The 1975 Ohio State Buckeyes football team represented the Ohio State University in the 1975 Big Ten Conference football season. The Buckeyes compiled an 11–1 record, including the 1976 Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, where they lost, 23–10, to the UCLA Bruins.
In 1975, Archie Griffin became college football's only two-time Heisman trophy winner. Griffin won four Big Ten Conference titles with the Ohio State Buckeyes and became the only player ever to start in four Rose Bowls.
Schedule
| Date |
Time |
Opponent |
Rank |
Site |
TV |
Result |
Attendance |
| September 13 |
4:00 p.m. |
at No. 11 Michigan State
|
No. 3 |
|
ABC |
W 21–0 |
80,383 |
| September 20 |
1:30 p.m. |
No. 7 Penn State*
|
No. 3 |
|
|
W 17–9 |
88,093 |
| September 27 |
1:30 p.m. |
North Carolina*
|
No. 2 |
- Ohio Stadium
- Columbus, OH
|
|
W 32–7 |
87,750 |
| October 4 |
9:00 p.m. |
at No. 13 UCLA*
|
No. 2 |
|
ABC |
W 41–20 |
55,482 |
| October 11 |
1:30 p.m. |
Iowa |
No. 1 |
- Ohio Stadium
- Columbus, OH
|
|
W 49–0 |
87,826 |
| October 18 |
1:30 p.m. |
Wisconsin |
No. 1 |
- Ohio Stadium
- Columbus, OH
|
|
W 56–0 |
87,820 |
| October 25 |
2:30 p.m. |
at Purdue
|
No. 1 |
|
|
W 35–6 |
69,405 |
| November 1 |
1:30 p.m. |
Indiana |
No. 1 |
- Ohio Stadium
- Columbus, OH
|
|
W 24–14 |
87,835 |
| November 8 |
2:00 p.m. |
at Illinois
|
No. 1 |
|
|
W 40–3 |
67,751 |
| November 15 |
1:30 p.m. |
Minnesota |
No. 1 |
- Ohio Stadium
- Columbus, OH
|
|
W 38–6 |
87,817 |
| November 22 |
1:00 p.m. |
at No. 4 Michigan
|
No. 1 |
|
ABC |
W 21–14 |
105,543 |
| January 1, 1976 |
5:00 p.m. |
vs. No. 11 UCLA*
|
No. 1 |
|
NBC |
L 10–23 |
105,464 |
- *Non-conference game
- Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
- All times are in Eastern time
|
Personnel
| 1975 Ohio State Buckeyes football team roster
|
| Players
|
Coaches
|
|
Offense
|
Defense
| Pos. |
# |
Name |
Class
|
|
DB
|
|
Tim Fox
|
|
DB
|
|
Ray Griffin
|
|
Special teams
| Pos. |
# |
Name |
Class
|
|
K
|
|
Tom Klaban
|
|
- Head coach
- Coordinators/assistant coaches
- Legend
-
(C) Team captain
-
(S) Suspended
-
(I) Ineligible
-
 Injured
-
 Redshirt
|
Depth chart
|
Defense
|
|
|
|
|
|
CB
|
| Craig Cassady
|
| Max Midlam
|
|
⋅
|
|
|
|
|
|
CB
|
| Bruce Ruhl
|
| Lenny Mills
|
|
⋅
|
|
|
Offense
|
|
|
|
|
LT
|
LG
|
C
|
RG
|
RT
|
|
Chris Ward
|
Ted Smith
|
Rick Applegate
|
Bill Lukens
|
Scott Dannelley
|
| Lou Pietrini
|
Jim Savoca
|
Ron Ayers
|
⋅
|
Garth Cox
|
|
⋅
|
⋅
|
Doug Porter
|
⋅
|
⋅
|
|
|
TE
|
| Larry Kain
|
| Jimmy Moore
|
| Greg Storer
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Coaching staff
-
Woody Hayes - Head Coach (25th year)
-
