1998 Ohio State Buckeyes football team

American college football season

1998 Ohio State Buckeyes football
Big Ten co-champion
Sugar Bowl champion
Sugar Bowl, W 24–14 vs. Texas A&M
ConferenceBig Ten Conference
Ranking
CoachesNo. 2
APNo. 2
Record11–1 (7–1 Big Ten)
Head coach
  • John Cooper (11th season)
Offensive coordinatorMike Jacobs (2nd season)
Defensive coordinatorFred Pagac (3rd season)
MVPJoe Germaine
Captains
  • Joe Germaine
  • Jerry Rudzinski
  • Antoine Winfield
Home stadiumOhio Stadium
Seasons
← 1997
1999 →
1998 Big Ten Conference football standings
  • v
  • t
  • e
 Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 2 Ohio State %+   7 – 1     11 – 1  
No. 6 Wisconsin $+   7 – 1     11 – 1  
No. 12 Michigan +   7 – 1     10 – 3  
No. 24 Purdue   6 – 2     9 – 4  
No. 17 Penn State   5 – 3     9 – 3  
Michigan State   4 – 4     6 – 6  
Minnesota   2 – 6     5 – 6  
Indiana   2 – 6     4 – 7  
Illinois   2 – 6     3 – 8  
Iowa   2 – 6     3 – 8  
Northwestern   0 – 8     3 – 9  
  • $ – BCS representative as conference champion
  • % – BCS at-large representative
  • + – Conference co-champions
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1998 Ohio State Buckeyes football team represented the Ohio State University in the 1998 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team's head football coach was John Cooper. The Buckeyes played their home games in Ohio Stadium. The team finished the season with a win–loss record of 11–1, and a Big Ten Conference record of 7–1. They were co-champions of the Big Ten Conference with the Wisconsin Badgers and the Michigan Wolverines and played in one of the premiere Bowl Championship Series bowl games, the 1999 Sugar Bowl.

Led by senior quarterback Joe Germaine, the Buckeyes were the preseason number one team and remained top-ranked throughout the majority of the season. The Buckeyes only loss came late in the season to the Michigan State Spartans. The team blew a 15-point lead late in the game to fall 28–24.

Because of the late loss, Ohio State was kept out of the National Championship Game, the 1999 Fiesta Bowl. Their regular season "miss" of not playing fellow tri-champion Wisconsin also cost the Buckeyes a trip to the 1999 Rose Bowl because Ohio State was the last to play in the Rose Bowl in 1997, Wisconsin last played in 1994.[1]

The Buckeyes beat Texas A&M in the Sugar Bowl to finish second in both polls behind the Tennessee Volunteers after their victory over Florida State in the Fiesta Bowl.[2]

Schedule

DateTimeOpponentRankSiteTVResultAttendance
September 58:00 p.m.at No. 11 West Virginia*No. 1CBSW 34–1768,409
September 1212:30 p.m.Toledo*No. 1ESPNW 49–093,149
September 193:30 p.m.No. 21 Missouri*No. 1
  • Ohio Stadium
  • Columbus, OH
ABCW 35–1493,269
October 312:00 p.m.No. 7 Penn StateNo. 1
  • Ohio Stadium
  • Columbus, OH (rivalry, College GameDay)
ABCW 28–993,479
October 1012:00 p.m.at IllinoisNo. 1
ESPN PlusW 41–046,390
October 1712:00 p.m.MinnesotadaggerNo. 1
  • Ohio Stadium
  • Columbus, OH
ESPN PlusW 45–1593,138
October 2412:00 p.m.at NorthwesternNo. 1
ESPN2W 36–1047,130
October 313:30 p.m.at IndianaNo. 1
ABCW 38–752,049
November 73:30 p.m.Michigan StateNo. 1
  • Ohio Stadium
  • Columbus, OH
ABCL 24–2893,595
November 143:30 p.m.at IowaNo. 7ABCW 45–1469,473
November 2112:00 p.m.No. 11 MichiganNo. 7
ABCW 31–1694,339
January 1, 19998:30 p.m.vs. No. 8 Texas A&M*No. 3ABCW 24–1476,503
  • *Non-conference game
  • daggerHomecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
  • All times are in Eastern time

