| The 2011 Buckeyes | |
|---|---|
| Record | 6–7 |
| B1G Record | 3–5, 4th |
| Coach | Luke Fickell (1st year, 6–7) |
| Captains |
Mike Brewster, Dan Herron, John Simon, Andrew Sweat |
2011 was the first and only season for Luke Fickell as Ohio State's head coach. Fickell was hired to replace Jim Tressel who resigned after an NCAA investigation that led to harsh penalties on the program. The Buckeyes entered the game against Miami with a 2–0 record.
Ohio State opened the season with a 42-0 shutout victory over Akron and squeaked by Toledo 27-22. The Hurricanes lost the season opener to Maryland 24-32 and gave up 348 passing yards. This was Al Groden's first home game as Miami's head coach.
The game was touted as the "ineligibowl" as both teams were facing sanctions from the NCAA for rules violations.
September 17th • Miami • Sun Life Stadium
Lamar Miller ran for 54 yards on Miami's first play from scrimmage, setting the tone for the game. The Hurricanes outgained the 17th-ranked Buckeyes 363-209 in total yards, as Miller rushed for 184 yards and Jacory Harris completed 16 passes for 123 yards and two touchdowns.
Ohio State's offense turned one-dimensional as Bauserman finished 2-of-14 passing for 13 yards. Miller was 2-for-4, but threw an interception and lost a fumble in the 24-6 loss. To put in perspective, Maryland threw for 348 yards and defeated Miami 32-24 in the season opener.
The Buckeyes advanced into the red zone twice but had to settle for Drew Basil field goals of 22 and 24 yards.
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OHIO STATE | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| MIAMI | 14 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 24 |
"We've got to do a better job all around," Fickell said. "They made a lot more plays than we did and ultimately that's what the game came down to."
This was Ohio State's first road loss to an unranked nonconference opponent since Pittsburgh won 42-10 on the same date in 1988. The loss also knocked Ohio State out of the AP Poll for the first time since 2004.
OHIO STATE PLAYERS
- Joe Bauserman was 2-of-14 passing for 13 yards.
- Braxton Miller completed 2-of-4 passes for 22 yards and an interception. Miller also lost a fumble.
- Drew Basil made field goals of 22 and 24 yards for Ohio State's only points.
KEY PLAY OF THE GAME
Allen Hurns' two touchdown catches in the first quarter were enough to secure the win for Miami. Hurns was on the receiving end of two 3-yard touchdown passes from Jacory Harris to give the Hurricanes a 14-0 lead with 5:12 left in the first quarter.
The Buckeyes were able to get into the red zone twice, but had to settle for Basil field goals in the 24-6 loss.
THE REST OF THE STORY
Ohio State finished the season losing six of its last nine games. AD Gene Smith refused to enact the bowl ban and the Buckeyes lost to Florida in the Gator Bowl. Following the conclusion of the season, the NCAA banned the 2012 team from playing in the post season.
| DATE | OPPONENT | LOCATION | RESULT |
|---|---|---|---|
| SEP. 3 | AKRON | OHIO STADIUM | W, 42–0 |
| SEP. 10 | TOLEDO | OHIO STADIUM | W, 27–22 |
| SEP. 17 | MIAMI | SUN LIFE | L, 6–24 |
| SEP. 24 | COLORADO | OHIO STADIUM | W, 37–17 |
| OCT. 1 | MICHIGAN STATE | OHIO STADIUM | L, 7–10 |
| OCT. 8 | NO. 14 NEBRASKA | MEMORIAL STADIUM | L, 27–34 |
| OCT. 15 | NO. 16 ILLINOIS | MEMORIAL STADIUM | W, 17–7 |
| OCT. 29 | NO. 15 WISCONSIN | OHIO STADIUM | W, 33–29 |
| NOV. 5 | INDIANA | OHIO STADIUM | W, 34–20 |
| NOV. 12 | PURDUE | ROSS-ADE | L, 23-26 OT |
| NOV. 19 | NO. 21 PENN ST. | OHIO STADIUM | L, 14-20 |
| NOV. 26 | NO. 15 MICHIGAN | MICHIGAN STADIUM | L, 34–40 |
| JAN. 2 | FLORIDA | GATOR BOWL | L, 17-24 |
| 6–7, 318–273 |
