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A bruised and dehydrated Brian Wagner couldn't even pinpoint the problems in Akron's 42-0 loss at No. 18 Ohio State on Saturday.
''We just didn't play that well,'' said the Zips linebacker, who had 15 tackles in the loss. ''They started wearing us down. They passed all over us, they ran all over us.''
The heat, the humidity and the Buckeyes added up to another long trip home for the Zips, who lost their 15th consecutive road game dating to a 42-35 victory at Eastern Michigan almost three years ago.
Second-year coach Rob Ianello had no problem detailing what went wrong.
''Our defense was on the field way too long. We missed way too many tackles - which was a result of being on the field too long,'' he said. ''The line of scrimmage was the problem. We knew their defensive front was talented. We certainly didn't underestimate them. We had trouble with their defensive front all day.''
Akron's offense managed just 90 total yards. The Zips, 1-11 a year ago, came closest to scoring when a 41-yard field goal just before the half went wide.
In addition to the final score, every stat was lopsided in Ohio State's favor, including first downs (27-5), rushing yards (224-35) and sacks (5-0).
''We have the team to do it. I don't think Ohio State outmanned us,'' said Zips quarterback Clayton Moore, who completed 6 of 16 passes for 54 yards and rushing for 32 yards on eight carries. ''It's just one of those things.''
Despite having more than a handful of players serving NCAA suspensions for the game for accepting improper benefits, Ohio State had more than enough talent left over to dominate.
Starting his first game in eight years, quarterback Joe Bauserman ran for a touchdown and threw for three to tight end Jake Stoneburner.
Luke Fickell made his head-coaching debut for the Buckeyes after being elevated from defensive assistant to take the place of Jim Tressel, who was shoved out in the wake of an ugly NCAA scandal that has stretched over the past 10 months. The Buckeyes are still awaiting their final sanctions from the NCAA.
Stoneburner became the first Ohio State tight end to catch three TD passes in a game.
Bauserman, starting for the first time since he was a senior in high school, ran for a 15-yard score and threw TD passes of 28, 11 and 2 yards to Stoneburner. Bauserman, who spent the last two years on the sidelines watching Terrelle Pryor play, completed 12 of 16 passes for 163 yards and the three scores with no interceptions.
Buckeyes freshmen also had a big day. Heralded freshman quarterback Braxton Miller tossed a TD pass to another true freshman, Devin Smith, and classmate Rod Smith ran for a score.
With the temperature soaring into the high 90s with high temperature, the nearby Ohio State Medical Center reported around 20 people were treated for heat-related illnesses. The game referee had to leave the game due to dehydration.
''It was smoking,'' Moore said. ''I went in at halftime and I couldn't feel my legs. They were just dead.''