[3]

Game summaries

West Virginia

#1 Ohio State Buckeyes at #11 West Virginia Mountaineers
Period 1 2 34Total
Ohio State 10 10 7734
West Virginia 3 7 0717

at Mountaineer Field, Morgantown, West Virginia

  • Date: September 5, 1998
  • Game time: 8:00 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: 76°, Clear & Mild, wind 5 S
  • Game attendance: 68,409
  • Referee: Dick Honig
Game information
First quarter
  • WVU - Jay Taylor 47-yard field goal
  • OSU - Dan Stultz 35-yard field goal
  • OSU - Michael Wiley 18-yard run (Dan Stultz kick)

Second quarter

  • OSU - Dee Miller 14-yard pass from Joe Germaine (Dan Stultz kick)
  • OSU - Dan Stultz 36-yard field goal
  • WVU - Shawn Foreman 6-yard pass from Marc Bulger (Jay Taylor kick)

Third quarter

  • OSU - David Boston 39-yard pass from Joe Germaine (Dan Stultz kick)

Fourth quarter

  • OSU - Jonathon Wells 7-yard rush (Dan Stultz kick)
  • WVU - Shawn Foreman 3-yard pass from Marc Bulger (Jay Taylor kick)

Toledo

Toledo Rockets at #1 Ohio State Buckeyes
Period 1 2 34Total
Toledo 0 0 000
Ohio State 21 21 7049

at Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio

  • Date: September 12, 1998
  • Game time: 12:30 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: 85°, Clear & Sunny, wind 7 W
  • Game attendance: 93,149
  • Referee: D. Witvoet
Game information
First quarter
  • OSU - Michael Wiley 76 yd run (Dan Stultz kick)
  • OSU - Dee Miller 63 yd pass from Joe Germaine (Dan Stultz kick)
  • OSU - David Boston 5 yd pass from Joe Germaine (Dan Stultz kick)

Second quarter

  • OSU - Joe Montgomery 11 yd run (Dan Stultz kick)
  • OSU - Reggie Germany 5 yd pass from Joe Germaine (Dan Stultz kick)
  • OSU - Reggie Germany 47 yd pass from Mark Garcia (Dan Stultz kick)

Third quarter

  • OSU - Michael Wiley 4 yd run (Dan Stultz kick)

Fourth quarter

  • No scoring

Missouri

#21 Missouri Tigers at #1 Ohio State Buckeyes
Period 1 2 34Total
Missouri 0 14 0014
Ohio State 7 6 81435

at Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio

  • Date: September 19, 1998
  • Game time: 3:30 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: 80°, Sunny, wind 5 S
  • Game attendance: 93,269
  • Referee: J. Kemerling
Game information
First quarter
  • OSU - Michael Wiley 21 yd run (Dan Stultz kick)

Second quarter

  • MIZ - Corby Jones 10 yd run (Tim Geiger kick)
  • OSU - Dan Stultz 27 yd field goal
  • MIZ - Carlos Posey 65 yd fumble recovery (Tim Geiger kick)
  • OSU - Dan Stultz 36 yd field goal

Third quarter

  • OSU - Joe Montgomery 6 yd run (David Boston pass from Joe Germaine)

Fourth quarter

  • OSU - Michael Wiley 11 yd run (Dan Stultz kick)
  • OSU - Derek Combs 9 yd run (Dan Stultz kick)

Penn State

#7 Penn State Nittany Lions at #1 Ohio State Buckeyes
Period 1 2 34Total
Penn State 0 3 609
Ohio State 0 14 14028

at Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio

  • Date: October 3, 1998
  • Game time: 12:00 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: 60°, Overcast Rain, wind 5-10 SSW
  • Game attendance: 93,479
  • Referee: Dick Honig
Game information

