2015 Ohio State Buckeyes football team

2015 Ohio State Buckeyes football

Big Ten East Division co-champion
Fiesta Bowl champion

Fiesta Bowl, W 44–28 vs. Notre Dame

Conference

Big Ten Conference

East Division

Ranking

Coaches

No. 4

2015 record

12–1 (7–1 Big Ten)

Head coach

Urban Meyer (4th year)

Offensive coordinator

Ed Warinner (4th year)

Co-offensive coordinator

Tim Beck (1st year)

Offensive scheme

Spread

Defensive coordinator

Luke Fickell (10th; 15th overall year)

Co-defensive coordinator

Chris Ash (2nd year)

Base defense

Multiple

Captain

J. T. Barrett
Jacoby Boren
Joshua Perry
Tyvis Powell

Home stadium

Ohio Stadium
(Capacity: 104,944)

Seasons

« 2014

2016 »

2015 Big Ten football standings
	Conf				Overall
Team		W		L		W		L
East Division
#6 Michigan State xy$^		7	–	1		12	–	2
#4 Ohio State x		7	–	1		12	–	1
#12 Michigan		6	–	2		10	–	3
Penn State		4	–	4		7	–	6
Indiana		2	–	6		6	–	7
Rutgers		1	–	7		4	–	8
Maryland		1	–	7		3	–	9
West Division
#9 Iowa x		8	–	0		12	–	2
#23 Northwestern		6	–	2		10	–	3
#21 Wisconsin		6	–	2		10	–	3
Nebraska		3	–	5		6	–	7
Minnesota		2	–	6		6	–	7
Illinois		2	–	6		5	–	7
Purdue		1	–	7		2	–	10
Championship: Michigan State 16, Iowa 13
^ – College Football Playoff participant $ – Conference champion x – Division champion/co-champions y – Championship game participant As of January 2, 2016; Rankings from AP Poll

	1	2	3	4	Total
• #1 Ohio State	14	0	14	14	42
Virginia Tech	0	17	0	7	24

Location: Blacksburg, Virginia
Game start: 8:00 p.m.
Elapsed time: 3:30
Game attendance: 65,632
TV announcers (ESPN): Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit

Sources:

Scoring summary

1	9:44	Ohio State	Curtis Samuel 24 yd pass from Cardale Jones (Jack Willoughby kick)	Ohio State 7–0

1	6:39	Ohio State	Ezekiel Elliott 80 yd run (Jack Willoughby kick)	Ohio State 14–0

2	13:13	Virginia Tech	Sam Rogers 51 yd pass from Michael Brewer (Joey Slye kick)	Ohio State 14–7

2	7:05	Virginia Tech	Joey Slye 46 yd field goal	Ohio State 14–10

2	0:16	Virginia Tech	Ryan Malleck 1 yd pass from Michael Brewer (Joey Slye kick)	Virginia Tech 17–14

3	13:53	Ohio State	Braxton Miller 54 yd pass from Cardale Jones (Jack Willoughby kick)	Ohio State 21–17

3	2:05	Ohio State	Braxton Miller 53 yd run (Jack Willoughby kick)	Ohio State 28–17

4	12:26	Ohio State	Cardale Jones 10 yd run (Jack Willoughby kick)	Ohio State 35–17

4	8:14	Ohio State	Michael Thomas 26 yd pass from J.T. Barrett (Jack Willoughby kick)	Ohio State 42–17

4	1:55	Virginia Tech	Isaiah Ford 9 yd pass from Brenden Motley (Joey Slye kick)	Ohio State 42–24

Scoring summary

1	9:44	Ohio State	Curtis Samuel 24 yd pass from Cardale Jones (Jack Willoughby kick)	Ohio State 7–0

1	6:39	Ohio State	Ezekiel Elliott 80 yd run (Jack Willoughby kick)	Ohio State 14–0

2	13:13	Virginia Tech	Sam Rogers 51 yd pass from Michael Brewer (Joey Slye kick)	Ohio State 14–7

2	7:05	Virginia Tech	Joey Slye 46 yd field goal	Ohio State 14–10

2	0:16	Virginia Tech	Ryan Malleck 1 yd pass from Michael Brewer (Joey Slye kick)	Virginia Tech 17–14

