Buckeyes Need Rally To Beat Bobcats

Down 14-12 in 4th, Lethargic Buckeyes Rally to Beat Ohio: Ohio State 26, Ohio 14

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Sept. 6 -- After barely beating Ohio University, No. 3 Ohio State was not a happy football team. In fact, the sluggish win felt more like a loss.

"That was pathetic. It was a pathetic performance," Buckeyes wide receiver Brian Hartline said after the Buckeyes rallied in the fourth quarter for 26-14 win over plucky Ohio. "OU should've won the game. I don't know how we came out with it."

Maybe Ohio State (2-0) had next week's opponent -- No. 1 Southern California -- on its mind. Or maybe it was the loss of injured running back Beanie Wells.

"It kind of looked like [what it] might look like between your opener and your big 'national stage game,' " Ohio State Coach Jim Tressel said. "Which is disappointing."

Lightly regarded even in its own the Mid-American Conference, Ohio put a huge scare into the Buckeyes before they righted things by scoring the last 20 points. With 14 minutes left in the game, the Bobcats led 14-12.

With Wells watching from the sideline with a foot injury, the Buckeyes struggled to move the ball until Brandon Saine's short plunge on the third play of the final quarter finally put them on top. Ray Small added some breathing room with a late 69-yard punt return.

This was not the tuneup the Buckeyes needed before meeting the Trojans.

"I guess we move on and get ready for USC, but overall, that's not good football," Hartline said. "That was just one of those ones where you want to crawl into a hole and get ready for next week. That's exactly how I feel."

Ohio (0-2) had five turnovers.

Ohio State had not lost to an in-state foe since a 7-6 setback to Oberlin in 1921.

Yet, Ohio led 7-6 at the half, 14-6 midway through the third quarter and 14-12 heading into the fourth.

And Ohio did it without its starting quarterback. Theo Scott was brought to his knees by a hit late in the first quarter and was replaced by Boo Jackson. Scott had an injured shoulder and did not return.

Jackson did just enough to bedevil the Buckeyes, completing 9 of 25 passes for 86 yards with three interceptions and rushing for 55 yards on seven carries.

With Ohio State trailing 7-6 in the third quarter, Ohio drove to the Ohio State 34 and punted, with Matt Schulte's kick downed at the 6. Three plays later, center Jim Cordle's snap was over quarterback Todd Boeckman's head and flew into the end zone. Boeckman lost the ball, and it was recovered by Curtis Myers. Barrett May's extra-point kick made it 14-6.

The Buckeyes put together their first extended drive, capped by Dan Herron's two-yard touchdown run, capped by a missed extra point.

The Bobcats then began to falter. Parson fumbled a punt, with Ohio State's Shaun Lane falling on the ball as it tumbled out of bounds at the Ohio 25.

Six plays later, the Buckeyes were back in the end zone -- and in the lead -- on Saine's two-yard run to make it 19-14. Small then sailed 69 yards with under six minutes left to essentially end Ohio's threat.