Sunday, October 31, 1999
OHIO STATE 41, IOWA 11
Buckeyes pick good time to play their best
BY SCOTT MacGREGOR
The Cincinnati Enquirer
COLUMBUS — An old familiar look glistened in the Ohio State Buckeyes Saturday, that look of proven confidence, of momentum, of supported swagger. And it couldn't have come back at a better time.
For the first time in seven weeks, 21st-ranked Ohio State played like a nearly complete football team, dumping the lowly Iowa Hawkeyes 41-11 at Ohio Stadium. What matters, though, is not the lopsided score of what transpired Saturday; it's what it gives the Buckeyes heading into next Saturday's grudge match with Michigan State, the team that drowned their national championship hopes a year ago with a humiliating lone defeat.
What the thrashing of an inferior Iowa squad provided Ohio State is the momentum of having played a full, solid game, perhaps its best of a 6-3 season, and doing so heading into an emotional, anticipated week of revenge.
“Guys probably will tell you it doesn't matter, but it does,” said OSU sophomore tailback Jonathan Wells, who scored twice Saturday and had 51 yards on nine carries. “Guys have been real fired up to play this team (Michigan State).”
Beating Iowa provided not so much confidence, defensive captain Ahmed Plummer said, as momentum. Big plays, which OSU displayed on both sides of the ball Saturday, build from big plays, and emotion — like revenge — builds from emotion, even if it starts with frustration, as the Bucks experienced earlier this season.
“Football's a game of momentum,” said Plummer, the senior cornerback from Wyoming who picked off his fourth pass of the season. “I think that's important for this team. We want to keep that momentum going.”
Granted, Saturday's dominance came against an Iowa team that fell to 1-7 and is unquestionably the Big Ten's doormat, but it was nonetheless a cathartic performance for the Buckeyes, who hadn't played as well since beating UCLA Sept. 12 despite pulling out four wins in the interim over less-talented teams. It's the first time they've won back-to-back games in more than a month.
“(Saturday) we took advantage of (being more talented), we played hard, and the score showed it,” Wells said.
And with their sixth win, the Buckeyes (3-2 in the Big Ten) inched one step from becoming bowl-eligible, needing just a single win in their final three games to play in the postseason.
“This was a good, solid victory for us,” coach John Cooper said. “I think we're getting better as the season goes on. If we can keep winning, we can end up having a decent year.”
Sophomore quarterback Steve Bellisari, maddeningly inconsistent since his breakout against UCLA, finally got the air attack going again, completing passes of 22, 40 and 58 yards in a 12-for-21, 240-yard performance. He did miss on several long throws and made a few incorrect reads, but reopened the deep-threat passing game OSU hasn't seen in weeks.
His receivers, especially Ken-Yon Rambo (seven catches, 179 yards), made Bellisari look even better, adjusting to his passes and making big plays after the catch, including Rambo's 40-yarder for a touchdown. The offensive line, blamed for many of this team's offensive woes, gave him time, which also opened the running game for tailback Michael Wiley (15 carries, 86 yards).
Bellisari, somber for several of his post-game interviews this year, was noticeably more upbeat, even smiling.
“That's the whole thing,” he said. “Once you have the confidence, you can do what you want to do. We proved a lot.”
“It's about time we start to make plays,” Plummer said. “We've always believed in each other, but we've taken that confidence to another level now. Falling behind in some of the early games allowed us to grow.”
Iowa ....... 8 0 3 0—11
Ohio St. ....... 7 14 14 6—41
First Quarter
Iowa—Kasper 18 pass from Mullen (Thein run), 12:25.
OSU—Wells 1 run (Stultz kick), 7:32.
Second Quarter
OSU—Bellisari 18 run (Stultz kick), 14:48.
OSU—Houser 3 pass from Bellisari (Stultz kick), 8:35.
Third Quarter
OSU—Wells 3 run (Stultz kick), 12:38.
Iowa—FG Douglas 38, 9:26.
OSU—Rambo 40 pass from Bellisari (Stultz kick), 2:53.
Fourth Quarter
OSU—Provitt 41 pass from Moherman (Stultz kick), 8:10.
A—93,561.
Iowa OSU
First downs ....... 21 25
Rushes-yards ....... 26-53 51-217
Passing ....... 283 317
Comp-Att-Int ....... 29-45-3 16-25-0
Return Yards ....... 143 85
Punts-Avg. ....... 3-48.0 2-39.0
Fumbles-Lost ....... 1-0 2-1
Penalties-Yards ....... 3-20 9-95
Time of Possession ....... 29:14 30:46
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING—Iowa, Betts 15-24, Mullen 4-13, Thein 3-10, Dodge 1-6, Allen 1-6, Crockett 1-(minus 1), Baker 1-(minus 5). Ohio St., Wiley 15-86, Wells 9-51, Westbrooks 6-33, Bellisari 7-32, Combs 5-22, Griffin 3-6, Keller 1-0, Moherman 3-(minus 2), Rambo 2-(minus 11).
PASSING—Iowa, Mullen 29-45-3-283. Ohio St., Bellisari 12-21-0-240, Moherman 4-4-0-77.
RECEIVING—Iowa, Kasper 13-135, Barton 4-65, Oliver 4-24, Yamini 3-16, Wheatley 1-19, Dodge 1-10, Thein 1-10, Allen 1-3, Betts 1-1. Ohio St., Rambo 7-179, Germany 4-61, Provitt 1-41, Wisniewski 1-15, Cacchio 1-11, Wiley 1-7, Houser 1-3.
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