Sep 12, 2007, 14:53 GMT
Seattle, WA - The 10th-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes hit the road for the first time this season, as they invade Husky Stadium to lock horns with the Washington Huskies in non-conference action.
The Buckeyes enter the contest off a solid performance, as they defeated Akron, 20-2, last weekend. It was the 20th straight regular season win by OSU, which opened its 2007 campaign with a 38-6 triumph over Youngstown State. The school record for the most regular season wins in a row is 21, set from 1967-69. The Buckeyes now head to the road, where they have gone 62-48-7 all-time in road openers.
As for Washington, it is coming off a big win, as it snapped Boise State's nation-best 14-game winning streak with a 24-10 triumph last weekend. The Huskies, who handed Syracuse a 42-12 beating to open the season, are now 2-0 for the first time since the 2001 season.
Saturday's game represents the 11th all-time meeting between OSU and Washington, with the Buckeyes holding a 7-3 edge in the series. The Buckeyes have won the last two meetings in the series, including a 28-9 triumph in the most recent encounter in 2003. The Huskies, however, posted a 25-16 victory the last time OSU visited Washington and that was back in 1994.
The Buckeyes' offense appeared to be sluggish last weekend, as they gained a modest 363 total yards of offense in a 20-2 win over Akron. The team rushed for an impressive 196 yards, but committed five turnovers and that was a big reason for this unit's struggles. Chris Wells put forth a noteworthy effort in the win, as he rushed for 143 yards on 20 carries. It was a solid rebound for Wells, who was limited to just 46 yards and a score on 16 totes in the team's opening win over YSU. Quarterback Todd Boeckman, however, took a step back, as he threw for just 131 yards with two touchdowns against the same amount of interceptions. Boeckman, who completed 14-of-23 pass attempts, was far more impressive in the team's opener when he hit on 17-of-23 throws for 225 yards and two scores. After catching nine balls for 153 yards in the squad's opener, Brian Robiskie pulled down four passes for 82 yards and a score this past weekend.
Defensively, the Buckeyes were simply outstanding last weekend, allowing no points and a mere 69 yards of total offense to Akron. The unit gave up a minuscule three yards rushing on 19 carries, while allowing Akron only three first downs. It was quite an effort by OSU, which allowed only 176 total yards and 11 first downs in its season-opening win versus YSU. The Buckeyes have recorded five sacks in two games, but they have just one takeaway to their credit thus far. James Laurinaitis posted his second straight seven-tackle performance last weekend and he also chipped in with a sack.
The Huskies posted 342 yards of total offense, including 133 on the ground last weekend, as they earned a 24-10 victory over than nationally-ranked Boise State. It was a solid showing by Washington, which amassed 444 total yards, including 302 on the ground, in its season-opening win over Syracuse. Quarterback Jake Locker had himself another strong performance last weekend, as he threw for 193 yards and a score, in addition to rushing or a team-high 84 yards and another touchdown. The versatile gun slinger opened the season by throwing for 142 yards and rushing for 83 yards and a pair of scores versus Syracuse. After rushing for a career-high 147 yards and three touchdowns in the team's opener, Louis Rankin was held to 45 yards on 17 totes last weekend. Rankin, however, did manage to throw a touchdown pass against Boise State, the first of his career. Marcel Reece was another player who made a big impact last weekend, as he posted four catches for 102 yards and a touchdown.
Facing an opponent known for its offense, the Huskies did a solid job in holding Boise State to 388 total yards and just 10 points. The unit, which limited Syracuse to just 207 yards in its opener, made several big plays against Boise State, finishing with four turnovers, including three interceptions. Washington has surrendered just 111 yards on the ground through the first two games and it has recorded nine sacks during that time as well. E.J. Savannah headed the charge with 13 stops and a fumble recovery last weekend, while Roy Lewis added 11 tackles and an interception.
© 2007 The Sports Network
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