Buckeye Rosters

Recap

Columbus, OH — Ninth-ranked Ohio State opened the season with a 70-7 thrashing of visiting Rice. The Buckeyes scored on 10 of their first 11 possessions and rolled up 632 yards in total offense.

Quarterbacks Stanley Jackson and Joe Germaine combined to throw for 315 yards and five touchdowns to lead the aerial attack, the former completing seven of nine passes for 151 yards and two touchdowns and the latter coming off the bench to hit on five of 10 tosses for 164 yards and three scores.

Not to be outdone, the OSU ground troops rolled up 317 yards, paced by tailback Pepe Pearson who lugged the leather 17 times for 119 yards and three touchdowns.

Seven different OSU players scored, including freshman wide receiver Michael Wiley who scored all three times he touched the ball – the first on a 49-yard reverse and the last two on catches of 51 and 60 yards.

Another freshman wideout, David Boston, also scored on his first touch — a 56-yard pass from Jackson.

The Ohio State defense, meanwhile, limited the Owls to 218 total yards as freshman Andy Katzenmoyer recorded a team-high eight tackles, including three for losses and a pair of sacks. Katzenmoyer made OSU history by becoming the first true freshman linebacker to start the opening game for the Buckeyes.