Despite uneven performance, Buckeyes make all the big plays to remain big dog in Big Ten

Buckeyes remain Big Ten’s big dog

COLUMBUS, Ohio — There were 129 plays in the Wisconsin-Ohio State game. On all but a few, the Badgers seemed like the better team.

But three big plays flipped the game in the Buckeyes’ favor. Maybe that’s why they’ve won all or a share of the last four Big Ten titles.

Badgers coach Bret Bielema came away both frustrated by the Buckeyes — and amazed by them.

“If you want to be considered a player in this league, you’ve got to beat Ohio State,” Bielema said after the ninth-ranked Buckeyes’ 31-13 victory on Saturday. “A very wise coach once said, ‘If you’ve done it, you’re not bragging.’ They’ve done it for four straight years. They’ve set the bar in this league and we need to be able to go after it.”

Wisconsin’s offense played exceedingly well for most of the game. So did its defense. And it had only one slip-up on special teams. But the Buckeyes (5-1, 3-0) gave the Badgers no margin for error.

With Wisconsin (5-1, 2-1) driving in the first quarter of a scoreless game, quarterback Scott Tolzien was pressured by Ohio State’s line as he looked to throw. His hurried pass went directly to safety Kurt Coleman, who went 89 untouched yards with the interception.

“I just was standing right there,” said Coleman, playing in his first game since a one-game suspension for a late hit against Illinois. “My team led me all the way down the field. I did the easy part. They did all the work.”

Still, the Badgers trailed only 14-10 when they took the second-half kickoff. Five plays later, Tolzien felt more pressure as he tossed a pass into the right flat for end Isaac Anderson. But Ohio State safety Jermale Hines leaped high to tip the pass, then collected it before racing down the left sideline and falling backwards into the end zone after the 32-yard return.

“I tipped it with my messed-up elbow and saw blockers were in front of me,” he said.

Once again the Badgers regrouped, though. A 33-yard pass from Tolzien to Nick Toon helped set up Philip Welch’s 46-yard field goal to cut the lead to a tenuous 21-13 with 10 minutes left in the third quarter.

But Welch’s kickoff was gathered by Ray Small at the 4. He burst up the middle, then cut to the left and back to the right and sped away from the last man back, Devin Smith, to complete a 96-yard kickoff return.

It was the kind of thing that championship teams do.

“I knew I was gone,” said Hines, frequently in coach Jim Tressel’s doghouse. “The only thing I was thinking was, ‘Is there any yellow (flags)?’ But there wasn’t, and I got that big smile.”

Wisconsin would finish with 22 first downs to the Buckyes’ eight and with advantages of 118-97 in rushing and 250-87 in passing. Standing out the most, though, might be the time of possession numbers: Wisconsin had the ball for 42:47.

“We didn’t do as well as we need to do,” Tressel said of his offense. “We’ve got to get better.”

But despite a mediocre effort when they had the ball, the Buckeyes still found a way to win.

They next play at Purdue (1-5, 0-2) on Saturday and then at home against Minnesota and New Mexico State before embarking on a stretch run that includes two of the top teams in the Big Ten: at Penn State, Iowa at home, then at Michigan to close the regular season.

They’ll have plenty of time to work out the kinks on offense.

And Wisconsin? They’ll go back to the drawing board, wondering how to catch up.

“They’re always a good litmus test for where you’re at,” said safety Chris Maragos, who scored the Badgers’ only touchdown on a 9-yard run off of a fake field goal. “They’ve won the conference four straight years. They’re a big dog that you have to take down.”