COLUMBUS — Ohio State’s offense won the Buckeyes a game last weekend with a late touchdown drive to beat Wisconsin on the road.
Saturday, the defense returned the favor.
With its playmakers sputtering to take advantage of opportunities all day, OSU’s defense was left to hold serve, which it did in a nondescript 16-3 victory over Purdue in front of 105,378 fans at Ohio Stadium.
OSU’s “D” defused a potentially explosive Boilermaker spread scheme, preventing Purdue from scoring a touchdown for the first time all season, while tallying one of its own on a blocked punt return in the first quarter — the only TD of the game.
“Our defense was battling the whole game,” said freshman quarterback Terrelle Pryor, who played arguably his worst performance since replacing senior Todd Boeckman as the starter. “Offensively, I think we’re all dissatisfied. We just played bad. We didn’t move the ball.
“Our defense had their backs against the wall all day, and they stepped up.”
Thanks to the decidedly defensive effort, No. 12 Ohio State was able to secure its fourth straight victory overall and against unranked Purdue (2-4 overall, 0-2 Big Ten), which hasn’t won in Columbus since 1988. The Boilermakers’ last win over the Buckeyes (6-1, 3-0) came in 2004 in West Lafayette, Ind.
Purdue coach Joe Tiller, the veteran of 12 seasons with the Boilermakers who announced that he will retire at the end of the year, made his last trip to Columbus. Tiller will bow out with a 2-6 record against OSU — 1-5 against Jim Tressel.
There were fears Ohio State could be a bit out of focus against Purdue on the heels of a dramatic road win over Wisconsin and prior to what is expected to be a stiff test at No. 23 Michigan State.
Only half the prediction rang true.
While OSU’s offense showed flashes of effectiveness, it was the defense that stood tall and played consistently for 60 minutes.
Purdue did everything in its power to assist a Buckeye blowout, turning the ball over twice and giving up the first points of the game — all within the first 17 minutes — on a blocked punt following its opening possession.
All-American cornerback candidate Malcom Jenkins broke through for the block, with freshman linebacker Etienne Sabino returning it 20 yards for the score and a 7-0 lead.
Behind struggling senior quarterback Curtis Painter, who became one of just four players in Big Ten history to throw for over 10,000 yards in his career, the Boilermakers found little room to move. Painter threw for 228 yards, but on 51 attempts, and was intercepted once and lost a fumble.  
The Buckeyes rarely permitted Purdue to forge into their territory, coming up with the stop on nearly every occasion the Boilermakers managed to do so.
“I thought our defense did a great job,” said Tressel, whose team surrendered just 70 rushing yards. “We just kept coming and coming. Purdue made some plays but our defense never got flustered, plus we came up with some takeaways.”
“We’ve always been a relentless defense, but I think it’s starting to come together,” Jenkins said. “Guys are starting to make the plays we need.
“Defensively, we feel like if our offense gets us nine points, we should win the game.”
That’s exactly the output the Buckeyes got from their offense, which was outgained 298-222.
Thanks in large part to its defense, OSU entered the red zone twice, coming away with field goals on both occasions that began with first-and-goal situations at the 9-yard line.
The Buckeyes led 13-0 at the half, with both teams trading field goals in the second half to provide the final count.
“We just didn’t do anything consistently,” Tressel said of his offense. “We didn’t have any big passes or big runs. Offensively, we didn’t get nearly as much done as we’re going to have to. ”
Both featured players in OSU’s offensive scheme, Pryor and running back Chris “Beanie” Wells, failed to spark the Buckeyes, who did not score an offensive TD at home for the first time since a 16-13 victory over Purdue in 2003.
Wells broke free for a couple of big gains, but was held in check for the most part, carrying 22 times for 94 yards.
Pryor was harassed for much of the game by a Boilermaker defensive line that won the battle in the trenches, forcing the freshman to scramble for minimal gains or take the sack, which he did three times.
Pryor was accurate through the air (10-of-14) but generated just 97 yards, gaining 27 on the ground over 14 attempts.
“It’s definitely frustrating,” said Wells, who admitted that he was still feeling the effects from an illness this week that almost prevented him from taking the field. “We’re just not executing properly.”
Though the unimpressive win will most likely do little for Ohio State in the polls, it did keep the Buckeyes unbeaten in the conference — something that will have to do until they travel to East Lansing, Mich.
“The bright side is we didn’t lose,” Pryor said. “We need to start clicking on offense, but we’re 6-1 and 3-0 in the Big Ten. That’s all that matters.”
Contact Chris Assenheimer at 329-7136 or cassenheimer@chroniclet.com.

