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Pryor Grabs Win For Buckeyes

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The Associated Press

The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 5, 2008

MADISON, Wis. - Terrelle Pryor ran for an 11-yard touchdown with 1:08 left and Chris "Beanie" Wells had 168 yards rushing and a score as Ohio State's new double-threat backfield led the 14th-ranked Buckeyes to a 20-17 victory over No. 18 Wisconsin on Saturday.

The last time the Buckeyes (4-1, 2-0) played a marquee game under the lights, they got pounded by Southern California last month. Wells didn't play in that game and Pryor, the talented freshman, wasn't the starter.

With Wells healthy and Pryor getting comfortable, Ohio State looks like a much different team.

The 19-year-old quarterback kept his poise, leading Ohio State on two fourth-quarter scoring drives, snapping Wisconsin's 16-game home winning streak that evened Coach Jim Tressel's record at 3-3 against the Badgers (3-2, 0-2).

Trailing 17-13, Pryor twice found trusted receiver Brian Hartline for big gains, even though Hartline fumbled on the second completion for 27 yards and needed teammate Brian Robiske's recovery to keep possession at the Wisconsin 35.

Wells, who has been wearing a lineman's shoe to protect his injured foot, ran twice for 11 yards and Pryor gained another first down on a third-and-1 sneak from the 15 with under 2 minutes to play.

Two plays later, Pryor ran the option with Wells flared out wide, but kept it himself and reached the end zone after Wisconsin's defense looked confused by the formation.

Malcolm Jenkins sealed the victory with an interception for the Buckeyes.

NO. 6 PENN STATE 20,

PURDUE 6

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Evan Royster ran for 141 yards and a touchdown, and No. 6 Penn State beat Purdue.

Royster also had 53 yards on four catches for the Nittany Lions (6-0, 2-0).
Daryll Clark completed 18 of 26 passes for 226 yards and ran for a score for Penn State, which outgained Purdue 422-241 in its last test before next Saturday's showdown at Wisconsin.
Purdue quarterback Curtis Painter finished 13-of-22 for 112 yards.

Painter moved past Mark Herrmann into second place on the school's career passing yards list, but on a day in which the 10,000 career yards passing milestone was in reach, he fell short and was benched in the fourth quarter.

Kory Sheets led Purdue (2-3, 0-1) with 59 rushing yards on 18 carries. He broke a tie with Mike Alstott to set a school record with 40 career rushing touchdowns.

ILLINOIS 45, MICHIGAN 20

ANN ARBOR, Mich. - Juice Williams beat Michigan with an accurate arm, quick feet and a cool head.

Williams threw for 310 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 121 yards and two scores without making a mistake, leading Illinois to victory.

The quarterback's 431 yards of total offense for the Fighting Illini (3-2, 1-1) were the most by any player at Michigan Stadium and it matched an opponent record against the Wolverines.

Michigan (2-3, 1-1) has its worst record after five games since starting 1-5 in 1967, two years before Bo Schembechler arrived.

MICHIGAN STATE 16,

IOWA 13

EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State's defense made a key fourth-down stop in the fourth quarter to lift the Spartans to a win over Iowa.

Shonn Greene gained 157 yards on 30 carries for the Hawkeyes. But with 2:16 remaining in the game, linebacker Adam Decker stopped him on fourth-and-1 from the Spartans 21-yard line to seal the win for Michigan State (5-1, 2-0).

Iowa (3-3, 0-2) passed up what could have been a tying field-goal attempt to go for it on fourth down.

MINNESOTA 16, INDIANA 7

MINNEAPOLIS - Eric Decker tied a school record with 13 catches for 190 yards and withstood a vicious blow to the head in the fourth quarter to get Coach Tim Brewster his first career Big Ten victory in Minnesota's win over Indiana.

Adam Weber completed his first 12 passes and threw for 274 yards, and the defense shut down the mistake-prone Hoosiers (2-3, 0-2) to snap Minnesota's nine-game conference losing streak.

Marcus Thigpen caught a 77-yard touchdown for Indiana, but the Hoosiers had three turnovers against an improving Minnesota (5-1, 1-1) defense.

Brewster went 0-8 in the Big Ten during his first season, then lost the conference opener at Ohio State last week.

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