2000 Ohio State Buckeyes football team

2000 Ohio State Buckeyes football
ConferenceBig Ten Conference
Record8–4 (5–3 Big Ten)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorChuck Stobart (1st season)
Defensive coordinatorJon Tenuta (1st season)
MVPDerek Combs
Captains
Home stadiumOhio Stadium
2000 Big Ten Conference football standings
Conf. Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 11 Michigan +   6 – 2     9 – 3  
Northwestern +   6 – 2     8 – 4  
No. 13 Purdue $+   6 – 2     8 – 4  
  5 – 3     8 – 4  
No. 23 Wisconsin   4 – 4     9 – 4  
Minnesota   4 – 4     6 – 6  
Penn State   4 – 4     5 – 7  
Iowa   3 – 5     3 – 9  
Illinois   2 – 6     5 – 6  
Michigan State   2 – 6     5 – 6  
Indiana   2 – 6     3 – 8  
  • $ – BCS representative as conference champion
  • + – Conference co-champions
Rankings from AP Poll

The 2000 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 2000 NCAA Division I-A football season. In their 13th and final year under head coach John Cooper, the Buckeyes compiled an 8–4 record (5–3 in conference games), finished in fourth place in the Big Ten, and outscored opponents by a total of 324 to 198. Against ranked opponents, the Buckeyes defeated No. 24 Wisconsin and lost to No. 16 Purdue and No. 19 Michigan. They concluded the season with a 24–7 loss to unranked South Carolina in the 2001 Outback Bowl.[1] Cooper was fired two days after the Buckeyes' loss in the Outback Bowl; he had compiled a 2-10-1 record against rival Michigan and a 3–8 record in bowl games.[2]

The Buckeyes gained an average of 161.9 rushing yards and 208.4 passing yards per game. On defense, they gave up 91.6 rushing yards and 227.7 passing yards per game.[3] The team's statistical leaders included quarterback Steve Bellisari (2,162 passing yards, 52.3% completion percentage), running back Derek Combs (863 rushing yards, 5.2 yards per carry), wide receiver Ken-Yon Rambo (51 receptions for 729 yards), and kicker Dan Stultz (91 points scored, 33 of 36 extra points, 19 of 23 field goals).[3] Four Ohio State players received first-team honors on the 2000 All-Big Ten Conference football team: Stultz; linebacker Joe Cooper; and defensive backs Nate Clements and Mike Doss.[4]

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

Schedule

DateTimeOpponentRankSiteTVResultAttendanceSource
September 212:00 p.m.Fresno State*No. 16
ESPN PlusW 43–1096,583
September 910:10 p.m.at Arizona*No. 18
FSNW 27–1757,367
September 1612:00 p.m.Miami (OH)*No. 17
  • Ohio Stadium
  • Columbus, OH
ESPN PlusW 27–1696,721
September 2312:00 p.m.Penn StateNo. 14
  • Ohio Stadium
  • Columbus, OH
ABCW 45–698,144
October 73:30 p.m.at No. 24 WisconsinNo. 8
ABCW 23–779,045
October 1412:00 p.m.MinnesotaNo. 6
  • Ohio Stadium
  • Columbus, OH
ESPN2L 17–2998,120
October 2112:00 p.m.at IowaNo. 14
ESPN PlusW 38–1060,495
October 283:30 p.m.at No. 16 PurdueNo. 12
ABCL 27–3168,666
November 412:00 p.m.Michigan StateNo. 16
  • Ohio Stadium
  • Columbus, OH
ESPNW 27–1398,406
November 114:00 p.m.at IllinoisNo. 13
ESPNW 24–2161,207
November 1812:00 p.m.No. 19 MichiganNo. 12
ABCL 26–3898,681
January 1, 200111:00 a.m.vs. No. 14 South Carolina*No. 22
ESPNL 7–2465,229[5]
  • *Non-conference game
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
  • All times are in Eastern time

[6]

Rankings

See also: 2000 NCAA Division I-A football rankings
Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
— = Not ranked
Week
PollPre123456789101112131415Final
AP161618171412861412161112212019—
Coaches Poll151616151210751313191412201918—
BCSNot released11—1313———Not released

Game summaries

Fresno State

Team 1 234Total
Fresno State 0 037 10
• No. 16 Ohio State 13 7716 43
Scoring summary
Q11:52OHSTDoss 1 yard fumble return (kick failed)OHST 6–0
Q11:37OHSTMitchell 34 yard fumble return (Stultz kick)OHST 13–0
Q28:59OHSTCacchio 23 yard pass from Bellisari (Stultz kick)OHST 20–0
Q310:54OHSTMitchell 51 yard interception return (Stultz kick)OHST 27–0
Q39:41FRESAsparuhov 25 yard field goalOHST 27–3
Q411:20OHSTStultz 34 yard field goalOHST 30–3
Q44:56OHSTWilhelm 25 yard interception return (Stultz kick)OHST 37–3
Q4:05FRESDavis 9 yard pass from Grady (Asparuhov kick)OHST 37–10
Q4:00OHSTBryant 44 yard pass from McMullenOHST 43–10

[7]

