Ohio State hadn't seen anything like Cincinnati's spread offense this season. And it almost cost the Buckeyes their first loss to an Ohio school since 1921.

        UC quarterback Gino Guidugli opened and closed the game with aerial drives that Ohio State could not stop, until the final four plays. He threw to eight different receivers for 323 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions, one on a tipped ball and the other because of miscommunication with a receiver.

        But it was the no-huddle offense that kept the Ohio State secondary guessing, especially when receivers drifted into the middle of the field.

        “They killed us a lot by bringing the wide receiver behind the linebackers and underneath the safeties,” said OSU linebacker Matt Wilhelm, who tipped Guidugli's final pass that was intercepted by Will Allen. “For a while they really had us on the run, and the no-huddle really threw us off balance. We were doing our best, but the cornerbacks and defensive backs were kind of on islands out there.”

        That was the idea behind the no-huddle, Guidugli said.

        “The no-huddle was definitely part of our plan,” he said. “If it would have worked a couple more times, we would have won the game.”

        That would have been devastating to No.6 Ohio State (4-0), which had not lost to an instate program since a 7-6 loss to Oberlin College 81 years ago. The Buckeyes were vulnerable Saturday, playing without star freshman running back Maurice Clarett, who was out following arthroscopic knee surgery. Because of that, some players felt fortunate just to get out of Paul Brown Stadium with a victory.

        “In this day and age in college football, a win is a win,” said quarterback Craig Krenzel, who scored the game-winning touchdown with 3:44 left. “We had guys make plays when it counted.”

        Clarett's replacement, sophomore Lydell Ross, provided steady momentum in the second half. He ran for key first downs on both of OSU's touchdown drives in the second half and finished with 125 yards.

        But it was a fumble by Ross' teammate, Maurice Hall, in the first quarter that helped Ross get comfortable. OSU coach Jim Tressel removed Hall from the game after he fumbled, leaving the ball-carrying duty to just Ross. Tressel said that although Hall took a hard hit from UC's Jason Hunt, Hall was not injured on the play.

        “We can't have fumbles, though,” Tressel said.

        It calmed Ross' nerves that he knew he didn't have to split time with Hall.

        “In a certain aspect, yeah, it did help that (Hall fumbled),” Ross said. “... I knew Coach might sit him down a little bit after that. In the second half, I was able to get some rhythm. With Clarett out, the opportunity was there for me, and I think I ran with it today. I showed people that I could run the ball.”

Ohio State 23, UC 19 PHOTO GALLERY UC-Ohio State statistics DAUGHERTY: UC needed a hero Maligned 'D' strong for UC UC Notebook: Special teams hurt UC's no-huddle befuddles Buckeyes

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