Michigan State University
Ohio State
Spartans Fall To Buckeyes, 27-13
11/4/2000 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 4, 2000
By RUSTY MILLER
AP Sports Writer
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The formula for success at No. 16 Ohio State remains quite simple.
"We're 7-2 right now because we're not turning the ball over and we're getting turnovers," Buckeyes coach John Cooper said. "Our kicking game's been pretty sound. We're playing pretty good defense. That's how you win."
Safety Michael Doss jump-started the lethargic Buckeyes with a 73-yard fumble return and the defense shut down Michigan State in the last three quarters as Ohio State beat the Spartans 27-13 on Saturday.
Derek Combs helped the Buckeyes play keepaway with the ball in the second half, running for 153 yards and a touchdown.
Michigan State (4-5, 1-5 Big Ten) couldn't sustain a 13-3 lead, turning the ball over four times and surrendering seven sacks.
"Seventeen points on turnovers. You take that away and it's a whole different ball game," Spartans coach Bobby Williams said. "It's not what they did. It's what we did."
Michigan State actually ran more plays in Ohio State territory than its own, 40-35. In the first half alone, 33 of the Spartans' 44 snaps took place in the Buckeyes' half of the field.
The Buckeyes (7-2, 4-2), after giving up 115 yards in the first quarter, allowed only 96 yards in the final three periods.
"We started well. We moved the ball up and down the field. The defense created turnovers and they gave us the ball in good position," said Michigan State running back T.J. Duckett, who had 76 rushing yards at halftime but only seven in the second half. "But we couldn't put the ball in the end zone. That's been the story all year long."
Tied at 13 at halftime, the Buckeyes took their first lead on Steve Bellisari's 1-yard dive. The drive started at the 17 after Nate Clements returned Craig Jarrett's punt 20 yards and 15 yards were tacked on when Clements was hit after he stepped out of bounds.
The teams traded punts, but Michigan State's Ziehl Kavanaght muffed the kick at his own 15 and Ohio State's Robert Reynolds recovered.
Combs, who carried 31 times, then covered the distance in two attempts, including the last nine yards on the next-to-last play of the third quarter to end the scoring.
After building the 10-point lead on touchdown runs of 1 yard by Little John Flowers and 6 yards by quarterback Jeff Smoker, the Spartans had first downs at the Ohio State 39, 22, 42 and 46 in the second quarter but didn't score on any of them.
Early in the fourth quarter, Michigan State's Jace Sayler recovered a fumbled snap by Bellisari at the Buckeyes' 29.
After a first down aided by a facemask penalty, the Spartans netted 3 yards on two runs and an incompletion. David Schaefer, who earlier missed an extra-point kick, then came on and missed the 20-yard field-goal attempt.
It wasn't just the Spartans' offense that had problems.
Bellisari, who was 9-for-20 for 132 yards passing, was intercepted twice and several other passes could have been picked off or were nowhere near an Ohio State receiver.
Smoker, who completed 10-of-18 passes for 77 yards with an interception, also turned over the ball on two key plays that kept the Buckeyes in the game.
On third-and-4 from the Ohio State 16 midway through the second period, Smoker sustained a blindside hit from Buckeye defensive end Brent Johnson. The ball popped loose, Doss scooped it up and outran everyone.
"I just looked down, saw the ball, picked it up and was on my way," Doss said.
With a minute left in the half, Ohio State was forced to punt but the snap sailed over punter Dan Stultz's head by at least 4 feet. He eventually picked up the ball and tossed a pass to linebacker Joe Cooper, who dropped it.
Michigan State took over at the Ohio State 46 and on first down Smoker's pass in the left flat was intercepted - by Cooper. Behind Bellisari's 40-yard bomb to Ken-Yon Rambo, the Buckeyes drove to the Michigan State 13 before settling for Stultz's 38-yard field goal.
Michigan State had dealt the Buckeyes memorable losses each of the last two years. Two years ago, Ohio State was ranked No. 1 in the nation but the four-touchdown underdog Spartans scored the last 19 points in a 28-24 upset at Ohio State's Horseshoe.
Last year, the Spartans limited Ohio State to zero rushing yards in a 23-7 win.
"They've owned us. They came in here in '98 and took over our house, then pounded us last year," defensive back Donnie Nickey said. "It's good to take back the 'Shoe."
