Irish E Are Crying Ohio State Wallops Notre Dame, Sets Up Penn State Showdown
If there’s any doubt about how good Ohio State is, quarterback Stanley Jackson would like to set the record straight.
“I might be bragging a little bit, but my offensive line, my defense, is the best in the country,” he said.
After putting up 70 points against Pittsburgh and Rice, the fourth-ranked Buckeyes proved they were for real Saturday with a convincing 29-16 win over No. 5 Notre Dame.
Pepe Pearson led the Buckeyes with 173 yards rushing and two touchdowns, and Jackson was 9 of 15 for 154 yards and two TDs.
The loss hurts Notre Dame’s bid for a national title, and sets up a showdown next weekend between the Buckeyes (3-0) and No. 3 Penn State.
“It doesn’t get much better,” coach John Cooper said. “I don’t know where we rank nationally, but today we were a pretty good football team.”
The same couldn’t be said for the Irish (3-1), who were lethargic in the first half and let a comeback in the fourth quarter slip away. Ron Powlus took the loss especially hard, leaving the lockerroom with red eyes.
“The national championship is over,” he said tersely. “Now the best we can do is go 10-1.”
Ohio State had control of the game by halftime. Notre Dame rallied then watched the rally fall apart because of mistakes. Autry Denson returned a punt 90 yards for a touchdown but it was called back when Ty Goode was called for holding. The score would have brought the Irish within 29-22 with 3:41 to go.
The penalty brought the play back to the Notre Dame 9. Denson screamed in anger when he heard the call, then knelt at the sideline, shaking his head. Denson also broke his left index finger in the game, and will undergo surgery today. He should be able to play in Notre Dame’s next game, Oct. 12 against Washington.
Four minutes earlier, Notre Dame scored on Marc Edwards’ 9-yard run and cut the score to 29-16. The extra point was blocked. Irish coach Lou Holtz said he considered going for a 2-point conversion, but decided against it.
“I didn’t want to lose momentum,” he said. “It was going to take two scores anyway.”
The game took an ugly turn in the final minute, when Cooper and an Irish player went after each other after an interception. The two appeared to touch each other before being separated. Cooper left before he could be asked about the incident.
Ohio State set the tone on the opening kickoff, which Dimitrious Stanley returned for 85 yards before being dragged down at the Irish 13. Four plays later, Pearson scooted 3 yards into the end zone.
It was the 15th straight possession - dating back to last season - that Jackson led the Buckeyes into the end zone.
“I think the opening … was a big play for us,” Cooper said. “It set the tempo for the rest of the ball game.”
Ohio State, which came into the game leading the nation in scoring (71 points per game) and total offense (617 yards), dominated once again. The Buckeyes led 22-7 after outgaining the Irish 157-42 in the first half.
Notre Dame was able to convert just once on third down in the first half. Its problems were summed up with one statistic: Powlus, whose rushing average has been in the negative numbers his first two seasons, was the leading Irish runner at the half with 28 yards.
Powlus finished with 15 yards on nine carries. He also completed 13 of 30 passes for 154 yards and one touchdown. He was intercepted twice.
Denson was the leading Irish rusher, gaining 55 yards on 19 carries.
“We embarrassed ourselves out there in the first half,” Edwards said. “The offense couldn’t move the ball, and we left the defense in some bad situations.”
The Irish defense was the only reason the halftime score wasn’t more lopsided. On Ohio State’s second possession, linebacker Bert Berry tipped Brent Bartholomew’s punt attempt and Allen Rossum recovered it at the Buckeyes 49. It was the first Buckeye turnover this season.
But the Irish couldn’t make anything of the turnover and were forced to punt.
It was the first time since the 1991 Orange Bowl that Notre Dame lost to a fellow top-five team.