First quarter

  • No scoring

Second quarter

  • PSU - Forney 42-yard field goal
  • OSU - Rudzinski recovered fumble in end zone (Stultz kick)
  • OSU - Wiley 20-yard pass from Germaine (Stultz kick)

Third quarter

  • OSU - Cooper recovered blocked punt in end zone (Stultz kick)
  • PSU - Cerimele 1-yard run (two-point conversion failed)
  • OSU - Montgomery 1-yard run (Stultz kick)

Fourth quarter

  • No scoring
  • Source: USA Today

Illinois

#1 Ohio State Buckeyes at Illinois Fighting Illini
Period 1 2 34Total
Ohio State 10 14 01741
Illinois 0 0 000

at Memorial Stadium, Champaign, Illinois

  • Date: October 10, 1998
  • Game time: 12:00 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: 64°, Sunny, wind 7 SW
  • Game attendance: 46,390
  • Referee: J. Kemerling
Game information

First quarter

  • OSU - Stultz 40 yard field goal
  • OSU - Lumpkin 1 yard pass from Germaine (Stultz kick)

Second quarter

  • OSU - Boston 30 yard pass from Germaine (Stultz kick)
  • OSU - Germany 37 yard pass from Germaine (Stultz kick)

Third quarter

  • No scoring

Fourth quarter

  • OSU - Stultz 46 yard field goal
  • OSU - Diggs 47 yard fumble return (Stultz kick)
  • OSU - Wells 2 yard run (Stultz kick)
  • OSU - Joe Germaine 17/28, 307 Yds (third straight 300+ yard passing game – school record)

[4]

Minnesota

Minnesota Golden Gophers at #1 Ohio State Buckeyes
Period 1 2 34Total
Minnesota 3 10 0215
Ohio State 14 17 7745

at Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio

  • Date: October 17, 1998
  • Game time: 12:00 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: 70°, Sunny, wind 5-10 S
  • Game attendance: 93,183
  • Referee: D. Witvoet
Game information
First quarter
  • OSU - David Boston 6 yd pass from Joe Germaine (Dan Stultz kick)
  • MIN - Adam Bailey 24 yd field goal
  • OSU - Matt Keller 8 yd run (Dan Stultz kick)

Second quarter

  • OSU - David Boston 53 yd pass from Joe Germaine (Dan Stultz kick)
  • OSU - Joe Montgomery 12 yd run (Dan Stultz kick)
  • OSU - Dan Stultz 19 yd field goal
  • MIN - A. Henderson 35 yd pass from Andy Persby (Adam Bailey kick)
  • MIN - Adam Bailey 32 yd field goal

Third quarter

  • OSU - Michael Wiley 1 yd run (Dan Stultz kick)

Fourth quarter

  • MIN - Team safety
  • OSU - Central McClellion 60 yd interception return (Dan Stultz kick)

Northwestern

#1 Ohio State Buckeyes at Northwestern Wildcats
Period 1 2 34Total
Ohio State 17 6 6736
Northwestern 7 3 0010

at Ryan Field, Evanston, Illinois

  • Date: October 24, 1998
  • Game time: 12:00 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: 52°, Sunny, wind 9 SW
  • Game attendance: 47,130
  • Referee: J. Teitz
Game information
First quarter
  • OSU - Michael Wiley 28 yd run (Dan Stultz kick)
  • OSU - Dan Stultz 37 yd field goal
  • NU - D'Wayne Bates 60 yd pass from Gavin Hoffman (Brian Gowins kick)
  • OSU - Joe Montgomery 19 yd run (Dan Stultz kick)

Second quarter

  • NU - Brian Gowins 39 yd field goal
  • OSU - John Lumpkin 35 yd pass from Joe Germaine (Dan Stultz kick failed)

