Eddie George rushed for 207 yards and two touchdowns and Bobby
Hoying threw four touchdown passes as seventh-ranked Ohio State
blasted number 15 Notre Dame, 45-26, spoiling coach Lou Holtz's
return to the sidelines.
Eddie George, who carried 32 times, scored twice in a 3:31 span early
in the fourth quarter to break open a back-and-forth game. It
was Eddie George's second 200-yard game of the season and fourth
career, most in school history.
Hoying was 14-of-22 for 272 yards and no interceptions. He gave
the Buckeyes (4-0) the lead for good at 21-20 with a 15-yard
touchdown pass to Ricky Dudley with 5:06 remaining in the third
quarter. Less than four minutes later, he hooked up with Terry
Glenn on an 82-yard catch-and-run for a 28-20 advantage.
"Eddie, Terry and Bobby had great games," Ohio State coach John
Cooper said. "Our entire offensive line deserves credit. And you
don't want to get in a foot race with Terry Glenn."
Holtz, who underwent back surgery earlier this month, returned
to the sidelines after a two-week absence. He was not at a win
over Vanderbilt and was in the press box for last week's defeat
of Texas. The Fighting Irish (3-2) are 1-2 with Holtz on the
sidelines and surrendered their most points in his 10 years as
coach.
"I had planned on upstairs," said Holtz, who wore a neck brace.
But (assisattn coach Ron) Davie thought I should be there (on
the sidelines). Once the game is over, I'm pretty well beat.
During the game, the adrenaline rush kept me going."
The teams were playing for the first time in 59 years. In 1935,
Notre Dame overcame a 13-point fourth-quarter deficit to defeat
Ohio State, 18-13, with a touchdown pass by Bill Shakespeare on
the game's final play, the first contest to be labeled "The Game
of the Century." Notre Dame won again the following year and
the teams had not met since.
"I am just so proud of our football team," Cooper said. "This
is history and they are a part of it. Today is the first time
Ohio State has ever beaten Notre Dame. This is a great win for
us."
Eddie George scored from five yards out on the first play of the final
period, giving Ohio State a 35-20 lead. Notre Dame struck right
back with a 13-yard touchdown run by Randy Kinder, who had 143
yards on 28 carries. But quarterback Ron Powlus was stopped on
the two-point conversion, leaving the deficit at nine points.
The powerful Buckeyes answered quickly. Eddie George raced down the
left sideline for 61 yards, positioning himself for a three-yard
score that gave O-S-U a 42-26 lead with 11:24 to go.
"We went for two, but we didn't make it and we were still in the
ballgame," Holtz said. The run (by Eddie George) and the touchdown
sealed it."
Notre Dame's next drive stalled and the Ohio State special teams
snuffed a fake punt attempt, setting up Josh Jackson's 35-yard
field goal with 6:04 to play.
Powlus was 13-of-26 for 243 yards and one interception. Derrick
Mayes caught five passes for 125 yards.
After a scoreless first quarter, the Irish jumped to a 10-0 lead
on a 20-yard field goal by Kevin Kopka and a three-yard scoring
run by Kinder. Hoying hit Glenn with a 10-yard touchdown pass
before Kinder scored again from seven yards away to give the
Irish a 17-7 lead with 4:31 left in the half.
But Hoying directed a final drive and found Dimitrious Stanley
in the back of the end zone with a 17-yard scoring toss to pull
the Buckeyes within three points at halftime.
"I thought we could keep up with them as long as we could mix
the run and the pass," Holtz said. "The T-D before the half was
a big break for them, I'm sure."
Kopka kicked a 22-yarder to push Notre Dame's lead to 20-14 with
9:14 left in the third quarter before Hoying took over.
Dudley took a pass over the middle and broke a tackle en route
to the end zone. Glenn, who had four receptions for 128 yards,
caught a 10-yard hitch and outraced two defenders to the end
zone.
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