That’s more like it
Right: Terrelle Pryor cruising into the end zone on his 18-yard TD run in the first quarter vs. Michigan State.
AP Photo
For about the first time all season, the offensive play-calling was imaginative, not predictable, the offensive line actually blocked, and Ohio State’s offense finally looked like the well-oiled machine everyone was expecting it to as the Buckeyes defeated Michigan State 45-7 on Saturday.
With the win, Ohio State moved up to No. 10 in both polls, and are ranked ninth in the first BCS standings, setting up a Saturday night showdown at The ‘Shoe against third-ranked Penn State.
Offensively, most of the damage against the Spartans came in the first half as the Buckeyes gained 259 of their 332 yards and scored 28 unanswered points.
Defensively, Ohio State held Michigan State to just 240 yards of total offense and limited Spartans’ running back Javon Ringer to 67 yards on 16 carries. If that’s not impressive enough, the Buckeye D forced five turnovers and scored on two touchdowns on fumble recoveries.
After both teams traded punts to begin the game, Ohio State was able to work with a short field and drive 47 yards in four plays for the first score of the day, an 18-yard run by Terrelle Pryor around the left end virtually untouched.
Three plays into Michigan State’s next possession, Kurt Coleman knocked the ball loose from Keshawn Martin and Donald Washington picked up the fumble and raced 44 yards down to the Spartans’ 17 yard line.
Five plays later Ohio State was up 14-0 when Pryor rolled out to his right, avoided a sack, and lobbed a pass to a wide-open Brian Robiskie in the end zone for the touchdown.
The Buckeye defense held the Spartans to three plays before punting, and once again had a short field to work with starting at their own 43.
It took just two snaps to go the distance as Pryor hit Brian Hartline for a 56-yard pass play and Beanie Wells punched it in from the 1. With 2:11 left in the first quarter, Ohio State was leading 21-0.
The Buckeyes added one more touchdown in the second quarter when Wells ran 12-yards and did the “Beanie Hop” into the end zone with 6:34 left until halftime.
Michigan State got on the board in the third quarter when they took the half’s opening drive and marched 85 yards in eight plays capped off on a three-yard pass from Kirk Cousins to Charlie Gantt.
The Buckeyes added 17 points in the fourth quarter on a 69-yard fumble return for touchdown by Thaddeus Gibson with 14:41 left, a 40-yard field goal by Aaron Pettrey with 5:27 remaining, and Jermale Hines scored on a 48-yard fumble return for TD with just 15 seconds to go in the game.
Beanie Rushed for 140 yards on 31 carries and two touchdowns, and Pryor added 72 more yards on 12 tries and another score. Pryor was also 7-of-11 passing for 116 yards and a TD.