Third quarter

  • OSU - David Boston 38 yd pass from Joe Germaine (pass failed)

Fourth quarter

  • OSU - David Boston 31 yd pass from Joe Germaine (Dan Stultz kick)

Indiana

#1 Ohio State Buckeyes at Indiana Hoosiers
Period 1 2 34Total
Ohio State 14 7 71038
Indiana 0 7 007

at Memorial Stadium, Bloomington, Indiana

  • Date: October 31, 1998
  • Game time: 3:30 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: 63°, Partly Cloudy, wind 10-15 NW
  • Game attendance: 52,049
  • Referee: J. Kemerling
Game information
First quarter
  • OSU - David Boston 70 yd punt return (Dan Stultz kick)
  • OSU - Michael Wiley 2 yd run (Dan Stultz kick)

Second quarter

  • OSU - John Lumpkin 6 yd pass from Joe Germaine (Dan Stultz kick)
  • IND - Levron Williams 37 yd pass from A. Randle El (Andy Payne kick)

Third quarter

  • OSU - David Boston 3 yd pass from Joe Germaine (Dan Stultz kick)

Fourth quarter

  • OSU - Dan Stultz 21 yd field goal
  • OSU - David Boston 2 yd pass from Joe Germaine (Dan Stultz kick)

Michigan State

Michigan State Spartans at #1 Ohio State Buckeyes
Period 1 2 34Total
Michigan State 3 6 91028
Ohio State 17 0 7024

at Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio

  • Date: November 7, 1998
  • Game time: 3:30 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: 48°, Clear, wind 5-10 W
  • Game attendance: 93,595
  • Referee: D. Witvoet
Game information
First quarter
  • OSU - Dan Stultz 20 yd field goal
  • MSU - Paul Edinger 33 yd field goal
  • OSU - John Lumpkin 41 yd pass from Joe Germaine (Dan Stultz kick)
  • OSU - Michael Wiley 1 yd run (Dan Stultz kick)

Second quarter

  • MSU - Paul Edinger 43 yd field goal
  • MSU - Paul Edinger 22 yd field goal

Third quarter

  • OSU - Damon Moore 73 yd interception return (Dan Stultz kick)
  • MSU - L. Richardson 23 yd pass from Bill Burke (Paul Edinger kick failed)
  • MSU - Paul Edinger 49 yd field goal

Fourth quarter

  • MSU - Sedrick Irvin 3 yd run (Paul Edinger kick)
  • MSU - Paul Edinger 42 yd field goal

Iowa

#7 Ohio State Buckeyes at Iowa Hawkeyes
Period 1 2 34Total
Ohio State 14 14 71045
Iowa 7 7 0014

at Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City, Iowa

  • Date: November 14, 1998
  • Game time: 3:30 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: 61°, Clear wind 17-20 NW
  • Game attendance: 69,473
Game information
First quarter
  • IOWA - Scott Mullen 11 yd run (Zach Bromert kick)
  • OSU - Joe Montgomery 80 yd run (Dan Stultz kick)
  • OSU - David Boston 54 yd pass from Joe Germaine (Dan Stultz kick)

Second quarter

  • OSU - Mike Collins 22 yd interception return (Dan Stultz kick)
  • IOWA - Kyle McCann 13 yd run (Zach Bromert kick)
  • OSU - David Boston 17 yd pass from Joe Germaine (Dan Stultz kick)

Third quarter

  • OSU - Matt Keller 16 yd pass from Joe Germaine (Dan Stultz kick)

Fourth quarter

  • OSU - Dan Stultz 27 yd field goal
  • OSU - Jamar Martin 10 yd run (Dan Stultz kick)

Michigan

#11 Michigan Wolverines at #7 Ohio State Buckeyes
Period 1 2 34Total
Michigan 0 10 3316
Ohio State 14 7 10031

at Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio

  • Date: November 21, 1998
  • Game time: 12:00 p.m.
  • Game weather: Cloudy, 38 °F (3 °C)
  • Game attendance: 94,339
  • Referee: Bill LeMonnier
  • TV: ABC
Game information

First quarter

  • OSU – Michael Wiley 53-yard run (Dan Stultz kick), 12:20. Ohio St 7–0. Drive: 4 plays, 69 yards, 1:18.
  • OSU – Dee Miller 16-yard pass from Joe Germaine (Dan Stultz kick), 9:44. Ohio St 14–0. Drive: 3 plays, 16 yards, 1:33.

