MADISON, Wisconsin (Ticker) -- Ohio State got big plays from a
pair of receivers - one on offense and one on defense - to
remain the only unbeaten team in the Big Ten Conference.
Michael Jenkins made a spectacular 46-yard catch to set up the
go-ahead score and Chris Gamble intercepted a pass in the end
zone later in the fourth quarter as the fourth-ranked Buckeyes
held on for a 19-14 victory over slumping Wisconsin.
Ohio State (8-0, 3-0 Big Ten) trailed, 14-13, early in the final
period when Jenkins outleaped cornerback B.J. Tucker and hauled
in the long pass from Craig Krenzel at the Wisconsin 39.
"We just felt like we had to strike with some big ones if we
were going to have a chance to beat them," Buckeyes coach Jim
Tressel said. "A year ago, if you remember, we had some guys
open and we did not hit them. It was good to see Mike come up
with a couple of big plays."
Six plays later, the Badgers bit on a fake pitch and Krenzel hit
wide-open tight end Ben Hartsock for a three-yard touchdown.
Under pressure, Krenzel threw incomplete on the two-point
conversion.
"I thought the key play of the game was 3rd-and-7 in the fourth
quarter. They really hadn't done much for a quarter and a half
and the ball was up in the air," Wisconsin coach Barry Alvarez
said. "We had two guys in position, no one made a play on the
ball and they made a big completion and were able to go down and
score."
Backup quarterback Jim Sorgi moved Wisconsin into position to
regain the lead on the next possession. But Gamble, a sophomore
flanker who has been used in the secondary by coach Jim
Tressel, intercepted an underthrown pass intended for Jonathan
Orr and landed in the end zone.
"He catches things better than most people," Tressel said of
Gamble. "It does not matter if it was intended for him or if he
was covering the guy. He can go up and catch the football.
That was a pretty big one. He is just outrunning athletes and
you wish you could play him all the time."
Freshman Maurice Clarett rushed for 133 yards on 30 carries and
Jenkins had five receptions for 114 yards and a touchdown for
Ohio State, which hosts Penn State next week.
Anthony Davis carried 25 times for 144 yards and a TD, but the
Badgers (5-3, 0-3) dropped their third straight game.
"No one likes to lose, yet I thought we showed improvement,"
Alvarez said. "I like the way my guys competed. They made a
couple more plays than we did."
It did not take the Buckeyes long to grab the lead. Clarett
broke off a 25-yard run on the first play from scrimmage and,
after Gamble ran for three yards, Krenzel and Jenkins hooked up
for a 47-yard touchdown just 90 seconds into the game.
Wisconsin penetrated Ohio State territory on its first
possession, then tied the game on its second. After an 18-yard
punt return by Jim Leonhard, Davis dashed 20 yards to the
Buckeyes' 46. Brooks Bollinger had a five-yard toss to Matt
Bernstein before Davis raced 41 yards to make it 7-7.
Ohio State answered with a 70-yard drive and regained the lead
on a 27-yard field goal by Mike Nugent.
After safety Mike Doss recovered a fumble by Bollinger at the
Badgers' 32, Nugent added a 25-yarder to extend the Buckeyes'
lead to 13-7 early in the second quarter.
Things got worse for Wisconsin as Bollinger was sacked on
back-to-back plays the next time the Badgers had the ball and
left with a concussion after going 3-for-3 for 21 yards.
Sorgi provided an instant boost with help from Davis, who gained
26 yards on three straight carries to start Wisconsin's next
drive. Three plays after scrambling 10 yards for a first down,
Sorgi hit Orr for a 42-yard TD that put the Badgers ahead at
halftime, 14-13.
Sorgi was 7-for-15 for 137 yards with an interception while Orr
caught four passes for 107 yards.
Krenzel completed 12-of-19 passes for 204 yards and Clarett set
a school freshman record with his sixth 100-yard rushing effort.
"I thought Craig played a very steady game," Tressel said. "He
stepped up and ran a couple that were important. He threw the
ball, I thought fairly well. He was under a little bit of
stress, protection-wise, at one stage in the second quarter."
The visiting team has won the last four games in the series,
which is led by Ohio State, 50-15-5.
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