2008 Ohio State Buckeyes football team

NCAATeamFootballSeason
Year=2008
Team=Ohio State Buckeyes


Conference=Big Ten Conference
ShortConference=Big Ten
CoachRank=11
APRank=12
Record=6-1
ConfRecord=3-0
HeadCoach=Jim Tressel
OffCoach=Jim Bollman
DefCoach=Jim Heacock
OScheme=Multiple
DScheme=4-3
Stadium=Ohio Stadium (c. 101,568, Field Turf)
Champion=
Bowl=
BowlResult=

The 2008 Ohio State Buckeyes football team will compete in football on behalf of the Ohio State University during the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Buckeyes will be coached by Jim Tressel and will play their home games in Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio.

Before the season

The Buckeyes lost 2007 starters RT Kirk Barton, FB Dionte Johnson and LB Larry Grant to graduation.

Junior DE Vernon Gholston declared for the 2008 NFL Draft.

Number 1 high school recruit Terrelle Pryor officially signed with the team.

Sophomore backup quarterbacks Rob Schoenhoft and Antonio Henton transferred to the University of Delaware and Georgia Southern University respectively.

Offensive lineman Justin Boren transferred to The Ohio State University from the University of Michigan.

In July Defensive Back Eugene Clifford was dismissed from the team and transferred to Tennessee State University. Clifford was also suspended for the 2008 BCS National Championship Game. [Green, Kristofer,BIG TEN FOOTBALL: Ohio State's Eugene Clifford to Transfer [http://bleacherreport.com/articles/41521-big-ten-football-ohio-states-eugene-clifford-to-transfer] , bleacherreport.com, July 27, 2008, Accessed August 5, 2008. ]

