We’re just about ready for action here from Columbus. Wisconsin will kickoff into the closed end of the stadium.
12:10 Ohio State returns the ball to the 24-yard line.
12:12 On first down, QB Todd Boeckman hits Brian Hartline for a pickup of 14 and a first down.
12:14 The Buckeyes are looking the part of No. 1, moving the ball effortlessly down the field on this first possession. Buckeyes’ ball on the 33-yard line.
12:16 Boeckman connects with Brian Robiskie for a 30-yard touchdown.
PAT good, 7-0 Ohio State.
12:22 Wisconsin running back Zach Brown dives forward for a 3-yard carry and a first down. P.J. Hill is out of today’s game.
12:25 On third and seven, quarterback Tyler Donovan can’t find anyone open and is sacked for a six-yard loss. Wisconsin pulls a fake punt and Ken DeBauche hits Paul Standring for a 41-yard gain down to the 22-yard line.
12:28 Wisconsin has moved the ball inside the 10-yard line and has a second and goal from the six.
12:30 On third down and goal, Brown is stuffed trying the left side. Mehlhaff drives home a 27-yard field goal.
7-3 Ohio State.
12:35 Ohio State starts from the 20-yard line. On the first play, Chris Wells gains one yard.
12:36 On third and three, Boeckman scrambles for 14 yards and a first down.
12:39 Boeckman’s third down pass is knocked down by Matt Shaughnessy and Ohio State is forced to punt. The punt bounces out of bounds at the nine-yard line.
12:43 The first quarter has come to a close. Wisconsin will have the ball, second and seven from the 11-yard line, trailing 7-3.
12:46 Donovan hits tight end Travis Beckum for a 15-yard gain and a first down out to the 28-yard line.
12:48 Donovan is sacked for a loss of eight yards by Cameron Hayward.
12:50 The Badgers fail to pick up the first down, and DeBauche is forced to punt. Ohio State will take over at the 27-yard line.
12:53 Chris Wells gains five more yards up the middle for Ohio State. OSU ball at the 40-yard line.
12:55 Boeckman hits Hartline over the middle, but the wide receiver is tackled immediately by Elijah Hodge. Boeckman’s next pass is incomplete, and the Buckeyes are forced to punt.
12:57 Returner David Gilreath lets the punt bounce, and it is downed at the 33-yard line.
1:00 The Ohio State defensive front is causing all sorts of problems for Wisconsin. Donovan gets sacked on the first two plays of Wisconsin’s drive and the Badgers fail to pick up the first down on third. UW punts and returner David Small breaks a big gain. The play is called back for an illegal block, and OSU will take over at their own 26-yard line.
1:04 Just received word that cornerback Allen Langford will miss the remainder of the game with a knee injury. More information to come as it is available.
1:07 Ohio State coverts another third down and keep the ball at the 40-yard line.
1:09 Ben Strickland breaks up a deep pass intended for Hartline with a nice diving swat. Third down OSU.
1:10 Ohio State punts and Gilreath returns the ball out to the 35-yard line. Gilreath fumbled the ball after being hit by linebacker James Laurinaitis and Ohio State recovered.
The play was reviewed, however, and Wisconsin keeps the ball.
1:14 Brown takes the ball off left tackle and picks up four yards to set up a third down and three at the 43-yard line.
1:15 Wisconsin tries some more trickery–this time a reverse pass by Beckum–but the tight end is sacked and UW punts the ball away. OSU ball at the 33-yard line.
1:16 One minute, ten seconds to go and Ohio State has the ball at their own 40.
1:18 Boeckman finds a wide-open Hartline down the middle of the field for a 45-yard completion down to the UW 15. OSU timeout, 48 seconds remaining.
1:19 Boeckman rolls left and hits Ray Small for a pass down to the 4-yard line.
1:22 An illegal man downfield penalty and an incomplete pass lead to a third down and goal from the nine with 17 seconds remaining. OSU takes its second timeout.
1:24 Kirk DeCremer sacks Boeckman on third down and Ohio State will attempt a 27-yard field goal.
1:25 The kick is good.
10-3 Ohio State, six seconds remaining in the first half.
1:27 Chris Pressley recovers the squib kick. Wisconsin is left with one second on the clock, and they down the ball to run out the half.
Halftime: 10-3 Ohio State.
