Buckeye History

This is the first of what will become a regular feature on this blog. Today we visit the 1998 Buckeyes.

OSU vs. West Virginia, September 5, 1998
OSU was ranked number one for the first time, since 1980, in this season opener . West Virginia came into the game ranked 11th. Demand for the game was so high that some OSU fans bought season tickets from WVU just to get a ticket to this game in Morgantown, WV. The two teams traded field goals, putting the score at 3-3. A 55-yard drive was capped off with a 18 yard run by Michael Wiley. QB Joe Germaine passed to Dee Miller for a 14-yard pass and another touchdown, putting OSU up 17-3 early in the second quarter. Kicker Dan Stultz hit a 36-yard field goal to make the score 20-3. The Mountaineers pieced together a 81-yard drive with a touchdown right before halftime, making it 20-10. OSU had two successful drives in the second half with David Boston catching a 39-yard pass and Jonathan Wells running a seven yard touchdown. West Virginia was able to score in the closing seconds, but OSU came away with the victory 34-17. Even though the two schools share a border, they had only played five times before this 1998 match, back in 1897, 1900, 1902, 1903 and 1987.

(research assisted by "The Official Ohio State Football Encyclopedia")