Inconsistent? Definitely. But Iowa’s Ricky Stanzi Defines Clutch
October 31, 2009 by feed · Leave a Comment
It was exactly the way Iowa drew it up. Well, maybe not exactly.
“I hope I don’t ever [do that] again… We’ll take the win, but there has to be an easier way,” Iowa quarterback Ricky Stanzi said.
I’m sure Kirk Ferentz would agree with his quarterback and settled for an earlier blowout of the Indiana Hoosiers. But, once again, the Hawkeyes didn’t care how they got it done. Simply put, they just…
Continue reading at Bleacher Report – Big Ten Football
Bucks Blank New Mexico St, 45-0
October 31, 2009 by feed · Leave a Comment
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State treated its fans to a variety of trick plays on a Halloween afternoon, most of them sparking a 28-point second quarter, and the 17th-ranked Buckeyes rolled over New Mexico State, 45-0, Saturday in Ohio Stadium.
“We needed to play fast and play well and do a lot better than we’ve been doing,” Jim Tressel, Ohio State head coach, said. “They came out with a good focus after a good week of practice. We came out and got it done decisively.”
Making creative use of a rare, late-in-the-season non-conference game, Ohio State used an onsides kick and a double reverse, wide receiver pass to break the game open and improve its record to 7-2 on the season. Western Athletic Conference member New Mexico State drops to 3-6 with the loss.
Terrelle Pryor rushed for 83 yards and passed for another 135 in just two quarters of action to lead the offensive charge. He scored one touchdown and threw for another. DeVier Posey (five receptions for 79 yards plus a 39-yard touchdown pass), Dane Sanzenbacher (four receptions for 72 yards and two touchdowns) and Jordan Hall (career highs with 10 carries for 90 yards) also had big games. The Buckeyes rushed for a season-high 310 yards.
Defensively, Ohio State limited the Aggies to 62 total yards while recording its third shutout of the season. It is the first time the team has three shutouts in a single campaign since 1996.
After a scoreless first quarter, Pryor opened the scoring with an 8-yard rush on the first play of the second quarter for a 7-0 Ohio State lead. The play capped an 18-play drive that included a 27-yard Pryor rush, a 13-yard Hall rush and a third-down completion from Pryor to Jake Ballard for 10 yards that set Ohio State up at the 8.
Kicker Aaron Pettrey then recovered his own onsides kick to give Ohio State the ball right back at its own 41. Pryor went to work through the air, completing passes of 11 and 7 yards to Posey, and then going to the end zone for Posey that resulted in a defensive pass interference call. Armed with a fresh set of downs at the NMSU 19, Pryor needed only one of them as he fired a strike to Sanzenbacher in the end zone for a 14-0 lead.
The scored capped a 14-point outburst in 1:59. And there would be more.
Inside of five minutes to play in the first half, Ohio State scored again to make it 21-0. After a Pryor rush of 27 yards positioned the ball at the Aggie 35, Ohio State went back into its bag of tricks. Pryor pitched the ball to Dan Herron heading right and he pitched it to Posey coming back left. Positioning the ball, Posey fired a left-handed pass deep into the end zone that Sanzenbacher gathered in with his right hand while shielding the defender from the ball with his left.
A nine-play drive that Brandon Saine closed out with a 3-yard touchdown run completed the first-half scoring and sent the home team into halftime with a 28-0 lead.
Devin Barclay, kicking in place of Aaron Pettrey, who was injured on a kickoff in the second quarter, converted on a 29-yard field goal with 7:05 to play in the third quarter to increase the lead to 31-0.
Brian Rolle recovered an Aggie fumble in the end zone late in the third quarter and Dan Herron went 53-yards with five seconds to play in the quarter to make the score 45-0.That was the end of the scoring for the day, as neither team could find the endzone in the fourth.
Big Ten action resumes for Ohio State next week in State College against Penn State. Game time is 3:30 p.m. and the game will be carried nationally by ABC.
