Ohio State On This Date: Wins over Miami and Oregon, Losses to Texas and Washington Among Buckeyes’ Notable Non-Conference Results on Sept. 10
Before each game of the 2022 season, we’ll be taking a look back at the Buckeyes’ history of playing on that date.
The inaugural game the Buckeyes played on Sept. 10 marked the last time Woody Hayes would be on the Ohio State sidelines to open a football season. 45 years ago, the Miami Hurricanes arrived on the banks of the Scioto for the first time. Ron Springs rushed for a game-high 115 yards and the day’s only score. The Buckeyes left the field with a hard-fought 10-0 victory.
Trivia Time
Who was Miami’s head coach when the Hurricanes played in Columbus on this date in 1977?
Scroll down to item #2 in Five Fun Facts for the answer.
Like Miami 45 years ago, Ohio State will take on Arkansas State for the first time today. The Buckeyes have never faced an opponent twice on this date and the Red Wolves represent the eighth team for the scarlet and gray to battle on Sept. 10.
Other notable wins for the Buckeyes on Sept. 10 include victories over Oregon in 1983 and Syracuse in 1988. Of the eight matchups, Washington in 1994 and Texas in 2005 are the only teams to defeat Ohio State on this date. The Huskies and Longhorns are also the only ranked teams the Buckeyes have faced on Sept. 10.
| YEAR | MATCHUP | LOCATION | SCORE |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | #2 Ohio State vs. Arkansas State | Columbus, Ohio | TBD |
| 2016 | #4 Ohio State vs. Tulsa | Columbus, Ohio | 48–3 |
| 2011 | #18 Ohio State vs. Toledo | Columbus, Ohio | 27–22 |
| 2005 | #4 Ohio State vs. #2 Texas | Columbus, Ohio | 22–25 |
| 1994 | #18 Ohio State at #25 Washington | Seattle, Washington | 16–25 |
| 1988 | Ohio State vs. Syracuse | Columbus, Ohio | 26–9 |
| 1983 | #7 Ohio State vs. Oregon | Columbus, Ohio | 31–6 |
| 1977 | #5 Ohio State vs. Miami (Fla.) | Columbus, Ohio | 10–0 |
| Overall Record on Sept. 10: 5-2 | |||
Games to remember
Cooper’s Ohio State coaching debut against Syracuse
Ohio State started the 1988 season unranked for the first time in nine years. The last time that happened, Earle Bruce’s first team ended with the Buckeyes minutes away from a national championship.
Cooper hoped his first year would be as successful. His first challenge was getting past Dick MacPherson’s Syracuse squad. MacPherson was named the national coach of the year in 1987 and Cooper won the award in 1986. The two decorated coaches faced each other on ABC in front of an Ohio Stadium opening-day record crowd of 89,768.
The Orange came into the game riding a 14-game unbeaten streak and the Buckeyes needed to play soundly to win. At the end of the first half, Ohio State led 17-6. Carlos Snow had a 14-yard touchdown, Jeff Ellis caught a 2-yard touchdown from Greg Frey and Pat O’Morrow kicked a 27-yard field goal.
All points scored in the second half came via field goals off the foot of Syracuse’s Kevin J. Greene and O’Morrow. Greene made his two tries and O’Morrow booted three in Ohio State’s 26-9 victory.
O’Morrow finished the game with four field goals, which was one short of an Ohio State record at the time. Frey threw for 141 yards, completing 12-of-17 passes with a touchdown in his first start. The Buckeyes finished the game without committing a turnover or a penalty.
Cooper became the 19th Ohio State coach to win his debut. Only Jack Ryder and Paul Bixler did not. Ryder lost to Oberlin 40-4 in 1892 and Bixler tied Missouri 13-13 in 1946.
Vince Young and the Longhorns invade the Shoe
In an early season showdown that had all the makings of a national championship game, No. 4 Ohio State hosted No. 2 Texas and its star quarterback Vince Young in 2005.
On this date 17 years ago…if you know, you know.
With one of the loudest Ohio Stadium crowds behind them, the Buckeyes’ defense was able to stop the Longhorns on the one-yard line with an epic goal-line stand late in the fourth quarter.
Down one with 25 seconds remaining, Troy Smith needed 65 yards to give Josh Huston a shot at a game-winning field goal. The dream ended on the first play when Aaron Harris tackled Smith in the end zone for a 1-yard loss and a safety. Texas won 25-22 and went on to defeat USC in the Rose Bowl for the national championship, while Ohio State would eventually settle for a Fiesta Bowl trip after a 10-2 regular season.
Stat Superlatives
| Stat | Number | Game |
|---|---|---|
| Points Scored | 48 | Tulsa, 2016 |
| Passing Yards | 288 | Washington, 1994 |
| Completions | 22 | Oregon, 1983 |
| Rushing Yards | 287 | Miami, 1977 |
| Total Yards | 469 | Oregon, 1983 |
| Fewest Yards Allowed | 197 | Miami, 1977 |
| Fewest Points Allowed | 0 | Miami, 1977 |
| Stat | Player | Number | Game |
|---|---|---|---|
| Passing Yards | Bobby Hoying | 288 | Washington, 1994 |
| Passing Touchdowns | Mike Tomczak | 4 | Oregon, 1983 |
| Rushing Yards | Ron Springs | 115 | Miami, 1977 |
| Rushing Touchdowns |
JT Barrett Carlos Hyde |
2 |
Tulsa, 2016 Toledo, 2011 |
| Receptions | Buster Tillman | 9 | Washington, 1994 |
| Receiving Yards | Buster Tillman | 106 | Washington, 1994 |
| Receiving Touchdowns | Cedric Anderson | 2 | Oregon, 1983 |
| Total Touchdowns | Mike Tomczak | 4 | Oregon, 1983 |
| Touchdowns Scored |
JT Barrett Carlos Hyde Cedric Anderson |
2 |
Tulsa, 2016 Toledo, 2011 Oregon, 1983 |
| Yards from Scrimmage | Curtis Samuel | 140 | Tulsa, 2016 |
Five Fun Facts
- Arkansas State is the second team to ever play Ohio State as a member of the Sun Belt Conference, joining Troy, who played the Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium on Sept. 20, 2008.
- Lou Saban, Miami’s head coach in 1977, is not Nick Saban’s father.
- Only twice since 1960 has Ohio State finished a game without committing a turnover or a penalty. 1961 against Oregon and the Syracuse game on this date in 1988.
- Texas played in Ohio Stadium for the first and only time (until Aug. 30, 2025) in 2005.
- Ryan Day will be the seventh Ohio State coach to coach a game on Sept. 10, joining Woody Hayes (1977), Earle Bruce (1983), John Cooper (1988, 1994), Jim Tressel (2005), Luke Fickell (2011) and Urban Meyer (2016).
