1975 Ohio State Buckeyes football team
American college football season
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The 1975 Ohio State Buckeyes football team was an American football team that represented the Ohio State University as a member of the Big Ten Conference during the 1975 Big Ten season. In their 25th year under head coach Woody Hayes, the Buckeyes compiled an 11–1 record (8–0 in conference games), won the Big Ten championship, and outscored opponents by a total of 374 to 79. Against ranked opponents during the regular season, they defeated No. 11 Michigan State, No. 7 Penn State, No. 13 UCLA, and No. 4 Michigan. The Buckeyes concluded the season in a rematch with UCLA, losing by a 23–10 score in the 1976 Rose Bowl. The Buckeyes, who had been ranked No. 1 prior to the Rose Bowl, dropped to No. 4 in the final AP and UPI polls.[1]
| 1975 Ohio State Buckeyes football | |
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Big Ten champion | |
| Conference | Big Ten Conference |
| Ranking | |
| Coaches | No. 4 |
| AP | No. 4 |
| Record | 11–1 (8–0 Big Ten) |
| Head coach |
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| Offensive coordinator | Alex Gibbs (1st season) |
| Defensive coordinator | George Hill (5th season) |
| MVP | Cornelius Greene |
| Captains |
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| Home stadium | Ohio Stadium |
| Conf. | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Team | W | L | T | W | L | T | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 4 Ohio State $ | 8 | – | 0 | – | 0 | 11 | – | 1 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 8 Michigan | 7 | – | 1 | – | 0 | 8 | – | 2 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Michigan State | 4 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 7 | – | 4 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Illinois | 4 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 5 | – | 6 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Purdue | 4 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 4 | – | 7 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wisconsin | 3 | – | 4 | – | 1 | 4 | – | 6 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Minnesota | 3 | – | 5 | – | 0 | 6 | – | 5 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Iowa | 3 | – | 5 | – | 0 | 3 | – | 8 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Northwestern | 2 | – | 6 | – | 0 | 3 | – | 8 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Indiana | 1 | – | 6 | – | 1 | 2 | – | 8 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Buckeyes gained an average of 290.0 rushing yards and 83.1 passing yards per game. On defense, they held opponents to 139.8 rushing yards and 90.0 passing yards per game.[2]
Running back Archie Griffin rushed for 1,357 yards (5.5 yards per carry) and won the Heisman Trophy for the second consecutive year, the only repeat winner in Heisman history. Quarterback Cornelius Greene tallied 976 passing yards and 473 rushing yards and won the Chicago Tribune Silver Football as the most valuable player in the Big Ten. Fullback Pete Johnson tallied 989 rushing yards and led the team in scoring with 156 points on 26 touchdowns.[2] Three Ohio State players won consensus All-America honors: Griffin; offensive guard Ted Smith; and defensive back Tim Fox.[3] Punter Tom Skladany won first-team All-America honors from the Football Writers Association of America.[4] Eleven Ohio State players received first-team honors on the 1975 All-Big Ten Conference football team.[5][6]
The team played its home games at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio.
Schedule
| Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 13 | 4:00 p.m. | at No. 11 Michigan State | No. 3 | ABC | W 21–0 | 80,383 | [7] | |
| September 20 | 1:30 p.m. | No. 7 Penn State* | No. 3 | W 17–9 | 88,093 | [8] | ||
| September 27 | 1:30 p.m. | North Carolina* | No. 2 |
| W 32–7 | 87,750 | [9] | |
| October 4 | 9:00 p.m. | at No. 13 UCLA* | No. 2 | ABC | W 41–20 | 55,482 | [10] | |
| October 11 | 1:30 p.m. | Iowa | No. 1 |
| W 49–0 | 87,826 | [11] | |
| October 18 | 1:30 p.m. | Wisconsin | No. 1 |
| W 56–0 | 87,820 | [12] | |
| October 25 | 2:30 p.m. | at Purdue | No. 1 | W 35–6 | 69,405 | [13] | ||
| November 1 | 1:30 p.m. | Indiana | No. 1 |
| W 24–14 | 87,835 | [14] | |
| November 8 | 2:00 p.m. | at Illinois | No. 1 | W 40–3 | 67,571 | [15] | ||
| November 15 | 1:30 p.m. | Minnesota | No. 1 |
| W 38–6 | 87,817 | [16] | |
| November 22 | 1:00 p.m. | at No. 4 Michigan | No. 1 | ABC | W 21–14 | 105,543 | [17] | |
| January 1, 1976 | 5:00 p.m. | vs. No. 11 UCLA* | No. 1 | NBC | L 10–23 | 105,464 | [18] | |
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Game summaries
Michigan State
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio St | 0 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 21 |
| Michigan St | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
at Spartan Stadium • East Lansing, Michigan
- Date: September 13
- Game weather: Partly sunny • Mid 50s • Wind W–NW 10 miles per hour (16 km/h; 8.7 kn) to 20 miles per hour (32 km/h; 17 kn)
- Game attendance: 80,383
- TV: ABC
| Game information | ||