3	13:53	Ohio State	Braxton Miller 54 yd pass from Cardale Jones (Jack Willoughby kick)	Ohio State 21–17

3	2:05	Ohio State	Braxton Miller 53 yd run (Jack Willoughby kick)	Ohio State 28–17

4	12:26	Ohio State	Cardale Jones 10 yd run (Jack Willoughby kick)	Ohio State 35–17

4	8:14	Ohio State	Michael Thomas 26 yd pass from J.T. Barrett (Jack Willoughby kick)	Ohio State 42–17

4	1:55	Virginia Tech	Isaiah Ford 9 yd pass from Brenden Motley (Joey Slye kick)	Ohio State 42–24

	1	2	3	4	Total
Hawaii	0	0	0	0	0
• #1 Ohio State	7	7	3	21	38

Location: Columbus, Ohio
Game start: 3:30 p.m.
Elapsed time: 3:28
Game attendance: 107,145
Game weather: Sunny
Television network: BTN

Sources:

Scoring summary

1	3:25	Ohio State	Ezekiel Elliott 1 yd run (Jack Willoughby kick)	Ohio State 7–0

2	4:03	Ohio State	Ezekiel Elliott 3 yd run (Jack Willoughby kick)	Ohio State 14–0

3	8:34	Ohio State	Jack Willoughby 20 yd field goal	Ohio State 17–0

4	9:07	Ohio State	Ezekiel Elliott 1 yd run (Jack Willoughby kick)	Ohio State 24–0

4	7:48	Ohio State	Vonn Bell 14 yd fumble return (Jack Willoughby kick)	Ohio State 31–0

4	3:51	Ohio State	Bri'onte Dunn 5 yd run (Jack Willoughby kick)	Ohio State 38–0

Scoring summary

1	3:25	Ohio State	Ezekiel Elliott 1 yd run (Jack Willoughby kick)	Ohio State 7–0

2	4:03	Ohio State	Ezekiel Elliott 3 yd run (Jack Willoughby kick)	Ohio State 14–0

3	8:34	Ohio State	Jack Willoughby 20 yd field goal	Ohio State 17–0

4	9:07	Ohio State	Ezekiel Elliott 1 yd run (Jack Willoughby kick)	Ohio State 24–0

4	7:48	Ohio State	Vonn Bell 14 yd fumble return (Jack Willoughby kick)	Ohio State 31–0

4	3:51	Ohio State	Bri'onte Dunn 5 yd run (Jack Willoughby kick)	Ohio State 38–0

	1	2	3	4	Total
Northern Illinois	7	3	0	3	13
• #1 Ohio State	3	7	10	0	20

Location: Columbus, Ohio
Game start: 3:30 p.m.
Elapsed time: 3:28
Game attendance: 104,095
Game weather: Cloudy, Light Rain
TV announcers (ABC/ESPN2): Mike Patrick and Ed Cunningham

Sources:

Scoring summary

1	12:43	Northern Illinois	Aregeros Turner 5 yd run (Christian Hagan kick)	Northern Illinois 7–0

1	6:21	Ohio State	Jack Willoughby 31 yd field goal	Northern Illinois 7–3

2	12:20	Northern Illinois	Christian Hagan 38 yd field goal	Northern Illinois 10–3

2	8:21	Ohio State	Michael Thomas 23 yd pass from J.T. Barrett (Jack Willoughby kick)	10–10

3	8:27	Ohio State	Jack Willoughby 24 yd field goal	Ohio State 13–10

3	1:44	Ohio State	Darren Lee 41 yd interception return (Jack Willoughby kick)	Ohio State 20–10

4	7:46	Northern Illinois	Christian Hagan 31 yd field goal	Ohio State 20–13

Scoring summary

1	12:43	Northern Illinois	Aregeros Turner 5 yd run (Christian Hagan kick)	Northern Illinois 7–0

1	6:21	Ohio State	Jack Willoughby 31 yd field goal	Northern Illinois 7–3

2	12:20	Northern Illinois	Christian Hagan 38 yd field goal	Northern Illinois 10–3

