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No. 6 Ohio State Buckeyes vs Illinois Illini Gameday Info Nov 3, 2012

#6 Ohio State (9-0, 5-0) vs. Illinois (2-6, 0-4)
Saturday, Nov. 3, 2012 – 3:30 p.m.
Ohio Stadium (102,329)
Columbus, Ohio

THE BROADCASTS
Television: ESPN will televise the game with Beth Mowins and former Buckeye Joey Galloway in the booth and Lewis Johnson on the sidelines.
Radio: WBNS (FM 97.1 The Fan) is the fl agship station for the 73-station Ohio State radio network. The Urban Meyer pregame show airs 30 minutes prior to kickoff. Paul Keels will call the play-by-play with former Buckeye Jim Lachey in the booth and Marty Bannister on the sidelines. The game can also be heard live on Sirius channel 113 and XM channel 197.

FIRST AND 10

  • The Buckeyes are ranked No. 6 this week by the Associated Press, their highest ranking since the final poll of the 2010 season (No. 5).
  • The Buckeyes are one of only six unbeaten FBS teams and the only team 9-0 (5-0 Big Ten).
  • Illinois comes to Ohio Stadium 2-6 overall and 0-4 in the Big Ten, and they have won seven of the last 11 games in Ohio Stadium.
  • Illinois head coach Tim Beckman is one of 10 former assistants of Urban Meyer who have become a head coach. He is the second who will coach against Meyer as a head coach (Dan Mullin; Mississippi State).
  • Braxton Miller (1,093 rushing yards) is the first Ohio State QB and just the third different Big Ten QB to rush for 1,000 yards in a season. Miller needs one more rushing TD to tie the Ohio State record for rushing TDs by a QB in a single season.
  • Miller ranks 11th nationally and leads all Big Ten players in rushing yards (121.4 ypg) and also leads the Big Ten in total offense (291.1 ypg).
  • As a team Ohio State ranks first in the Big Ten in scoring (39.2), rushing yards (262.8) and rushing defense (107.0 ypg) in Big Ten games.
  • Bradley Roby leads the Big Ten with 18 passes defended (16 PBUs, 2 INTs) in eight games.
  • The Buckeyes are one of the few teams in the country who haven’t had an off week this season. They’ll enjoy that next week … the weekend of Nov. 10.
  • Ohio State will honor the branches of the military Saturday as part of its Military Appreciation game.GAME ON
    The 9-0 (and 5-0 Big Ten Conference) Ohio State Buckeyes host the Illinois Fighting Illini (2-6; 0-4) in a 3:30 p.m. game Saturday at Ohio Stadium. ESPN will televise the game to a national audience with Beth Mowins and Joey Galloway on the call.STREAKING OHIO STATE ONE OF SIX UNBEATEN
    At 9-0, Ohio State is riding its longest winning streak in five years, or since the 2007 team opened 10-0. The Buckeyes are one of only six unbeaten teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision entering Week 10 of the season and the only team in the country 9-0. Those still unbeaten, with their Associated Press ranking, include:9-0 – No. 6 Ohio State (Big Ten)
    8-0 – No. 1 Alabama (SEC)
    8-0 – No. 2 Oregon (Pac 12)
    8-0 – No. 3 Kansas State (Big 12)
    8-0 – No. 4 Notre Dame (Independent)
    8-0 – No. 12 Louisville (Big East)

    THE DIVISION’S LEADERSHIP
    Ohio State (5-0) has a one-and-a-half game lead and the tiebreaker over 3-1 Penn State in the quest for a Big Ten Leaders Division title and a two-game advantage over Wisconsin, who Ohio State plays Nov. 17 in Madison. Wisconsin, at 3-2, holds a two-game edge over Indiana (and three over Illinois and Purdue) in the competition to represent the division in the Big Ten championship game Dec. 1 in Indianapolis.