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| Scoring summary | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Penn State
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Penn St | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 9 |
| • Ohio St | 10 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 17 |
- Date: September 20
- Location: Ohio Stadium
- Game attendance: 88,093
| 1 | OHST | Johnson 1 yard run (Klaban kick) | Ohio St 7–0 | |
| 1 | PSU | Bahr 55 yard field goal | Ohio St 7–3 | |
| 1 | OHST | Klaban 45 yard field goal | Ohio St 10–3 | |
| 2 | PSU | Bahr 31 yard field goal | Ohio St 10–6 | |
| 3 | PSU | Bahr 25 yard field goal | Ohio St 10–9 | |
| 4 | 5:05 | OHST | Johnson 11 yard run (Klaban kick) | Ohio St 17–9 |
UCLA
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| • Ohio State | 7 | 21 | 10 | 3 | 41 |
| UCLA | 7 | 0 | 7 | 6 | 20 |
- Date: October 5
- Location: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles
- Game attendance: 55,482
- TV announcers (ABC): Keith Jackson, Bud Wilkinson
| 1 | UCLA | Sarpy 13-yard pass from Sciarra (White kick) | UCLA 7-0 | |
| 1 | OSU | Greene 2-yard run (Klaban kick) | Tied 7-7 | |
| 2 | OSU | Johnson 3-yard run (Klaban kick) | OSU 14-7 | |
| 2 | OSU | Johnson 2-yard run (Klaban kick) | OSU 21-7 | |
| 2 | OSU | Greene 17-yard run (Klaban kick) | OSU 28-7 | |
| 3 | OSU | A. Griffin 17-yard run (Klaban kick) | OSU 35-7 | |
| 3 | OSU | Klaban 34-yard field goal | OSU 38-7 | |
| 3 | UCLA | Ayers 2-yard run (White kick) | OSU 38-14 | |
| 4 | UCLA | Ayers 1-yard run (kick failed) | OSU 38-20 | |
| 4 | OSU | Klaban 42-yard field goal | OSU 41-20 | |
Purdue
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| • Ohio State | 14 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 35 |
| Purdue | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
- Date: October 25
- Location: Ross–Ade Stadium, West Lafayette, IN
| 1 | OSU | Pete Johnson 60-yard run (Tom Klaban kick) | OSU 7-0 | |
| 1 | PUR | Steve Schmidt 22-yard field goal | OSU 7-3 | |
| 1 | OSU | Pete Johnson 3-yard run (Tom Klaban kick) | OSU 14-3 | |
| 2 | PUR | Steve Schmidt 27-yard field goal | OSU 14-6 | |
| 2 | OSU | Brian Baschnagel 22-yard pass from Cornelius Greene (Tom Klaban kick) | OSU 21-6 | |
| 3 | OSU | Lenny Willis 41-yard pass from Cornelius Green (Tom Klaban kick) | OSU 28-6 | |
| 4 | OSU | Cornelius Greene 28-yard run (Tom Klaban kick) | OSU 35-6 | |
Archie Griffin broke Cornell's Ed Marinaro NCAA career rushing record with a 23-yard run up the middle in the fourth quarter. [21]
Minnesota
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| • Ohio St | 3 | 14 | 0 | 21 | 38 |
- Date: November 15
- Location: Ohio Stadium
- Game start: 1:30 p.m. EST
- Game attendance: 87,817
| Q1 | OHST | Klaban 29 yard field goal | OHST 3–0 | |
| Q2 | OHST | Greene 14 yard run (Klaban kick) | OHST 10–0 | |
| Q2 | OHST | Griffin 19 yard run (Klaban kick) | OHST 17–0 | |
| Q3 | MINN | Barlow 5 yard pass from Dungy (pass failed) | OHST 17–6 | |
| Q4 | OHST | Johnson 8 yard run (Klaban kick) | OHST 24–6 | |
| Q4 | OHST | Greene 31 yard run (Klaban kick) | OHST 31–6 | |
| Q4 | OHST | Baschnagel 21 yard run (Klaban kick) | OHST 38–6 | |
Michigan
at Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Date: November 22, 1975
- Game weather: Clear, 36 °F (2 °C)
- Game attendance: 105,543
- TV announcers (ABC): Keith Jackson, Bud Wilkinson
| Game information | ||
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Personnel
Coaching staff
- Woody Hayes - Head Coach (25th year)
- George Chaump - Offense (8th year)
- George Hill - Defensive Coordinator (5th year)
- Charles Clausen - Defense (5th year)
- Alex Gibbs - Offensive Coordinator/ Offensive Line (1st year)
- Mickey Jackson - (2nd year)
- John Mummey - Quarterbacks (7th year)
- Ralph Staub - (6th year)
- Dick Walker - Defensive Backs (7th year)
- Jeff Kaplan - 'brain coach' & counselor (3rd year)
Roster
| 1975 Ohio State Buckeyes football team roster | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Players | Coaches | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Offense
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Defense
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Special teams
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Depth chart
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Awards and honors
1976 NFL draftees
| Player | Round | Pick | Position | NFL club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tim Fox | 1 | 21 | Defensive back | New England Patriots |
| Archie Griffin | 1 | 24 | Running back | Cincinnati Bengals |
| Brian Baschnagel | 3 | 66 | Wide receiver | Chicago Bears |
| Leonard Willis | 4 | 118 | Wide receiver | Minnesota Vikings |
| Ken Kuhn | 7 | 205 | Linebacker | Cincinnati Bengals |
| Craig Cassady | 8 | 213 | Defensive back | New Orleans Saints |
| Tom Klaban | 10 | 287 | Kicker | Cincinnati Bengals |
| Cornelius Greene | 11 | 317 | Quarterback | Dallas Cowboys |
| Larry Kain | 13 | 375 | Tight end | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| Pat Curto | 16 | 441 | Linebacker | Atlanta Falcons |
| Scott Dannelley | 17 | 482 | Guard | Cincinnati Bengals |