2	8:21	Ohio State	Michael Thomas 23 yd pass from J.T. Barrett (Jack Willoughby kick)	10–10

3	8:27	Ohio State	Jack Willoughby 24 yd field goal	Ohio State 13–10

3	1:44	Ohio State	Darren Lee 41 yd interception return (Jack Willoughby kick)	Ohio State 20–10

4	7:46	Northern Illinois	Christian Hagan 31 yd field goal	Ohio State 20–13

	1	2	3	4	Total
Western Michigan	0	6	6	0	12
• #1 Ohio State	7	17	7	7	38

Location: Columbus, Ohio
Game start: 3:30 p.m.
Elapsed time: 3:25
Game attendance: 106,123
Game weather: Cloudy
TV announcers (ABC/ESPN2): Mike Patrick and Ed Cunningham

Sources:

Scoring summary

1	13:26	Ohio State	Michael Thomas 38 yd pass from Cardale Jones (Jack Willoughby kick)	Ohio State 7–0

2	10:35	Ohio State	Jalin Marshall 37 yd pass from Cardale Jones (Jack Willoughby kick)	Ohio State 14–0

2	8:19	Western Michigan	Daniel Braverman 55 yd pass from Zach Terrell (PAT missed)	Ohio State 14–6

2	4:09	Ohio State	Jack Willoughby 30 yd field goal	Ohio State 17–6

2	4:02	Ohio State	Adolphus Washington 20 yd interception return (Jack Willoughby kick)	Ohio State 24–6

3	10:50	Ohio State	Ezekiel Elliott 6 yd run (Jack Willoughby kick)	Ohio State 31–6

3	4:26	Western Michigan	Jeremiah Mullinax 1 yd pass from Zach Terrell (2 pt conversion failed)	Ohio State 31–12

4	8:24	Ohio State	Curtis Samuel 40 yd run (Jack Willoughby kick)	Ohio State 38–12

Scoring summary

1	13:26	Ohio State	Michael Thomas 38 yd pass from Cardale Jones (Jack Willoughby kick)	Ohio State 7–0

2	10:35	Ohio State	Jalin Marshall 37 yd pass from Cardale Jones (Jack Willoughby kick)	Ohio State 14–0

2	8:19	Western Michigan	Daniel Braverman 55 yd pass from Zach Terrell (PAT missed)	Ohio State 14–6

2	4:09	Ohio State	Jack Willoughby 30 yd field goal	Ohio State 17–6

2	4:02	Ohio State	Adolphus Washington 20 yd interception return (Jack Willoughby kick)	Ohio State 24–6

3	10:50	Ohio State	Ezekiel Elliott 6 yd run (Jack Willoughby kick)	Ohio State 31–6

3	4:26	Western Michigan	Jeremiah Mullinax 1 yd pass from Zach Terrell (2 pt conversion failed)	Ohio State 31–12

4	8:24	Ohio State	Curtis Samuel 40 yd run (Jack Willoughby kick)	Ohio State 38–12

The 2015 Ohio State Buckeyes football team represented The Ohio State University in the 2015 NCAA Division I FBS football season. It was the Buckeyes' 126th season overall, the 103rd as a member of the Big Ten Conference, and second as a member of the Eastern Division. The team was led by Urban Meyer, in his fourth year as head coach, and played its home games at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. They finished the season 12–1, 7–1 in Big Ten play, to finish in a tie for the East Division championship with Michigan State. Due to their head-to-head loss to Michigan State, they did not represent the East Division in the Big Ten Championship Game. They were invited to the Fiesta Bowl where they defeated Notre Dame.

Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer was his fourth year as the Buckeye's head coach during the 2015 season. In his previous three seasons with Ohio State, he led the Buckeyes to an overall record of 38 wins and 3 losses (38–3) and the 2014 national championship. On December 16, 2014, offensive coordinator Tom Herman accepted the head coaching position at Houston. On January 11, 2015, Ohio State announced the hiring of former Nebraska coach Tim Beck to replace Herman as co-offensive coordinator. On February 2, 2015, Stan Drayton accepted the running backs coach position with the Chicago Bears, and was replaced by former Notre Dame coach Tony Alford.

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