2001 Ohio State Buckeyes football team

American college football season November 2013 January 2026 2001 Ohio State Buckeyes Buckeyes logo.svg 125 Big Ten Conference Big Ten 7–5 5–3 Jim Tressel 1st Jim Bollman Multiple 1st Mark Dantonio 1st 4–3 Steve Bellisari Mike Collins Joe Cooper Jamar Martin Jonathon Wells Ohio Stadium(Capacity: 101,568) Outback Bowl L 28–31 vs. South Carolina The 2001 Ohio State Buckeyes football team was an American football team that represented the Ohio State University as a member of the Big Ten Conference during the 2001 NCAA Division I-A football season. In their first year under head coach Jim Tressel, the Buckeyes compiled a 7–5 record (5–3 in conference games), finished in third place in the Big Ten, and outscored opponents by a total of 284 to 213. Against ranked opponents, the Buckeyes lost to No. 14 UCLA and No. 12 Illinois and defeated No. 14 Northwestern and No. 11 Michigan. They concluded the season with a 31–28 loss to No. 14 South Carolina in the 2002 Outback Bowl.2001 Ohio State Buckeyes Schedule and Results Sports Reference LLC SR/College Football August 5, 2025 https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/ohio-state/2001-schedule.html For the second consecutive season, the Buckeyes were unranked in the final AP and Coaches polls. The Buckeyes gained an average of 190.3 rushing yards and 178.7 passing yards per game. On defense, they gave up 140.5 rushing yards and 194.3 passing yards per game.2001 Ohio State Buckeyes Stats Sports Reference LLC SR/College Football August 5, 2025 https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/ohio-state/2001.html The team's statistical leaders included quarterback Steve Bellisari (1,599 passing yards, 53.0% completion percentage), running back Jonathan Wells (1,257 rushing yards, 5.4 yards per carry, 90 points scored), and wide receiver Michael Jenkins (41 receptions for 836 yards). Center LeCharles Bentley was selected as a consensus first-team All-American.Football Award Winners National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) 2016 December 11, 2017 3, 15 http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_records/2016/awards.pdf Three Ohio State players received first-team honors on the 2001 All-Big Ten Conference football team: Bentley; offensive tackle Tyson Walter; and defensive back Mike Doss.Brewer, Johnson and Utecth Named To All-Big Ten Teams University of Minnesota December 4, 2001 March 3, 2015 http://www.gophersports.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/120401aaa.html https://web.archive.org/web/20171231204555/http://www.gophersports.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/120401aaa.html December 31, 2017 dead The team played its home games at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. Schedule 2001 AP Eastern September 8 12:00 p.m. w y 24 Akron Ohio Stadium Columbus, OH 28–14 102,602 September 22 3:30 p.m. l y y 21 UCLA 14 Rose Bowl Pasadena, CA ABC 6–13 73,723 September 29 12:00 p.m. w y Indiana Memorial Stadium Bloomington, IN ESPN Plus 27–14 48,577 October 6 7:45 p.m. w Northwestern 14 Ohio Stadium Columbus, OH ESPN 38–20 104,042 October 13 3:30 p.m. l 21 Wisconsin Ohio Stadium Columbus, OH ABC 17–20 103,520 October 20 12:00 p.m. w y San Diego State Ohio Stadium Columbus, OH ESPN Plus 27–12 102,432 October 27 12:00 p.m. l y Penn State Beaver Stadium University Park, PA rivalry ESPN 27–29 108,327 November 3 7:45 p.m. w y Minnesota Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome Minneapolis, MN ESPN 31–28 45,407 November 10 12:00 p.m. w Purdue Ohio Stadium Columbus, OH ESPN2 35–9 104,189 November 17 12:00 p.m. l 25 Illinois 12 Illibuck Ohio Stadium Columbus, OH ESPN 22–34 104,407 OSU kept at arm's length: Buckeyes feel Bellisari's