Penn State turns it on late against Wildcats
October 31, 2009 by feed · Leave a Comment
Posted by ESPN.com’s Adam Rittenberg
Penn State has had its share of close calls at Ryan Field, and for three quarters, Saturday’s game seemed destined to be another one.
But the Nittany Lions took advantage of matchup advantages on both sides of the ball to wear down a scrappy Northwestern team playing without starting quarterback Mike Kafka. Penn State exploded in the fourth quarter and…
Continue reading at ESPN.com – Big Ten – Blog
Update on Iowa’s Parker
October 31, 2009 by feed · Leave a Comment
Posted by ESPN.com’s Adam Rittenberg
I wanted to give you a quick update on Iowa defensive coordinator Norm Parker.
The 68-year-old was hospitalized this week but allowed to coach from the press box during Saturday’s game against Indiana. Parker has battled diabetes for years and had a toe amputated before the season after it got infected.
“He’s got a foot situation and we’ve been pushing the…
Continue reading at ESPN.com – Big Ten – Blog
Iowa-Indiana: Sorry for Ever Doubting You, Ricky Stanzi
October 31, 2009 by feed · Leave a Comment
Dear Ricky,
With the utmost sincerity, I extend you my humble apologies. You pulled off another brilliant fourth-quarter comeback when almost nobody in the Hawkeye Nation thought you could.
After three absolutely miserable quarters, you came out in the fourth quarter and immediately threw two passes for 158 yards and two touchdowns to give the Hawkeyes the lead.
I lost faith, and you…
Continue reading at Bleacher Report – Big Ten Football
Illinois breaks through against sliding U-M
October 31, 2009 by feed · Leave a Comment
Posted by ESPN.com’s Adam Rittenberg
Illinois’ nightmare ended on Halloween. Michigan’s might just be getting started.
You figured the Fighting Illini wouldn’t go through the season winless in Big Ten play. But they deserve a lot of credit for really dominating Michigan in the second half en route to a 38-13 win. Senior quarterback Juice Williams finally had something go his way, as he shredded…
Continue reading at ESPN.com – Big Ten – Blog
Badgers, Buckeyes roll to easy wins
October 31, 2009 by feed · Leave a Comment
Posted by ESPN.com’s Adam Rittenberg
Quick thoughts on the other two early Big Ten games.
Wisconsin 37, Purdue 0: It has been a day of surprises in the league, and few saw this one coming. Wisconsin made a major statement coming off of its bye week, dominating Purdue from the get-go. Sophomore running back John Clay had a dominating performance (123 rush yards, 3 TDs), but the defense was the…
Continue reading at ESPN.com – Big Ten – Blog
Iowa’s fourth quarter magic works again
October 31, 2009 by feed · Leave a Comment
Posted by ESPN.com’s Adam Rittenberg
AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall
Iowa’s Ricky Stanzi threw five interceptions against Indiana Saturday but an explosive performance in the fourth quarter helped the Hawkeyes to a 42-24 win.
IOWA CITY, Iowa — The thought crossed Kirk Ferentz’s mind. The Iowa head coach started to worry that his team’s edge-of-the-cliff dance would finally come to a…
Continue reading at ESPN.com – Big Ten – Blog
Indiana can’t get over the hump again
October 31, 2009 by feed · Leave a Comment
Posted by ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg
IOWA CITY, Iowa — Iowa’s clutch victories away from Kinnick Stadium are the talk of the Big Ten this fall, but the Indiana Hoosiers could easily be the league’s road warriors.
Indiana held fourth-quarter leads in all three of its conference road games, against Michigan, Northwestern and Iowa. And all three times, the Hoosiers managed to fall short.
The…
Continue reading at ESPN.com – Big Ten – Blog
Video: Iowa’s Stanzi on win over Indiana
October 31, 2009 by feed · Leave a Comment
Iowa quarterback Ricky Stanzi discusses the Hawkeyes’ latest come-from-behind win — a 42-24 victory over Indiana on Saturday.
Continue reading at ESPN.com – Big Ten – Blog