Before each game of the 2022 season, we’re taking a look back at the Buckeyes’ history of playing on that date.
Trivia Time
The 62 points Ohio State put up on Nebraska on this date in 2016 is tied for the most points scored for the Buckeyes over an AP Top 10 team. Can you remember the only other time Ohio State scored 62 points against a Top 10 opponent?
Scroll down to item #1 in Five Fun Facts for the answer.
The first game Ohio State played on Nov. 5 was in 1892. The Buckeyes traveled to Granville and blanked Denison, 32-0.
Four years later, the Buckeyes hosted a game for the first time on this date. Ohio Wesleyan didn't play the role of the polite guest and defeated the home team 10-4. That game was also Ohio State’s first-ever Thursday game that didn't fall on Thanksgiving. It was also the first of Wesleyan’s two victories over the Buckeyes.
In 1910, Ohio State faced Case for the 15th time. Case won and took a 9–4–2 lead in the series. Following this game, the Buckeyes won seven of the last eight contests against Case to finish the series with an 11–10–2 record.
“So far outclassed as to make the contest appear at times ludicrous.” Those were the words used to describe the Buckeyes’ first game against Princeton on this date in 1927. The Tigers won, 20-0, in New Jersey's Palmer Stadium and outgained John Wilce's Ohio State team 260-89 in total yards.
Ohio State’s recent history on this date has been much better, though, as the Buckeyes have won their last 11 games played on Nov. 5.
| YEAR | MATCHUP | LOCATION | SCORE |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | #2 Ohio State at Northwestern | Evanston, Illnois | TBD |
| 2016 | #6 Ohio State vs. #9 Nebraska | Columbus, Ohio | 62–3 |
| 2011 | Ohio State vs. Indiana | Columbus, Ohio | 34–20 |
| 2005 | #12 Ohio State vs. Illinois | Columbus, Ohio | 40–2 |
| 1994 | Ohio State vs. Wisconsin | Columbus, Ohio | 24–3 |
| 1988 | Ohio State vs. Wisconsin | Columbus, Ohio | 34–12 |
| 1983 | #14 Ohio State at Indiana | Bloomington, Indiana | 56–17 |
| 1977 | #4 Ohio State at Illinois | Champaign, Illinois | 35–0 |
| 1966 | Ohio State vs. Indiana | Columbus, Ohio | 7–0 |
| 1960 | #5 Ohio State vs. Indiana | Columbus, Ohio | 36–7 |
| 1955 | #11 Ohio State vs. Indiana | Columbus, Ohio | 20–13 |
| 1949 | #11 Ohio State at Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | 14–10 |
| 1938 | Ohio State vs. Purdue | Columbus, Ohio | 0–12 |
| 1932 | Ohio State at Northwestern | Evanston, Illinois | 20–6 |
| 1927 | Ohio State at Princeton | Princeton, New Jersey | 0–20 |
| 1921 | Ohio State at Chicago | Chicago, Illinois | 7–0 |
| 1910 | Ohio State at Case | Cleveland, Ohio | 10–14 |
| 1904 | Ohio State vs. Illinois | Columbus, Ohio | 0–46 |
| 1898 | Ohio State at Western Reserve | Cleveland, Ohio | 0–49 |
| 1896 | Ohio State vs. Ohio Wesleyan | Columbus, Ohio | 4–10 |
| 1892 | Ohio State at Denison | Granville, Ohio | 32–0 |
| Overall Record on Nov. 5: 14-6 | |||
Games to remember
Ohio State pummels ninth-ranked Nebraska
Mike Riley and his Cornhuskers came to Columbus with a running game averaging 204 yards per game. Nebraska felt confident Ohio State was prime for an upset due to the Buckeyes coming off of an overtime victory over Wisconsin, a late-game meltdown loss at Penn State and a four-point win over Northwestern.
Any thoughts of the Cornhuskers leaving Ohio's capital city with a “W” were quickly put to bed.
Urban Meyer's team took out three weeks worth of frustration from the jump. On the third play of the game, Nebraska's Tommy Armstrong was picked off by Damon Webb. 36 yards later, Ohio State was up 7-0 after 94 seconds elapsed off of the clock. The Cornhuskers answered with a field goal, but the Buckeyes scored the next 24 points to take a 31-3 lead into halftime.
