Ohio State defeats IU, 38-10

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Twice already this season, the IU football team allowed its opponent to score first before bouncing back off the mat to at least tie the game.

Saturday against No. 2 Ohio State, they couldn't even stand back up.

Agile quarterback Terrelle Pryor and the rest of the second-ranked Buckeyes (6-0, 2-0) had a first-half field day on the IU (3-2, 0-2) defense in a 38-10 win, scoring 31 points before the break.

Oppositely, streaking IU senior quarterback Ben Chappell saw his early-season record-breaking offensive pace come back to earth with a thud, throwing two interceptions in the first half of a 16-for-26, 106-yard performance.

"Through all our study throughout the beginning of the season, we knew this Ohio State team was special, and I think they've got a great future ahead of them," IU coach Bill Lynch said. "They totally dominated us in the first half in every way that they can."

Pryor, perhaps a bit under 100 percent after sustaining a strained quad muscle a week ago at Illinois, didn't have to rely on his legs to beat the Hoosiers.

Instead, he carried the burden with his arm.

Finding targets with ease over an injury-ridden and overpowered IU secondary, Pryor completed 19-of-24 passes in the first two quarters for 280 yards and three touchdowns. He finished 24-of-30 for 334 yards.

Meanwhile, Chappell could never get IU's offense started.

After Ohio State scored on a four-play, 71-yard drive in 1:57 to open the game, IU mustered just 24 yards over six plays in the opening salvo before a punt.

The IU defense forced Ohio State to punt on their next drive, but the success was short-lived as Chappell tossed his second interception of the season on the drive's second play. The turnover was produced by miscommunication between Chappell and junior wide receiver Damarlo Belcher.

"I thought he was going outside, he went inside," Chappell said. "That's just stuff we can't do, obviously. We can't turn the ball over like that."

From there, IU would record two three-and-outs and another Chappell interception before halftime -- including eight total offensive series that leveraged just 29 plays, 68 total yards and no points.

Prior to Saturday, IU had averaged 26 points in the first half this season.

After receiving the second half's opening kickoff, IU picked up a quick first down when senior running back Trea Burgess rushed 13 yards on a draw.

Three plays later, the train fell back off the track when IU had to trot junior punter Chris Hagerup back on the field for his fifth punt of the day. Hagerup, who had 13 punts this season prior to Ohio State, punted seven times with an average of 42 yards.

The Hoosiers came to Columbus facing several late-week obstacles. Junior running back Darius Willis injured his groin in practice and didn't play, as did starting senior offensive lineman James Brewer who missed the game due an ankle injury.

Then, Saturday morning, the team announced that starting sophomore offensive lineman Marc Damisch wasn't with the team after his father passed away Wednesday night.

Both Lynch and several of the players, though, didn't offer the absences as excuses for the team's lopsided defeat.

"It doesn't help, but (Ohio State) is awfully good. They really are," said Lynch. "Being down didn't help us, but I'm anxious to watch the tape and see how some of the backup kids played."

Redshirt freshman kicker Mitch Ewald accounted for IU's first points of the day after Chappell engineered an 8-play, 41-yard drive to the OSU 18. Facing a fourth-and-six, Ewald booted a 36-yard field goal, making it 38-3.

Chappell would return for just one more drive after Ohio State fumbled on the IU 1-yard line, a push that achieved 26 yards before a punt.

Another turnover by the Buckeyes -- an interception of backup quarterback Kenny Guiton by IU junior linebacker Jeff Thomas -- allowed IU to bring in redshift freshman backup quarterback Dusty Kiel for action when the loss was all but guaranteed.

Kiel worked against many of Ohio State's defensive substitutes and drove IU 10 plays and 52 yards for its only touchdown of the game. Facing a third-and-goal from the OSU one yard line, Kiel handed off to freshman running back Antonio Banks and awkwardly sidestepped with the rusher to barely push the football over the plane of the end zone.

Though the play was challenged by OSU head coach Jim Tressel -- it was eventually ruled a touchdown as first signaled on the field -- the Hoosiers would challenge no more, dropping their second consecutive game.