Football
OSU Turnovers Allows Purdue to Claim Win in West Lafayette
By John Porentas
A listless first half followed by a second half full
of mistakes led to OSU's (6-4, 3-4) fourth loss of the season as the
Buckeyes fell to Purdue (6-4, 3-4) in West Lafayette by a final score
of 27-17.
Ohio State's offense managed just 108 total yards in
the first half, 53 rushing and 55 passing, with 46 of those yards
coming on OSU' lone scoring drive, a six-play, 44 yard drive culminated
by a 44 yard Mike Nugent field goal on their second possession.
Following that scoring possession, in which the Buckeyes
posted two first downs, OSU's offense was practically a no-show. The
Buckeyes went three-and-out on five consecutive possessions and did
not register another first down until until their last possession
of the half, and eight play drive that stalled at the 45-yard line.
In that drive, the Buckeyes picked up their only third-down conversion
of the first half.
Early on in the game I thought we moved it a little
bit," said OSU Head Coach Jim Tressel.
"Then we dropped a couple of balls. We fell into
a lull for quite some time offensively," Tresesl said.
Purdue's offense, meanwhile, was giving the Buckeyes
defense fits.
Behind second team quarterback Brandon Kirsh the Boilermakers
put 17 first-half points on the board. Purdue kicker Ben Jones tied
the game at three each with a 33 yard field goal late in the first
quarter. In the second quarter, Kirch engineered two long scoring
drives of 78 and 75 yards respectively, both of which culminated in
touchdown passes to Kyle Ingram, the first a 22 yard strike to put
Purdue up 10-3, the second a 15 yard scoring play late in the half
to make the score 17-3 at the intermission.
The OSU defense was hampered by injury in the secondary,
where staring safeties Nate Salley and Donte Whitner did not play,
and at corner where starter Dustin Fox was unable to play due to a
groin injury suffered late in the week at practice.
Purdue not only lead at the half, but held a commanding
lead in total yardage, having outgained the Buckeyes 232 to 108.
The second half was far different from the first.
The Buckeye offense struggled early in the third quarter
but finally got a spark when on their third possession of the second
half OSU went 66 yards in six plays for a score. Key plays on the
drive included a 20 yard run by tailback Antonio Pittman and a 15
yard completion by Smith to freshman wide receiver Devon Lyons. The
drive culminated when Santonio Holmes made a diving catch of a pass
from Smith for a 30 yard touchdown reception. Smith laid out for the
ball on the play, and appeared to juggle the ball briefly before securing
it while flat on his back in the endzone for the score.
On OSU's next possession, Smith once again struck in
the passing game, this time hooking up with wide receiver Roy Hall
for 41 yard gain to put OSU on the Purdue 18-yard line. The Buckeyes
moved to the Purdue 15-yard line, but on third and seven, Smith tried
to force a pass into coverage and was intercepted by Purdue's Brian
Hickman to thwart the drive.
The Buckeyes got the ball back when Kirsh returned the
turnover favor, tossing an intereception to OSU defensive lineman
Quinn Pitcock who returned the pickoff 14 yards to the Purdue 36.
On the first play from scrimmage, Ted Ginn Jr. took
a handoff and went 28 yards to give OSU a first down at the Purdue
eight. Three plays later, however, OSU tailback Antonio Pittman fumbled
near the goal line and Hickman once again came up with the football
to frustrate another OSU scoring chance.
"You can't come and turn it over against a good
team like we did today," lamented Tressel.
"We got to that red zone and didn't get points,
and that really hurt us," Tressel said.
With time running out and the Purdue offense sputtering
in the second half, Boilermaker Head Coach brought injured quarterback
Kyle Orton into the game. Orton was not able to move the Boilermakers
on his first series, however, and a Purdue punt put OSU in business
at Purdue 44.
The Buckeyes were able to capitalize on the field position
when Smith hit wide receiver Anthony Gonzalez for a 38 yard completion
that carried down to the Purdue six-yard line. Smith went the final
five yards on the drive, breaking several tackles to get into the
endzone on a keep to tie the score 17 all.
With 2:27 left on the clock, Tiller once again called
on Orton at quarterback, and this time Orton delivered. Orton drove
the Boilermakers 80 plays in eight yards for the go-ahead touchdown
on a 14 yard pass to Dustin Keller.
"To their credit, they did what they needed to
do at the end of the ball game," said Tressel.
"On that last drive you have to tip your hat to
Purdue. They got it done," Tressel added.
Ohio State's last possession ended when Smith was intercepted
after the ball went off the hands of wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr. and
into the hands of Purdue's Stanford Kegler.
Smith threw three interceptions in the game, but in
fairness, two of them went off the hands of his receivers and into
the hands of defenders. His errant pitch to Pittman also contributed
to OSU's fourth turnover on the fumble.
"I'm sure if you go back and study quarterbacks
you'd find that all of them had a rocky day now and then," Tressel
said of Smith's day.
"You wish that that's not the case, but it usually
is. Troy will learn from this, because that's the kind of kid he is,"
Tressel said.
"I could have done some things better," said
Smith.
"I should have put the ball in different places.
The ball went through a couple of guys hands today," Smith said.
Ohio State gained 276 yards in the second half after
gaining just 108 in the first, but could not overcome their turnovers
while in scoring position.
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