1959 Ohio State Buckeyes football team

1959 Ohio State Buckeyes football
ConferenceBig Ten Conference
Record3–5–1 (2–4–1 Big Ten)
Head coach
MVPJim Houston
CaptainJim Houston
Home stadiumOhio Stadium
1959 Big Ten Conference football standings
Conf. Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 6 Wisconsin $ 5 – 2 – 0 7 – 3 – 0
Michigan State 4 – 2 – 0 5 – 4 – 0
Purdue 4 – 2 – 1 5 – 2 – 2
No. 13 Illinois 4 – 2 – 1 5 – 3 – 1
Northwestern 4 – 3 – 0 6 – 3 – 0
Iowa 3 – 3 – 0 5 – 4 – 0
Michigan 3 – 4 – 0 4 – 5 – 0
Indiana 2 – 4 – 1 4 – 4 – 1
2 – 4 – 1 3 – 5 – 1
Minnesota 1 – 6 – 0 2 – 7 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1959 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 1959 Big Ten season. In their ninth year under head coach Woody Hayes, the Buckeyes compiled a 3–5–1 record (2–4–1 in conference games), tied for eighth place in the Big Ten, and were outscored by a total of 114 to 83. They were ranked No. 7 at the start of the season, but lost games against No. 11 USC, No. 20 Illinois, No. 12 Wisconsin, No. 15 Iowa, and unranked Michigan.[1]

The team's statistical leaders included quarterback Tom Matte (439 passing yards, 54.9% completion percentage); fullback Bob Ferguson (371 rushing yards, 6.1 yards per carry); and end Jim Houston (11 receptions for 214 yards).[2] Houston received first-team honors from the AP and UPI on the 1959 All-Big Ten Conference football team.[3][4]

The team played its home games at ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio.

Schedule

DateOpponentRankSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 26Duke*No. 12
W 14–1382,834[5]
October 2at No. 11 USC*No. 14
L 0–1749,592
October 10No. 20 Illinois
L 0–982,980
October 17No. 6 Purdue
  • Ohio Stadium
  • Columbus, OH
W 15–083,391
October 24at No. 12 WisconsinNo. 20
L 3–1255,440
October 31Michigan State
  • Ohio Stadium
  • Columbus, OH
W 30–2483,130
November 7Indiana
  • Ohio Stadium
  • Columbus, OH
T 0–082,075
November 14No. 16 Iowa
  • Ohio Stadium
  • Columbus, OH
L 7–1682,126[6]
November 21at Michigan
L 14–2390,093
  • *Non-conference game
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

Game summaries

Duke

Team 1 234Total
Duke 0 0013 13
• Ohio State 7 007 14
  • Date: September 26
  • Location: Ohio Stadium
  • Game attendance: 82,834
  • Game weather: Clear, 83 °F (28 °C)
Scoring summary
Q1OSUFerguson 15 yard run (Kilgore kick)OSU 7–0
Q4DUKEWilson 3 yard run (pass failed)OSU 7–6
Q4DUKEMcGee 1 yard run (Browning kick)DUKE 7–13
Q4OSUMatte 22 yard pass to Bryant (Kilgore kick)OSU 14–13

USC

Team 1 234Total
Ohio State 0 000 0
• Southern California 0 908 17
Scoring summary
Q2USCZachik 27 yard field goalUSC 0–3
Q2USCCharles 38 yard pass to Hayes (kick field)USC 0–9
Q4USCCharles 4 yard run (Charles to Wilder pass good)USC 0–17

Illinois

Team 1 234Total
• Illinois 6 003 9
Ohio State 0 000 0
  • Date: October 10
  • Location: Ohio Stadium
  • Game attendance: 82,980
  • Game weather: Clear, 68 °F (20 °C)
Scoring summary
Q1ILLMeyers 73 yard pass to Counts (kick failed)ILL 0–6
Q4ILLRoberts 25 yard field goalILL 0–9

Purdue

Team 1 234Total
Purdue 0 000 0
• Ohio State 3 903 15
  • Date: October 17
  • Location: Ohio Stadium
  • Game attendance: 83,391
  • Game weather: Cloudy, 58 °F (14 °C)
Scoring summary
Q1OSUKilgore 36 yard field goalOSU 3–0
Q2OSUTeam safetyOSU 5–0
Q2OSUFields punt return (Kilgore kick)OSU 12–0
Q4OSUKilgore 35 yard field goalOSU 15–0

Wisconsin

Team 1 234Total
Ohio State 0 300 3
• Wisconsin 9 300 12
Scoring summary
Q1WISHackbart 7 yard run (Holzwarth kick)WIS 0–7
Q1WISTeam safetyWIS 0–9
Q1OSUKilgore 27 yard field goalWIS 3–9
Q4WISHolzwarth 27 yard field goalWis 3–12

Michigan State

Indiana

Team 1 234Total
Indiana 0 000 0
Ohio State 0 000 0
  • Date: November 7
  • Location: Ohio Stadium
  • Game attendance: 82,075
  • Game weather: Cloudy, 36 °F (2 °C)
 
Scoring summary

Ohio State: 127 yards total offense; 5 first downs; 8 punts for 333 yards; missed FGs from 58 and 50 yards

Indiana: 179 yards total offense; 11 first downs; 7 punts for 290 yards

Iowa

Team 1 234Total
Iowa 7 000 7
• Ohio State 6 0010 16
  • Date: MONTHDAY
  • Location: Ohio Stadium
  • Game attendance: 82,126
  • Game weather: Cloudy, 37 °F (3 °C)
Scoring summary
Q1IOWAHollis 13 yard pass to Whiskr (kick failed)IOWA 0–6
Q1OSUDetrick 1 yard run (Kilgore kick)OSU 7–6
Q4IOWAMoore 26 yard field goalIOWA 7–9
Q4IOWAMauren 4 yard run (Moore kick)IOWA 7–16

Michigan

Coaching staff

1960 pro draftees

Player Draft Round Pick Position NFL club
Jim Houston NFL 1 8 Linebacker Cleveland Browns
Jim Marshall NFL 4 44 Defensive End Cleveland Browns
Bob White NFL 8 91 Fullback Cleveland Browns

References

  1. ^ "1959 Ohio State Buckeyes Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved July 29, 2025.
  2. ^ "1959 Ohio State Buckeyes Stats". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved July 29, 2025.
  3. ^ Charles Chamberlain (November 24, 1959). "Lanphear Unanimous AP All-Big Ten Choice". The LaCrosse Tribune. p. 12.
  4. ^ Ed Sainsbury (November 27, 1959). "4 Northwestern gridders make UPI all-Big 10 team; Norton, Jeter place". Globe-Gazette, Mason City, Iowa. p. 12.
  5. ^ "OSU's late TD beats Duke, 14–13". The Cincinnati Enquirer. September 27, 1959. Retrieved January 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ Bill Bryson (November 15, 1959). "Iowa Rally Beats Ohio, 16-7: Moore's Kick and Mauren Runs Win It; After Four Fumbles Hamper Attack". Des Moines Sunday Register. p. 1, 9 (sports) – via Newspapers.com.
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