    Key “Leaders” games left …
    Ohio State: Illinois, at Wisconsin, Michigan
    Penn State: at Purdue, at Nebraska, Indiana, Wisconsin
    Wisconsin: at Indiana, Ohio State, at Penn State
    Indiana: Iowa, Wisconsin, at Penn State, at Purdue

    SECOND-OLDEST SERIES
    Ohio State and Illinois will be meeting for the 99th time since the series was initiated in 1902. Only the series against Michigan, which started in 1897 and which has seen 108 games, is older and lengthier than Ohio State’s series with Illinois. Ohio State and Illinois played every year for 89 consecutive years, between 1914 and 2002, until the series was interrupted in 2003. The game Saturday will be the eighth consecutive year the teams have played.

    Game Streaks (consecutive years)
    Ohio State vs. Michigan – 94 years
    Ohio State vs. Penn State – 19 years
    Ohio State vs. Illinois – 8 years
    Ohio State vs. Purdue – 6 years
    Ohio State vs. Wisconsin – 5 years
    Ohio State vs. Indiana – 3 years
    Ohio State vs. Michigan State – 2 years
    Ohio State vs. Nebraska – 2 years
    Ohio State vs. Iowa – last played in 2010
    Ohio State vs. Minnesota – last played in 2010
    Ohio State vs. Northwestern – last played in 2008

    OHIO STATE LEADS, 63-30-4
    Ohio State leads the all-time series, 63-30-4 (the 2010 win was vacated) and has a 37-18-4 advantage in Columbus. Between 1968 and 1982, the Buckeyes put together a 15-game winning streak against the Illini, the longest streak in the series by either team. Illinois won five in a row between 1988 and 1992. Ohio State has, officially, won six of the last seven meetings.

    OHIO STADIUM SUCCESS FOR ILLINI
    Illinois has won seven of the last 11 games in Ohio Stadium. Over the length of the series, the Fighting Illini actually have a better winning percentage and record (.408; 18 wins; 27 losses; 4 ties) in Ohio Stadium than in games played in Champaign (.260; 12 wins; 34 losses). Illinois was a 28-21 winner as recently as 2007 in Columbus (when the Buckeyes were No. 1 in the nation).

    UI: 7 Wins Last 11 Games in Columbus
    Sept. 26, 2009 – #13 Ohio State 30, Illinois 0
    Nov. 10, 2007 – Illinois 28, #1 Ohio State 21
    Nov. 5, 2005 – #12 Ohio State 40, Illinois 2
    Nov. 17, 2001 – #12 Illinois 34, #25 Ohio State 22
    Nov. 13, 1999 – #10 Illinois 46, #25 Ohio State 20
    Nov. 15, 1997 – #4 Ohio State 41, Illinois 6
    Nov. 11, 1995 – #2 Ohio State 41, Illinois 3
    Oct. 8, 1994 – Illinois 24, #17 Ohio State 10
    Oct. 10, 1992 – Illinois 18, #21 Ohio State 16
    Oct. 6, 1990 – #13 Illinois 31, #20 Ohio State 20
    Oct. 1, 1988 – Illinois 31, Ohio State 12

    ILLINOIS SNAPPED A STREAK IN 2007
    Unranked Illinois came into Ohio Stadium in 2007 and snapped the No. 1-ranked Buckeyes’ 10-game winning streak, 28-21. The Ohio State winning streak was the most recent of 14 such streaks of 10-or-more games.