Recruiting

See tl|College Athlete Recruit Start

chedule

CFB Schedule Entry
date = August 30
time = 12:00 PM
w/l = w
nonconf = yes
homecoming =
away =
neutral =
rank = 2/3
opponent = cfb link|year=2008|team=Youngstown State Penguins|title=Youngstown State
opprank =
site_stadium = Ohio Stadium
site_cityst = Columbus, Ohio
gamename =
tv = BTN
score = 43-0
overtime =
attend = 105,011CFB Schedule Entry
date = September 6
time = 12:00 PM
w/l = w
nonconf = yes
homecoming =
away =
neutral =
rank = 3/3
opponent = cfb link|year=2008|team=Ohio Bobcats|title=Ohio
opprank =
site_stadium = Ohio Stadium
site_cityst = Columbus, Ohio
gamename =
tv = ESPN
score = 26-14
overtime =
attend = 105,002CFB Schedule Entry
date = September 13
time = 8:00 PM
w/l = l
nonconf = yes
homecoming =
away = yes
neutral =
rank = 5/5
opponent = Southern California
opprank = 1/1
site_stadium = Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
site_cityst = Los Angeles, CA
gamename =
tv = ABC
score = 3-35
overtime =
attend = 93,607CFB Schedule Entry
date = September 20
time = 12:00 PM
w/l = w
nonconf = yes
homecoming =
away =
neutral =
rank = 13/14
opponent = cfb link|year=2008|team=Troy Trojans|title=Troy
opprank =
site_stadium = Ohio Stadium
site_cityst = Columbus, Ohio
gamename =
tv = BTN
score = 28-10
overtime =
attend = 102,989CFB Schedule Entry
date = September 27
time = 12:00 PM
w/l = w
nonconf =
homecoming =
away =
neutral =
rank = 14/13
opponent = Minnesota
opprank =
site_stadium = Ohio Stadium
site_cityst = Columbus, Ohio
gamename =
tv = BTN
score = 34-21
overtime =
attend = 105,175CFB Schedule Entry
date = October 4
time = 8:00 PM
w/l = w
nonconf =
homecoming =
away = yes
neutral =
rank = 14/12
opponent = Wisconsin
opprank = 18/17
site_stadium = Camp Randall Stadium
site_cityst = Madison, WI
gamename =
tv = ABC
score = 20-17
overtime =
attend = 81,608CFB Schedule Entry
date = October 11
time = 3:30 PM
w/l = w
nonconf =
homecoming =
away =
neutral =
rank = 12/11
opponent = Purdue
opprank =
site_stadium = Ohio Stadium
site_cityst = Columbus, Ohio
gamename =
tv = ABC (ESPN in some markets)
score = 16-3
overtime =
attend = 105,378CFB Schedule Entry
date = October 18
time = 3:30 PM
w/l =
nonconf =
homecoming =
away = yes
neutral =
rank =
opponent = Michigan State
opprank =
site_stadium = Spartan Stadium
site_cityst = East Lansing, MI
gamename =
tv = ABC (ESPN2 in some markets)
score =
overtime =
attend = CFB Schedule Entry
date = October 25
time = 8:00 PM
w/l =
nonconf =
homecoming = yes
away =
neutral =
rank =
opponent = Penn State
opprank =
site_stadium = Ohio Stadium
site_cityst = Columbus, Ohio
gamename =
tv = ABC/ESPN/ESPN2
score =
overtime =
attend = CFB Schedule Entry
date = November 8
time = TBA
w/l =
nonconf =
homecoming =
away = yes
neutral =
rank =
opponent = Northwestern
opprank =
site_stadium = Ryan Field
site_cityst = Evanston, IL
gamename =
tv =
score =
overtime =
attend = CFB Schedule Entry
date = November 15
time = TBA
w/l =
nonconf =
homecoming =
away = yes
neutral =
rank =
opponent = Illinois
opprank =
site_stadium = Memorial Stadium
site_cityst = Champaign, IL
gamename =
tv =
score =
overtime =
attend = CFB Schedule Entry
date = November 22
time = TBA
w/l =
nonconf =
homecoming =
away =
neutral =
rank =
opponent = Michigan (see Michigan - Ohio State Rivalry)
opprank =
site_stadium = Ohio Stadium
site_cityst = Columbus, Ohio
gamename =
tv =
score =
overtime =
attend = [ [http://www.ohiostatebuckeyes.com/SportSelect.dbml?SPSID=87745&SPID=10408&DB_OEM_ID=17300&KEY=&Q_SEASON=2008 2008 Schedule] ]

Game notes

Youngstown State

Linescore Amfootball
Road=Penguins
R1=0
R2=0
R3=0
R4=0
Home=#3 Buckeyes
H1=13
H2=13
H3=7
H4=10The Buckeyes began the season against Jim Tressel's former team for the second straight year. Going into the game, Tressel planned to play all three quarterbacks within the first half. Top recruit Terrelle Pryor led the Buckeyes to a field goal on his first drive. Pryor also rushed for a touchdown in the second half. However, the 43-0 victory was marred when star running back Chris Wells left the game in the third quarter with a toe injury.

coring Summary

1st Quarter
* 12:06 OHST Wells 43 yard run (Pretorius kick) 7-0 OHST
* 7:54 OHST Pretorius 28 yard field goal 10-0 OHST
* 0:08 OHST Pretorius 31 yard field goal 13-0 OHST

2nd Quarter
* 12:51 OHST Pretorius 26 yard field goal 16-0 OHST
* 5:17 OHST Pretorius 50 yard field goal 19-0 OHST
* 1:16 OHST Robiskie 31 yard pass from Boeckman (Pretorius kick) 26-0 OHST

3rd Quarter
* 2:01 OHST Posey 25 yard pass from Boeckman (Pretorius kick) 33-0 OHST

4th Quarter
* 12:48 OHST Pryor 18 yard run (Pretorius kick) 40-0 OHST
* 5:08 OHST Pettrey 54 yard field goal 43-0 OHST