George Chaump - Offense (8th year)
-
George Hill - Defensive Coordinator (5th year)
- Charles Clausen - Defense (5th year)
-
Alex Gibbs - Offensive Coordinator/ Offensive Line (1st year)
- Mickey Jackson - (2nd year)
- John Mummey - Quarterbacks (7th year)
-
Ralph Staub - (6th year)
-
Dick Walker - Defensive Backs (7th year)
- Jeff Kaplan - 'brain coach' & counselor (3rd year)
Game summaries
Michigan State
Ohio State Buckeyes (0–0) at Michigan State Spartans
| Period |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
Total |
| Ohio St |
0 |
7 |
7 |
7 |
21 |
| Michigan St |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
at Spartan Stadium • East Lansing, Michigan
-
Date: September 13
-
Game weather: Partly sunny • Mid 50s • Wind W–NW 10 miles per hour (16 km/h; 8.7 kn) to 20 miles per hour (32 km/h; 17 kn)
-
Game attendance: 80,383
-
TV: ABC
- Ohio State Football Archives
| Game information
|
- Ohio St
- Greene
3/7, 85 Yds, TD, INT
- Griffin
29 Rush, 108 Yds
- Willis
2 Rec, 82 Yds, TD
|
- Michigan St
- Baggett
5/9, 67 Yds, 3 INT
- Jackson
20 Rush, 58 Yds
- Fortney
3 Rec, 35 Yds
|
|
| Scoring summary
|
| Quarter
|
Time
|
Drive
|
Team
|
Scoring information
|
Score
|
|
Plays
|
Yards
|
TOP
|
OSU
|
MSU
|
| 2
|
1:16
|
8
|
57
|
|
Ohio St
|
Johnson 6-yard touchdown run, Klaban kick good
|
7
|
0
|
| 3
|
6:52
|
6
|
76
|
|
Ohio St
|
Willis 64-yard touchdown reception from Grenne, Klaban kick good
|
14
|
0
|
| 4
|
14:56
|
4
|
30
|
|
Ohio St
|
Johnson 9-yard touchdown run, Klaban kick good
|
21
|
0
|
|
"TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football.
|
21
|
0
|
|
Penn State
| |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
Total |
| Penn St |
3 |
3 |
3 |
0 |
9 |
| • Ohio St |
10 |
0 |
0 |
7 |
17 |
-
Date: September 20
-
Location: Ohio Stadium
-
Game attendance: 88,093
|
|
| Scoring summary |
|---|
|
| 1 |
|
OHST |
Johnson 1 yard run (Klaban kick) |
Ohio St 7–0 |
|
| 1 |
|
PSU |
Bahr 55 yard field goal |
Ohio St 7–3 |
|
| 1 |
|
OHST |
Klaban 45 yard field goal |
Ohio St 10–3 |
|
| 2 |
|
PSU |
Bahr 31 yard field goal |
Ohio St 10–6 |
|
| 3 |
|
PSU |
Bahr 25 yard field goal |
Ohio St 10–9 |
|
| 4 |
5:05 |
OHST |
Johnson 11 yard run (Klaban kick) |
Ohio St 17–9 |
|
UCLA
| |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
Total |
| • Ohio State
|
7 |
21 |
10 |
3 |
41 |
| UCLA |
7 |
0 |
7 |
6 |
20 |
|
|
| Scoring summary |
|---|
|
| 1 |
|
UCLA |
Sarpy 13-yard pass from Sciarra (White kick) |
UCLA 7-0 |
|
| 1 |
|
OSU |
Greene 2-yard run (Klaban kick) |
Tied 7-7 |
|
| 2 |
|
OSU |
Johnson 3-yard run (Klaban kick) |
OSU 14-7 |
|
| 2 |
|
OSU |
Johnson 2-yard run (Klaban kick) |
OSU 21-7 |
|
