Your News Columbus

Buckeye gridders romp in season opener with Akron

By Felix Hoover

For Your News Columbus

Sept 3, 2011

Season openers typically provide a mix of sloppy and productive play. Both were in evidence in Ohio Stadium as the Ohio State Buckeyes beat the University of Akron Zips 42-0

The first score of the season came on a 15-yard broken play scramble by starting quarterback Joe Bauserman. Drew Basil tacked on the extra point as he would on each of the Buckeye TDs. Basil’s one official field goal attempt, a 40-yarder, was wide right. Akron’s T.J. Marchese also missed on the Zips’ only serious scoring opportunity, a 41-yarder.

Bauserman further contributed on the scoring end with touchdown throws of 28, 11 and 2 yards to tight end Jake Stoneburner. The latter became the first Buckeye tight end to catch three touchdown passes in a game.

As promised, first-year head coach Luke Fickell presented a two-quarterback attack, with Braxton Miller as the second signal caller. Miller’s debut came in the second quarter with an inauspicious series, but for the day he connected on 8 of 12 passes for 130 yards, including a 14-yard touchdown pass to Devin Smith,

Throws by Bauserman and Miller were distributed among several receivers, including former Marion-Franklin standout Verlon Reed, who caught three for 66 yards.

The grab of the day came late in the fourth quarter when Evan Spencer pulled down a one-hander near the sideline for a 33-yard gain His catch set up the Buckeyes’ final touchdown of the afternoon, a 2-yard run by Rod Smith.

Carlos Hyde led the rushing attack with 93 yards on 19 carries. He also added one catch for 11 yards, while

Ohio State’s defense held the Zips to a total of 35 yards on the ground and 55 in the air

Today’s win made it 7 of 8 for the Buckeyes in their series with Akron, dating to 1891 Breaks in the action gave Your News Columbus time to enlist more searchers for the account of that first meeting. Akron sources have the Buckeyes winning 4-0, while most OSU sources show it as 6-0.

As for the current footballers, Ohio State will be preparing for its next game, a home meeting next Saturday with Toledo at noon. Akron will host Temple that evening at 6

Anyone with the official scoring summary of the Akron (then, Buchtel College) game against Ohio State in 1891 is asked to contact felixhoover@sbcglobal.net.