# 1978 Ohio State Buckeyes football team

The 1978 Ohio State Buckeyes football team represented the Ohio State University in the 1978 Big Ten Conference football season. The Buckeyes compiled a 7–4–1 record, including the 1978 Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, Florida, where they lost, 17–15, to the Clemson Tigers. This would be Woody Hayes' last season as head coach of the team, as he was fired following an incident in the game in which he punched Clemson defender Charlie Bauman.

## Schedule

| Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
| September 16 | 1:30 p.m. | No. 5 Penn State* | No. 6 | Ohio StadiumColumbus, OH (rivalry) | ABC | L 0–19 | 88,203 |
| September 23 | 2:30 p.m. | at Minnesota | No. 16 | Memorial StadiumMinneapolis, MN | | W 27–10 | 55,200 |
| September 30 | 1:30 p.m. | Baylor* | No. 13 | Ohio StadiumColumbus, OH | | W 34–28 | 87,998 |
| October 7 | 1:30 p.m. | SMU* | No. 14 | Ohio StadiumColumbus, OH | | T 35–35 | 87,721 |
| October 14 | 2:30 p.m. | at Purdue | No. 16 | Ross–Ade StadiumWest Lafayette, IN | | L 16–27 | 69,465 |
| October 21 | 1:30 p.m. | Iowa | | Ohio StadiumColumbus, OH | | W 31–7 | 87,326 |
| October 28 | 1:30 p.m. | Northwestern | | Ohio StadiumColumbus, OH | | W 63–20 | 87,296 |
| November 4 | 2:00 p.m. | at Wisconsin | | Camp Randall StadiumMadison, WI | | W 49–14 | 79,940 |
| November 11 | 1:30 p.m. | Illinois | | Ohio StadiumColumbus, OH (Illibuck Trophy) | | W 45–7 | 87,819 |
| November 18 | 1:30 p.m. | at Indiana | No. 19 | Memorial StadiumBloomington, IN | | W 21–18 | 47,540 |
| November 25 | 12:30 p.m. | No. 6 Michigan | No. 16 | Ohio StadiumColumbus, OH (rivalry) | ABC | L 3–14 | 88,358 |
| December 29 | 9:00 p.m. | vs. No. 7 Clemson* | No. 20 | Gator Bowl StadiumJacksonville, FL (Gator Bowl) | ABC | L 15–17 | 72,011 |
| *Non-conference gameRankings from AP Poll released prior to the gameAll times are in Eastern time |||||||||

## Game summaries
### Penn State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Penn St | 3 | 0 | 7 | 9 | 19 |
| Ohio St | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Art Schlichter started the game at quarterback while Rod Gerald, the starter for the two previous seasons, opened the game at split end.

### Minnesota

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Ohio St | 7 | 14 | 0 | 6 | 27 |
| Minnesota | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
at Memorial Stadium • Minneapolis, Minnesota
* Date: September 23
* Game time: 1:30 p.m.
* Game weather: Sunny • 71 °F (22 °C) • Wind SW 20 miles per hour (32 km/h; 17 kn)
* Game attendance: 55,200
* Referee: R. McVay
* Ohio State Football Archives
Game information :
Ohio St
Schlichter 3/7, 57 Yds, INT
Springs 17 Rush, 82 Yds, TD
Donley 2 Rec, 57 Yds
Minnesota
Avery 6/14, 95 Yds, 2 INT
Barber 17 Rush, 57 Yds
Bailey 3 Rec, 62 Yds :
Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Score |
| Quarter | Time | Plays | Yards | TOP | Team | Scoring information | OSU | MINN |
| 1 | 11:02 | 6 | 17 | 3:58 | Ohio St | Schlichter 3-yard touchdown run, Janakievski kick good | 7 | 0 |
| 2 | 14:28 | 10 | 51 | | Ohio St | Payton 1-yard touchdown run, Janakievski kick good | 14 | 0 |
| 2 | 1:31 | 8 | 54 | | Ohio St | Schlichter 1-yard touchdown run, Janakievski kick good | 21 | 0 |
| 2 | 0:04 | 5 | 58 | | Minnesota | 39-yard field goal by Rogind | 21 | 3 |
| 4 | 12:48 | 11 | 41 | | Ohio St | Springs 3-yard touchdown run, Janakievski kick no good | 27 | 3 |
| 4 | 1:41 | 6 | 17 | | Minnesota | Dilulo 15-yard touchdown reception from Carlson, Rogind kick good | 27 | 10 |
| "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | 27 | 10 |

### Wisconsin

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Ohio State | 7 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 49 |
| Wisconsin | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 14 |

### Illinois

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Illinois | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| • Ohio St | 7 | 7 | 10 | 21 | 45 |

