1968 Ohio State Buckeyes football team

1968 Ohio State Buckeyes football
Consensus national champion Big Ten champion Rose Bowl champion
Rose Bowl, W 27–16 vs. USC
Conference	Big Ten Conference
Ranking
Coaches	No. 1
AP	No. 1
1968 record	10–0 (7–0 Big Ten)
Head coach	Woody Hayes (18th year)
MVP	Mark Stier
Home stadium	Ohio Stadium (Capacity: 81,455)
Seasons ← 1967 1969 →

1968 Big Ten football standings
	Conf					Overall
Team	W		L		T	W		L		T
#1 Ohio State $	7	–	0	–	0	10	–	0	–	0
#12 Michigan	6	–	1	–	0	8	–	2	–	0
#10 Purdue	5	–	2	–	0	8	–	2	–	0
Minnesota	5	–	2	–	0	6	–	4	–	0
Indiana	4	–	3	–	0	6	–	4	–	0
Iowa	4	–	3	–	0	5	–	5	–	0
Michigan State	2	–	5	–	0	5	–	5	–	0
Illinois	1	–	6	–	0	1	–	9	–	0
Northwestern	1	–	6	–	0	1	–	9	–	0
Wisconsin	0	–	7	–	0	0	–	10	–	0

$ – Conference champion Rankings from AP Poll

	1	2	3	4	Total
SMU	0	7	7	0	14
• Ohio St	14	12	0	9	35

Date: September 28
Location: Ohio Stadium
Game attendance: 73,855
Game weather: Clear; 65°F; wind 5–12 N

Scoring summary

Q1	3:22	OHST	Kern 2 yard run (Merryman kick)	OHST 7–0

Q1	:46	OHST	Otis 9 yard run (Merryman kick)	OHST 14–0

Q2	13:17	SMU	Fleming 8 yard pass from Hixson (Lesser kick)	OHST 14–7

Q2	12:29	OHST	Brungard 41 yard run (kick blocked)	OHST 20–7

Q2	:35	OHST	Brungard 18 yard pass from Kern (kick failed)	OHST 26–7

Q3	:21	SMU	Fleming 6 yard pass from Hixson (Lesser kick)	OHST 26–14

Q4	7:55	OHST	Safety, Hixson tackled by Debevc in end zone	OHST 28–14

Q4	6:45	OHST	Brungard 20 yard pass from Kern (Merryman kick)	OHST 35–14

Scoring summary

Q1	3:22	OHST	Kern 2 yard run (Merryman kick)	OHST 7–0

Q1	:46	OHST	Otis 9 yard run (Merryman kick)	OHST 14–0

Q2	13:17	SMU	Fleming 8 yard pass from Hixson (Lesser kick)	OHST 14–7

Q2	12:29	OHST	Brungard 41 yard run (kick blocked)	OHST 20–7

Q2	:35	OHST	Brungard 18 yard pass from Kern (kick failed)	OHST 26–7

Q3	:21	SMU	Fleming 6 yard pass from Hixson (Lesser kick)	OHST 26–14

Q4	7:55	OHST	Safety, Hixson tackled by Debevc in end zone	OHST 28–14

Q4	6:45	OHST	Brungard 20 yard pass from Kern (Merryman kick)	OHST 35–14

	1	2	3	4	Total
Oregon	0	6	0	0	6
• Ohio St	7	0	7	7	21

Date: October 5
Location: Ohio Stadium
Game attendance: 70,191
Game weather: Sunny; 50°F; wind 9 NW