If there was any question remaining about the outcome, Curtis Samuel answered it with the first snap of the second half. J.T. Barrett threw a deep ball to Samuel and the electric H-back raced to the endzone for a 75-yard touchdown, the longest of his Ohio State career.
Other highlights of the game included Damon Webb and Malik Hooker returning interceptions for touchdowns. The pick-sixes were the Buckeyes' fifth and sixth defensive scores of the season, breaking the previous program record of four set by the 1996 and 1987 teams.
The interception was the first of Webb's career. Hooker became the second player in Ohio State history to have two interception returns for touchdowns in the same season; Neal Colzie was the first in 1973.
108,750 fans, the second-largest crowd ever in Ohio Stadium to that point, watched Joe Burrow scamper into the end zone from 12 yards out for his first collegiate rushing touchdown.
The 59-point margin of victory is the largest ever for Ohio State over an opponent ranked in the top 10.
A 1938 dad’s day debacle
Ohio State welcomed Purdue to town for a Week 6 clash in 1938 having outscored the Boilermakers 130-0 in the previous six meetings between the two teams.
However, Purdue played like the dominant team on this early November Saturday.
From The Columbus Dispatch:
Machine-like precision, superior line and backfield speed, keener thinking, better choice and execution of plays and a better-rounded team were combined to produce a more cohesive organization and carry Purdue's black-shirted Boilermakers to a convincing 12 to 0 victory over Ohio State Saturday in the stadium.
A shocked crowd of over 54,000 left Ohio Stadium after having witnessed Purdue upset their favored Buckeyes for the first time. It was a Dad's Day debacle.
Willaman gets a win
In 1932, Sam Willaman was in his fourth year as Ohio State's head coach. During his time with the whistle around his neck, Willaman's teams had never finished better than fourth in the conference and had failed to defeat Northwestern in three tries. Dick Hanley’s Wildcats had outscored Willaman’s boys 47-8 during the streak.
Five days after Halloween was the perfect time for Ohio State to exorcise its Northwestern demons. The Wildcats took an early 6-0 lead, but following an injury to quarterback Carl Cramer, Marshall Oliphant entered to lead the Buckeyes to a 20-6 victory in front of the 30,000 fans attending homecoming in Evanston.
Stat Superlatives
| Stat | Number | Game |
|---|---|---|
| Points Scored | 62 | Nebraska, 2016 |
| Passing Yards | 352 | Nebraska, 2016 |
| Completions | 32 | Nebraska, 2016 |
| Rushing Yards | 402 | Illinois, 1977 |
| Total Yards | 590 | Nebraska, 2016 |
| Fewest Yards Allowed | 91 | Indiana, 1960 |
| Fewest Points Allowed | 0 |
Illinois, 1977 Indiana, 1966 Chicago, 1921 Denson, 1892 |
| Stat | Player | Number | Game |
|---|---|---|---|
| Passing Yards | Troy Smith | 298 | Illinois, 2005 |
| Passing Touchdowns | J.T. Barrett | 4 | Nebraska, 2016 |
| Rushing Yards | Keith Byars | 169 | Indiana, 1983 |
| Rushing Touchdowns | Keith Byars | 4 | Indiana, 1983 |
| Receptions | Billy Anders | 7 | Michigan State, 1966 |
| Receiving Yards | Ted Ginn Jr. | 138 | Illinois, 2005 |
| Receiving Touchdowns |
Curtis Samuel Santonio Holmes Chris Sanders Charles Bryant |
2 |
Nebraska, 2016 Illinois, 2005 Wisconsin, 1994 Indiana, 1960 |
| Total Touchdowns |
J.T. Barrett Keith Byars |
4 |
Nebraska, 2016 Indiana, 1983 |
| Touchdowns Scored | Keith Byars | 4 | Indiana, 1983 |
| Yards from Scrimmage | Curtis Samuel | 179 | Nebraska, 2016 |
Five Fun Facts
- The most points scored by the Buckeyes against an AP Top 10 opponent is 62. This was accomplished against No. 9 Nebraska on Nov. 5, 2016 and No. 4 Michigan in 2018.
- Twelve of Ohio State’s last 13 games on this date have been against Big Ten teams.
- The last loss for the Buckeyes on Nov. 5 was against Purdue in 1938.
- When ranked on this date, Ohio State is 7-0 and has outscored its opponents 263-52.
- Woody Hayes (four) and John Cooper (two) are the only Ohio State coaches with multiple wins on Nov. 5.
