2003 Ohio State Buckeyes football team

2003 Ohio State Buckeyes football
Fiesta Bowl champion
Fiesta Bowl, W 35–28 vs. Kansas State
Conference	Big Ten Conference
Ranking
Coaches	No. 4
AP	No. 4
2003 record	11–2 (6–2 Big Ten)
Head coach	Jim Tressel (3rd year)
Offensive coordinator	Jim Bollman (3rd year)
Offensive scheme	Multiple
Defensive coordinator	Mark Dantonio (3rd year)
Base defense	4–3
Captain	Tim Anderson
Captain	Michael Jenkins
Captain	Craig Krenzel
Captain	Will Smith
Home stadium	Ohio Stadium (Capacity: 101,568, grass)
Seasons ← 2002 2004 →

2003 Big Ten football standings
	Conf							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
#6 Michigan $		7	–	1					10	–	3
#4 Ohio State %		6	–	2					11	–	2
#18 Purdue		6	–	2					9	–	4
#8 Iowa		5	–	3					10	–	3
#20 Minnesota		5	–	3					10	–	3
Michigan State		5	–	3					8	–	5
Wisconsin		4	–	4					7	–	6
Northwestern		4	–	4					6	–	7
Penn State		1	–	7					3	–	9
Indiana		1	–	7					2	–	10
Illinois		0	–	8					1	–	11
$ – BCS representative as conference champion Rankings from AP Poll

1 2 3 4 Total Washington 0 0 3 6 9 • Ohio State 14 7 7 0 28 Date: August 30 Location: Ohio Stadium, Columbus, OH Game start: 8:00 p.m. EST TV announcers (ABC): Keith Jackson (Play-by-play), Dan Fouts (Color) & Todd Harris (Sideline) Source: [1]

Scoring summary 1 8:31 OSU Maurice Hall 2-yard run (Mike Nugent kick) OSU 7–0 1 2:51 OSU Craig Krenzel 23-yard run (Mike Nugent kick) OSU 14–0 2 0:11 OSU Craig Krenzel 11-yard run (Mike Nugent kick) OSU 21–0 3 13:22 WASH Evan Knudson 46-yard field goal OSU 21–3 3 6:06 OSU Lydell Ross 15-yard run (Mike Nugent kick) OSU 28–3 4 3:27 WASH Cody Pickett 2-yard run (run failed) OSU 28–9

Scoring summary
1	8:31	OSU	Maurice Hall 2-yard run (Mike Nugent kick)	OSU 7–0
1	2:51	OSU	Craig Krenzel 23-yard run (Mike Nugent kick)	OSU 14–0
2	0:11	OSU	Craig Krenzel 11-yard run (Mike Nugent kick)	OSU 21–0
3	13:22	WASH	Evan Knudson 46-yard field goal	OSU 21–3
3	6:06	OSU	Lydell Ross 15-yard run (Mike Nugent kick)	OSU 28–3
4	3:27	WASH	Cody Pickett 2-yard run (run failed)	OSU 28–9

1 2 3 4 OT 2OT 3OT Total North Carolina State 0 7 0 17 7 7 0 38 • Ohio State 14 0 3 7 7 7 6 44 Date: September 13 Location: Ohio Stadium, Columbus, OH Game start: 12:00 p.m. EST TV announcers (ABC): Tim Brant (Play-by-play), Ed Cunningham (Color) & Sam Ryan (Sideline) Source: ESPN