Second quarter

  • MICH – Jay Feely 27-yard field goal, 14:33. Ohio St 14–3. Drive: 4 plays, 5 yards, 0:59.
  • OSU – David Boston 30-yard pass from Joe Germaine (Dan Stultz kick), 4:03. Ohio St 21–3. Drive: 2 plays, 35 yards, 0:44.
  • MICH – Tai Streets 3-yard pass from Tom Brady (Jay Feely kick), 0:25. Ohio St 21–10. Drive: 9 plays, 80 yards, 2:38.

Third quarter

  • OSU - David Boston 43-yard pass from Joe Germaine (Dan Stultz kick), 9:51. Ohio St 28–10. Drive: 4 plays, 54 yards, 1:14.
  • MICH – Jay Feely 34-yard field goal, 4:47. Ohio St 28–13. Drive: 9 plays, 27 yards, 4:50.
  • OSU – Dan Stultz 39-yard field goal, 1:36. Ohio St 31–13. Drive: 6 plays, 58 yards, 3:06.

Fourth quarter

  • MICH – Jay Feely 30-yard field goal, 14:47. Ohio St 31–16. Drive: 10 plays, 68 yards, 1:41.
Top passers
Top rushers
  • MICH – Clarence Williams – 11 rushes, 13 yards
  • OSU – Michael Wiley – 12 rushes, 120 yards, TD
Top receivers

Ohio State secured a share of its 28th Big Ten title as the fans stormed the field with less than 30 seconds to play. Joe Germaine completed 19-of-24 passes for 330 yards, his seventh career 300-yard game, and his favorite target was David Boston, who finished with 10 receptions for 217 yards, most ever by a Michigan opponent. Boston also broke his own single-season reception mark and moved past Cris Carter on the school's all-time yardage list.[5]

Texas A&M

#8 Texas A&M Aggies vs. #3 Ohio State Buckeyes
Period 1 2 34Total
Texas A&M 7 0 7014
Ohio State 21 3 0024

at Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana

  • Date: January 1, 1999
  • Game time: 7:30 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: None (indoors)
  • Game attendance: 76,502
  • Referee: A. Ford
Game information
First quarter
  • A&M - Dante Hall, 9 yard run (Russell Bynum kick)
  • OSU - Reggie Germany, 18 yard pass from Joe Germaine (Dan Stultz kick)
  • OSU - Joe Montgomery, 10 yard run (Dan Stultz kick)
  • OSU - Kevin Griffin 16 yard blocked punt return/block punt by Derek Ross/(Dan Stultz kick)

Second quarter

  • OSU - Dan Stultz, 31 yard field goal

Third quarter

  • A&M - Leroy Hodge, 7 yard pass from Branndon Stewart (Russel Bynum kick)

Fourth quarter

  • No scoring

Roster

1998 Ohio State Buckeyes football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos. # Name Class
QB 8 Steve Bellisari Fr
C 68 LeCharles Bentley Fr
QB 7 Joe Germaine Sr
C 77 Tyson Walter Fr
RB 5 Michael Wiley Jr
Defense
Pos. # Name Class
S 1 Gary Berry Jr
DT 73 Joe Brown So
LB 32 Na'il Diggs Jr
LB 45 Andy Katzenmoyer Jr
SS 13 Damon Moore Sr
CB 19 Ahmed Plummer Jr
CB 11 Antoine Winfield Sr
Special teams
Pos. # Name Class
Head coach
  • John Cooper
Coordinators/assistant coaches
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured Injured
  • Redshirt Redshirt

