1964 Ohio State Buckeyes football team

1964 Ohio State Buckeyes football
ConferenceBig Ten Conference
Ranking
CoachesNo. 9
APNo. 9
Record7–2 (5–1 Big Ten)
Head coach
MVPEd Orazen
Captains
  • Jim Davidson
  • Tom Kiehfuss
  • Bill Spahr
Home stadiumOhio Stadium
1964 Big Ten Conference football standings
Conf. Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 4 Michigan $ 6 – 1 – 0 9 – 1 – 0
No. 9 5 – 1 – 0 7 – 2 – 0
Purdue 5 – 2 – 0 6 – 3 – 0
Illinois 4 – 3 – 0 6 – 3 – 0
Minnesota 4 – 3 – 0 5 – 4 – 0
Michigan State 3 – 3 – 0 4 – 5 – 0
Northwestern 2 – 5 – 0 3 – 6 – 0
Wisconsin 2 – 5 – 0 3 – 6 – 0
Iowa 1 – 5 – 0 3 – 6 – 0
Indiana 1 – 5 – 0 2 – 7 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1964 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 1964 Big Ten season. In their 14th year under head coach Woody Hayes, the Buckeyes compiled a 7–2 record (5–1 in conference games), finished second in the Big Ten, and outscored opponents by a total of 146 to 76.[1]

The team's statistical leaders included quarterback Don Unverferth (871 passing yards, 45.6 completion percentage), Willard Sander (626 rushing yards, 4.3 yards per carry), and Bo Rein (28 receptions for 281 yards).[2] Six Ohio State players received first-team honors on the 1964 All-Big Ten Conference football team: offensive guard Dan Porretta (AP-1, UPI-1); linebacker Ike Kelley (AP-1, UPI-1); defensive back Arnie Chonko (AP-1, UPI-1); offensive tackle Jim Davidson (UPI-1); defensive end Bill Spahr (UPI-1); and linebacker Tom Bugel (UPI-1).[3][4]

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

Schedule

DateTimeOpponentRankSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 261:30 p.m.SMU*No. 5
W 27–880,737[5]
October 31:30 p.m.IndianaNo. 5
  • Ohio Stadium
  • Columbus, OH
W 17–981,834[6]
October 102:00 p.m.at No. 2 IllinoisNo. 4
W 26–071,227[7]
October 171:30 p.m.USC*No. 2
  • Ohio Stadium
  • Columbus, OH
W 17–084,315[8]
October 241:30 p.m.WisconsinNo. 1
  • Ohio Stadium
  • Columbus, OH
W 28–384,365[9]
October 312:30 p.m.at IowaNo. 1
W 21–1958,700[10]
November 71:30 p.m.Penn State*No. 2
L 0–2784,279[11]
November 141:30 p.m.NorthwesternNo. 7
  • Ohio Stadium
  • Columbus, OH
W 10–083,525[12]
November 211:30 p.m.No. 6 MichiganNo. 7
L 0–1084,685[13]
  • *Non-conference game
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
  • All times are in Eastern time

Game summaries

SMU

Team 1 234Total
Southern Methodist 0 008 8
• Ohio State 10 377 27
  • Date: September 26
  • Location: Ohio Stadium
  • Game attendance: 80,737
  • Game weather: Clear, wind SW 12-20 mph, 80 °F (27 °C)
Scoring summary
Q16:54OSUFunk 39 yard field goalOSU 3–0
Q10:10OSUBarrington 37 yard run (Funk kick)OSU 10–0
Q212:19OSUFunk 28 yard field goalOSU 13–0
Q313:56OSUSpahr 31 yard interception/fumble recovery (Funk kick)OSU 20–0
Q414:18OSUSander 42 yard run (Funk kick)OSU 27–0
Q40:25SMUOefinger 12 yard pass to Taylor (Oefinger rush)OSU 27–8

Indiana

Team 1 234Total
Indiana 3 006 9
• Ohio State 0 1070 17
  • Date: October 3
  • Location: Ohio Stadium
  • Game attendance: 81,834
  • Game weather: Clear, wind SSW 9 mph (gusts to 15 mph), 67 °F (19 °C)
Scoring summary
Q15:58INDNowatzke 50 yard field goalIND 0–3
Q23:44OSUUnverferth 24 yard pass to Stock (Funk kick)OSU 7–3
Q20:24OSUFunk 25 yard field goalOSU 10–3
Q31:25OSURein 3 yard run (Funk kick)OSU 17–3
Q48:04INDBadar 5 yard pass to Kuechenberg (pass intercepted)OSU 17–9

Illinois

Team 1 234Total
• Ohio State 6 1073 26
Illinois 0 000 0
Scoring summary
Q110:55OSUUnverferth 24 yard run (kick failed)OSU 6–0
Q28:00OSUSander 1 yard run (Funk kick)OSU 13–0
Q23:25OSUFunk 29 yard field goalOSU 16–0
Q37:15OSUSander 4 yard run (Funk kick)OSU 23–0
Q413:35OSUFunk 28 yard field goalOSU 26–0

USC

Team 1 234Total
USC 0 000 0
• Ohio St 7 703 17
  • Date: October 17
  • Location: Ohio Stadium
  • Game attendance: 84,315
  • Game weather: Clear, wind N 10 mph, 76 °F (24 °C)
Scoring summary
Q18:12OHSTSander 2 yard run (Funk kick)Ohio St 7-0
Q21:03OHSTLashtuka 10 yard pass from Unverferth (Funk kick)Ohio St 14-0
Q46:40OHSTFunk 24 yard field goalOhio St 17-0

