1979 Ohio State Buckeyes football team

1979 Ohio State Buckeyes football
Big Ten Champions
Rose Bowl, L 17–16 vs. USC
Conference	Big Ten Conference
Ranking
Coaches	#4
AP	#4
1979 record	11–1 (8–0 Big Ten)
Head coach	Earle Bruce
MVP	Jim Laughlin
Captain	Ken Fritz
Captain	Mike Guess
Captain	Jim Laughlin
Captain	Tom Waugh
Home stadium	Ohio Stadium (Capacity: 83,112)

1979 Big Ten football standings
	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
#4 Ohio State $	8	–	0	–	0			11	–	1	–	0
#10 Purdue	7	–	1	–	0			10	–	2	–	0
#18 Michigan	6	–	2	–	0			8	–	4	–	0
#19 Indiana	5	–	3	–	0			8	–	4	–	0
Iowa	4	–	4	–	0			5	–	6	–	0
Minnesota	3	–	5	–	1			4	–	6	–	1
Michigan State	3	–	5	–	0			5	–	6	–	0
Wisconsin	3	–	5	–	0			4	–	7	–	0
Illinois	1	–	6	–	1			2	–	8	–	1
Northwestern	0	–	9	–	0			1	–	10	–	0
$ – Conference champion Rankings from AP Poll

The 1979 Ohio State Buckeyes football team represented the Ohio State University in the 1979 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Buckeyes compiled an 11–1 record, including the 1980 Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, where they lost, 17–16, to the USC Trojans.

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent#	Rank#	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
September 8	1:30 PM	Syracuse*		Ohio Stadium • Columbus, OH		W 31–8	86,205
September 15	2:30 PM	at Minnesota	#15	Memorial Stadium • Minneapolis, MN		W 21–17	43,926
September 22	1:30 PM	Washington State*	#16	Ohio Stadium • Columbus, OH		W 45–29	87,495
September 29	4:00 PM	at #17 UCLA*	#14	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum • Los Angeles, CA	ABC	W 17–13	47,228
October 6	1:30 PM	Northwestern	#8	Ohio Stadium • Columbus, OH		W 16–7	87,406
October 13	1:30 PM	Indiana	#8	Ohio Stadium • Columbus, OH		W 47–6	87,521
October 20	1:30 PM	Wisconsin	#6	Ohio Stadium • Columbus, OH		W 59–0	87,585
October 27	1:30 PM	Michigan State	#4	Ohio Stadium • Columbus, OH		W 42–0	87,747
November 3	2:00 PM	at Illinois	#5	Memorial Stadium • Champaign, IL (Illibuck Trophy)		W 44–7	41,870
November 10	1:00 PM	Iowa	#3	Ohio Stadium • Columbus, OH		W 34–7	87,835
November 17	12:30 PM	at #13 Michigan	#2	Michigan Stadium • Ann Arbor, MI (The Game)	ABC	W 18–15	106,255
January 1	5:00 PM	vs. #3 USC*	#1	Rose Bowl • Pasadena, CA (Rose Bowl)	NBC	L 16–17	105,526
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll. All times are in Eastern Time.

Depth chart

Defense FS Vince Skillings Bob Murphy ⋅ WLB ILB ILB SLB Jim Laughlin Al Washington Marcus Marek Keith Ferguson Ben Lee ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ROV Todd Bell ⋅ ⋅ CB Mike Guess Doyle Lewis ⋅ DE NT DE Jerome Foster Tim Sawicki Luther Henson Reggie Echols Mark Sullivan Gary Dulin ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ CB Ray Ellis Norm Burrows ⋅ Offense SE Gary Williams Chuck Hunter ⋅ LT LG C RG RT Tim Burke Ernie Andria Tom Waugh Ken Fritz Joe Lukens ⋅ Scott Burris Jim DeLeone Joe Smith Tim Brown ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ TE Brad Dwelle Bill Jaco Ron Barwig FL Doug Donley Tyrone Hicks ⋅ QB Art Schlichter Jeff Harris ⋅ FB Ricardo Volley Paul Campbell Cliff Belmer Special Teams PK Vlade Janakievski P Tom Orosz LS John Hutchings RB Calvin Murray Jimmy Gayle Tim Spencer

Coaching staff

• Earle Bruce - Head Coach (1st year)
• Pete Carroll - Defensive Backs (1st year)
• Dennis Fryzel - Defensive Coordinator (1st year)
• Glen Mason - Offensive Line / Defensive Inside Linebackers (2nd year)
• Bill Myles - Offensive Line (3rd year)
• Wayne Stanley - Running Backs (1st year)
• Steve Szabo - Defensive Line (1st year)
• Bob Tucker - Defensive Outside Linebackers (1st year)
• Fred Zechman - Quarterbacks/Receivers (1st year)