| 2 |
|
OSU |
Greene 17-yard run (Klaban kick) |
OSU 28-7 |
|
| 3 |
|
OSU |
A. Griffin 17-yard run (Klaban kick) |
OSU 35-7 |
|
| 3 |
|
OSU |
Klaban 34-yard field goal |
OSU 38-7 |
|
| 3 |
|
UCLA |
Ayers 2-yard run (White kick) |
OSU 38-14 |
|
| 4 |
|
UCLA |
Ayers 1-yard run (kick failed) |
OSU 38-20 |
|
| 4 |
|
OSU |
Klaban 42-yard field goal |
OSU 41-20 |
|
Purdue
| |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
Total |
| • Ohio State
|
14 |
7 |
7 |
7 |
35 |
| Purdue |
3 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
6 |
|
|
| Scoring summary |
|---|
|
| 1 |
|
OSU |
Pete Johnson 60-yard run (Tom Klaban kick) |
OSU 7-0 |
|
| 1 |
|
PUR |
Steve Schmidt 22-yard field goal |
OSU 7-3 |
|
| 1 |
|
OSU |
Pete Johnson 3-yard run (Tom Klaban kick) |
OSU 14-3 |
|
| 2 |
|
PUR |
Steve Schmidt 27-yard field goal |
OSU 14-6 |
|
| 2 |
|
OSU |
Brian Baschnagel 22-yard pass from Cornelius Greene (Tom Klaban kick) |
OSU 21-6 |
|
| 3 |
|
OSU |
Lenny Willis 41-yard pass from Cornelius Green (Tom Klaban kick) |
OSU 28-6 |
|
| 4 |
|
OSU |
Cornelius Greene 28-yard run (Tom Klaban kick) |
OSU 35-6 |
|
Archie Griffin broke Cornell's Ed Marinaro NCAA career rushing record with a 23-yard run up the middle in the fourth quarter.
Minnesota
| |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
Total |
| Minnesota |
0 |
0 |
6 |
0 |
6 |
| • Ohio St |
3 |
14 |
0 |
21 |
38 |
-
Date: November 15
-
Location: Ohio Stadium
-
Game start: 1:30 p.m. EST
-
Game attendance: 87,817
|
|
| Scoring summary |
|---|
|
| Q1 |
|
OHST |
Klaban 29 yard field goal |
OHST 3–0 |
|
| Q2 |
|
OHST |
Greene 14 yard run (Klaban kick) |
OHST 10–0 |
|
| Q2 |
|
OHST |
Griffin 19 yard run (Klaban kick) |
OHST 17–0 |
|
| Q3 |
|
MINN |
Barlow 5 yard pass from Dungy (pass failed) |
OHST 17–6 |
|
| Q4 |
|
OHST |
Johnson 8 yard run (Klaban kick) |
OHST 24–6 |
|
| Q4 |
|
OHST |
Greene 31 yard run (Klaban kick) |
OHST 31–6 |
|
| Q4 |
|
OHST |
Baschnagel 21 yard run (Klaban kick) |
OHST 38–6 |
|
Michigan
| Game information
|
|
First quarter
Second quarter
- MICH – Jim Smith 11-yard pass from Gordon Bell (Bob Wood kick), 0:24. Tie 7–7. Drive: 11 plays, 80 yards.
Fourth quarter
- MICH – Rick Leach 1-yard run (Bob Wood kick), 7:11. Michigan 14–7. Drive: 10 plays, 43 yards.
- OSU – Pete Johnson 1-yard run (Tom Klaban kick), 3:18. Tie 14–14. Drive: 11 plays, 80 yards.
- OSU – Pete Johnson 3-yard run (Tom Klaban kick), 2:19. Ohio St 21–14. Drive: 1 play, 3 yards.
|
- Top passers
- Top rushers
- Top receivers
- OSU – Lenny Willis – 2 receptions, 32 yards
- MICH – Jim Smith – 3 receptions, 31 yards, TD
|
|
Awards and honors
- Archie Griffin, Heisman Trophy