    Ohio State Winning Streaks (buster)
    22 – 1967-69 (at Michigan, 24-12)
    19 – 2005-06 (vs. Florida, 41-14)
    19 – 2002-03 (at Wisconsin, 17-10)
    17 – 1915-17 (tied Auburn, 0-0)
    14 – 1899-00 (Ohio Medical, 11-6)
    13 – 1957-58 (tied at Wisconsin, 7-7)
    12 – 1944-45 (Purdue, 35-13)
    11 – 1995 (at Michigan, 31-23)
    11 – 1979 (vs. USC, 17-16)
    11 – 1975 (vs. UCLA, 23-10)
    11 – 1954-55 (at Stanford, 6-0) 10 – 2010 (Illinois, 28-21)
    10 – 1996 (Michigan, 13-9)
    10 – 1934-35 (Notre Dame, 18-13)

    THEY PLAY FOR A WOODEN TURTLE
    The winner of the Ohio State/Illinois game is awarded with the Illibuck, a wooden replica of a turtle. The tradition began with a live turtle in 1925. Illibuck is the second oldest trophy exchanged in the Big Ten, behind the Little Brown Jug trophy played for by Minnesota and Michigan.

    COUPLE OHIO COACHES
    Ohio State coach Urban Meyer and Illinois coach Tim Beckman coached two seasons together at Bowling Green; Meyer as head coach retaining Beckman as Falcons’ defensive coordinator for the 2001 and 2002 seasons. Meyer, from Ashtabula, Ohio, is 113-23 in his 11th season as a head coach. Beckman, from Berea, Ohio, coached seven seasons at Bowling Green before departing after the 2004 season for Ohio State. He is 23-21 in his fourth season as a head coach.

    THIRD GAME AGAINST FORMER ASSISTANT
    Urban Meyer has had 10 of his assistant coaches move on to head coaching positions in the FBS, including Tim Beckman at Illinois. The game will mark the third time Meyer has coached against a former assistant. The two previous times were Florida vs. Mississippi State games. Meyer’s Gators defeated Dan Mullin’s Bulldogs in 2009, 29-19, in Starkville, Miss., and the Bulldogs topped Florida in Gainesville in 2010: 10-7.

    Meyer Assistants to Head Coaches
    Steve Addazio – Temple, 2nd year
    Gary Anderson – Utah State, 4th year
    Tim Beckman – Illinois, 1st year (3 seasons at UT head coach)
    Gregg Brandon – Bowling Green (6 seasons)
    John “Doc” Holliday – Marshall, 3rd year
    Dan McCarney – North Texas, 2nd year
    Dan Mullen – Mississippi State, 4th year
    Mark Sanford – UNLV (coached 5 seasons)
    Charlie Strong – Louisville, 3rd year
    Kyle Whittingham – Utah, 8th year

    MORE COACHING TIES
    There are plenty of coaching staff ties on the two staffs outside of Meyer/Beckman. Meyer and UI co-OC/WR coach Billy Gonzales have spent 13 years together. Meyer was his position coach – WR – at Colorado State and then had Gonzales coach WRs for him at Bowling Green (2001-02), Utah (2003-04) and Florida (2005-09). Here’s more ties:

  • UI LB coach Mike Ward was Meyer’s DL coach at Bowling Green;
  • Meyer (WRs) and Tim Salem (RBs) were on the Colorado State staff together in 1990 under Earle Bruce;
  • Salem coached QBs four seasons at Ohio State under John Cooper (1997-2000);
  • Kerry Coombs coached with UI DC/SAF coach Tim Banks in 2010-11 at Cincinnati under Butch Jones;
  • Coombs and Tim Hinton coached with UI DL coach Keith Gilmore at Cincinnati in 2007-08 under Brian Kelly; and
  • Beckman was in his second season on Jim Tressel’sOhio State staff in 2006 when the Buckeyes went 12-0 in the regular season but lost to Meyer’s Florida Gators, 41-14, in the BCS Championship game in Glendale, Ariz.ILLINOIS CAN’T HOLD ON VS. INDIANA
    Illinois twice held leads at home against Indiana on Saturday but ended up dropping its 10th consecutive Big Ten game, 31-17, against Indiana. Soph. RB Donovonn Young rushed for 124 yards and Jr. QB Nathan Scheelhaase threw for a score and ran for one, but the Illini could not counter two passing touchdowns from Nate Sudfeld, who threw for 107 yards off the bench. Illinois allowed seven sacks and Indiana scored 10 points off UI turnovers.PULSATING WIN IN HAPPY VALLEY
    Ohio State won for the third consecutive time in Happy Valley, 35-23, Saturday as Braxton Miller totaled 277 yards and three scores, including a dazzling one-yard run, and the Ohio State defense stoned the Penn State ground game (36 yards), forced five punts and surrendered just 16 points. A huge, noisy crowd was going bananas throughout a 7-all first half, but Ryan Shazier “pick-sixed” Matt McGloin on the first series of the second half to give Ohio State a 14-7 lead. After a PSU field goal, Miller drove Ohio State to three consecutive touchdowns, scoring twice himself and hitting Jake Stoneburner with a 72-yard touchdown pass with 6:11 remaining to go up 35-16.SHAZIER HONORS & IS HONORED
    Playing in jersey No. 48 to honor longtime friend, classmate and Plantation H.S. football team manager Gary Curtis, who died earlier this year, Ryan Shazier led the team vs. Penn State in tackles with eight and he had the key defensive play of the game with his 17-yard interception return for a TD early in the third quarter. Shazier had just sacked PSU’s Matt McGloin for a nine-yard loss to the PSU 8 when he stepped in front of a pass and went untouched into the end zone. His game included two sacks for losses of 22 yards and a forced fumble. The Big Ten Conference named him as its co-defensive player of the week for his efforts.

    MORE I-N-T SCORE LORE
    Buckeyes have recorded eight INTs for touchdowns against Penn State in the last 11 games. The thefts have occurred in six games and the Buckeyes have won all six. Ryan Shazier’s on Saturday was the latest and places him into INT score lore with teammate Travis Howard and Devon Torrence (2010), Malcolm Jenkins (2006 and 2007), Antonio Smith (2006), Tyler Everett (2004) and Chris Gamble (2002).

    START. STOP. SCREECH. BLAST OFF. HUH?
    Here’s how the Columbus Dispatch’s Bob Hunter described Braxton Miller’s second one-yard TD run:

    “Miller took the snap and faked the handoff to Carlos Hyde, who sold it well enough to get crushed by DE Sean Stanley. Miller accelerated like a top-fuel dragster, hit the brakes and threw his body into reverse. He took a step back, made charging LB Gerald Hodges miss him, then exploded toward pay dirt. Miller leaped, juked safety Malcolm Willis in midair – who does that? – and landed in the end zone. One yard. A million gasps. Magic? Miller.”

    DEFENSE KEY TO A BIG WIN
    Give credit to Ohio State’s defense for a fine game against Penn State. The defense surrendered just 149 first-half yards against Penn State’s “NASCAR” offense and 363 for the game, including just 36 rushing yards. The unit held Penn State 19 plays below its Big Ten average (74/93) and held on third or fourth down 14 of 21 times. The defense also forced five three-and-outs for the game and, during the critical first half, forced four punts and held on downs once.

    DEFENSIVE GAMES
    Bradley Roby was credited with four pass break-ups against Penn State – although OSU coaches had him with seven – to increase his Big Ten leading totals to 16 PBUs and to 18 total passes defensed. John Simon had a sack, a pass break-up and a tackle on a two-point conversion attempt. Nathan Williams had a sack among his six tackles. And Christian Bryant had six tackles and two pass break-ups.

    BOREN … TO PLAY DEFENSE
    Zach Boren, now three games into his switch from starting fullback to starting linebacker, made his first start at his new position against Penn State and he finished second on the team with seven tackles. He has had eight, five and seven tackles the last three games for 20 total stops, a figure topped only by Ryan Shazier’s 26 tackles during that span. Boren entered the season having played in 39 games and with 27 starts at fullback. He knows linebacker, though, having played it in high school. His dad, Mike, played the position at Michigan and finished second on the school’s all-time charts with 332 tackles.