1980 NFL draftees

Player	Round	Pick	Position	NFL Club
Jim Laughlin	4	91	Linebacker	Atlanta Falcons
Mike Guess	6	156	Defensive Back	Chicago Bears
Ken Fritz	10	277	Guard	Pittsburgh Steelers

Game notes

Syracuse

1 2 3 4 Total Syracuse 0 0 8 0 8 • Ohio St 7 14 3 7 31 Date: September 8 Location: Ohio Stadium Game start: 1:30 p.m. Elapsed time: 2:46 Game attendance: 86,205 Game weather: Partly cloudy; 67°F; wind 10–15 N

Scoring summary Q1 2:49 OHST Barwig 11 yard pass from Schlichter (Janakievski kick) OHST 7–0 Q2 13:32 OHST Campbell 3 yard run (Janakievski kick) OHST 14–0 Q2 7:18 OHST Murray 2 yard run (Janakievski kick) OHST 21–0 Q3 6:32 OHST Janakievski 22 yard field goal OHST 24–0 Q3 :23 SYR Hurley 3 yard run (McCollum run) OHST 24–8 Q4 7:51 OHST Gayle 29 yard run (Janakievski kick) OHST 31–8

Minnesota

1 2 3 4 Total • Ohio St 7 0 6 8 21 Minnesota 14 3 0 0 17 Date: September 15 Location: Memorial Stadium Game start: 1:30 p.m. Elapsed time: 2:36 Game attendance: 43,926 Game weather: Sunny; 68°F; wind 8 SE Referee: Otho Kertz

Scoring summary Q1 12:20 MINN White 29 yard run (kick blocked) MINN 6–0 Q1 5:45 MINN White 16 yard pass from Carlson (Bourquin pass from Carlson) MINN 14–0 Q1 2:48 OHST Hicks 39 yard pass from Schlichter (Janakievski kick) MINN 14–7 Q2 :07 MINN Rogind 44 yard field goal MINN 17–7 Q3 7:24 OHST Murray 1 yard run (kick failed) MINN 17–13 Q4 12:42 OHST Schlichter 32 yard run (Jaco pass from Schlichter) OHST 21–17

Washington State

1 2 3 4 Total Wash St 3 0 10 16 29 • Ohio St 7 17 7 14 45 Date: September 22 Location: Ohio Stadium Game start: 1:30 p.m. Elapsed time: 2:46 Game attendance: 87,495 Game weather: Overcast; 64°F; wind 10–20 NE

Scoring summary Q1 9:49 WSU DeSanto 47 yard field goal WSU 3–0 Q1 3:46 OHST Schlichter 5 yard run (Janakievski kick) OHST 7–3 Q2 5:18 OHST Murray 13 yard run (Janakievski kick) OHST 14–3 Q2 2:51 OHST Janakievski 30 yard field goal OHST 17–3 Q2 1:27 OHST Hicks recovered blocked punt in end zone (Jankievski kick) OHST 24–3 Q3 13:22 WSU Whatley 12 yard pass from Grant (DeSanto kick) OHST 24–10 Q3 2:27 WSU DeSanto 41 yard field goal OHST 24–13 Q3 :58 OHST Murray 86 yard pass from Schlichter (Janakievski kick) OHST 31–13 Q4 13:52 WSU Wilson 11 yard pass from Grant (Beach pass from Grant) OHST 31–21 Q4 11:25 OHST Murray 8 yard run (Janakievski kick) OHST 38–21 Q4 5:53 WSU Wilson 11 yard pass from Grant (Grant run) OHST 38–29 Q4 3:13 OHST Donley 29 yard pass from Schlichter (Janakievski kick) OHST 45–29

The longest pass in school history to date, an 86-yard bomb from Art Schlichter to Calvin Murray, helped propel Ohio State to a 45-29 win over Washington State. The previous record was an 80-yard pass from Joe Sparma to Bob Klein in 1961 versus Michigan.