### At Indiana

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Ohio St | 7 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 21 |
| Indiana | 7 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 18 |
at Memorial Stadium, Bloomington, Indiana
* Date: November 18, 1978
* Game weather: Overcast • 41 °F (5 °C) • Wind 8 miles per hour (13 km/h; 7.0 kn) to 10 miles per hour (16 km/h; 8.7 kn)
* Game attendance: 47,540
* Box Score
Game information :
First quarter
OSU – Paul Campbell 3-yard run (Vlade Janakievski kick), 10:19. Ohio St 7–0. Drive:
IU – Mike Harkrader 1-yard run (David Freud kick), 2:04. Tie 7–7. Drive:
Second quarter
IU – David Freud 30-yard field goal, 6:52. Indiana 10–7. Drive:
Third quarter
OSU – Art Schlichter 3-yard run (Vlade Janakievski kick), 2:58. Ohio St 14–10. Drive: 20 plays, 98 yards.
Fourth quarter;
OSU – Ricky Johnson 46-yard run (Vlade Janakievski kick), 13:13. Ohio St 21–10. Drive: 8 plays.
IU – Darrick Burnett 1-yard run (pass good), 5:01. Ohio St 21–18. Drive:
Top passers
OSU – Art Schlichter – 4/11, 22 yards, INT
IU – Tim Clifford – 10/19, 81 yards
Top rushers
OSU – Ricky Johnson – 18 rushes, 109 yards, TD
IU – Darrick Burnett – 18 rushes, 65 yards, TD
Top receivers
OSU – Ricky Johnson – 2 receptions, 9 yards
IU – Dan Powers – 6 receptions, 62 yards :
* Ricky Johnson played in place of the injured Ron Springs and Calvin Murray
* Woody Hayes' last victory as Ohio State's head coach

### Michigan

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Michigan | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 14 |
| Ohio St | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
at Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
* Date: November 25, 1978
* Game time: 12:56 p.m.
* Game weather: Overcast, 40 °F (4 °C)
* Game attendance: 88,358
* TV: ABC
* Box Score
Game information :
First quarter
OSU – Bob Atha 29-yard field goal, 1:13. Ohio St 3–0. Drive: 6 plays, 38 yards, 2:12.
MICH – Rodney Feaster 30-yard pass from Rick Leach (Gregg Willner kick), 0:09. Michigan 7–3. Drive: 4 plays, 70 yards, 0:59.
Third quarter
MICH – Roosevelt Smith 11-yard pass from Rick Leach (Gregg Willner kick), 4:12. Michigan 14–3. Drive: 13 plays, 69 yards, 5:19.
Top passers
MICH – Rick Leach – 11/21, 166 yards, 2 TD
OSU – Art Schlichter – 4/9, 43 yards, INT
Top rushers
MICH – Roosevelt Smith – 10 rushes, 67 yards
OSU – Ron Springs – 12 rushes, 63 yards
Top receivers
MICH – Doug Marsh – 2 receptions, 39 yards
OSU – Rod Gerald – 1 reception, 25 yards :

### Gator Bowl (vs. Clemson)

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Ohio St | 0 | 9 | 0 | 6 | 15 |
| Clemson | 0 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 17 |
at Gator Bowl, Jacksonville, Florida
* Date: December 29, 1978
* Game time: 9:00 p.m. EST
* Game attendance: 72,011
* Referee: Jim Artley
* TV: ABC
* Box Score
Game information :
Second quarter
OSU – Bob Atha 27-yard field goal, 12:08. Ohio St 3–0. Drive: 8 plays, 72 yards.
CLEM – Steve Fuller 4-yard run (Obed Ariri kick), 5:03. Clemson 7–3. Drive: 15 plays, 80 yards.
OSU – Art Schlichter 4-yard run (kick failed), 1:21. Ohio St 9–7. Drive: 9 plays, 78 yards.
CLEM – Obed Ariri 47-yard field goal, 0:05. Clemson 10–9. Drive: 8 plays, 76 yards.
Third quarter
CLEM – Cliff Austin 1-yard run (Ariri kick), 2:18. Clemson 17–9. Drive: 19 plays, 84 yards.
Fourth quarter
OSU – Art Schlichter 1-yard run (run failed), 8:11. Clemson 17–15. Drive: 12 plays, 87 yards.
Top passers
OSU – Art Schlichter – 16/20, 205 yards, INT
CLEM – Steve Fuller – 9/20, 123 yards
Top rushers
OSU – Art Schlichter – 18 rushes, 70 yards, 2 TD
CLEM – Tracy Perry – 14 rushes, 54 yards
Warren Ratchford – 10 rushes, 54 yards
Top receivers
OSU – Doug Donley – 3 receptions, 54 yards
CLEM – Jerry Butler – 4 receptions, 44 yards :

## Personnel
### Depth chart

Defense :
* FS
* Vince Skillings
* Bob Murphy
| WLB | ILB | ILB | SLB |
| Paul Ross | Al Washington | Tom Cousineau | Kelton Dansler |
| Jim Laughlin | Tony Megaro | Terry Vogler | ⋅ |
* ROV
* Todd Bell
* Duncan Griffin
* CB
* Mike Guess
| DE | NT | DE |
| Byron Cato | Mark Sullivan | Gary Dulin |
| Joe Hornik | ⋅ | ⋅ |
* CB
* Ray Ellis
* Lenny Mills
Offense :
* SE
* Rod Gerald
| LT | LG | C | RG | RT |
| Keith Ferguson | Ken Fritz | Tim Vogler | Jim Savoca | Joe Robinson |
| Tim Burke | Scott Burris | Tom Waugh | ⋅ | Tim Brown |
* TE
* Jimmy Moore
* Jim Houston
* FL
* Doug Donley
* QB
* Art Schlichter
* Greg Castignola
* FB
* Paul Campbell
* Ricardo Volley
* Special teams
* PK Vlade Janakievski
* PK Bob Atha
* P Tom Orosz
* LS John Hutchings
* RB
* Ron Springs
* Ricky Johnson

## 1979 NFL draftees

| Player | Round | Pick | Position | NFL club |
| Tom Cousineau | 1 | 1 | Linebacker | Buffalo Bills |
| Ron Springs | 5 | 136 | Running Back | Dallas Cowboys |
| Jimmy Moore | 6 | 150 | Guard | Baltimore Colts |
| Joe Robinson | 9 | 229 | Tackle | Kansas City Chiefs |