    MILLER: 3RD B1G QB TO TOP 1,000
    Braxton Miller sped past the 1,000-yard mark for the season with his 134-yard rushing game against Penn State. He becomes just the third quarterback in Big Ten history to top 1,000 yards rushing in one campaign. Miller also becomes the 27th Ohio State player to rush for 1,000 in a season and the first since Chris “Beanie” Wells in 2008.

    Big Ten QBs – Season Rushing Yards
    1. 1,702 – Denard Robinson, Michigan (2010)
    2. 1,270 – Antwaan Randle El, Indiana (2000)
    3. 1,176 – Denard Robinson, Michigan (2011)
    4. 1,093 – Braxton Miller, Ohio State (2012)

    ONE DYNAMIC RUSHING DUO
    The tandem of Braxton Miller and junior RB Carlos Hyde is the most productive rushing duo in the Big Ten with a combined 207.1 yards per game with 22 rushing touchdowns. Miller leads the Big Ten (121.4) in rushing and is 11th nationally, and Hyde ranks seventh (85.7) and 49th, respectively. With sophomore Rod Smith chipping in 179 yards and a healthy 6.9 per carry average, the Buckeyes rank second in the Big Ten and 10th nationally with 247.9 rushing yards per game.

    29 RUSHING TOUCHDOWNS
    Ohio State has scored 29 rushing touchdowns already this season, a figure that not only leads the Big Ten but is already the most in the last 10 years for Ohio State (31 were scored in 2002). Only two Ohio State teams in the last 29 years (2002 and 35 TDs in 1984) have scored more than what the 2012 team has scored so far.

    HERE’S WHERE ELSE OHIO STATE LEADS …
    … Or comes close to leading the Big Ten: scoring (2nd at 38.6 ppg); rushing defense (3rd at 111.7 ypg), total offense (3rd at 431.8); interceptions (1st with 12); kickoff coverage (2nd with 40.5 net avg.); sacks (20 or 2.22 per game); 3rd-down conversions (3rd at 44.7 pct.) and 4th-down conversions (1st at 75 pct.).

    SEMIFINALISTS NAMED
    QB Braxton Miller has been named one of 16 semifinalists for the Maxwell Award’s player of the year. DL Johnathan Hankins has been named one of 16 semifinalists for the Chuck Bednarik Award. Both awards are presented by the Maxwell Football Club of Philadelphia.

    TOUCHDOWN MILLER!
    Braxton Miller is quickly climbing Ohio State’s touchdowns responsible for charts. In just 21 games played the sophomore has accounted for 44 touchdowns (19 rushing and 25 passing). He has accounted for 24 TDs already this season. He needs one and 12 TDs, respectively, to move into the Top 5 rankings for season and career TDs responsible for at Ohio State.

    TDs Responsible for in a Season

    1. 31 Troy Smith 2006
    31 Bobby Hoying 1995
    3. 27 Troy Smith 2005
    4. 25 Terrelle Pryor 2009
    25 Joe Germaine 1998
    25 Keith Byars 1984
    25 Pete Johnson 1975
    8. 24 Braxton Miller 2012
    24 Eddie George 1995
    10. 23 Art Schlichter 1981
    23 Art Schlichter 1979

    TDs Responsible for in a Career

    1. 85 Art Schlichter 1978-81
    2. 68 Troy Smith 2003-06
    3. 61 Bobby Hoying 1992-95
    4. 56 Joe Germaine 1996-98
    56 Pete Johnson 1973-76
    6. 51 Keith Byars 1982-85
    7. 44 Braxton Miller 2011-current
    44 Eddie George 1992-95
    44 Cornelius Greene 1972-75
    10. 43 Terrelle Pryor 2008-09
    43 Greg Frey 1987-90

    MORE PLAYMAKERS VS. PENN STATE
    There were shining stars up and down the roster during Ohio State’s win over a Penn State team that was riding a five-game winning streak. Consider these efforts:

  • Adam Griffin had a pass break-up on a fake punt attempt. Ohio State took over on its own 43 and 10 plays later led 21-10.
  • Evan Spencer had first down receptions – covering 13 yards apiece – on the scoring drive mentioned above.
  • WR Devin Smith was credited with two tackles on special teams.
  • Rod Smith averaged 12 yards per carry, gaining 48 yards off four carries with a career-long of 28 yards.
  • Carlos Hyde scored a touchdown for a fourth consecutive game…a one-yard smash with 34 seconds to play in the first half.
  • The offensive line pounded enough holes to give the running game a 4.4 per carry average and 234 net yards rushing.JAKE: 7-144 LAST THREE
    Jake Stoneburner has better receiving stats the last three games than he did the first six: 7 receptions for 144 yards and one touchdown vs. 7 for 92 and three. He made a difficult, reaching reception of a Braxton Miller bullet over the middle and turned it into a career-long 72-yard score to clinch the game for the Buckeyes. It was his 13th career TD reception.CHAMPIONS vs. PENN STATE
    The offense produced seven of the 13 game champions vs. Penn State, with special teamers picking up four honors. Braxton Miller was the offensive player of the week with Ryan Shazier and Bradley Roby co-players of the week on defense, and Devin Smith the PoW on special teams. Game champions also included OL Andrew Norwell, OL Jack Mewhort, OL Reid Fragel, WR Jake Stoneburner, WR Evan Spencer, RB Carlos Hyde and special teams players Ron Tanner, Adam Griffin and Roby.Game Champion Leaders:
    8 – CB Bradley Roby
    6 – WR Corey Brown
    6 – DL Johnathan Hankins
    5 – OL Andrew Norwell
    5 – OL Jack Mewhort
    5 – WR Devin Smith
    4 – FB Zach Boren
    4 – DL John Simon
    4 – SAF Christian Bryant
    4 – CB Travis Howard
    4 – LB Ryan Shazier
    4 – RB Carlos Hyde
    4 – QB Braxton Miller

    Kenny Guiton DELIVERS
    When backup quarterback Kenny Guiton enters the game, more often than not, something good happens. Guiton has driven Ohio State for a touchdown or finished off a touchdown drive in seven of his 13 series this year.

    The best of Kenny G in 2012:

  • He ran three plays to finish off a touchdown drive on the opening drive of the 17-16 win over Michigan State.
  • Trailing Nebraska 17-7, he came into the game for two plays to finish off a touchdown drive.
  • His third quarter shovel pass to Carlos Hyde went for 14 yards and a score and gave the Buckeyes a two-touchdown lead in the three-point win over Indiana.
  • He completed 6 of 11 passes for 77 yards and one touchdown vs. Purdue. His efforts included a game-winning, 6q-yard TD drive that featured a 39-yard completion to Devin Smith for a first down at the Purdue 22 with 33 seconds to play; an eight-yard completion to the sideline to Evan Spencer; a two-yard touchdown pass to Chris Fields with three seconds left to play; a two-point conversion completion to Jeff Heuerman that tied the score; and a 17-yard completion in overtime to Jake Stoneburnerto the Purdue eight. Three rushes later Ohio State was in the end zone.BUCKS HAVE SIX BLOCKS
    Ohio State blocked two kicks that turned out to be critical plays in getting the game into overtime against Purdue: Garrett Goebel blocked a PAT after Purdue’s first touchdown and Johnathan Hankins blocked a 34-yard field goal attempt with 29 seconds left to play in the third quarter. The blocks were the fifth and sixth, respectively, on the season for the Buckeyes and the 56th and 57th, respectively for an Urban Meyer coached team.Building up the blocks:
    1. Adolphus Washington (PAT vs. UCF);
    2. Orhian Johnson (PAT vs. UAB);
    3. Bradley Roby (Punt vs. Michigan State);
    4. Travis Howard (Punt vs. Indiana);
    5. Garrett Goebel (PAT vs. Purdue); and
    6. Johnathan Hankins (FG vs. Purdue).SINCE 2005: 18-0 WHEN BLOCKING A PUNT
    Urban Meyer’s six Florida teams blocked a total of 21 punts, and they were 16-0 in those games. His Buckeyes have blocked two punts and his teams are now 18-0 when blocking a punt since the start of the 2005 season.