UCLA

1 2 3 4 Total • Ohio St 0 7 3 7 17 UCLA 10 0 0 3 13 Date: September 29 Location: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Game start: 1:00 p.m. Elapsed time: 2:46 Game attendance: 47,228 Game weather: Cloudy; 71°F; light wind SW Referee: Bill Love

Scoring summary Q1 8:27 UCLA Curren 10 yard pass from Bashore (Boermeester kick) UCLA 7–0 Q1 :52 UCLA Boermeester 27 yard field goal UCLA 10–0 Q2 4:53 OHST Murray 34 yard run (Janakievski kick) UCLA 10–7 Q3 5:46 OHST Janakievski 24 yard field goal Tie 10–10 Q4 11:00 UCLA Boermeester 39 yard field goal UCLA 13–10 Q4 :46 OHST Campbell 2 yard pass from Schlichter (Janakievski kick) OHST 17–13

Northwestern

1 2 3 4 Total Northwestern 0 0 0 7 7 • Ohio St 10 3 0 3 16 Date: October 6 Location: Ohio Stadium Game start: 1:30 p.m. Elapsed time: 2:41 Game attendance: 87,406 Game weather: Partly cloudy; 58°F; wind 10–20 SW

Scoring summary Q1 12:51 OHST Janakievski 26 yard field goal OHST 3–0 Q1 10:03 OHST Dwelle 4 yard pass from Schlichter (Janakievski kick) OHST 10–0 Q2 6:00 OHST Janakievski 26 yard field goal OHST 13–0 Q4 14:58 NW Mishler 1 yard run (Poulos kick) OHST 13–7 Q4 8:01 OHST Atha 50 yard field goal OHST 16–7

Indiana

1 2 3 4 Total Indiana 0 0 6 0 6 • Ohio St 9 17 14 7 47 Date: October 13 Location: Ohio Stadium Game start: 1:30 p.m. Elapsed time: 2:48 Game attendance: 87,251 Game weather: Cloudy; 44°F; wind 15 NW

Scoring summary Q1 11:38 OHST Campbell 2 yard run (kick failed) OHST 6–0 Q1 5:51 OHST Janakievski 32 yard field goal OHST 9–0 Q2 11:23 OHST Janakievski 35 yard field goal OHST 12–0 Q2 3:50 OHST Campbell 3 yard run (Janakievski kick) OHST 19–0 Q2 :28 OHST Donley 21 yard pass from Schlichter (Janakievski kick) OHST 26–0 Q3 11:22 OHST Volley 2 yard run (Janakievski kick) OHST 33–0 Q3 7:14 OHST Schlichter 5 yard run (Janakievski kick) OHST 40–0 Q3 :57 IND Clifford 2 yard run (run failed) OHST 40–6 Q4 3:58 OHST Hicks 11 yard pass from Castignola (Janakievski kick) OHST 47–6

Wisconsin

1 2 3 4 Total Wisconsin 0 0 0 0 0 • Ohio St 14 14 10 21 59 Date: October 20 Location: Ohio Stadium Game start: 1:30 p.m. Elapsed time: 2:48 Game attendance: 87,585 Game weather: Sunny; 77°F; wind 15–20 S

Scoring summary Q1 11:59 OHST Schlichter 4 yard run (Janakievski kick) OHST 7–0 Q1 2:15 OHST Hunter 14 yard pass from Schlichter (Janakievski kick) OHST 14–0 Q2 10:28 OHST Williams 20 yard pass from Schlichter (Janakievski kick) OHST 21–0 Q2 8:16 OHST Schlichter 2 yard run (Janakievski kick) OHST 28–0 Q3 7:35 OHST Janakievski 19 yard field goal OHST 31–0 Q3 6:39 OHST Ellis 27 yard interception return (Janakievski kick) OHST 38–0 Q4 10:51 OHST Castignola 1 yard run (Janakievski kick) OHST 45–0 Q4 2:23 OHST Spencer 1 yard run (Janakievski kick) OHST 52–0 Q4 :37 OHST Lindsey 38 yard run (Janakievski kick) OHST 59–0

Michigan State

1 2 3 4 Total Michigan St 0 0 0 0 0 • Ohio St 14 14 7 7 42 Date: October 27 Location: Ohio Stadium Game start: 1:30 p.m. Elapsed time: 2:35 Game attendance: 87,747 Game weather: Mostly sunny; 53°F; wind 10–15 S

Scoring summary Q1 11:49 OHST Donley 53 yard pass from Schlichter (Janakievski kick) OHST 7–0 Q1 2:48 OHST Donley 12 yard pass from Schlichter (Janakievski kick) OHST 14–0 Q2 13:30 OHST Schlichter 3 yard run (Janakievski kick) OHST 21–0 Q2 2:12 OHST Volley 32 yard run (Janakievski kick) OHST 28–0 Q3 4:58 OHST Schlichter 6 yard run (Janakievski kick) OHST 35–0 Q4 3:11 OHST Castignola 1 yard run (Janakievski kick) OHST 42–0