THUMBS UP

OSU senior cornerback Malcom Jenkins

On a decidedly defensive day for the Buckeyes, Jenkins still was able to stand out, blocking a punt that was returned for a touchdown (the only TD of the game), intercepting a pass and defending a number of others. He also mixed in four solo tackles.

THUMBS DOWN

Purdue senior quarterback Curtis Painter

Struggling from the start, he lost a fumble and tossed an interception in the opening half. For the game, he completed just 23 of 51 attempts and failed to move the Boilermakers’ offense all day. 

TURNING POINT

Though Purdue had done little all day, the Boilermakers, who turned the ball over twice and had a blocked punt returned for a touchdown in the opening half, were still in the game, trailing 16-3 with the ball and more than 10 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. But OSU defensive lineman Nader Abdallah snuffed the Purdue drive with a sack on third down and the Boilermakers were forced to punt without enough time to forge a comeback.  

PRYOR WATCH

Taking a quick look at freshman quarterback Terrelle Pryor’s season at Ohio State …
SATURDAY’S OUTING: In what was probably his worst game since taking over as the starter, Pryor connected on 10 of 14 passes but for just 97 yards and no touchdowns. He was hurried all day, missing some throws and not finding much more success on the ground, where he rushed for just 27 yards on 14 attempts and was sacked three times.
SEASON PASSING:
52-of-79 (65.8 percent) for 537 yards, five touchdowns and two interceptions.
SEASON RUSHING:
76 carries for 339 yards
and four touchdowns.
TERRELLE’S TAKE: “(My performance was) terrible. We didn’t do anything (offensively). We have to come back next week and get better.”
OPPOSING TEAM’S TAKE: “The defensive line really got after him. We knew he was athletic, but we also knew he was a freshman with limited experience. We wanted to get in his face and the defensive line accomplished that today.” — Purdue senior linebacker Anthony Heywood.
— Chris Assenheimer

OSU 16, Purdue 3

Purdue    0    0    3    0    —    3
Ohio State    10    3    0    3    —    16
First Quarter
OSU—Sabino 20 blocked punt return (Pretorius kick), 11:41.
OSU—FG Pretorius 24, :57.
Second Quarter
OSU—FG Pettrey 49, 4:54.
Third Quarter
Pur—FG Wiggs 53, 11:03.
Fourth Quarter
OSU—FG Pretorius 22, 14:30.
A—105,378.
    Pur    OSU
First downs    18    14
Rushes-yards    26-70    42-125
Passing    228    97
Comp-Att-Int    23-51-1    10-14-0
Return Yards    0    35
Punts-Avg.    6-31.7    6-35.2
Fumbles-Lost    1-1    0-0
Penalties-Yards    4-34    2-10
Time of Possession    27:20    32:40
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING—Purdue, Sheets 20-67, Bolden
1-3, Painter 5-0. Ohio St., C.Wells 22-94, Pryor 14-27, M.Wells 5-5, Team 1-(minus 1).
PASSING—Purdue, Painter 23-51-1-228. Ohio St., Pryor 10-14-0-97.
RECEIVING—Purdue, Orton 6-73, Tardy 5-55, Whittington 5-37, Sheets 4-13, Smith 2-42, Lindsay 1-8. Ohio St., Posey 2-28, Robiskie 2-19, C.Wells 2-3, M.Wells 1-18, L.Thomas 1-16, Ballard
1-8, Hartline 1-5.

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