Before each game of the 2022 season, we’re taking a look back at the Buckeyes’ history of playing on that date.
The first game Ohio State played on Oct. 8 was in 1898. The Buckeyes lost to Ohio Medical, 10-0, on Ohio Field. That was the first of eight losses for Ohio State on this date.
Trivia Time
Who was the Ohio State player that returned two punts for a touchdown against Purdue on Oct. 8, 1983? Hint: His initials are G.L.
Scroll down to item #1 in Five Fun Facts for the answer.
The 2016 win over Indiana snapped a four-game losing streak for the scarlet and gray on Oct. 8. That losing streak started in Bloomington when the Hoosiers spanked John Cooper's first team, 41-7, in 1988.
Six years later, Illinois and Lou Tepper slapped the seventeenth-ranked Buckeyes with a 24-10 defeat, a loss that dropped Cooper's record against the Illini to 1–6. Eddie George's 124 yards and touchdown were a bright spot and a glimpse of what the future Heisman winner would do to Illinois in 1995.
A primetime heartbreaker at Penn State in 2005 and the Bauserbomb game against Nebraska in 2011 closed out the four straight losses on this date.
In Lincoln, Ohio State had a 27-6 lead over the Cornhuskers early in the third quarter. However, Braxton Miller left with a sprained ankle and Joe Bauserman's 1-10 passing performance for 13 yards, and an overwhelmed Luke Fickell, contributed to the Buckeyes' 34-27 loss.
| YEAR | MATCHUP | LOCATION | SCORE |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | #3 Ohio State at Michigan State | East Lansing, Michigan | TBD |
| 2016 | #2 Ohio State vs. Indiana | Columbus Ohio | 38–17 |
| 2011 | Ohio State at Nebraska | Omaha, Nebraska | 27–34 |
| 2005 | #6 Ohio State at #16 Penn State | University Park, Pennsylvania | 10–17 |
| 1994 | #17 Ohio State vs. Illinois | Columbus, Ohio | 10–24 |
| 1988 | Ohio State at Indiana | Bloomington, Indiana | 7–41 |
| 1983 | #6 Ohio State vs. Purdue | Columbus, Ohio | 33–22 |
| 1977 | #4 Ohio State vs. Purdue | Columbus, Ohio | 46–0 |
| 1966 | Ohio State at Illinois | Champaign, Illinois | 9–10 |
| 1960 | #5 Ohio State at #4 Illinois | Champaign, Illinois | 34–7 |
| 1955 | Ohio State vs. Illinois | Columbus, Ohio | 27–12 |
| 1949 | #11 Ohio State at #8 USC | Los Angeles, California | 13–13 |
| 1938 | Ohio State vs. USC | Columbus, Ohio | 7–14 |
| 1932 | Ohio State vs. Indiana | Columbus, Ohio | 7–7 |
| 1927 | Ohio State at Iowa | Iowa City, Iowa | 13–6 |
| 1921 | Ohio State vs. Oberlin | Columbus, Ohio | 6–7 |
| 1910 | Ohio State vs. Cincinnati | Columbus, Ohio | 23–0 |
| 1904 | Ohio State vs. Denison | Columbus, Ohio | 24–0 |
| 1898 | Ohio State vs. Ohio Medical | Columbus, Ohio | 0–10 |
| Overall Record on Oct. 8: 8-8-2 | |||
Games to remember
Keith Byars did it all against Purdue in 1983
On an unseasonably warm and sunny 76-degree day in Ohio's capital city, Keith Byars bullied the visiting Boilermakers on the ground and through the air. Prior to the game, Earle Bruce informed the running back from Dayton’s Roth High School he should expect to touch the ball 20 to 30 times against Purdue.
Bruce was a man of his word as Byars finished the day with 23 carries and four receptions for 27 total touches. The powerful running back with quick feet and soft hands torched Purdue for 255 total yards and two touchdowns. His 135 rushing yards were a career-high at the time and his 120 receiving yards stood as a single-game best for Byars.
How did the future Ohio State Hall of Fame back feel about his performance in the 33-22 victory?
“One hundred yards from both sides makes me pretty happy,” Byars said after the game.
Joel Payton and Ron Springs run over Purdue in 1977
In a game that was dominated by Ohio State's running backs, a defensive player put the home team in front early. Mike Guess, who had three interceptions the week before against SMU, stepped in front of a Mark Herrmann pass and returned it 65 yards for a pick-six.
Ron Springs, Joel Payton and the Buckeyes' offensive line took over from that point. Springs did the most with his 10 carries and finished with a game-high 151 rushing yards. Springs' day was highlighted by a 66-yard touchdown run near the midpoint of the second quarter.
Before Springs sprang loose for 66 yards, Payton crossed the goal line three times in the first quarter. The freshman bruiser added another score in the third quarter, becoming the eighth Buckeye player since 1960 to rush for at least four touchdowns in a game. Payton finished the day with 26 points as he also converted a 2-point conversion after his first touchdown.
Ohio State's 46-0 victory over Purdue was the 10th time the Buckeyes defeated the Boilermakers in shutout fashion.
Stat Superlatives
| Stat | Number | Game |
|---|---|---|
| Points Scored | 46 | Purdue, 1977 |
| Passing Yards | 229 | Illinois, 1994 |
| Completions | 18 | Illinois, 1994 |
| Rushing Yards | 330 | Illinois, 1960 |
| Total Yards | 538 | USC, 1949 |
| Fewest Yards Allowed | 195 | Penn State, 2005 |
| Fewest Points Allowed | 0 | Purdue, 1977; 3 other times |
| Stat | Player | Number | Game |
|---|---|---|---|
| Passing Yards | Bobby Hoying | 229 | Illinois, 1994 |
| Passing Touchdowns |
J.T. Barrett Braxton Miller |
1 |
Rutgers, 2016 Nebraska, 2011 |
| Rushing Yards | Ron Springs | 151 | Purdue, 1977 |
| Rushing Touchdowns | Joel Payton | 4 | Purdue, 1977 |
| Receptions | Joey Galloway | 5 | Illinois, 1994 |
| Receiving Yards | Keith Byars | 120 | Purdue, 1983 |
| Receiving Touchdowns |
Dontre Wilson Jake Stoneburner |
1 |
Indiana, 2016 Nebraska, 2011 |
| Total Touchdowns | Joel Payton | 4 | Purdue, 1977 |
| Touchdowns Scored | Joel Payton | 4 | Purdue, 1977 |
| Yards from Scrimmage | Keith Byars | 255 | Purdue, 1983 |
Five Fun Facts
- Garcia Lane returned two punts for a touchdown against Purdue on Oct. 8, 1983, the last Buckeye to accomplish this feat.
- John Cooper (0–2) is the only Ohio State coach to lose twice on this date.
- Since 1960, an Ohio State player has thrown at least one interception in every game played on Oct. 8. In those nine contests, the Buckeyes have thrown two touchdown passes and 15 interceptions.
- Going into this year’s game against Michigan State, Oct. 8 is the only date in October on which the Buckeyes have a .500 record.
- Saturday will be the sixth time Ohio State has played its first road game of the season on Oct. 8, most recently in 2005, when the Buckeyes lost to Penn State. The Buckeyes are 2-2-1 when playing their road opener on this date.