Roster

Coaching staff

  • John Cooper - Head Coach - 11th year
  • Bill Conley – Tight ends, Recruiting Coordinator (12th year)
  • Jim Heacock - Defensive tackles (3rd year)
  • Mike Jacobs – Offensive coordinator, Offensive Line (4th year)
  • Fred Pagac – Defensive coordinator, Linebackers (17th year)
  • Tim Salem - Quarterbacks (2nd year)
  • Shawn Simms – Defensive ends (2nd year)
  • Tim Spencer – Running backs (5th year)
  • Chuck Strobart – Wide receivers (4th year)
  • Jon Tenuta – Defensive backs (3rd year)

Depth chart

Defense


FS
1 Gary Berry
17 Percy King


WLB MLB SLB
35 Jerry Rudzinski 45 Andy Katzenmoyer 32 Na'il Diggs
30 Jason Ott 44 Chris Kirk 58 Courtland Bullard
SS
13 Damon Moore
20 Central McClellion
CB
11 Antoine Winfield
3 David Mitchell


DE DT DT DE
60 Brent Johnson 73 Joe Brown 79 Ryan Pickett 94 Rodney Bailey
52 James Cotton 98 Mike Collins 90 Clinton Wayne 48 Matt LaVrar
CB
19 Ahmed Plummer
2 Rolland Steele
Offense
SE
9 David Boston
80 Reggie Germany
LT LG C RG RT
77 Tyson Walter 56 Rob Murphy 63 Kurt Murphy 64 Ben Gilbert 67 Brooks Burris
69 Jim Massey 65 Mike Gurr 78 Drew Elford 55 Tam Hopkins 75 Henry Fleming
TE
85 John Lumpkin
84 Steve Wisniewski
FL
15 Dee Miller
4 Ken-Yon Rambo
QB
7 Joe Germaine
16 Mark Garcia
Key reserves
8 Steve Bellisari (Fr) Special Teams/DB/QB




FB
23 Matt Keller
36 Sean Penny
Special teams
PK 47 Dan Stultz
P 41 Brent Bartholomew



RB
5 Michael Wiley
33 Joe Montgomery

Q[6]

Rankings

Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
( ) = First-place votes
Week
PollPre1234567891011121314Final
AP1 (30)1 (39)1 (57)1 (64)1 (58)1 (66)1 (64)1 (64)1 (64)1 (63)775532
Coaches Poll1 (31)1 (38)1 (52)1 (53)1 (45)1 (54)1 (59)1 (58)1 (55)1 (54)765 (1)5 (1)3 (1)2
BCSNot released2187654Not released

1999 NFL draftees

Player Round Pick Position NFL club
David Boston 1 8 Wide Receiver Arizona Cardinals
Antoine Winfield 1 23 Defensive Back Buffalo Bills
Andy Katzenmoyer 1 28 Linebacker New England Patriots
Joe Montgomery 2 49 Running back New York Giants
Joe Germaine 4 101 Quarterback St. Louis Rams
Damon Moore 4 128 Defensive Back Philadelphia Eagles
Brent Bartholomew 6 192 Punter Miami Dolphins
Dee Miller 6 196 Wide Receiver Green Bay Packers

References

  1. ^ Thomaselli, Rich (1998). "Big Ten". The Sporting News. Retrieved June 12, 2008.
  2. ^ "A Case for No. 1". CNN. January 9, 1999. Retrieved June 12, 2008.
  3. ^ Park, Jack (2003). The Official Ohio State Football Encyclopedia. Champaign, IL: Sports Publishing LLC. ISBN 1-58261-695-7.
  4. ^ USA Today. Retrieved 2014-Sep-02.
  5. ^ "Michigan vs. Ohio State". USA Today. November 21, 1998.
  6. ^ 1986 Ohio State Football Media Guide
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