillip Welch connected on a 20-yard field goal as time expired.
Ohio State’s Ryan Pretorius added two field goals, one from 21 yards in the third quarter that tied the game, and another with 10:52 left in the fourth quarter to give the Buckeyes a 13-10 advantage.
Wisconsin responded by going 63 yards, all on the ground, in 10 plays capped off on a 1-yard run by P.J. Hill before Pryor led the Buckeyes downfield for the game-winner.
Sure, Pryor made a few “freshman” mistakes which ended drives. Facing a first-and-10 at the Wisconsin 45, his pass intended for Brandon Saine down the far-sideline hung up in the air way too long and was intercepted.
Twice on third down he scrambled trying to make a play and was sacked when he should of just thrown the ball into the stands.
Personally, I thought Ohio State had much more talent on the field compared to Wisconsin and the game really shouldn’t have been that close. A good portion of the problem comes down to play-calling, with execution coming in second. It just seemed to me that Ohio State could move the ball at will, when they wanted to.
Sacks and turnovers halted drives in the first half, but some of the play-calling was less than desirable.
Ohio State took possession at their own 29 with 1:24 left in the first half and Wisconsin had two timeouts left. The first two plays were incompletions before Beanie ran four yards and the Buckeyes were forced to punt. Now why would you pass on the first two downs if you are not going to throw on the third? Either commit yourself to passing the ball down the field to get some points on the board before the end of the half, or run as much off the clock as you can and make them burn timeouts, if they desired.
With just over eight minutes to play in the third quarter on a first-and goal at the Badgers’ 2, Pryor was sacked for a loss of two before Beanie gained a yard. On third-and-goal at the 3, Pryor tried to connect with Brian Hartline in the end zone, who leaped up but couldn’t come down with the ball. The Buckeyes settled on a field goal that tied the game.
There are several problems I see here. First, you have arguably the best running back in all of college football, so give him the ball on both first and second down, and maybe on third. And if you don’t get it in then, go for it on fourth down! You are on the road, play to win!
Early in the fourth quarter with the Buckeyes on the Badgers’ 14 yard line facing a second-and-8, Ray Small was flagged for illegal touching when he went out-of-bounds and tried to make a catch. Before I consult the NCAA rule book, I was under the assumption that you couldn’t be pushed or forced out. Remember Anthony Gonzalez’ big catch against Michigan back in 2005? He was forced out but came back onto the playing field to leap up and snare a Troy Smith pass that set-up the Antonio Pittman’s game-winning TD two plays later.
For the game, Pryor was 13-of-19 passing for 144 yards with an interception. He was also sacked four times which cuts into his rushing totals, but netted 20 yards on 15 attempts and a TD.
Beanie had a tremendous game gaining 168 yards on 22 carries and a score.
Statistically, it was a very even game as the score suggests. Wisconsin had a slight edge in first downs (19-17) and passing yards (147-144), while Ohio State had a slim advantage in rushing yards (183-179) and total yards (327-326). In third down conversions, Wisconsin was 8-for-15 (53.3%), and Ohio State was 6-for-12 (50%). Both teams had two turnovers.
Up next, Ohio State will take on the Purdue Boilermakers, Saturday afternoon. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m., and the game will be televised on ABC.
