1984 Ohio State Buckeyes football team
American college football season
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The 1984 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 1984 Big Ten season. In their sixth year under head coach Earle Bruce, the Buckeyes compiled a 9–3 record (7–2 in conference games), won the Big Ten championship, and outscored opponents by a total of 374 to 180. They concluded the season with a loss to USC in the 1985 Rose Bowl. The Buckeyes were ranked No. 13 in the final AP poll.[1]
| 1984 Ohio State Buckeyes football | |
|---|---|
Big Ten champion | |
| Conference | Big Ten Conference |
| Ranking | |
| Coaches | No. 12 |
| AP | No. 13 |
| Record | 9–3 (7–2 Big Ten) |
| Head coach |
|
| Offensive coordinator | Glen Mason (5th season) |
| Defensive coordinator | Bob Tucker (3rd season) |
| MVP | Keith Byars |
| Captains | |
| Home stadium | Ohio Stadium |
| Conf. | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | W | L | T | W | L | T | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 13 Ohio State $ | 7 | – | 2 | – | 0 | 9 | – | 3 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Illinois | 6 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 7 | – | 4 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Purdue | 6 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 7 | – | 5 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 16 Iowa | 5 | – | 3 | – | 1 | 8 | – | 4 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wisconsin | 5 | – | 3 | – | 1 | 7 | – | 4 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Michigan State | 5 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 6 | – | 6 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Michigan | 5 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 6 | – | 6 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Minnesota | 3 | – | 6 | – | 0 | 4 | – | 7 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Northwestern | 2 | – | 7 | – | 0 | 2 | – | 9 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Indiana | 0 | – | 9 | – | 0 | 0 | – | 11 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Buckeyes gained an average of 231.0 rushing yards and 169.3 passing yards per game. On defense, they held opponents to 131.8 rushing yards and 173.9 passing yards per game.[2] The team's statistical leaders included quarterback Mike Tomczak (1,662 passing yards, 58.5% completion percentage), running back Keith Byars (1,655 rushing yards, 5.3 yards per carry, 24 touchdowns), and wide receiver Mike Lanese (38 receptions for 585 yards).[2] Byars and offensive guard Jim Lachey were consensus first-team picks on the 1984 All-America team.[3] Six Ohio State players received first-team honors on the 1984 All-Big Ten Conference football team: Byars (AP/UPI); Lachey (AP/UPI); center Kirk Lowdermilk (AP/UPI); linebacker Pepper Johnson (AP/UPI); punter Tom Tupa (AP/UPI); and tackle Mark Krerowicz (UPI).[4][5]
The team played its home games at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio.
Schedule
| Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 8 | 12:00 p.m. | Oregon State* | No. 6 | SV | W 22–14 | 88,072 | [6] | |
| September 15 | 3:30 p.m. | Washington State* | No. 9 |
| SV | W 44–0 | 89,297 | [7] |
| September 22 | 1:30 p.m. | No. 14 Iowa | No. 5 |
| SV | W 45–26 | 89,733 | [8] |
| September 29 | 8:00 p.m. | at Minnesota | No. 3 | W 35–22 | 47,543 | [9] | ||
| October 6 | 2:30 p.m. | at Purdue | No. 2 | L 23–28 | 66,261 | [10] | ||
| October 13 | 3:30 p.m. | Illinois | No. 8 |
| CBS, WOSU | W 45–38 | 89,937 | [11] |
| October 20 | 1:00 p.m. | at Michigan State | No. 8 | W 23–20 | 75,123 | [12] | ||
| October 27 | 12:00 p.m. | at Wisconsin | No. 6 | CBS | L 14–16 | 78,606 | [13] | |
| November 3 | 1:30 p.m. | Indiana | No. 16 |
| W 50–7 | 89,366 | [14] | |
| November 10 | 2:30 p.m. | at Northwestern | No. 13 | W 52–3 | 31,087 | [15] | ||
| November 17 | 12:00 p.m. | Michigan | No. 11 |
| CBS | W 21–6 | 90,286 | [16] |
| January 1, 1985 | 5:00 p.m. | vs. No. 18 USC* | No. 6 | NBC | L 17–20 | 102,594 | [17] | |
| ||||||||
Game summaries
Oregon State
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon State | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 14 |
| • Ohio State | 0 | 3 | 12 | 7 | 22 |
- Date: September 8
- Location: Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
- Game start: 12:00 PM EDT
- Game attendance: 88,297
Washington State
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington State | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| • Ohio State | 3 | 20 | 0 | 21 | 44 |
- Date: September 15
- Location: Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
- Game start: 3:30 PM EDT
- Game attendance: 88,297
Iowa
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa | 3 | 17 | 6 | 0 | 26 |
| • Ohio State | 10 | 21 | 7 | 7 | 45 |
- Date: September 22
- Location: Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
- Game start: 3:30 PM EDT
- Game attendance: 89,733
Minnesota
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| • Ohio State | 7 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 35 |
| Minnesota | 0 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 22 |
- Date: September 29
- Location: Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, Minneapolis
- Game start: 8:00 PM EDT
- Game attendance: 47,543
Purdue
#2 Ohio State Buckeyes at Purdue Boilermakers
at Ross–Ade Stadium, West Lafayette, Indiana
- Date: October 6, 1984
- Game time: 1:31 p.m.
