By Mark Rea
BuckeyeSports.com
Ohio State overcame a sluggish start to run roughshod over visiting Nebraska, pounding out a 63-38 victory Saturday night in front of an Ohio Stadium crowd of 106,102.
It was the highest point total for the Buckeyes since a 73-20 victory over Eastern Michigan in 2010 and the best output against a Big Ten opponent since a 69-18 win over Minnesota in 1983. Additionally, it was the most combined points in an OSU game since the Buckeyes defeated Iowa, 83-21, in 1950.
Conversely, it was the most points surrendered by the Cornhuskers since a 65-51 loss to Colorado in the 2007 season finale.
Ohio State accounted for only 17 yards in the first quarter but wound up with 498 for the game, including 371 on the ground. It was the highest rushing total for OSU since a 383-yard effort during a 35-6 win at Minnesota in 1991.
Sophomore quarterback Braxton Miller and junior tailback Carlos Hyde each went over the 100-yard mark to lead the Buckeyes. Miller had a career-high 186 yards and one touchdown on 16 carries while Hyde carried 28 times for 140 yards and four TDs. The carries, yardage and touchdowns all represented new career-highs for Hyde, who became the first OSU running back to rush for four touchdowns since Eddie George had four during a 56-35 win over Iowa in 1995.
In addition to his rushing, Miller also completed 7 of 14 passes for 127 yards and a touchdown.
Miller's counterpart from Nebraska had a night to forget. Junior quarterback Taylor Martinez pitched three interceptions and lost a fumble despite throwing for a touchdown and running for two others. He finished the game 15 for 25 in the passing department for 214 yards, one score and the three picks.
The Cornhuskers totaled 437 yards, including 214 on the ground. They were led by senior I-back Rex Burkhead, who rushed for 119 yards on 14 carries.
The game's leading receiver was NU sophomore Kenny Bell, who caught five balls for a career-best 133 yards.
Ohio State got a superlative defensive effort from senior lineman John Simon, who had five tackles for loss among his seven total stops. That tied a single-game OSU record first established by Judah Herman against Iowa in 1991 and equaled by Jayson Gwinn vs. Indiana in 1993 and Andy Katzenmoyer in the 1997 Rose Bowl vs. Arizona State.
Linebacker Ryan Shazier had a game-high 11 tackles, including a sack, while cornerback Bradley Roby picked off two Martinez passes. Safety Orhian Johnson had the other interception while defensive end Michael Bennett had a fumble recovery.
"I thought the first quarter was a train wreck for our offense, but our offensive line eventually took over the game," OSU head coach Urban Meyer said. "We have a quarterback who is ridiculous and Carlos Hyde is coming into his own. We are kind of a pound-you offense right now, which I don't mind. Defensively, we're not where we want to be. We gave up too many yards … but we kind of fed off each other and these guys are buying in. We've got it going right now."
The Buckeyes got on the scoreboard first when Roby jumped a sideline route and intercepted Martinez, returning the pick 41 yards for a touchdown to make it 7-0 at the 8:29 mark of the first quarter.
Nebraska quickly answered, moving 92 yards in seven plays highlighted by a 73-yard run from Burkhead and capped by a 1-yard run from tailback Ameer Abdullah to tie it at 7 with 5:26 to go in the first period. Abdullah finished the game with 28 yards and a pair of TDs on seven carries.
Abdullah broke off a 47-yard punt return later in the opening period, and later scored on a 3-yard run to give the Cornhuskers their first lead at 14-7 with 1:50 remaining in the first quarter.
At the time, Nebraska had outgained the Buckeyes by a 121-8 margin and had five first downs to none for Ohio State.
The Cornhuskers padded their lead to 17-7 at the 11:59 mark of the second quarter on a 26-yard field goal from kicker Brett Maher. That OSU held the Huskers to a field goal was a mini-success. Meyer called for a fake punt that was sniffed out by NU defender Steve Osborne, giving the Cornhuskers possession at the Ohio State 31.
Then OSU suddenly shifted gears and exploded in the second quarter for 242 yards and four touchdowns.
The first came on a 1-yard run from Hyde that was set up following a 72-yard burst by Miller. That made it 17-14 at the 10:49 mark of the second period.
Roby came up with his second interception on Nebraska's next possession, setting up an 18-yard touchdown pass from Miller to tight end Jeff Heuerman to push the Buckeyes back into the lead at 21-17 with 8:58 remaining until the break. Heuerman finished with two catches for 53 yards.
Nebraska answered again the next time it got the ball, using a 74-yard pass play from Martinez to Bell to set up a 9-yard touchdown run by Martinez. That made it 24-21 in favor of the Cornhuskers with 6:59 left in the half.
And back came the Buckeyes with a 10-play, 75-yard run the culminated in a 7-yard touchdown run by Hyde to make it 28-24 at the 3:11 mark.
Then with only 23 seconds remaining, on a fourth-and-1, Miller played off a block at the point of attack from Hyde and zipped 31 yards for another touchdown, giving Ohio State a 35-24 lead at intermission.
By the break, Miller had already piled up 137 yards and a touchdown on the ground while adding 78 yards and another score through the air on 5-of-11 passing.
Nebraska narrowed the Ohio State to 35-31 just 2:10 into the third quarter when Martinez found tight end Ben Cotton alone in the end zone for a 3-yard touchdown pass.
But most of the rest of the game belonged to the Buckeyes. They got a 1-yard run from Hyde at the 8:15 mark of the third quarter, a 76-yard punt return from Corey "Philly" Brown at the 5:50 mark and a 33-yard run from backup tailback Rod Smith with 10:27 to go in the game to explode their lead to 56-31.
Nebraska put its final score with 5:38 remaining when Martinez finished off an 11-play, 67-yard drive with a 2-yard touchdown run to make it 56-38. And Hyde closed out the scoring with a 16-yard run with 48 seconds to go.
