Saturday, October 23, 1999
Minnesota seeks to end OSU dominance
Buckeyes have won 15 straight vs. Gophers
BY SCOTT MacGREGOR
The Cincinnati Enquirer
COLUMBUS — Ohio State traditionally has owned the Minnesota Golden Gophers, but this might be the year that changes.
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OSU at MINNESOTA
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• Kickoff: noon today in the Metrodome (63,669), Minneapolis.
• Records: OSU 4-3 (1-2 Big Ten); UM 5-1 (2-1).
• TV: ESPN.
• Radio: WBOB-AM 1160.
• Series: OSU leads 34-6 (last: 1998, OSU 45-15).
• Line: Minnesota by 21/2.
• What to watch: Minnesota's Thomas Hamner averages 121.3 rushing yards and could have a huge day against a bad-tackling OSU defense. But the Gophers will need their passing game.
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The Buckeyes have won 15 in a row in this series and 34 of 40 meetings overall. But the Gophers, ranked 24th in the nation and trying to play their way into their first bowl bid since 1986, come into today's noon kickoff in Minneapolis' Metrodome as a 21/2-point favorite and holding the mental edge in at least one way:
While Ohio State players and coaches are talking about how to salvage their 4-3 season (1-2 Big Ten), the air in Minnesota is one of confidence. The Gophers have started 5-1 overall and 2-1 in the Big Ten after going 5-6 last season.
“We don't have the most talent,” Gophers coach Glen Mason said, “but we're strong in attitude.”
It's a big game for both teams' postseason aspirations. A win would be the Gophers' sixth and would give them the credentials necessary to secure a bowl bid while applying a blow to Ohio State's bowl hopes. A loss would mean the Buckeyes would have to win three of their final four games, including one on the road at either Michigan State or Michigan.
“They're going to come into the game thinking they can win. It's our job to take that from them in the beginning of the game,” OSU cornerback Ahmed Plummer said of the Gophers. “We've had success in the past by coming out, taking control and letting them know Ohio State is here, and that's the same type of attitude we're going to have to take in. Hope fully, they'll go back to that mentality that "Here we go again.'”
But this isn't the same Ohio State club that could dominate teams physically and mentally.
No.22 Ohio State must accomplish two things to win: stop the run and establish its own running game. Those sound like simple things, but they've been the problems most troubling these Buckeyes.
The offensive line has been on the hot seat all season in Columbus, never more so than after allowing eight sacks in last week's 23-10 loss at Penn State. The line's failure to protect quarterback Steve Bellisari — who created much of OSU's 143 total offensive yards with his scrambling — and its inability to open holes for tailback Michael Wiley (18 yards on 10 carries) stopped the offense in its tracks.
“There are times when, if we don't block the right guy, obviously (Bellisari) is running for his life,” Buckeyes coach John Cooper said. Bellisari has completed just 38 percent of his passes over the last three games, two of which OSU lost.
Defensively, the Buckeyes face another stiff challenge from a running back, this time Minnesota's Thomas Hamner, who had 184 yards on 32 carries in last week's 37-7 drubbing of Illinois. OSU has given up 100 yards to a running back in each of its last four games, topped by Penn State's Eric McCoo's 211 yards last week.
The Buckeyes say it comes down to poor tackling, which has troubled them all season.
“They're breaking tackles and running for extra yards,” Plummer said. “There were a number of times during the Penn State game that if we had just made the tackles, we probably could have held them to three-and-out. Preventing them from getting the first down is key.”
And Ohio State must re-establish its passing game. The Buckeyes' two wide receivers who looked good early, Reggie Germany and Ken-Yon Rambo, have caught just one touchdown pass in three Big Ten games.
“They might not always execute, and they're not hitting on all cylinders, but the potential is there,” Mason said.
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