Ohio

Linescore Amfootball
Road=Bobcats
R1=0
R2=7
R3=7
R4=0
Home=#3 Buckeyes
H1=3
H2=3
H3=6
H4=14 With Chris Wells watching from the sideline with a foot injury, the Buckeyes struggled to move the ball in the first half against the lightly regarded Ohio. The Buckeyes scored first with a 3-0 lead but finished the first half down 7-6. Six minutes into the 3rd quarter quarterback Todd Boeckman fumbled a snap in the Buckeyes end zone which was recovered by Ohio for a touchdown to increase their lead to 14-6. The Buckeyes quickly responded with a Dan Herron 1-yd TD with 2:51 left in the 3rd capped by a missed point-after kick. 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. The recovery was confirmed on video review. Ohio State then capped their 6 play drive with a 2-yd TD run by Brandon Saine to take the 19-14 lead. With around 6 minutes left to play, Ray Small returned an Ohio punt 69 yards for a touchdown which sealed the sluggish win for the Buckeyes.

coring Summary

1st Quarter
* 5:00 OHST Pretorius 27 yard field goal 3-0 OHST

2nd Quarter
* 6:56 OHIO Harden 15 yard run (Way kick) 7-3 OHIO
* 5:02 OHST Pretorius 38 yard field goal 7-6 OHIO

3rd Quarter
* 9:00 OHIO Meyers recovered fumble in end zone (Way kick) 14-6 OHIO
* 2:51 OHST Herron 1 yard run (PAT failed) 14-12 OHST

4th Quarter
* 14:00 OHST Saine 2 yard run (Pretorius kick) 19-14 OHST
* 5:57 OHST Small 69 yard punt return (Pretorius kick) 26-14 OHST

USC

Linescore Amfootball
Road=#5 Buckeyes
R1=3
R2=0
R3=0
R4=0
Home=#1 Trojans
H1=7
H2=14
H3=14
H4=0This game between two perennial powers had long been identified as a major non-conference game with potential championship implications for either program.Stewart Mandel, [http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/stewart_mandel/05/06/mailbag/index.html Why a 'plus-one' was shot down; post-Perrilloux LSU and more] , SI.com, May 7, 2008, Accessed May 9, 2008.] John Walters, [http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/24987368/?pg=3#spt_cfb_impact_games Top 10 impact games] , NBC Sports, June 2008, Accessed June 9, 2008.] In the preseason it was named as the most anticipated regular-season game of 2008.Bruce Feldman, [http://insider.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?entryID=3498446&name=feldman_bruce Ohio State-USC tops must-see games of 2008] , ESPN.com, July 21, 2008, Accessed July 30, 2008.]

By the end of the 2007-08 season, the non-conference game between the Buckeyes and Trojans garnered interest as a possible early-season battle between top-10 teams.Mark Schlabach, [http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/columns/story?columnist=schlabach_mark&id=3186264 Georgia takes top spot in early look at 2008's Top 25] , ESPN.com, January 8, 2006, Accessed January 8, 2008.] USC or Ohio State had played in five of the last six BCS title games. The teams have not faced one another since September 29, 1990, when Todd Marinovich led the Trojans to a 35–26 victory in Ohio Stadium in a game that was called because of a thunderstorm with 2 minutes 36 seconds to play.Jerry Crowe, [http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-crowe10jan10,1,4340257.column Trojans can buck recent trend] , "Los Angeles Times", January 10, 2008, Accessed January 10, 2008.] In naming it the top potentially season-defining game of 2008, "Sports Illustrated" highlighted a theme of credibility: Ohio State enters the game trying to move past the BCS title game losses of the previous two seasons and USC enters trying to show it remains highly competitive with its new starting quarterback and four of five new players on the offensive line.Stewart Mandel, [http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/stewart_mandel/06/30/ten.defining.games/index.html Ten season-defining games in '08] , SI.com, July 1, 2008, Accessed July 2, 2008.] Bruce Feldman, [http://insider.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?entryID=3498446&name=feldman_bruce Ohio State-USC tops must-see games of 2008] , ESPN.com, July 21, 2008, Accessed July 30, 2008.]