absence in loss to Illini The Plain Dealer Bruce Hooley November 18, 2001 C1, C7 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-plain-dealer-osu-kept-at-arms-lengt/177391690/ Newspapers.com November 24 1:00 p.m. w y Michigan 11 Michigan Stadium Ann Arbor, MI rivalry ABC 26–20 111,571 January 1, 2002 11:00 a.m. l y y 22 South Carolina 14 Raymond James Stadium Tampa, FL Outback Bowl ESPN 28–31 66,249 The Official Ohio State Football Encyclopedia Park Jack 2003 Sports Publishing LLC Champaign, IL 1-58261-695-7 Rankings 2001 NCAA Division I-A football rankings AP 0 16 23 23 24 21 NR NR 21 NR NR NR NR 25 NR 23 22 22 NR Coaches 0 16 21 21 22 21 NR NR 25 NR NR NR NR NR NR 25 23 23 NR BCS 8 15 NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR Preseason The 2001 Ohio State Buckeyes football season marked a transition from former head coach John Cooper to new head coach Jim Tressel. Tressel was beginning his first season as head coach at the Division I-A level as the 22nd head coach of the Buckeyes. He came from Youngstown State University where he led the Penguins to four national championships at the Division I-AA level. The Buckeyes finished the 2000 season with an 8–4 record and Coach Cooper was later fired on January 2, 2001.Cooper Fired, Geiger Cites "Deteriorating Climate" Paul Rovnak The Lantern Ohio State January 3, 2001 Prior to Cooper's firing, the Buckeyes were ranked 23rd in the AP Poll, losing in the 2001 Outback Bowl to the South Carolina Gamecocks by a score of 24–7.http://www.jhowell.net/cf/scores/OhioState.htm Ohio State Historical Scores August 23, 2008 https://web.archive.org/web/20080822232727/http://www.jhowell.net/cf/scores/OhioState.htm August 22, 2008 dead Game summaries Akron 2001 Akron Zips football team Akron 0 7 0 7 Ohio St 14 7 7 0 September 8 Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio 102,602 yes 1 7:36 OHST Jonathan Wells 14 yard run (Josh Huston kick) Ohio St 7–0 1 3:30 OHST Jamar Martin 10 yard pass from Steve Bellisari (Josh Huston kick) Ohio St 14–0 2 9:14 OHST Jonathan Wells 1 yard run (Josh Huston kick) Ohio St 21–0 2 2:09 AKRN Jake Schifino 15 yard pass from Charlie Frye (Zac Derr kick) Ohio St 21–7 3 3:37 OHST Chris Vance 61 yard pass from Steve Bellisari (Josh Huston kick) Ohio St 28–7 4 7:48 AKRN Rickie Coble 87 yard interception return (Zac Derr kick) Ohio St 28–14 yes USA Today UCLA 2001 UCLA Bruins football team Indiana 2001 Indiana Hoosiers football team Northwestern 2001 Northwestern Wildcats football team Wisconsin 2001 Wisconsin Badgers football team San Diego State 2001 San Diego State Aztecs football team Penn State 2001 Penn State Nittany Lions football team Minnesota 2001 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team Purdue 2001 Purdue Boilermakers football team Illinois 2001 Illinois Fighting Illini football team Michigan 2001 Michigan Wolverines football team Michigan–Ohio State football rivalry Ohio State Buckeyes 2; text-align:center collapsed Ohio State Buckeyes at #11 Michigan Wolverines November 24, 2001 12:00 p.m. EST Ohio State 7 16 0 3 Michigan 0 0 7 13 Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, Michigan 111,571 High 50s, Cloudy, wind 15 mph ESE S. Newman First quarter OSU - Jonathan Wells 1-yd run (Mike Nugent kick) Second quarter OSU - Jonathan Wells 46-yd run (Mike Nugent kick) OSU - Jonathan Wells 11-yd run (Mike Nugent kick) OSU - Team safety Third quarter MICH - M. Walker 21-yd pass from John Navarre (Hayden Epstein kick) Fourth quarter MICH - B.J. Askew 2-yd run (pass failed) OSU - Mike Nugent 33-yd field goal MICH - M. Walker 11-yd pass from John Navarre (Hayden Epstein kick) Top Passers OSU - Craig Krenzel - 11/18, 118 yards, 1 INT MICH - John Navarre - 21/47, 206 yards, 2 TDs, 4 INTs Top Rushers OSU - Jonathan Wells - 25 rushes, 129 yards, 3 TDs MICH - Chris Perry - 6 rushes, 53 yards Top Receivers MICH - M. Walker - 5 receptions, 160 yards, 2 TDs OSU - Darnell Sanders - 3 receptions, 38 yards Top Tacklers MICH - Victor Hobson - 10 (9 solo, 1 assisted) MICH - Eric Brackens - 10 (6 solo, 4 assisted) OSU - Joe Cooper - 8 (all solo) OSU - Tim Anderson - 8 (7 solo, 1 assisted) Interceptions OSU - 4 - Mike Doss (2), Dustin Fox (1), Tim Anderson (1) MICH - 1 - Todd Howard South Carolina—Outback Bowl 2001 South Carolina Gamecocks football team Personnel Coaching staff Jim Tressel - Head Coach (1st year) Jim Bollman - Offensive Line/OC (1st year) Ken Conaster - Special Teams (1st year) Bill Conley - Tight Ends / Recruiting Coordinator (15th year) Joe Daniels - Quarterbacks (1st year) Mark Dantonio - Defensive Coordinator (1st year) Jim Heacock - Defensive Line (6th year) Mark Snyder - Defensive Linebackers (1st year) Tim Spencer - Running Backs (8th year) Mel Tucker - Defensive Backs (1st year) Bob Tucker - Director of Football Operations (7th year) Dick Tressel - Associate Director of Football Operations (1st year) Roster 2001 Ohio State Buckeyes f 3 Fr Bam Childress FL y y 8 Sr Steve Bellisari QB y 9 So Ricky Bryant WR y 12 So Michael Jenkins SE y Michael Jenkins (wide receiver) 15 So Scott McMullen QB y 16 So Craig Krenzel QB y 17 So Rick McFadden QB 28 Sr Jonathan Wells Jonathan Wells (American football) RB y 68 Sr LeCharles Bentley C y 76 So Alex Stepanovich G y 77 Sr Tyson Walter T y 88 So Ben Hartsock TE y y 89 Jr Darnell Sanders TE y 2 Jr Mike Doss S y 4 Fr Rob Harley DB y Rob Harley (American football) 6 Jr Cie Grant LB y 7 Jr Derek Ross DB y 25 Jr Donnie Nickey S y y 35 Jr Matt Wilhelm LB y 36 So Pat O'Neill LB y 46 So Fred Pagac Jr. LB y 58 Sr Courtland Bullard LB y 93 So Will Smith DE y Will Smith (defensive end) 97 Sr Kenny Peterson DE y 23 Fr Josh Huston PK y 85 Fr Mike Nugent PK y https://web.archive.org/web/20011216201352/http://ohiostatebuckeyes.fansonly.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/osu-m-footbl-mtt-num.html *Jim Tressel 2001-12-16 Depth chart I-Formation 4-3 Yes Yes No 8 Steve Bellisari 16 Craig Krenzel 15 Scott McMullen 28 Jonathan Wells 30 Lydell Ross 20 Maurice Hall 39 Jamar Martin 5 Sam Maldonado 12 Michael Jenkins 83 Chris Gamble 4 Chris Vance 9 Ricky Bryant 89 Darnell Sanders 88 Ben Hartsock 77 Tyson Walter 53 Ivan Douglas 63 Adrien Clarke 70 Scott Kuhnhein 68 LeCharles Bentley 66 Mike Jacobs 78 Bryce Bishop 76 Alex Stepanovic 71 Shane Olivea 50 Michael Stafford 58 Courtland Bullard 6 Cie Grant 35 Matt Wilhelm 46 Fred Pagac Jr Middle LB 10 Joe Cooper 44 Robert Reynolds 25 Donnie Nickey 26 Will Allen 2 Mike Doss 41 Thomas Matthews 24 Maurice Lee 11 Richard McNutt 7 Derek Ross 37 Dustin Fox 56 Darrion Scott 49 Tim Cheatwood 54 Tim Anderson 95 David Thompson 98 Mike Collins 97 Kenny Peterson 93 Will Smith 75 Simon Fraser 85 Mike Nugent 23 Josh Huston 18 Andy Groom 21 B. J. Sander 20 Maurice Hall 4 Chris Vance 100 100 No Source: Athletic Department official site, 2001 football archive 12-01 depth chart 2002 NFL draftees 2 Ohio State Buckeyes Player Round Pick Position NFL club LeCharles Bentley 2 44 Guard New Orleans Saints Derek Ross 3 75 Defensive back Dallas Cowboys Jonathan Wells 4 99 Running back Houston Texans Darnell Sanders 4 122 Tight End Cleveland Browns Jamar Martin 4 129 Fullback Dallas Cowboys Courtland Bullard 5 167 Linebacker St. Louis Rams Tyson Walter 6 179 Center Dallas Cowboys Steve Bellisari 6 205 Quarterback St. Louis Rams 2002 NFL Draft Listing https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2002/draft.htm 2024-12-11 Pro-Football-Reference.com References Ohio State Category:Ohio State Buckeyes football seasons Ohio State Buckeyes football