THE PERTINENT INFO
When: Saturday, September 1, 2018
Where: Ohio Stadium, Columbus
TV: Noon // ABC
Announcers: Dave Pasch, Greg McElroy and Tom Luginbill
This is the third time Ohio State and Oregon State will play each other in football. The Buckeyes are 2–0 all-time against the Beavers. All three games have been played in Columbus and Ohio State outscored Oregon State 73-24 in the first two games.
This is the first game for Jonathan Smith as Oregon State's head coach. He was a graduate assistant for the Beavers in 2003. Smith was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for Washington between 2014-17.
Below you will find some interesting facts about the teams, key offensive player stats, coach information, and team stats.
THE LAST TIME...
- The Buckeyes started the season against a Pac-12 opponent was a 28-9 victory over No. 17 Washington in 2003.
- Ohio State played Oregon State, the Buckeyes won 22-14 at home in 1984.
- The Buckeyes played under a coach other than Urban Meyer was January 2, 2012.
- Ohio State played on the first of September was a 56-10 win over Miami, Ohio in 2012.
- The Buckeyes lost the first game of the season was in 1999 against Miami, FL.
- Ohio State lost to an unranked opponent in the season opener was against Arizona (14-7) in 1967.
- The Buckeyes started the season against a Pac-12 opponent was a 28-9 win over Washington in 2003.
ON THE HORIZON
- Ohio State two wins away from the program's 900th victory.
- A victory will earn the Buckeyes their 19th straight opening game win and 38 out of the last 40.
- Saturday is the Scarlet & Gray game, student athletes from 36 varsity sports will be honored at halftime.
- Ohio State has won 31 straight season-opening games in Ohio Stadium.
- The Buckeyes have an all-time winning percentage of .725 and are .04 percentage points from taking the all-time lead.
Oregon State University
GET TO KNOW OREGON STATE
- The campus is located in Corvallis, OR.
- The university was founded in 1868.
- The Beavers were 1–11 in 2017.
- Oregon State is 28–46 (.378) since 2012.
- The mascot's name is Benny Beaver.
- Corvallis Academy was the school's original name. Officially became Oregon State in 1961.
- 1893 was the first year for the Beavers' football team. However, Jimmie the Coyote was the first mascot. Benny the Beaver arrived in 1910.
TODAY'S TRIVIA QUESTIONS:
- The last time Ohio State lost a season-opening game in Ohio Stadium was 1978, can you name the team that beat the Buckeyes on that 18th day of September?
- The football program is ranked 4th all-time in winning percentage (.725). Michigan and Notre Dame are tied for first, which team is currently third?
- Can you name the team that has won the most conference championships since 2000?
Answers at the bottom of today's article.
 |
 |
|||
| RETURNING OFFENSIVE LEADERS | ||||
| DWAYNE HASKINS | 565 YDS // 4 TD // 1 INT | PASSING | JAKE LUTON | 853 YDS // 4 TD // 4 INT |
| J.K. DOBBINS | 1,403 YDS // 7.2 YPC // 7 TD | RUSHING | ART PIERCE | 323 YDS // 4.8 YPC // 1 TD |
| PARRIS CAMPBELL | 584 YDS // 3 TD | RECEIVING | NOAH TOGIAI | 461 YDS // 2 TD |
| RETURNING DEFENSIVE LEADERS | ||||
| JORDAN FULLER | 70 | TACKLES | JALEN MOORE | 75 |
| NICK BOSA | 8.5 | SACKS | JONATHAN WILLIS | 3.0 |
| DAMON ARNETTE JORDAN FULLER | 2 | INTERCEPTIONS | JALEN MOORE DAVID MORRIS | 1 |
| RETURNING SPECIAL TEAMS | ||||
| K.J. HILL | 5.3 YPR | PUNT RETURNER | TREVON BRADFORD | 12.0 YPR |
| PARRIS CAMPBELL | 36.6 YPR | KICKOFF RETURN | ARTAVIS PIERCE | 20.0 YPR |
| DRUE CHRISMAN | 44.2 | PUNTING | ALEX BLAND | 35.9 |
| 6 | EDGE | 3 | ||
*2017 stats
THE COACHES
Ryan Day
- 0–0 (.000) at Ohio State*
- 0–0 (.850) overall*
*Acting Head Coach
Jonathan Smith
- 0–0 (.000) at Oregon State (1st year)
- 0–0 (.675) overall as a college coach (1st year)
Smith was hired as Oregon State's head coach in November of 2017. He earned four varsity letters for the Beavers between 1998 and 2001. Smith was a walk-on quarterback who earned the starting job. He finished his career with 39 consecutive starts and the program's all-time leader in passing yards, touchdown passes, single game passing yards (469 against Washington) and single season passing yards (3,053).