coring Summary

1st Quarter
* 3:06 OHST Pretorius 29 yard field goal 3-0 OHST
* 0:33 USC Havili 35 yard pass from Sanchez (Buehler kick) 7-3 USC

2nd Quarter
* 11:00 USC Ayles 1 yard pass from Sanchez (Buehler kick) 14-3 USC
* 2:49 USC Maualuga 48 yard interception return (Buehler kick) 21-3 USC

3rd Quarter
* 6:02 USC Williams 24 yard pass from Sanchez (Buehler kick) 28-3 USC
* 1:33 USC Williams 17 yard pass from Sanchez (Buehler kick) 35-3 USC

Troy

Linescore Amfootball
Road=Trojans
R1=0
R2=10
R3=0
R4=0
Home=#14 Buckeyes
H1=7
H2=7
H3=0
H4=14

Minnesota

Linescore Amfootball
Road=Golden Gophers
R1=3
R2=0
R3=3
R4=15
Home=#13 Buckeyes
H1=7
H2=13
H3=7
H4=7

coring Summary

Wisconsin

Linescore Amfootball
Road=#12 Buckeyes
R1=7
R2=0
R3=3
R4=10
Home=#17 Badgers
H1=0
H2=10
H3=0
H4=7

This game was seen by many as the toughest conference game on the Buckeyes' schedule. With a healthy Chris Wells, the Buckeyes would start the game out strong, with a touchdown on the opening drive. Momentum would begin to turn in the second quarter as the Badgers would intercept a long pass from Terrelle Pryor. The game went into halftime with the Buckeyes trailing 10-7.Late in the fourth quarter, down 17-13, Terrelle Pryor orchestrated a late drive and would rush in the game winning touchdown with 1:08 left. In a last chance for the Badgers, the Buckeyes intercepted a pass to seal a 20-17 win.The game was unusual for the Wisconsin fans as the Wisconsin Marching Band was suspended for the game due to accusations of alcohol abuse, hazing and sexual misconduct. The crowd had to rely on music played over the loud speakers.

Purdue

Linescore Amfootball
Road=Boilermakers
R1=0
R2=0
R3=3
R4=0
Home=#11 Buckeyes
H1=10
H2=3
H3=0
H4=3

Michigan State

Linescore Amfootball
Road=Buckeyes
R1=
R2=
R3=
R4=
Home=Spartans
H1=
H2=
H3=
H4=

Penn State

Linescore Amfootball
Road=Nittany Lions
R1=
R2=
R3=
R4=
Home=Buckeyes
H1=
H2=
H3=
H4=

Northwestern

Linescore Amfootball
Road=Buckeyes
R1=
R2=
R3=
R4=
Home=Wildcats
H1=
H2=
H3=
H4=

Illinois

Linescore Amfootball
Road=Buckeyes
R1=
R2=
R3=
R4=
Home=Fighting Illini
H1=
H2=
H3=
H4=

Michigan

Linescore Amfootball
Road=Wolverines
R1=
R2=
R3=
R4=
Home=Buckeyes
H1=
H2=
H3=
H4=

Rankings

valign="top"

Passing

pecial teams

Field Goals and PATs

ee also

* 2008 Big Ten Conference football season

References

External links

* [http://www.ohiostatebuckeyes.com/SportSelect.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=17300&KEY=&SPID=10408&SPSID=87743 Ohio State Buckeyes Football official site]
* [http://www.danmarinotribute.com/BuckeyeNation BUCKEYE NATION™]
* [http://blog.cleveland.com/sports/2008/01/ohio_state_qb_schoenhoft_trans.html]
* [http://www.ohiostatebuckeyes.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=17300&ATCLID=1456292]
* [http://msn.foxsports.com/cfb/gameTrax?gameId=200808300033]