Illinois

1 2 3 4 Total • Ohio St 3 14 10 17 44 Illinois 0 0 7 0 7 Date: November 3 Location: Memorial Stadium Game attendance: 41,870 Game weather: Clear; 51°F; wind 9 NW

Scoring summary Q1 8:36 OHST Janakievski 47 yard field goal OHST 3–0 Q2 14:18 OHST Murray 4 yard run (Janakievski kick) OHST 10–0 Q2 2:22 OHST Bell 16 yard blocked punt return (Janakievski kick) OHST 17–0 Q3 11:52 OHST Campbell 3 yard run (Janakievski kick) OHST 24–0 Q3 6:49 OHST Janakievski 36 yard field goal OHST 27–0 Q3 4:00 ILL Boeke 10 yard pass from McCullough (Jones kick) OHST 27–7 Q4 10:46 OHST Schlichter 4 yard run (Janakievski kick) OHST 34–7 Q4 8:42 OHST Janakievski 51 yard field goal OHST 37–7 Q4 2:13 OHST Dwelle 4 yard pass from Castignola (Janakievski kick) OHST 44–7

Iowa

1 2 3 4 Total Iowa 0 0 0 7 7 • Ohio St 13 14 0 7 34 Date: November 10 Location: Ohio Stadium Game start: 1:30 p.m. Elapsed time: 2:51 Game attendance: 87,835 Game weather: Cloudy; 41°F; wind 10–20 NW

Scoring summary Q1 5:55 OHST Schlichter 1 yard run (Janakievski kick) OHST 7–0 Q1 3:18 OHST Janakievski 35 yard field goal OHST 10–0 Q1 1:38 OHST Janakievski 29 yard field goal OHST 13–0 Q2 8:56 OHST Volley 1 yard run (Jankievski kick) OHST 20–0 Q2 6:40 OHST Donley 33 yard pass from Schlichter (Janakievski kick) OHST 27–0 Q4 12:16 OHST Spencer 1 yard run (Janakievski kick) OHST 34–0 Q4 4:07 IOWA Chappelle 40 yard pass from Gales (Roby kick) OHST 34–7

Michigan

See also: 1979 Michigan Wolverines football team and Michigan-Ohio State rivalry

#2 Ohio State at #13 Michigan

1 2 3 4 Total • Ohio St 0 6 6 6 18 Michigan 0 7 8 0 15 Date: November 17 Location: Michigan Stadium Elapsed time: 2:47 Game attendance: 106,255 Game weather: Sunny; 55°F; wind 10–15 SW Television network: ABC

Scoring summary Q2 3:48 OHST Janakievski 23 yard field goal OHST 3–0 Q2 1:30 MICH Carter 59 yard pass from Wangler (Virgil kick) MICH 7–3 Q2 :08 OHST Janakievski 25 yard field goal MICH 7–6 Q3 7:19 OHST Hunter 18 yard pass from Schlichter (pass failed) OHST 12–7 Q3 3:58 MICH Smith 1 yard run (Smith run) MICH 15–12 Q4 11:21 OSU Bell 18 yard blocked punt return (kick failed) OSU 18–15

Ohio State clinched the Big Ten title and a trip to the Rose Bowl with an 18-15 victory over their archrivals. The Buckeyes had not beaten nor scored a touchdown against Michigan since 1975, the last time they had gone to Pasadena.

Rose Bowl

1980 Rose Bowl

1 2 3 4 Total • USC 3 7 0 7 17 Ohio St 0 10 3 3 16 Date: January 1 Location: Rose Bowl Game start: 2:00 p.m. Game attendance: 105,526 TV announcers (NBC): Dick Enberg, Merlin Olsen, O.J. Simpson

Scoring summary Q1 4:37 USC Hipp 41 yard field goal USC 3–0 Q2 9:11 USC Williams 53 yard pass from McDonald (Hipp kick) USC 10-0 Q2 3:10 OHST Janakievski 35 yard field goal USC 10–3 Q2 :21 OHST Murray 67 yard pass from Schlichter (Janakievski kick) Tie 10–10 Q3 10:53 OSU Janakievski 37 yard field goal OHST 13–10 Q4 9:42 OHST Janakievski 24 yard field goal OSU 16-10 Q4 1:32 USC White 1 yard run (Hipp kick) USC 17–16

References

Win/Loss statistics

• Ohio State Historical Scores

Draft data

• Ohio State Drafted Players