THE RUNNING START
When: Saturday, September 12, 2015
Where: Columbus, OH, Ohio Stadium
TV: 3:30 Big Ten Network

This will be the first game between Ohio State and Hawai'i in football. Hawai'i has played 18 previous games against B1G opponents and is 6-12 against the conference. The Buckeyes look to add another win to their all-time home opener record of 112-9-4.

Below you will find some interesting facts about the teams, key offensive player stats, coach information, team stats and team schedules.
 

THE LAST TIME...

• Ohio State lost a home opener was last year to Virginia Tech (21-35).
• Ohio State played a member of the Mountain West was 2013 against San Diego State (42-7). 
• The Buckeyes started a season 1-1 before last year was 2009.
• Cardale Jones lost a game he started was...never.
• Ohio State did not throw a touchdown pass in a game was the 40-30 win at No. 15 Northwestern in 2013.

 

ON THE HORIZON

• If the Buckeyes throw a touchdown pass against Hawai'i it will break a school record of 24 consecutive games with a TD pass (1994-96).
• Braxton Miller is seven rushing touchdowns away from becoming the ninth player in D-I with 40 rushing and 40 passing touchdowns.
• In the history of the AP Poll Ohio State has been ranked No. 1 for 97 weeks. That is good for 3rd place. Notre Dame is second (98) and Oklahoma is first (101).

 

HELLO HAWAI'I

• The Rainbow Warriors had lost 19 consecutive games on national television until they defeated Colorado last week.
• Hawai'i has played the No. 1 ranked team on three previous occasions and lost every game.
• Hawai'i is 1-0 for the first time since 2009.
• 19-59-2 is Hawaii's record on national television.

 

TODAY'S TRIVIA QUESTIONS:

1. Can you name the three Heisman Trophy winners Norm Chow coached?
2. What is the name of Hawai'i's stadium?   
3. Ohio State is 8-1 against the Mountain West Conference. Can you name the only team from the MWC to defeat Ohio State?

Answers at the bottom of today's article.

HAWAI'I'S INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

PASSING

2015 Stats: 19/38 (.500), 202 yards, 3 TDs, 2 INTs

Career: 69/133 (.519), 802 yards, 6 TDs, 8 INTs

 

 

 

RUSHING

 

2015 Stats: 68 yards, 4.0 ypc, 0 TDs

Career: 68 yards, 4.0 ypc, 0 TDs

 

 

 

 

2015 Stats: 30 yards, 2.7 ypc, 0 TDs

Career: 1,144 yards, 4.0 ypc, 6 TDs

 

 

 

 

RECEIVING

 

2015 Stats: 116 yards, 6 rec., 19.3 ypr, 1 TD

Career: 1,023 yards, 73 rec., 14.0 ypr, 4 TDs
 

 

 

 

 

OHIO STATE'S INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

PASSING

 

2015 Stats: 9/18 (.500), 186 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INTs

Career Stats: 66/112 (.589), 1,049 yards, 9 TDs, 3 INTs

 

 

 

RUSHING

 

2015 Stats: 122 yards, 11.1 ypc, 1 TD

Career Stats: 2,262 yards, 7.2 ypc, 21 TDs

 

 

 

 

2015 Stats: 99 yards, 7.6 ypc, 1 TD

Career: 523 yards, 5.1 ypc, 3 TDs

 

 

 

 

2015 Stats: 62 yards, 10.3 ypc 1 TD

Career: 3,116 yards, 5.5 ypc 33 TDs

 

 

 

RECEIVING

 

 

2015 Stats: 78 yards, 39.0 ypr, 1 TD

Career Stats: 78 yards, 39.0 ypr, 1 TD

 

 

 

 

 

2015 Stats: 46 yards, 23.0 ypr, 1 TD

Career: 867 yards, 14.7 ypr, 10 TDs

 

 

 

 

DEFENSE

 

2015 Stats: 8 Tackles, 5 Solo

Career: 62 Tackles, 33 Solo, 6.5 TFLs, 2.5 Sacks, 1 INT Return for TD 

 

 

 

THE RUNOFF

 

39-3 (.929) at Ohio State (4th year)

143-26 (.846) overall (14th year)

Meyer is 1-0 against Hawai'i

Meyer is 51-5 (.911) in August and September games

 

 

 

9-29 (.237) at Hawai'i (4th year)

9-29 (.237) overall (4th year)