[14]

Wisconsin

Team 1 234Total
Wisconsin 0 030 3
• Ohio State 14 0014 28
  • Date: October 24
  • Location: Ohio Stadium
  • Game attendance: 84,365
  • Game weather: Clear, wind SW 12 mph, 55 °F (13 °C)
Scoring summary
Q19:23OSURein 6 yard run (Funk kick)OSU 7–0
Q13:51OSUSander 1 yard run (Funk kick)OSU 14–0
Q39:47WISKaye 28 yard field goalOSU 14–3
Q47:37OSUSander 1 yard run (Funk kick)OSU 21–3
Q45:49OSUUnverferth 9 yard pass to Lindsey (Funk kick)OSU 28–3

Iowa

Team 1 234Total
• Ohio State 7 770 21
Iowa 7 606 19
Scoring summary
Q114:19OSUDreffer 36 yard interception return (Funk kick)OSU 0–7
Q15:28IOWASnook 1 yard run (Simpson kick)TIED 7–7
Q26:41OSUUnverferth 2 yard run (Funk kick)OSU 7–14
Q20:57IOWASnook 30 yard pass to Noonan (kick failed)OSU 13-14
Q314:39OSUUnverferth 23 yard pass to Rein (Funk kick)OSU 13–21
Q40:02IOWANourse 1 yard run (run failed)OSU 19–21

Penn State

Team 1 234Total
• Penn State 7 767 27
Ohio State 0 000 0
  • Date: November 7
  • Location: Ohio Stadium
  • Game weather: Cloudy, 60 °F (16 °C)
Scoring summary
Q16:36PSUNye recovered fumble in end zone (Sanker kick)PSU 0–7
Q28:06PSUWydman 3 yard run (Sanker kick)PSU 0–14
Q30:52PSUKunit 2 yard run (Sanker kick)PSU 0–20
Q44:34PSUKunit 5 yard run (Sanker kick)PSU 0–27

Northwestern

Team 1 234Total
Northwestern 0 000 0
• Ohio State 7 300 10
  • Date: November 14
  • Location: Ohio Stadium
  • Game weather: Clear, wind SE 14 mph, 60 °F (16 °C)
Scoring summary
Q15:03OSUSander 5 yard run (Funk kick)OSU 7–0
Q22:47OSUFunk 27 yard field goalOSU 10–0

Michigan

Team 1 234Total
• Michigan 0 703 10
Ohio State 0 000 0
  • Date: November 21
  • Location: Ohio Stadium
  • Game attendance: 84,685
  • Game weather: Clear, wind W 18 mph, 20 °F (−7 °C)
Scoring summary
Q20:44UMTimberlake 17 yard pass to Detwiler (Evassheski kick)UM 0–7
Q414:52UMTimberlake 27 yard kickUM 0–10

Coaching staff

1965 pro draftees

Player Draft Round Pick Position NFL club
Jim Davidson AFL 1 8 Tackle Buffalo Bills
Bo Scott NFL 3 32 Running back Cleveland Browns
Bo Scott AFL 20 155 Running back Oakland Raiders
Ed Orazen NFL 19 265 Guard Cleveland Browns

References

  1. ^ "1964 Ohio State Buckeyes Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved July 29, 2025.
  2. ^ "1964 Ohio State Buckeyes Stats". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved July 29, 2025.
  3. ^ "All Big Ten Picks Tough; Talent Tops". The Spokesman-Review (AP story). November 26, 1964. p. 20.
  4. ^ "Butkus, Yearby, Timberlake Head Coaches' Big Ten Stars". The Daily Register (Harrisburg, Illinois). November 27, 1964. p. 11.
  5. ^ "Buckeyes Bash SMU In Grid Debut, 27-8". The Cincinnati Enquirer. September 27, 1964. p. 4D – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "OSU Air Artistry Surprises: Bucks Biff Indiana, 17-9". The Cincinnati Enquirer. October 4, 1964. p. 1F – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ Dick Forbes (October 11, 1964). "OSU Pulverizes Illini, 26-0". The Cincinnati Enquirer. p. 1E – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ Al Heim (October 18, 1964). "Buckeyes Bid For No. 1 As Sanders Piledrives By Southern Cal, 17-0". The Cincinnati Enquirer. p. 2H – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ Jim Schottelkotte (October 25, 1964). "Top-Ranked Ohio State Bombards Badgers, 28-3". The Cincinnati Enquirer. p. 2E – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ Maury White (November 1, 1964). "Iowa Misses Last-Second Tie! No. 1 Ohio Escapes, 21-19, as Hawkeyes' 2-Point Run Falls Foot Short". The Des Moines Register. p. Sports 1, 7 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Penn State Dumps OSU From Unbeaten Ranks, 27-0". The Sunday Times Recorder. November 8, 1964. p. 1D – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Ohio State Clips Northwestern 10-0 For 7th Win". The Sunday Times Recorder. November 15, 1964. p. 1D – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "Michigan Stops Ohio State 10-0 For Big Ten Title". The Cincinnati Enquirer. November 22, 1964. p. 1D – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ Palm Beach Post. 1964 Oct 18.
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