- Game weather: Mostly cloudy, 74 °F (23 °C)
- Game attendance: 66,261
- Box Score
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Illinois
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois | 17 | 7 | 11 | 3 | 38 |
| • Ohio State | 0 | 21 | 14 | 10 | 45 |
- Date: October 13
- Location: Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
- Game start: 3:30 p.m. EDT
- Elapsed time: 3:28
- Game attendance: 89,937
- Game weather: Mostly sunny; 61 °F (16 °C); wind 5–6 mph (8.0–9.7 km/h) SE
- Referee: Otho Kortz
| Q1 | 7:40 | ILL | Grant 3 yard pass from Trudeau (White kick) | ILL 7-0 |
| Q1 | 2:58 | ILL | White 26 yard field goal | ILL 10-0 |
| Q1 | 1:14 | ILL | Williams 10 yard pass from Trudeau (White kick) | ILL 17-0 |
| Q2 | 14:47 | ILL | Boso 8 yard pass from Trudeau (White kick) | ILL 24-0 |
| Q2 | 4:13 | OHST | Byars 16 yard run (Spangler kick) | ILL 24-7 |
| Q2 | 3:23 | OHST | Carter 33 yard pass from Tomczak | ILL 24-14 |
| Q2 | :23 | OHST | Byars 4 yard run (Spangler kick) | ILL 24-21 |
| Q3 | 13:40 | OHST | Byars 1 yard run (Spangler kick) | OHST 28-24 |
| Q3 | 10:42 | ILL | White 46 yard field goal | OHST 28-27 |
| Q3 | 8:57 | OHST | Byars 67 yard run (Spangler kick) | OHST 35-27 |
| Q3 | 1:09 | ILL | Wilson 9 yard pass from Trudeau (Trudeau run) | Tie 35-35 |
| Q4 | 10:21 | OHST | Spangler 46 yard field goal | OHST 38-35 |
| Q4 | 3:18 | ILL | White 16 yard field goal | Tie 38-38 |
| Q4 | :36 | OHST | Byars 3 yard run (Spangler kick) | OHST 45-38 |
- Keith Byars 39 Rush, 274 Yds
- Cris Carter 7 Rec, 134 Yds
Michigan State
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| • Ohio State | 3 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 23 |
| Michigan State | 0 | 0 | 6 | 14 | 20 |
- Date: October 20
- Location: Spartan Stadium
- Game start: 1:00 p.m. EDT
- Elapsed time: 2:45
- Game attendance: 75,133
- Game weather: Cloudy; 55 °F (13 °C); wind 12–17 mph (19–27 km/h) S
- Referee: John Nealon
| Q1 | 2:14 | OHST | Spangler 36 yard field goal | OHST 3–0 |
| Q2 | 2:23 | OHST | Spangler 42 yard field goal | OHST 6–0 |
| Q2 | 0:10 | OHST | Spangler 30 yard field goal | OHST 9–0 |
| Q3 | 14:13 | OHST | Byars 1 yard run (Spangler kick) | OHST 16–0 |
| Q3 | 9:03 | MSU | Morse 2 yard pass from Yarema (kick failed) | OHST 16–6 |
| Q4 | 11:40 | MSU | Ingram 75 yard pass from Yarema (pass failed) | OHST 16–12 |
| Q4 | 4:44 | OHST | Tomczak 1 yard run (Spangler kick) | OHST 23–12 |
| Q4 | 4:32 | MSU | Jackson 93 yard kickoff return (Rolle pass from Yarema) | OHST 23–20 |
- Lanese 7 Rec, 116 Yds
Wisconsin
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio State | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 14 |
| • Wisconsin | 0 | 10 | 0 | 6 | 16 |
- Date: October 27
- Location: Camp Randall Stadium
- Game start: 12 Noon EDT
- Elapsed time: 3:22
- Game attendance: 78,606
- Referee: Tom Quinn
Indiana
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indiana | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
| • Ohio State | 10 | 23 | 10 | 7 | 50 |
- Date: November 3
- Location: Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
- Game start: 1:30 EST
- Elapsed time: 2:41
- Game attendance: 89,366
- Referee: Jerry Hendrickson
| Q1 | 10:21 | OHST | Spangler 36 yard field goal | OHST 3–0 |
| Q1 | 9:24 | OHST | White 20 yard interception return (Spangler kick) | OHST 10–0 |
| Q2 | 11:04 | OHST | Byars 3 yard run (Spangler kick) | OHST 17–0 |
