# 1986 Ohio State Buckeyes football team

The 1986 Ohio State Buckeyes football team represented the Ohio State University in the 1986 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Buckeyes compiled a 10–3 record, including the 1987 Cotton Bowl Classic in Dallas, where they won 28–12 against the Texas A&M Aggies.

## Schedule

| Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
| August 27 | 8:00 p.m. | vs. No. 5 Alabama* | No. 9 | Giants StadiumEast Rutherford, NJ (Kickoff Classic) | Raycom | L 10–16 | 68,296 |
| September 13 | 2:30 p.m. | at No. 17 Washington* | No. 10 | Husky StadiumSeattle, WA | CBS | L 7–40 | 61,070 |
| September 20 | 1:30 p.m. | Colorado* | | Ohio StadiumColumbus, OH | | W 13–10 | 88,404 |
| September 27 | 1:30 p.m. | Utah* | | Ohio StadiumColumbus, OH | | W 64–6 | 89,645 |
| October 4 | 1:30 p.m. | Illinois | | Ohio StadiumColumbus, OH (Illibuck Trophy) | | W 14–0 | 90,030 |
| October 11 | 1:00 p.m. | at Indiana | | Memorial StadiumBloomington, IN | | W 24–22 | 51,641 |
| October 18 | 7:00 p.m. | at Purdue | | Ross–Ade StadiumWest Lafayette, IN | WTBS | W 39–11 | 68,757 |
| October 25 | 12:30 p.m. | Minnesota | | Ohio StadiumColumbus, OH | WTBS | W 33–0 | 89,936 |
| November 1 | 12:30 p.m. | at No. 11 Iowa | No. 17 | Kinnick StadiumIowa City, IA | WTBS | W 31–10 | 67,640 |
| November 8 | 1:30 p.m. | Northwestern | No. 11 | Ohio StadiumColumbus, OH | | W 30–9 | 89,808 |
| November 15 | 12:00 p.m. | at Wisconsin | No. 9 | Camp Randall StadiumMadison, WI | CBS | W 30–17 | 62,020 |
| November 22 | 12:00 p.m. | No. 6 Michigan | No. 7 | Ohio StadiumColumbus, OH (rivalry) | CBS | L 24–26 | 90,674 |
| January 1, 1987 | 1:30 p.m. | vs. No. 8 Texas A&M* | No. 11 | Cotton BowlDallas, TX (Cotton Bowl Classic) | CBS | W 28–12 | 74,188 |
| *Non-conference gameHomecomingRankings from AP Poll released prior to the gameAll times are in Eastern time |||||||||

## Depth chart

Defense :
* FS
* David Brown
| OLB | ILB | ILB | SLB |
| Eric Kumerow | Chris Spielman | Mike Kee | Derek Isaman |
| Scott Leach | ⋅ | John Sullivan | Mike McCray |
* ROV
* Sonny Gordon
* CB
* William White
* Ray Jackson
| DE | NT | DE |
| David Schell | Fred Ridder | Mike Showalter |
| ⋅ | Mike Sullivan | Henry Brown |
* CB
* Greg Rogan
* Zack Dumas
Offense :
* SE
* Cris Carter
* Jamie Holland
| LT | LG | C | RG | RT |
| Joe Staysniak | Jeff Uhlenhake | Bob Maggs | Greg Zackeroff | Larry Kotterman |
| Tim Moxley | Karl Coles | ⋅ | Jeff Davidson | Jay Shaffer |
* TE
* Ed Taggart
* John Hutchison
* FL
* Nate Harris
* Everett Ross
* QB
* Jim Karsatos
* Tom Tupa
* Key reserves
* FB
* George Cooper
* Barry Walker
* Special teams
* PK Matt Frantz
* PK Pat O'Morrow
* P Tom Tupa
* RB
* Vince Workman
* Jimmy Bryant

## Game summaries
### Vs. Alabama

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Alabama | 3 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 16 |
| Ohio St | 0 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 10 |

### At Washington

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Ohio St | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| • Washington | 0 | 24 | 9 | 7 | 40 |

### Colorado

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Colorado | 0 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 10 |
| • Ohio St | 3 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 13 |

### Utah

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Utah | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 |
| • Ohio St | 21 | 10 | 20 | 13 | 64 |

### Illinois

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Illinois | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| • Ohio St | 0 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 14 |

### At Indiana

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Ohio St | 7 | 7 | 10 | 0 | 24 |
| Indiana | 7 | 7 | 0 | 8 | 22 |

