North Carolina State University Athletics
Ohio State Visits NC State for Rematch of Thriller
9/15/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 15, 2004
Ohio State has built a reputation for being a clutch team.
Just ask NC State.
After posting yet another riveting win, the ninth-ranked Buckeyes visit NC State on Saturday in a rematch of one of last season's most memorable games.
The Buckeyes (2-0) have won 13 of 14 games that were decided by a touchdown or less over the last two-plus seasons, including a 7-0 record while winning the national championship in 2002. In the title game, Ohio State beat Miami 31-24 in double overtime.
"These games happen so often here it seems," linebacker A.J. Hawk after Ohio State beat Marshall 24-21 on Saturday on Mike Nugent's 55-yard field goal as time expired.
The Buckeyes now meet the Wolfpack (1-0) for the first time since winning a dramatic 44-38 triple-overtime contest on Sept. 13, 2003. In what was the first meeting between the teams, they recorded the longest game ever played in Ohio Stadium.
With the score tied at 21 last week, Ohio State took over at its own 45 with 25 seconds left. Buckeyes quarterback Justin Zwick hit Santonio Holmes -- who had 10 catches for 224 yards and two touchdowns -- for gains of 9 and 8 yards. Zwick then completed a 5-yard pass to tight end Ryan Hamby, with the clock continuing to run because the Buckeyes were out of timeouts.
Zwick, who completed 18 of 30 passes for 324 yards and three scores, was able to get under center and stop the clock by downing the ball with 2 seconds left, with a motion penalty called on the play that made the kick even longer.
Nugent then had more than enough leg -- and time -- to put the ball through out of a perfect hold by Kyle Turano. It matched the second-longest field goal in Ohio Stadium's 82 years.
For the second week in a row, however, Ohio State didn't force a turnover. Zwick threw two interceptions and the Buckeyes also lost two fumbles. They now have seven turnovers in two games and have no takeaways.
"We're lucky, I guess, because typically if you're at a minus-7 in turnover margin you're going to be 0-2," Ohio State coach Jim Tressel said. "I've not been around too many teams that can lose the turnover margin and be a champion."
NC State has seemingly benefited from an early week off. Linebacker Andre Maddox and tailback T.A. McLendon, both nursing injuries, were able to rest and are expected to play Saturday. The two players missed the season-opening 42-0 victory over Richmond on Sept. 4 with strained hamstrings, and they probably wouldn't have been able to play last week.
The extra week of practice also gave coach Chuck Amato and his staff more time to work with their young players on fundamentals. NC State has a new starter at quarterback, where Jay Davis took over for Philip Rivers, and McLendon's primary backups are freshmen. On defense, the depth chart lists three sophomore starters on the line.
"I'm definitely glad it's this way," Amato said. "Jay has played one half of a football game, and then you look at the defensive line.
"All the work we can get, the better off we will be."
Davis was impressive in the victory over the Division I-AA Spiders, finishing 16-of-22 for 168 yards and throwing two touchdown passes. He nearly matched his passing total from the previous two seasons (177).