| Q2 | 5:13 | OHST | Carter 44 yard pass from Tomczak (Spangler kick) | OHST 24-0 |
| Q2 | 1:25 | OHST | Walker 3 yard run (Spangler kick) | OHST 31–0 |
| Q2 | :25 | OHST | Safety, Razmic blocked punt through end zone by Richardson | OHST 33–0 |
| Q3 | 9:31 | OHST | Woolridge 1 yard run (Spangler kick) | OHST 40–0 |
| Q3 | 3:42 | OHST | Spangler 27 yard field goal | OHST 43–0 |
| Q4 | 9:07 | IU | Brown 1 yard run (Rogers kick) | OHST 43–7 |
| Q4 | 1:24 | OHST | Delaney 2 yard run (Spangler kick) | OHST 50–7 |
Northwestern
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| • Ohio State | 0 | 21 | 14 | 17 | 52 |
| Northwestern | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
- Date: November 10
- Location: Dyche Stadium, Evanston, IL
- Game start: 2:30 PM EST
- Elapsed time: 2:52
- Game attendance: 31,087
- Game weather: Overcast
Michigan
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 |
| • Ohio St | 7 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 21 |
- Date: November 17
- Location: Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
- Game start: 12:00 p.m. EST
- Elapsed time: 3:00
- Game attendance: 90,286
- Game weather: Mostly sunny; 38 °F (3 °C); wind 3 mph (4.8 km/h) W
- Referee: Otho Kortz
| Q1 | 4:47 | OHST | Byars 1 yard run (Spangler kick) | OHST 7-0 |
| Q2 | :01 | MICH | Bergeron 37 yard field goal | OHST 7-3 |
| Q3 | 7:55 | MICH | Bergeron 45 yard field goal | OHST 7-6 |
| Q3 | 6:08 | OHST | Byars 2 yard run (Spangler kick) | OHST 14-6 |
| Q3 | 4:43 | OHST | Byars 2 yard run (Spangler kick) | OHST 21-6 |
Rose Bowl
Rose Bowl
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio St | 3 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 17 |
| • USC | 10 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 20 |
- Date: January 1
- Location: Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California
- Game start: 2:00 p.m.
- Elapsed time: 3:10
- Game attendance: 102,594
- Game weather: Sunny; 75 °F (24 °C); wind 10 mph (16 km/h) S
- Referee: James Sprenger
- TV announcers (NBC): Dick Enberg and Merlin Olsen
| Q1 | 12:08 | OHST | Spangler 21 yard field goal | OHST 3-0 |
| Q1 | 8:52 | USC | Jordan 51 yard field goal | Tie 3-3 |
| Q1 | 1:54 | USC | Cormier 3 yard pass from Green (Jordan kick) | USC 10-3 |
| Q2 | :22 | USC | Ware 19 yard pass from Green (Jordan kick) | USC 17-3 |
| Q2 | :00 | OHST | Spangler 46 yard field goal | USC 17-6 |
| Q3 | 8:37 | OHST | Spangler 52 yard field goal | USC 17-9 |
| Q3 | 4:05 | USC | Jordan 51 yard field goal | USC 20-9 |
| Q4 | 7:34 | OHST | Carter 18 yard pass from Tomczak (Spangler kick) | USC 20-17 |
- Rich Spangler's 52 yard field goal (Rose Bowl record)
- Cris Carter 9 Rec, 172 Yds
Personnel
Coaching staff
- Earle Bruce – Head coach – 6th year
- Gary Blackney – Defensive backs (1st year)
- Bill Conley – Inside linebacker (1st year)
- Steve Devine – Offensive line (2nd year)
- Randy Hart – Defensive line (3rd year)
- Glen Mason – Offensive coordinator (7th year)
- Bill Myles – Offensive line (8th year)
- Fred Pagac – Defensive linebackers (3rd year)
- Jim Tressel – Quarterbacks (2nd year)
- Bob Tucker – Defensive coordinator (6th year)
Depth chart
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1985 NFL draftees
| Player | Round | Pick | Position | NFL club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jim Lachey | 1 | 12 | Tackle | San Diego Chargers |
| Kirk Lowdermilk | 3 | 59 | Center | Minnesota Vikings |
| Mark Krerowicz | 6 | 147 | Guard | Cleveland Browns |