### At Purdue

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Ohio St | 6 | 9 | 17 | 7 | 39 |
| Purdue | 0 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 11 |
at Ross-Ade Stadium, West Lafayette, Indiana
* Date: October 18
* Game time: 6:15 p.m.
* Game weather: Clear, 53 °F (12 °C)
* Game attendance: 68,737
* Referee: Otho Kortz
Game information :
First quarter
OSU – Matt Frantz 21-yard field goal, 8:04. Ohio St 7–0. Drive: 14 plays, 69 yards.
OSU – Matt Frantz 22-yard field goal, 1:55. Ohio St 6–0. Drive: 11 plays, 32 yards.
Second quarter
OSU – Cris Carter 3-yard pass from Jim Karsatos (pass failed), 10:36. Ohio St 12–0. Drive: 12 plays, 92 yards.
OSU – Matt Frantz 22-yard field goal, 1:05. Ohio St 15–0. Drive: 11 plays, 50 yards.
PUR – Jonathan Briggs 23-yard field goal, 0:02. Ohio St 15–3. Drive: 8 plays, 61 yards.
Third quarter
OSU – Nate Harris 37-yard pass from Jim Karsatos (Matt Frantz kick), 13:00. Ohio St 22–3. Drive: 3 plays, 65 yards.
OSU – Dave Brown 100-yard interception return (Matt Frantz kick), 9:11. Ohio St 29–3.
OSU – Matt Frantz 21-yard field goal, 1:03. Ohio St 32–3. Drive: 8 plays, 56 yards.
Fourth quarter
PUR – Caleb Bonds 3-yard pass from Doug Downing (run good), 11:59. Ohio St 32–11. Drive: 12 plays, 77 yards.
OSU – Jamie Holland 23-yard pass from Tom Tupa (Matt Frantz kick), 10:11. Ohio St 39–11. Drive: 5 plays, 73 yards.
Top passers
OSU – Jim Karsatos – 11/17, 190 yards, 2 TD
PUR – Doug Downing – 23/48, 289 yards, TD, 2 INT
Top rushers
OSU – James Bryant – 24 rushes, 129 yards
PUR – James Medlock – 9 rushes, 33 yards
Top receivers
OSU – Cris Carter – 7 receptions, 118 yards, TD
PUR – Rick Brunner – 5 receptions, 93 yards :
Dave Brown's interception return set a Big Ten record for longest in a single game.

### Minnesota

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Minnesota | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| • Ohio St | 14 | 3 | 10 | 6 | 33 |

### Iowa

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Ohio St | 0 | 21 | 7 | 3 | 31 |
| Iowa | 7 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 10 |

### Northwestern

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Northwestern | 0 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 9 |
| • Ohio St | 10 | 7 | 3 | 10 | 30 |

### Wisconsin

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Ohio St | 17 | 10 | 0 | 3 | 30 |
| Wisconsin | 0 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 17 |

### Michigan

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Michigan | 3 | 3 | 13 | 7 | 26 |
| Ohio St | 14 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 24 |
at Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
* Date: November 22
* Game time: 12:00 p.m. CDT
* Game weather: Sunny, 55 °F (13 °C)
* Game attendance: 90,674
* Referee: Tom Quinn
* TV: ABC
Game information :
First quarter
OSU – Cris Carter 4-yard pass from Jim Karsatos (Matt Frantz kick), 10:47. Ohio St 7–0. Drive: 10 plays, 45 yards, 4:06.
MICH – Mike Gillette 32-yard field goal, 4:18. Ohio St 7–3. Drive: 13 plays, 45 yards, 6:20.
OSU – Vince Workman 46-yard run (Matt Frantz kick), 3:03. Ohio St 14–3. Drive: 3 plays, 80 yards, 1:14.
Second quarter
MICH – Mike Gillette 34-yard field goal, 6:47. Ohio St 14–6. Drive: 8 plays, 63 yards, 3:19.
Third quarter
MICH – Jamie Morris 4-yard run (Mike Gillette kick), 8:53. Ohio St 14–13. Drive: 14 plays, 83 yards, 6:02.
OSU – Matt Frantz 27-yard field goal, 5:26. Ohio St 17–13. Drive: 9 plays, 65 yards, 3:22.
MICH – Jamie Morris 8-yard run (pass failed), 3:53. Michigan 19–17. Drive: 4 plays, 76 yards, 1:27.
Fourth quarter
MICH – Thomas Wilcher 7-yard run (Mike Gillette kick), 12:40. Michigan 26–17. Drive: 8 plays, 85 yards, 4:19.
OSU – Cris Carter 17-yard pass from Jim Karsatos (Matt Frantz kick), 9:42. Michigan 26–24. Drive: 4 plays, 56 yards, 1:18.
Top passers
MICH – Jim Harbaugh – 19/29, 261 yards, 2 INT
OSU – Jim Karsatos – 15/27, 188 yards, 2 TD, INT
Top rushers
MICH – Jamie Morris – 29 rushes, 210 yards, 2 TD
OSU – Vince Workman – 21 rushes, 126 yards, TD
Top receivers
MICH – Jeffrey Brown – 5 receptions, 54 yards
OSU – Cris Carter – 7 receptions, 75 yards, 2 TD :
Matt Frantz missed a 45-yard field goal that would have given Ohio State the lead with 1:01 remaining in the game. Chris Spielman had 29 tackles in defeat.

### Vs. Texas A&M (Cotton Bowl)

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Ohio St | 0 | 7 | 14 | 7 | 28 |
| Texas A&M | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 12 |

## 1987 NFL draftees

| Player | Round | Pick | Position | NFL club |
| Cris Carter | 4 | 3 | Wide receiver | Philadelphia Eagles |
| Sonny Gordon | 6 | 157 | Defensive back | Cincinnati Bengals |
| Jamie Holland | 7 | 173 | Wide receiver | San Diego Chargers |
| Scott Leach | 9 | 234 | Linebacker | New Orleans Saints |
| Jim Karsatos | 12 | 322 | Quarterback | Miami Dolphins |