Columbus, OH (Sports Network) – Terrelle Pryor threw a pair of touchdown passes and ran for a score, as second-ranked Ohio State rolled to a 43-7 victory over Ohio University at the Horseshoe.
Pryor completed 22-of-29 passes for 235 yards with a pair of interceptions and added 35 yards on eight carries for the Buckeyes (3-0), who were coming off a 36-24 win over Miami-Florida last Saturday and next week will welcome Eastern Michigan before opening the Big Ten schedule on October 2 at Illinois. The junior signal-caller also set a school record with 16 straight completions.
Brandon Saine led Ohio State with 48 rushing yards on 12 carries and caught a touchdown pass, while Dan Herron added 27 yards and scored twice on the ground. The Buckeye defense forced five Ohio turnovers.
Phil Bates had a miserable day at quarterback for Ohio (1-2), as he threw a pair of interceptions and fumbled once. He completed just 4-of-9 passes for 13 yards and ran for 53 yards on 10 carries.
Ohio played on the road for the first time this season after opening the season with a home win over Wofford and following it up with a loss to Toledo. The Bobcats fell to 0-7 all-time against Ohio State.
The Buckeyes opened the scoring with a 32-yard field goal from Devin Barclay after Tyler Moeller picked off Bates on the second play from scrimmage. Julian Posey then ran the ensuing kickoff back 99 yards for an apparent Ohio touchdown, but a holding penalty negated the score and the Bobcats were quickly forced to punt.
Pryor then threw a nine-yard scoring strike to Saine. After another Bobcat punt, Pryor keyed a four-play, 61-yard march with a 35-yard pass to DeVier Posey and followed with a 13-yard scramble for a touchdown and a 17-0 lead just under 12 minutes into the contest.
Barclay added a 33-yard field goal early in the second quarter on a drive guided by backup quarterback Joe Bauserman and Bates fumbled on Ohio’s next series, giving the Buckeyes possession at the Bobcats’ 33. Pryor was back under center for Ohio State and four plays later hit Jake Stoneburner with a five-yard pass to increase the margin to 27-0.
Bates coughed the ball up again on Ohio’s next possession and Pryor quickly went to work. He gained 27 yards on first down and followed with an 11-yard pass to Taurian Washington before Herron scored on a three-yard run.
Pryor had a chance to give Ohio State another score just before the break, but was intercepted in the end zone by Donovan Fletcher with six seconds left. It was Ohio State’s first turnover of the season.
The Buckeyes dominated in the first 30 minutes, outgaining the Bobcats 290-47.
Turnovers plagued both teams to start the third quarter. Ohio State had a punt blocked and Pryor was intercepted while Bates was picked off and the Bobcats added another fumble. After Pryor was intercepted by Fletcher near the Ohio goal line, Vince Davison was tackled in the end zone by Cameron Heyward for an Ohio State safety and a 36-0 lead.
The Buckeyes scored again after the free kick, as Herron waltzed into the end zone on fourth down from the one.
Ohio finally reached the scoreboard with 6:14 to play when backup quarterback Boo Jackson hit Terrence McCrae with an 11-yard touchdown pass.
Pryor moved into eighth place on the Ohio State total offense list, surpassing two-time Heisman Trophy winner Archie Griffin…The Buckeyes have not lost to a school from the state of Ohio since 1921 against Oberlin…Ohio State has won 56 straight regular-season home games against unranked non-conference teams. The last unranked non-conference team to beat the Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium was Florida State, a 34-17 winner on October 2, 1982…Ohio State has also won 55 straight regular-season games against unranked non-conference teams. The last unranked non-conference team to beat Ohio State in the regular season was Pittsburgh, a 42-17 winner on September 17, 1988.