Norm Chow has coached for since 1973. His record as an assistant between 1973 and 2011 is 339-156-3 (.684)

 

 

 

Cliff Claven's Little Known Facts Corner

 

• Since 1979 Ohio State is 35-1 in home openers.
• Braxton Miller scored two touchdowns last week. He is now Ohio State's career leader with 86 touchdowns.
• Urban Meyer is 14-0 in season openers.
• Ohio State has a record of 50-4 when ranked No. 1 and playing an unranked opponent. 
• Ezekiel Elliott has six-straight games of at least 100-yards rushing. 
• The Buckeyes have won five-straight season opening games on the road.
• When Urban Meyer has more than one week to plan for a game his teams are 41-3.
• Ohio State has won a nation’s best 14 consecutive games and a nation’s best 14 straight road wins.
• Urban Meyer is six wins away from his fourth 20-game win streak. He was the first to get three 20-game winning streaks and could become the first to get four 20-game winning streaks.
• The Buckeyes averaged 10.2 yards per play against Virginia Tech and set a school record.
• Ohio State has won 66 out the last 67 home openers against unranked teams. 
• Hawai'i has never defeated a football team ranked No. 1.

 

2015 STATISTICAL COMPARISON

2015 STATS	RANK	CATEGORY	2015 STATS	RANK
42.0	41st	Points For	28.0	74th
24.0	70th	Points Against	20.0	62nd
		OFFENSE
360.0	8th	Rushing Offense	100.0	100th
212.0	71st	Passing Offense	202.0	77th
572.0	20th	Total Offense	302.0	106th
		DEFENSE
128.0	54th	Rushing Defense	215.0	104th
192.0	50th	Pass Defense	156.0	35th
320.0	54th	Total Defense	371.0	68th
		OFF. MISC.
.333	85th	3rd Down Conv.	.368	77th
.500	109th	Red Zone	1.00	1st
6.5	57th	Punt Return	6.0	63rd
----	----	Kickoff Return	18.0	18.0
		DEF. MISC.
.471	96th	3rd Down Conv.	.288	4th
1.00	62nd	Red Zone	.714	6th
156.11	100th	Pass Eff. Def.	109.2	14th
38.7	63rd	Net Punting	37.9	55th
		MISC.
-1.0	80th	Turnover Margin	+1.0	26th
6.00	56th	Penalties Per Game	9.0	102nd
	Total: 8	THE EDGE	Total: 10

After one game it appears Hawaii is the better team.

To put things in perspective you will find the 2014 stats below:

 

2014 STATISTICAL COMPARISON

2014 STATS	RANK	CATEGORY	2014 STATS	RANK
44.8	5th	Points For	20.9	108th
22.0	26th	Points Against	26.8	64th
		OFFENSE
264.5	8th	Rushing Offense	149.5	83rd
247.1	51st	Passing Offense	214.9	79th
511.6	9th	Total Offense	364.4	98th
		DEFENSE
141.3	34th	Rushing Defense	172.3	73rd
201.1	28th	Pass Defense	245.8	89th
342.4	19th	Total Defense	418.2	82nd
		OFF. MISC.
.520	3rd	3rd Down Conv.	.333	111th
.851	48th	Red Zone	.830	63rd
11.3	18th	Punt Return	8.8	47th
22.7	29th	Kickoff Return	19.2	104th
		DEF. MISC.
.344	16th	3rd Down Conv.	.397	60th
.844	77th	Red Zone	.784	36th
108.2	13th	Pass Eff. Def.	136.6	97th
41.8	5th	Net Punting	40.5	12th
		MISC.
+0.47	32nd	Turnover Margin	-0.54	105th
5.6	50th	Penalties Per Game	6.2	71st
	Total: 17	THE EDGE	Total: 1

Today's Trivia Answers:

Can you name the three Heisman Trophy winners Norm Chow coached?

Answer: Ty Detmer, BYU (1990), Carson Palmer, USC (2002) and Matt Leinart, USC (2004).
 

What is the name of Hawaii's stadium?

Answer: Aloha Stadium. The 50,000 seat stadium opened on 9-12-75 (40 years ago on game day).
 

Ohio State is 8-1 against the Mountain West Conference. Can you name the only team from the MWC to defeat Ohio State?

Answer: Air Force. The Falcons defeated Ohio State 23-11 in the 1990 Liberty Bowl.

Sources
hawaiiathletics.com
ohiostatebuckeyes.com
stats.ncaa.org
sportsreference.com