1:49 David Gilreath takes the kickoff and dances around for a while before being tackled at the 16-yard line. An illegal block penalty moves the ball to the eight.
1:51 Zach Brown takes the first carry out to the 30-yard line for a 22-yard pickup.
1:53 On third down, Donovan hits Hubbard over the middle for a 50-yard catch and run. First down at the OSU 13.
1:55 Donovan scrambles left the to avoid pressure and heaves a bomb across his body to a diving Travis Beckum in the back of the endzone.
The play was reviewed and the call upheld: Touchdown.
Mehlhaff’s PAT is good. 10-10, 12:37 left in the third quarter.
2:00 Small takes the kick out of the endzone and out to the 15-yard line.
2:03 Boeckman’s third down pass is knocked down by Jason Chapman and Ohio State is forced to punt from deep within its own end.
2:04 Marcus Randle El returns this punt to the 46-yard line, but an illegal block penalty moves the ball back 10 yards from the spot of the foul to the 38-yard line.
2:07 Donovan somehow squeezes a pass into Beckum for a 25-yard completion into Ohio State territory.
2:10 Donovan hits Travis Beckum over the middle. Beckum was short of the first down on the catch, but wriggled free of OSU defenders and raced inside the five-yard line.
2:12 Third and goal from the three and Donovan finds Chris Pressley for a touchdown on a play action pass.
Mehlhaff’s PAT good, 17-10 Wisconsin. 6:53 left in the third quarter.
2:14 The Ohio Stadium crowd is growing a little restless, trying to drown out “If you want to be a Badger” by starting an OH-IO chant before the kickoff.
2:16 Mehlhaff’s kick is downed in the endzone for a touchback.
2:18 Hartline takes a reverse and gains nine yards thanks to a nice juke on Elijah Hodge.
2:19 Wisconsin is having a hard time stopping the Ohio State run game. It could become more difficult for the Badgers.
2:20 Add offensive tackle Eric Vanden Heuvel to the list of injured Badgers. Vanden Heuvel is on the sidelines in a left leg brace and on crutches.
2:23 Boeckman avoids pressure and scrambles for a first down at the UW 31-yard line.
2:24 Chris Wells slices through the right side of the Wisconsin defensive line and takes it the distance for a 31-yard touchdown.
PAT good. 17-17, 2:41 left in the third quarter.
2:26 Maurice Moore fields the squib kick and returns the ball to the 17-yard line. An illegal block penalty moves the ball back inside the UW 10-yard line.
2:28 Donovan keeps the ball running right and gains four yards. Marcus Randle El was down on the play, but was able to run off the field after a few moments.
2:30 Wisconsin can’t gain a first down and is forced to punt. Ohio State returns the ball to just inside Wisconsin territory at the 49.
2:33 At the end of the third quarter, Ohio State has the ball at the UW 36-yard line. The score is tied, 17-17.
2:37 Maurice Wells takes a carry and skips his way for six yards.
2:38 Chris Wells makes a nice cutback and goes 30 yards for a touchdown untouched. Jason Chapman is down and injured at the 25-yard line.
2:40 Chapman limps off the field very gingerly before OSU makes the PAT.
24-17 Ohio State, 14:18 left in the game.
2:44 Maurice Moore takes a touchback on the kickoff.
2:47 The Badgers are unable to get any offense going, and Ken DeBauche is called in to punt.
2:48 DeBauche fakes the punt and tries to run for a first down. He is gang tackled short and OSU takes over at the 25.
2:50 Ohio State is driving inside the 10-yard line, looking to add to its seven point lead.
2:52 Boeckman connects with Brian Robiskie for an eight-yard touchdown.
PAT good, 31-17, Ohio State. 10:05 remaining in the fourth quarter.
2:56 Moore returns the kick out to the 21-yard line.
2:57 On the first play of Wisconsin’s drive, Zach Brown fumbles. The ball is recovered by Ohio State’s James Laurinaitis at the 16-yard line.
3:00 Ohio State is forced to a three-and-out and a field goal attempt, which is blocked. Wisconsin will take over at the 20-yard line.
3:04 Beckum gets open downfield and Donovan finds him for an 18-yard gain and a first down at the 38-yard line.
3:08 Wisconsin is forced to punt and the kick is returned to the 31-yard line.