VIEW FROM THE MIDWEST: SEPTEMBER 13, 2007

Ohio State Rallies From a Frightening 2-0 Deficit

By Paul Smith / smith@collegeblitz.com

The Philadelphia Eagles once had one of the National Football League's most quotable coaches in Mike McCormack, who declared a rare, laborious Eagles victory over the hated Dallas Cowboys thusly: "It wasn't a Rembrandt, but we'll take it."

So far this season, more than a few Big 10 victories against less-than-spectacular nonleague opposition have scrawled some serious graffiti on the league's prestigious image.

Just this past Saturday, Wisconsin, rated No. 7 by The Associatd Press and trailing 13-12 late, had to pull out all stops to squeeze out a 20-13 win at unheralded Nevada-Las Vegas.

Take 10th ranked Ohio State's 20-2 victory over in-state gimme Akron.

Please, many of the 104,317 Ohio Stadium critics would have said, waxing Henny Youngmanesque.

Ohio State somehow found itself behind the feisty Zips 2-0 for much of the first half after Chris "Beanie" Wells was tackled in his own end zone early in the first quarter.

It took a 46-yard field goal by Ryan Pretorius with 7:54 left in the half for the Buckeyes to huff and puff their way to a 3-2 halftime lead.

It capped what Columbus Dispatch reporter Tim May termed "An excruciating nine-play, 46-yarder" of a drive that was a metaphor for the opening 30 minutes.

The Zips hung close as junior Todd Boeckman struggled mightily to capture the hoped-for form that Bucks fans everywhere know will be the key to O.S.U.'s 2007 Big 10 chances.

"We wanted to work on some new things this week," Boeckman told The Columbus Dispatch. "We were happy with a lot of the things we did, but we weren't satisfied with some of the elements."

The Bucks stammered and stuttered in trying to make a second-game statement, but finally got it together in the second half as Boeckman completed 14-of-23 passes for 131 yards, two interceptions from a tough Akron defense and second-half touchdowns of 9 yards to Brian Robiskie and 6 to Brandon Saine to cap long drives.

"We have some wrinkles we have to iron out to make sure everyone is on the same page," Boeckman added.

"(In the second half) We got some drives going and we seemed to jell more on offense."

The defense more than did its part, suffocating Akron's no-huddle offense enough to force punts on 13 consecutive possessions and limiting the Zips to two first downs until the game's final minutes.

"We ran around today and flew to the ball," Buckeyes defensive coordinator Jim Heacock told The Dispatch. "Last week (against I-AA Youngstown State, whom the Bucks beat 38-6), we have have been more concerned with not making mistakes, whereas today, we were more aggressive and dictated the pace of the game."

The Bucks did commit five turnovers, but Chris "Beanie" Wells' 143 rushing yards, including successive runs of 25 and 40, helped Ohio State open it up a bit in the second half.

"We all settled as a whole and began to execute better," said Robiskie, who is beginning to develop into the big-play wide receiver the Bucks will desperately need to stretch opposing defenses.

"There is a lot of work to be done if we want to get to where we want to be," he told The Dispatch.

Particularly when you consider the next Buckeyes game is against emerging Pac-10 power Washington (2-0), four sports away from the AP Top 25 ... in Seattle. "We need to get better," sophomore linebacker Ross Homan declared. "Washington is a big, fast team. We just need to practice and keep improving."

Buckeye Bits: Sophomore defensive tackle Doug Worthington on the D's stellar efforts: "The defense played with attitude and passion. Every time we gave up yards today we took it personally. This could be a great defense if we ... maintain our intensity and discipline." Defensive end Lawrence Wilson, who broke a bone in his right leg last week, will miss much of the season ... "There was a little excitement missing from the defense today," junior defensive end Vernon Gholston, a potential All-American said of Wilson's absence. "But the young guys did a good job."

Contributing mightily: Ohio State Sports Information and The Columbus Dispatch