    HYDE FIFTH IN BIG TEN IN RUSHING
    Carlos Hyde has 600 rushing yards this season and 10 touchdowns despite missing nearly three games with a knee injury. He had 140 yards and four touchdowns against Nebraska to earn Big Ten co-offensive player of the week honors and followed that with a career-high 156 yards and two touchdowns vs. Indiana (one receiving TD).

    TIED FOR FIRST IN 100-YARD GAMES
    Ohio State is tied Nebraska for the most 100-yard rushing games in the Big Ten this season: nine. The Buckeyes, behind a power surge of 371 yards rushing vs. Nebraska and 353 vs. Indiana, rank 10th nationally with 247.8rushing yards per game. The 724 yards those two games are the most in one two-game stretch in 32 years, or since the 1980 team combined for 800 yards consecutively vs. Northwestern (418) and Indiana (382). The Buckeyes average 5.9 yards per attempt as a team and have scored 29 touchdowns.

    100-Yard Rushing Games (9) – 2012
    161 – Braxton Miller vs. Miami (17-161-1)
    141 – Braxton Miller vs. UCF (27-141-3)
    105 – Jordan Hall vs. UAB (17-105-0)
    136 – Braxton Miller vs. Michigan State (23-136-0)
    186 – Braxton Miller vs. Nebraska (16-186-1)
    140 – Carlos Hyde vs. Nebraska (28-140-4)
    156 – Carlos Hyde vs. Indiana (22-156-1)
    149 – Braxton Miller vs. Indiana (23-149-1)
    134 – Braxton Miller vs. Penn State (25-134-2)

    FIVE DOUBLE DIGIT WIN STREAKS FOR MEYER
    Ohio State coach Urban Meyer has now coached teams to winning streaks of 10 or more games five times. The only active coach – and one of only nine all-time – to have multiple 20-game winning streaks, Meyer won his last game at Florida – 37-24 over Penn State in the 2011 Outback Bowl in Tampa, Fla. – and he has the Buckeyes 9-0 for a 10-game winning streak. His 9-0 start with the Buckeyes is his fourth-longest winning streak for a season.

    Urban Meyer Winning Streaks (all games):
    22 – Florida (2008 and 2009)
    20 – Utah (2003 and 2004) and Florida (2005)
    11 – Florida (2006 and 2007)
    11 – Bowling Green (2001 and 2002)
    10 – Florida (2010) and Ohio State (2012)

    Meyer’s Single Season Winning Streaks:
    12 – Florida (2009)
    12 – Utah (2004)
    10 – Florida (2008)
    9 – Ohio State (2012)
    8 – Bowling Green (2002)

    ONLY TWO TOP MEYER’S 9-0 START
    Only two first-year Ohio State coaches have started a career better than Urban Meyer’s 9-0 start to the season: Carol Widdoes went 9-0 in 1944 and eventually won his first 12 games before his first loss; and Earle Bruce opened 11-0 in 1979.

    10 TDs FOR Devin Smith; 39.3 PER AVERAGE
    Devin Smith’s two long touchdowns vs. Indiana – a 60-yarder in the second quarter and a 46-yarder for Ohio State’s final points of the game – give the skilled sophomore 10 career touchdown receptions. Ohio State is 8-0 in games Smith scores a touchdown. The average length of his 10 TD receptions is 39.3 yards and he has three receptions this year over 60 (72 vs. Cal; 63 vs. MSU; 60 vs. Indiana).