Scoring summary 1 4:13 Ohio St Michael Jenkins 44-yard pass from Craig Krenzel (Mike Nugent kick) Ohio St 7-0 1 2:47 Ohio St Lydell Ross 2-yard run (Mike Nugent kick) Ohio St 14-0 2 :18 NC State Jerricho Cotchery 11-yard pass from Philip Rivers (Adam Kiker kick) Ohio St 14-7 3 :00 Ohio St Mike Nugent 22-yard field goal Ohio St 17-7 4 11:25 Ohio St Craig Krenzel 6-yard run (Mike Nugent kick) Ohio St 24-7 4 8:26 NC State Jerricho Cotchery 9-yard pass from Philip Rivers (Adam Kiker kick) Ohio St 24-14 4 5:51 NC State Adam Kiker 24-yard field goal Ohio St 24-17 4 :21 NC State T.J. Williams 5-yard pass from Philip Rivers (Adam Kiker kick) Tie 24-24 OT Ohio St Ben Hartsock 10-yard pass from Craig Krenzel (Mike Nugent kick) Ohio St 31-24 OT NC State Tramain Hall 17-yard pass from Philip Rivers (Adam Kiker kick) Tie 31-31 2OT NC State T.A. McLendon 2-yard run (Adam Kiker kick) NC State 38-31 2OT Ohio St Ryan Hamby 2-yard pass from Craig Krenzel (Mike Nugent kick) Tie 38-38 3OT Ohio St Michael Jenkins 7-yard pass from Craig Krenzel (pass failed) Ohio St 44-38

Scoring summary
1	4:13	Ohio St	Michael Jenkins 44-yard pass from Craig Krenzel (Mike Nugent kick)	Ohio St 7-0
1	2:47	Ohio St	Lydell Ross 2-yard run (Mike Nugent kick)	Ohio St 14-0
2	:18	NC State	Jerricho Cotchery 11-yard pass from Philip Rivers (Adam Kiker kick)	Ohio St 14-7
3	:00	Ohio St	Mike Nugent 22-yard field goal	Ohio St 17-7
4	11:25	Ohio St	Craig Krenzel 6-yard run (Mike Nugent kick)	Ohio St 24-7
4	8:26	NC State	Jerricho Cotchery 9-yard pass from Philip Rivers (Adam Kiker kick)	Ohio St 24-14
4	5:51	NC State	Adam Kiker 24-yard field goal	Ohio St 24-17
4	:21	NC State	T.J. Williams 5-yard pass from Philip Rivers (Adam Kiker kick)	Tie 24-24
OT		Ohio St	Ben Hartsock 10-yard pass from Craig Krenzel (Mike Nugent kick)	Ohio St 31-24
OT		NC State	Tramain Hall 17-yard pass from Philip Rivers (Adam Kiker kick)	Tie 31-31
2OT		NC State	T.A. McLendon 2-yard run (Adam Kiker kick)	NC State 38-31
2OT		Ohio St	Ryan Hamby 2-yard pass from Craig Krenzel (Mike Nugent kick)	Tie 38-38
3OT		Ohio St	Michael Jenkins 7-yard pass from Craig Krenzel (pass failed)	Ohio St 44-38

1 2 3 4 Total Iowa 3 0 0 7 10 • Ohio State 10 0 7 2 19 Date: October 18 Location: Ohio Stadium, Columbus, OH Game start: 3:30 p.m. EST TV announcers (ABC): Brent Musburger (Play-by-play), Gary Danielson (Color) & Jack Arute (Sideline)

Scoring summary 1 9:56 OHST Mike Nugent 53 yard field goal OHST 3–0 1 9:22 OHST Michael Jenkins 54 yard punt return (Mike Nugent kick) OHST 10–0 1 2:45 IOWA Nate Kaeding 36 yard field goal OHST 10–3 3 7:54 OHST Donte Whitner recovered blocked punt in end zone (Mike Nugent kick) OHST 17–3 4 14:09 IOWA Nate Kaeding 5 yard run (Nate Kaeding kick) OHST 17–10 4 3:03 OHST Safety OHST 19–10

Scoring summary
1	9:56	OHST	Mike Nugent 53 yard field goal	OHST 3–0
1	9:22	OHST	Michael Jenkins 54 yard punt return (Mike Nugent kick)	OHST 10–0
1	2:45	IOWA	Nate Kaeding 36 yard field goal	OHST 10–3
3	7:54	OHST	Donte Whitner recovered blocked punt in end zone (Mike Nugent kick)	OHST 17–3
4	14:09	IOWA	Nate Kaeding 5 yard run (Nate Kaeding kick)	OHST 17–10
4	3:03	OHST	Safety	OHST 19–10

1 2 3 4 OT Total Purdue 3 3 0 7 0 13 • Ohio State 0 6 0 7 3 16 Date: November 15 Location: Ohio Stadium, Columbus, OH Game start: 3:30 p.m. EST TV announcers (ABC): Brad Nessler (Play-by-play), Bob Griese (Color) & Lynn Swann (Sideline) Source: [2]

