Oct 20, 2001
By RUSTY MILLER
AP Sports Writer
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - Derek Ross intercepted two passes and Ohio State forced turnovers on five consecutive second-half possessions as the Buckeyes came back to beat San Diego State 27-12 on Saturday.
Lydell Ross, no relation to Derek, scored two touchdowns for Ohio State (4-2, 2-1 Big Ten).
The game was rescheduled from Sept. 15 in the wake of the terrorist attacks.
Ohio State's offense continued to struggle - and quarterback Steve Bellisari was loudly booed by many in a crowd of 102,432 every time the Buckeyes faltered.
The defense, however, more than compensated.
The Aztecs (2-5, 1-2 Mountain West) led 12-6 midway through the third period when the defense abruptly put the clamps on quarterback Lon Sheriff.
On second and 2 near midfield, Sheriff's pass in the right flat was picked off by Ohio State linebacker Joe Cooper. Four plays later, however, Bellisari threw deep and was intercepted by Garret Pavelko - prompting the loudest boos of the day.
Sheriff fumbled the very next snap, however, and Ohio State's Fred Pagac Jr. recovered at the Aztecs 18. Staying entirely on the ground, the Buckeyes moved to a third-and-goal at the 4. Bellisari dropped, looked right, didn't find an open receiver and scrambled around left end, diving into the end zone. Mike Nugent added the go-ahead extra point.
Bellisari finished 15-of-28 for 198 yards with the one interception.
San Diego State ran three plays before Sheriff's pass was intercepted by Ross - with no receiver nearby. Ross returned it 30 yards to the Aztecs 5, where it took the Buckeyes just Wells' three runs, including the 1-yard scoring plunge, to make it 20-12.
Robert Reynolds and Ross then picked off Sheriff's next two passes. Lydell Ross went 52 yards after the latter, bursting up the middle and breaking free from the grasp of the Aztecs' Seth Santoro to make it 27-12.
Sheriff, who matched his season total with four interceptions, ended up 11-of-25 passing for 152 yards.
The Aztecs, out of the game early in the UNLV loss, had just about everything their way in the first half. On their four possessions, they punted only once.
The took a 3-0 lead on Tommy Kirovski's 29-yard field goal the first time they had the ball. That drive was extended when Ohio State's Michael Doss knocked down punter Brian Simnjanovski.
Ohio State countered with an 80-yard touchdown drive, helped by Bellisari's 44-yard completion to Chris Vance and capped by Lydell Ross' 2-yard scoring plunge. Josh Huston, who also missed 32- and 40-yard field-goal attempts, then shanked the extra-point kick off the right upright.
The Aztecs then drove 64 yards in seven plays, with Sheriff hitting both passes for 46 yards. Larry Ned, who totaled 112 yards on 29 carries, went in untouched from a yard out to give San Diego State a 9-6 lead.
Kirovski added a 38-yard field goal the next time the Aztecs go the ball.