CLIFF CLAVEN'S LITTLE KNOWN FACTS CORNER
- Since 2012, Ohio State has averaged 49.6 points per game in opening games.
- The Buckeyes have scored at least 34 points in each of the last six season openers.
- Ohio State defeated Oregon State 51-10 in 1974 and 22-14 in 1984.
- Since 2012, the Buckeyes lead the nation with 25 defensive touchdowns.
- Against the current members of the Pac-12, the Buckeyes are 60–26–2.
- Ohio State is 4–0 when starting the season against a team from the Pac-12. The average margin of victory was 30-11.
- Fans of the Buckeyes are rabid. A total of 752,464 faithful of the Scarlet and Gray filled Ohio Stadium during the 2017 season, highest total attendance in the nation.
- The last time the Buckeyes scored 80 or more points was an 83-21 thrashing of Iowa in 1950.
- Since 2012, Ohio State is 4–0 against the Pac-12 winning by an average score of 38-22.
- Ohio Stadium has had 113 consecutive games of attendance over 100,000.
- With Urban Meyer as head coach, Ohio State is 40–3 when playing at home.
- The Buckeyes will face 11 Power 5 opponents in 2018. This year, only Northwestern and Purdue will face as many Power 5 teams.
- Buckeye teams under Urban Meyer have scored 50 or more points 24 times. The Scarlet and Gray won all of those games.
- Ohio State is 2–0 when playing on September 1.
|
|
|
|||
| OFFENSE | ||||
| 41.1 | 6th | POINTS FOR | 20.7 | 113th |
| 243.2 | 17th | RUSHING OFFENSE | 137.5 | 97th |
| 262.8 | 36th | PASSING OFFENSE | 196.3 | 88th |
| 506.0 | 7th | TOTAL OFFENSE | 333.8 | 112th |
| .465 | 6th | 3rd DOWNS | .402 | 63rd |
| .897 | 23rd | RED ZONE | .886 | 33rd |
| DEFENSE | ||||
| 19.0 | 15th | POINTS ALLOWED | 43.0 | 127th |
| 105.1 | 6th | RUSH DEFENSE | 235.8 | 120th |
| 195.9 | 30th | PASS DEFENSE | 237.3 | 83rd |
| 112.6 | 13th | PASS EFFICIENCY DEFENSE | 159.9 | 124th |
| 300.9 | 9th | TOTAL DEFENSE | 473.1 | 120th |
| .321 | 17th | 3rd DOWNS | .532 | 129th |
| .725 | 8th | RED ZONE | .892 | 112th |
| SPECIAL TEAMS | ||||
| 5.5 | 98th | PUNT RETURN | 5.8 | 91st |
| 24.2 | 17th | KICKOFF RETURN | 20.5 | 81st |
| 41.6 | 9th | NET PUNTING | 36.9 | 88th |
| MISCELLANEOUS | ||||
| +0.4 | 35th | TURNOVER MARGIN | -1.2 | 123rd |
| 6.9 | 101st | PENALTIES | 7.0 | 102nd |
| 17 | EDGE | 1 | ||
TODAY'S TRIVIA ANSWERS
The last time Ohio State lost a season-opening game in Ohio Stadium was 1978, can you name the team that beat the Buckeyes on that 18th day of September?
Answer: No. 5 Penn State defeated No. 6 Ohio State 19-0 in Columbus. It was Ohio State's third straight loss as the Buckeyes lost to Michigan and Alabama to finish the 1977 season.
The football program is ranked 4th all-time in winning percentage (.725). Michigan and Notre Dame are tied for first, which team is currently third?
Answer: Boise State (.726). Michigan and Notre Dame
Can you name the team that has won the most conference championships since 2000?
Answer: Ohio State leads all teams with 8 conference championships since 2000. USC and Florida State are tied for second with 7.