Scoring summary 1 7:29 PUR Ben Jones 45-yard field goal PUR 3–0 2 14:50 OSU Mike Nugent 26-yard field goal Tied 3–3 2 13:01 PUR Ben Jones 47-yard field goal PUR 6–3 2 2:42 OSU Mike Nugent 52-yard field goal Tied 6–6 4 11:23 OSU Mike Kudla recovered fumble in end zone (Mike Nugent kick) OSU 13–6 4 4:36 PUR Jeord Void 11-yard run (Ben Jones kick) Tied 13–13 OT OSU Mike Nugent 36-yard field goal OSU 16–13

Scoring summary
1	7:29	PUR	Ben Jones 45-yard field goal	PUR 3–0
2	14:50	OSU	Mike Nugent 26-yard field goal	Tied 3–3
2	13:01	PUR	Ben Jones 47-yard field goal	PUR 6–3
2	2:42	OSU	Mike Nugent 52-yard field goal	Tied 6–6
4	11:23	OSU	Mike Kudla recovered fumble in end zone (Mike Nugent kick)	OSU 13–6
4	4:36	PUR	Jeord Void 11-yard run (Ben Jones kick)	Tied 13–13
OT		OSU	Mike Nugent 36-yard field goal	OSU 16–13

The 2003 Ohio State Buckeyes football team represented Ohio State University in the 2003 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team's head coach was Jim Tressel. The Buckeyes played their home games in Ohio Stadium. Ohio State finished the season with an overall record of 11–2 and placed second in the Big Ten Conference with mark of 6–2. The Buckeyes concluded their season with a victory over Kansas State in the Fiesta Bowl.

The 2003 season opened to excitement and to disappointment. Reports surfaced during the preseason that led to star RB Maurice Clarett being suspended indefinitely, and he was the center of attention as ESPN’s College Gameday came to Columbus. A top 20 battle was set to be waged between the #17/19 Washington Huskies and the #2 ranked defending National Champion Ohio State Buckeyes. Ohio State came in 5–0 in night games in Ohio Stadium; meanwhile Washington was welcoming a new head coach, Keith Gilberston, who was replacing the fired Rick Neuheisel.

The Huskies featured such stars as QB "Cowboy" Cody Pickett, 1st round draft pick Reggie Williams, offensive tackle Khaliff Barnes, and TE Joe Toledo (who would go on to the NFL as an OT). On the defensive side Greg Carothers and Roc Alexander were the big names, but they would be no match for the powerful Ohio State offense.

Maurice Hall scored at the 8:31 mark in the first Quarter to take a 7–0 lead. They built on that lead with a magnificent 28-yard scramble by Craig Krenzel with 2:51 left in the 1st. Ohio state would take a 21–0 lead into halftime, when Craig Krenzel again scrambled 11 yards for a score with 22 seconds remaining.

Washington came out with some renewed vigor to start the 3rd, but only came away with a field goal by Evan Knudson, making it 21–3, with 13:22 left to go in the 3rd. Ohio State wouldn’t slow down however, and junior tailback Lydell Ross scored off a bruising 15-yard run to make it 28–3. Cody Pickett closed out the scoring by rolling out for a 2-yard run, but failing on the 2 point try. The final score was 28–9, and Ohio State was 1–0, and on a fifteen-game winning streak.

Week 2 brought the Aztecs to Columbus. The two teams had met in Head Coach Jim Tressel's first season at Ohio State in 2001, a 27–12 victory. This time however, San Diego State's QB Matt Dlugolecki was determined to change the outcome, and got the Aztecs rolling with an 11-yard touchdown pass to start the attack. The #2 ranked Buckeyes managed to add a field goal to make it 7–3 at the 9:54 mark. The Aztecs were again marching until OSU cornerback Chris Gamble tipped a pass to safety Will Allen, who went 100 yards coast-to-coast in doing so, set the Ohio Stadium record for an interception return, and gave OSU a 10–7 lead. Another Mike Nugent field goal made it 13–7, it would stay that way on to half time.

...
Wikipedia