    BRAXTON CONTINUES TO CLIMB CHARTS
    Braxton Miller ranks 21st nationally and is averaging 291.1 yards of total offense per game and 214.0 for his career. His 4,494 total offensive yards are good for 12th place on Ohio State’s all-time career records list. School records for season and career are 270.6 by Joe Germaine in 1998 and 185.2 by Terrelle Pryor, respectively.

    Nearing these career total offense totals:
    9. 5,261 by Jim Karsatos, 1983-86
    10. 5,097 by Craig Krenzel, 2000-03
    11. 4,815 by Terrelle Pryor, 2008-09
    12. 4,494 by Braxton Miller, 2011-12

    TOP 5 IN REACH
    Nine games into the season and Braxton Miller is in reach of a Top 5 total offense season at Ohio State. The sophomore has 2,620 yards so far – the sixth most in school single season history – and he needs just 127 more yards to move into fifth place for a single season. The record is 3,290 yards by Bobby Hoying in 1995.

    5 TFLs EARN SIMON 3 NATIONAL AWARDS
    John Simon earned three national player of the week honors following his record-tying five tackles-for-loss game against Nebraska: the Chuck Bednarik Award, the Lott IMPACT Trophy and the College Football Performance Award national defensive player of the week awards. Simon, the first Buckeye to ever have a five-TFL game and a four-TFL game, ranks 11th at Ohio State with 38.0 TFLs.

    Ohio State Career TFLs:
    5. 45.5 – Will Smith (2000-03)
    6. 43.5 – Matt Wilhelm (1999-02)
    7. 43.0 – Jerome Foster (1979-82)
    8. 41.0 – A.J. Hawk (2002-05)
    t9 39.0 – Na’il Diggs (1997-99)
    t9. 39.0 – Eric Kumerow (1984-87)
    11. 38.0 – John Simon (2009-12)
    Note: the school record for career TFLs is 66.0 by Mike Vrabel (1993-96)

    22 MISSED GAMES
    Ohio State has had eight different starters or prospective starters miss a total of 22 games this season because of injury. The defensive unit has endured 14 missed games, including losing 11-game starter at linebacker and 46-game veteran Etienne Sabino for the past three games.

    Games Missed by Prospective Starters:
    6 – RB Jordan Hall
    4 – DL Michael Bennett
    3 – SAF C.J. Barnett
    3 – LB Etienne Sabino
    2 – RB Carlos Hyde
    2 – DL Nathan Williams
    1 – CB Bradley Roby
    1 – LB Storm Klein

    Corey Brown SETS 15-YEAR BEST
    Corey Brown tied the fourth-best game in Ohio State history with 12 receptions vs. Michigan State. The total was the most in a game for an Ohio State receiver in 15 years, or since David Boston set the school record with 14 vs. Penn State in 1997. His 32 receptions through the first five games of the season tied Terry Glenn’s total in 1995 as the most catches through the first five games.

    Top 5 Receiving Games by a Buckeye:
    14 – David Boston at Penn State, 1997
    13 – David Boston at Indiana, 1996
    13 – Gary Williams vs. Florida State, 1981
    12 – Corey Brown at Michigan State, 2012
    12 – Billy Anders vs. Washington, 1966
    12 – Bob Grimes vs. Pitt, 1952

    24 70-PLUS YARD DRIVES THIS SEASON
    Ohio State has 24 drives this season of 70 or more yards with all 24 resulting in touchdowns. Last year, Ohio State had nine drives of 70 or more yards and in 2010, 20 such drives.

    MILLER: 5 50-PLUS YARD RUNS
    Braxton Miller now has five career rushes of 50 or more yards and 24 rushes of 20 or more yards (in 21 games). His top five gainers:
    1. 81-yard touchdown vs. Indiana (2011)
    2. 72-yard gain vs. Nebraska (2012)
    3. 67-yard touchdown vs. Indiana (2012)
    4. 65-yard touchdown vs. Miami (2012)
    5. 55-yard touchdown vs. California (2012)