Scoring summary

Q1	13:38	OHST	Pulaski 12 yard blocked punt return (Merryman kick)	OHST 7–0

Q2	:55	ORE	Schuler 14 yard pass from Harrington (kick failed)	OHST 7–6

Q3	3:19	OHST	Otis 35 yard run (Merryman kick)	OHST 14–6

Q4	13:34	OHST	Jankowski 55 yard pass from Maciejowski (Merryman kick)	OHST 21–6

Scoring summary

Q1	13:38	OHST	Pulaski 12 yard blocked punt return (Merryman kick)	OHST 7–0

Q2	:55	ORE	Schuler 14 yard pass from Harrington (kick failed)	OHST 7–6

Q3	3:19	OHST	Otis 35 yard run (Merryman kick)	OHST 14–6

Q4	13:34	OHST	Jankowski 55 yard pass from Maciejowski (Merryman kick)	OHST 21–6

	1	2	3	4	Total
Purdue	0	0	0	0	0
• Ohio St	0	0	13	0	13

Date: October 12
Location: Ohio Stadium
Game attendance: 84,834
Game weather: 70°F; no wind

Scoring summary

Q3	13:34	OHST	Provost 34 yard interception return (kick failed)	OHST 6–0

Q4	3:55	OHST	Long 14 yard run (Roman kick)	OHST 13–0

Scoring summary

Q3	13:34	OHST	Provost 34 yard interception return (kick failed)	OHST 6–0

Q4	3:55	OHST	Long 14 yard run (Roman kick)	OHST 13–0

	1	2	3	4	Total
Northwestern	7	7	7	0	21
• Ohio St	6	15	6	18	45

Date: October 19
Location: Ohio Stadium
Game attendance: 83,454
Game weather: 65°F; wind 5–15 W

Scoring summary

Q1	7:08	OHST	White 72 yard pass from Kern (kick failed)	OHST 6–0

Q1	2:59	NW	Harrington 14 yard pass from Shelburne (Emmerich kick)	NW 7–6

Q2	7:56	OHST	Kern 7 yard run (Long pass from Zelina)	OHST 14–7

Q2	5:49	NW	Shelburne 4 yard run (Emmerich kick)	Tie 14–14

Q2	2:50	OHST	Otis 6 yard run (Roman kick)	OHST 21–14

Q3	3:38	OHST	Jankowski 23 yard pass from Kern (kick failed)	OHST 27–14

Q3	:07	NW	Hittman 7 yard pass from Shelburne (Emmerich kick)	OHST 27–21

Q4	11:49	OHST	Otis 6 yard run (pass failed)	OHST 33–21

Q4	4:34	OHST	Hayden 3 yard run (kick failed)	OHST 39–21

Q4	2:13	OHST	Bender 37 yard pass from Maciejowski (kick failed)	OHST 45–21

Scoring summary

Q1	7:08	OHST	White 72 yard pass from Kern (kick failed)	OHST 6–0

Q1	2:59	NW	Harrington 14 yard pass from Shelburne (Emmerich kick)	NW 7–6

Q2	7:56	OHST	Kern 7 yard run (Long pass from Zelina)	OHST 14–7

Q2	5:49	NW	Shelburne 4 yard run (Emmerich kick)	Tie 14–14

Q2	2:50	OHST	Otis 6 yard run (Roman kick)	OHST 21–14

Q3	3:38	OHST	Jankowski 23 yard pass from Kern (kick failed)	OHST 27–14

Q3	:07	NW	Hittman 7 yard pass from Shelburne (Emmerich kick)	OHST 27–21

Q4	11:49	OHST	Otis 6 yard run (pass failed)	OHST 33–21

Q4	4:34	OHST	Hayden 3 yard run (kick failed)	OHST 39–21

Q4	2:13	OHST	Bender 37 yard pass from Maciejowski (kick failed)	OHST 45–21

The 1968 Ohio State Buckeyes football team is an American football team that represented the Ohio State University in the 1968 Big Ten Conference football season. It is considered one of the strongest in OSU history, fielding 11 All-Americans and six first-round NFL draft picks. With quarterback Rex Kern and running back Jim Otis leading a powerful OSU offense and Jack Tatum on defense, Woody Hayes' Buckeyes capped an undefeated season with a dominating 50–14 victory over archrival Michigan and a come-from-behind 27–16 victory over Southern California in the 1969 Rose Bowl to secure the national title. This was also the first year the Buckeye players were awarded Buckeye pride stickers for their helmets, each one a reward for a good play. OSU was the first team to have such a program.

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