2001 Ohio State Buckeyes football team

2001 Ohio State Buckeyes football
2001 Ohio State Buckeyes football
Outback Bowl, L 28–31 vs. South Carolina
Conference	Big Ten Conference
Record	7–5 (5–3 Big Ten)
Head coach	Jim Tressel (1st season);
Offensive coordinator	Jim Bollman (1st season)
Offensive scheme	Multiple
Defensive coordinator	Mark Dantonio (1st season)
Base defense	4–3
MVP	Jonathon Wells
Captains	Steve Bellisari; Mike Collins; Joe Cooper; Jamar Martin;
Home stadium	Ohio Stadium; (Capacity: 101,568)
	Seasons ← 2000 2002 →

The 2001 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 2001 NCAA Division I-A football season. In their first year under head coach Jim Tressel, the Buckeyes compiled a 7–5 record (5–3 in conference games), finished in third place in the Big Ten, and outscored opponents by a total of 284 to 213. Against ranked opponents, the Buckeyes lost to No. 14 UCLA and No. 12 Illinois and defeated No. 14 Northwestern and No. 11 Michigan. They concluded the season with a 31–28 loss to No. 14 South Carolina in the 2002 Outback Bowl.^[1] For the second consecutive season, the Buckeyes were unranked in the final AP and Coaches polls.

ConferenceBig Ten Conference

Record7–5 (5–3 Big Ten)

Headcoach

Jim Tressel (1st season)

OffensivecoordinatorJim Bollman (1st season)

Quick facts Ohio State Buckeyes football, Outback Bowl, L 28–31 vs. South Carolina ...

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2001 Big Ten Conference football standings
v t e
Team	W		L	W		L
No. 12 Illinois $	7	–	1	10	–	2
No. 20 Michigan	6	–	2	8	–	4
Ohio State	5	–	3	7	–	5
Iowa	4	–	4	7	–	5
Purdue	4	–	4	6	–	6
Penn State	4	–	4	5	–	6
Indiana	4	–	4	5	–	6
Michigan State	3	–	5	7	–	5
Wisconsin	3	–	5	5	–	7
Minnesota	2	–	6	4	–	7
Northwestern	2	–	6	4	–	7

$ – BCS representative as conference champion Rankings from AP Poll

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The Buckeyes gained an average of 190.3 rushing yards and 178.7 passing yards per game. On defense, they gave up 140.5 rushing yards and 194.3 passing yards per game.^[2] The team's statistical leaders included quarterback Steve Bellisari (1,599 passing yards, 53.0% completion percentage), running back Jonathan Wells (1,257 rushing yards, 5.4 yards per carry, 90 points scored), and wide receiver Michael Jenkins (41 receptions for 836 yards).^[2] Center LeCharles Bentley was selected as a consensus first-team All-American.^[3] Three Ohio State players received first-team honors on the 2001 All-Big Ten Conference football team: Bentley; offensive tackle Tyson Walter; and defensive back Mike Doss.^[4]

The team played its home games at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio.

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[2]

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[4]

Date	Time	Opponent	Rank	Site	TV	Result	Attendance	Source
September 8	12:00 p.m.	Akron*	No. 24	Ohio Stadium Columbus, OH		W 28–14	102,602
September 22	3:30 p.m.	at No. 14 UCLA*	No. 21	Rose Bowl Pasadena, CA	ABC	L 6–13	73,723
September 29	12:00 p.m.	at Indiana		Memorial Stadium Bloomington, IN	ESPN Plus	W 27–14	48,577
October 6	7:45 p.m.	No. 14 Northwestern		Ohio Stadium Columbus, OH	ESPN	W 38–20	104,042
October 13	3:30 p.m.	Wisconsin	No. 21	Ohio Stadium Columbus, OH	ABC	L 17–20	103,520
October 20	12:00 p.m.	San Diego State*		Ohio Stadium Columbus, OH	ESPN Plus	W 27–12	102,432
October 27	12:00 p.m.	at Penn State		Beaver Stadium University Park, PA (rivalry)	ESPN	L 27–29	108,327
November 3	7:45 p.m.	at Minnesota		Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome Minneapolis, MN	ESPN	W 31–28	45,407
November 10	12:00 p.m.	Purdue		Ohio Stadium Columbus, OH	ESPN2	W 35–9	104,189
November 17	12:00 p.m.	No. 12 Illinois	No. 25	Ohio Stadium Columbus, OH (Illibuck)	ESPN	L 22–34	104,407	^[5]
November 24	1:00 p.m.	at No. 11 Michigan		Michigan Stadium Ann Arbor, MI (rivalry)	ABC	W 26–20	111,571
January 1, 2002	11:00 a.m.	vs. No. 14 South Carolina*	No. 22	Raymond James Stadium Tampa, FL (Outback Bowl)	ESPN	L 28–31	66,249
*Non-conference game Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game All times are in Eastern time

	Week
Poll	Pre	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	Final
AP	23	23	24	21	—	—	21	—	—	—	—	25	—	23	22	22	—
Coaches	21	21	22	21	—	—	25	—	—	—	—	—	—	25	23	23	—
BCS	Not released								—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	Not released


1	7:36	OHST	Jonathan Wells 14 yard run (Josh Huston kick)	Ohio St 7–0

1	3:30	OHST	Jamar Martin 10 yard pass from Steve Bellisari (Josh Huston kick)	Ohio St 14–0

2	9:14	OHST	Jonathan Wells 1 yard run (Josh Huston kick)	Ohio St 21–0

2	2:09	AKRN	Jake Schifino 15 yard pass from Charlie Frye (Zac Derr kick)	Ohio St 21–7

3	3:37	OHST	Chris Vance 61 yard pass from Steve Bellisari (Josh Huston kick)	Ohio St 28–7

4	7:48	AKRN	Rickie Coble 87 yard interception return (Zac Derr kick)	Ohio St 28–14

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Ohio State	7	16	0	3	26
Michigan	0	0	7	13	20

Player	Round	Pick	Position	NFL club
LeCharles Bentley	2	44	Guard	New Orleans Saints
Derek Ross	3	75	Defensive back	Dallas Cowboys
Jonathan Wells	4	99	Running back	Houston Texans
Darnell Sanders	4	122	Tight End	Cleveland Browns
Jamar Martin	4	129	Fullback	Dallas Cowboys
Courtland Bullard	5	167	Linebacker	St. Louis Rams
Tyson Walter	6	179	Center	Dallas Cowboys
Steve Bellisari	6	205	Quarterback	St. Louis Rams

2001 Ohio State Buckeyes football team

Schedule

Rankings

Preseason

Game summaries

Akron

UCLA

Indiana

Northwestern

Wisconsin

San Diego State

Penn State

Minnesota

Purdue

Illinois

Michigan

South Carolina—Outback Bowl

Personnel

Coaching staff

Roster

Depth chart

2002 NFL draftees

References

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