Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Ohio State
Wildcats Fall To Fifth-Ranked Ohio State, 27-16
10/5/2002 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct 5, 2002
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EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern (2-4) had its opportunities to steal a victory from the nation's fifth-ranked team, but unbeaten Ohio State (6-0) did the job defensively to notch a 27-16 victory.
Junior tailback Jason Wright totaled 199 all-purpose yards, which included 95 rushing yards, but he and the Wildcats could not overcome a 140-yard rushing and two-TD performance by OSU's Maurice Clarett. Still, the 'Cats hung in there.
Northwestern had plenty of chances to win, or at least make the game more interesting, but it missed two field goals and had to settle for field goals on two other possessions inside the Ohio State 10.
The Wildcats also had a touchdown wiped out by a questionable call in the second quarter and ended up with three points. And driving late, Brett Basanez's pass was intercepted at the Ohio State 25.
"There were critical plays and the credit goes to Ohio State. They made them and we didn't," Northwestern coach Randy Walker said. "You can't get some of those plays back on the goal line."
Wright had a 67-yard kickoff return as well as four receptions for 37 yards.
"I'm really frustrated about being close," Wright said. "Almost does not count."
The Buckeyes had played only one other road game this year, at Cincinnati, and that was dicey, too. After trailing for most of the day, they needed an interception in the end zone with 26 seconds left to seal their 23-19 victory.
"We prepared all week to play this offense. They didn't surprise us with anything," said linebacker John Pickens, who forced one of three Clarett fumbles.
"In the second half, we kind of let it slip out of our hands."
Clarett fumbled on two of the first three possessions, setting up Northwestern's first score, a field goal. The Buckeyes didn't score until the second quarter, on a 3-yard run by Lydell Ross. They added another touchdown on Clarett's 2-yard run with 2:43 left in the half, giving them a 14-9 lead.
Northwestern had a chance to seize the momentum -- and possibly the game -- when Wright ripped off a 31-yard run and followed it with a 29-yard reception, putting Northwestern at the Ohio State 4. But the Wildcats couldn't get into the end zone, and David Wasielewski's 18-yard field-goal attempt was wide right just before halftime.
"It was a huge difference in the game," linebacker Cie Grant said. "A lot of people were saying maybe they'll come out with three, and we're saying, `They're getting nothing."'
Ohio State finally looked like its old smashmouth self in the second half, with Clarett gaining 35 yards during an 11-play, 79-yard drive. He finished it off with a 20-yard run up the middle, diving over the goal line for the touchdown that gave Ohio State a 24-9 lead.
"I just saw the pylon and I knew we had to get points on the board," he said. "So I ran for the pylon."
Northwestern lost 3 yards on the first two plays of its next series, and the game appeared to be just about over. But Basanez hit Jon Schweighardt up the middle for a 36-yard gain.
The Wildcats got a a pass-interference call on 3rd-and-8 at the Ohio State 45, getting a first down and 15 yards. Four plays later, Wright rumbled into the end zone, dragging Ohio State safety Michael Doss with him.
But Ohio State answered right back with a field goal, and Northwestern never threatened again.
"That's something we can come away with, that we continue to be great in the red zone," Buckeyes linebacker Matt Wilhelm said. "That's a totally different ballgame if they score a couple of times."
Basanez finished with a career-best 283 passing yards. After starting 2-for-9 on pass attempts, he closed by hitting 22-of-36 passes for a 24-for-45 night. Kunle Patrick led all NU players with six catches for 63 yards.
Sophomore Dominique Price was one of NU's stars on defense, totaling a career-best 15 (unofficial) tackles and forcing two of the three Clarett fumbles. He also recovered one of the loose balls. Pickens also had 15 unofficial tackles.