Arizona

Team 1 234Total
• No. 18 Ohio State 3 7143 27
Arizona 7 1000 17
Scoring summary
Q16:41ARIZJenkins 10 yard run (Keel kick)ARIZ 7–0
Q13:09OHSTStultz 26 yard field goalARIZ 7–3
Q214:11OHSTCheatwood 1 yard pass from Bellisari (Stultz kick)OHST 10–7
Q27:29ARIZSafetyOHST 10–9
Q26:11ARIZWade 60 yard pass from Jenkins (Jenkins run)ARIZ 17–10
Q37:53OHSTCacchio 60 yard pass from Bellisari (Stultz kick)Tie 17–17
Q32:44OHSTWells 1 yard run (Stultz kick)OHST 24–17
Q412:52OHSTStultz 20 yard field goalOHST 27–17

[8]

Miami (OH)

Penn State

Team 1 234Total
Penn State 0 060 6
• No. 14 Ohio State 14 3217 45
Scoring summary
Q1OHSTMartin 1 yard run (Stultz kick)OHST 7–0
Q1OHSTSanders 18 yard pass from Bellisari (Stultz kick)OHST 14–0
Q2OHSTStultz 31 yard field goalOHST 17–0
Q3PSUMcCoo 2 yard run (kick failed)OHST 17–6
Q3OHSTCombs 1 yard run (Stultz kick)OHST 24–6
Q3OHSTWestbrooks 3 yard run (Stultz kick)OHST 31–6
Q3OHSTCollins 11 yard fumble return (Stultz kick)OHST 38–6
Q4OHSTMaldonado 7 yard run (Stultz kick)OHST 45–6

[9]

Wisconsin

Team 1 234Total
• No. 8 Ohio State 13 730 23
No. 24 Wisconsin 0 070 7
Scoring summary
111:51OHSTDerek Combs 80 yard run (Dan Stultz kick)Ohio St 7–0
16:08OHSTDerek Combs 21 yard run (kick failed)Ohio St 13–0
21:12OHSTDarnell Sanders 20 yard pass from Steve Bellisari (Dan Stultz kick)Ohio St 20–0
35:25WISMichael Bennett 35 yard run (Vitaly Pisetsky kick)Ohio St 20–7
32:32OHSTDan Stultz 24 yard field goalOhio St 23–7

[10]

Minnesota

Iowa

Purdue

Team 1 234Total
No. 12 Ohio State 0 3177 27
• No. 16 Purdue 0 7321 31
Scoring summary
29:02OSUDan Stultz 35-yard field goalOSU 3–0
23:41PURSteve Ennis 2-yard run (Travis Dorsch kick)PUR 7–3
312:40PURTravis Dorsch 34-yard field goalPUR 10–3
38:52OSUDan Stultz 45-yard field goalPUR 10–6
33:41OSUJamar Martin 1-yard run (Stultz kick)OSU 13–10
31:53OSUNate Clements 83-yard punt return (Stultz kick)OSU 20–10
412:46PURJohn Standeford 5-yard pass from Drew Brees (Dorsch kick)OSU 20–17
45:59PURVinny Sutherland 19-yard pass from Brees (Dorsch kick)PUR 24–20
42:16OSUWestbrooks 2-yard run (Stultz kick)OSU 27–24
41:55PURSeth Morales 64-yard pass from Brees (Dorsch kick)PUR 31–27

Michigan State

Illinois

Team 1 234Total
• No. 13 Ohio State 3 966 24
Illinois 7 707 21
Scoring summary
113:25IllinoisRocky Harvey 29-yard run (JJ Tubbs kick)Illinois 7-0
18:33Ohio StDan Stultz 19-yard field goalIllinois 7-3
214:42Ohio StDan Stultz 41-yard field goalIllinois 7-6
212:44IllinoisAntoineo Harris 25-yard run (JJ Tubbs kick)Illinois 14-6
2:23Ohio StDarnell Sanders 1-yard pass from Steve Bellisari (kick failed)Illinois 14-12
38:21Ohio StDarnell Sanders 7-yard pass from Steve Bellisari (two-point conversion failed)Ohio St 18-14
414:17IllinoisJameel Cook 1-yard pass from Dustin Ward (JJ Tubbs kick)Illinois 21-18
46:05Ohio StDan Stultz 17-yard field goalTie 21-21
4:00Ohio StDan Stultz 34-yard field goalOhio St 24-21

Michigan

Outback Bowl

Personnel

Coaching staff

  • John Cooper - Head Coach - 13th year
  • George Belu – Offensive line (1st year)
  • Bill Conley - Tight ends / recruiting Coordinator (14th year)
  • Jim Heacock – Defensive line (5th year)
  • Fred Pagac – Assistant head coach (19th year)
  • Tim Salem – Quarterbacks / wide receivers (4th year)
  • Shawn Simms – Defensive ends (4th year)
  • Tim Spencer – Running backs (7th year)
  • Chuck Strobart – Offensive coordinator (6th year)
  • Jon Tenuta – Defensive coordinator / Defensive Backs (5th year)
  • Bob Tucker - Director of football operations (6th year)
  • Brian Williams - Defense / Special Teams (1st year)

Roster

2000 Ohio State Buckeyes football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos. # Name Class
WR 4 Ken-Yon Rambo Sr
QB 8 Steve Bellisari Jr
WR 9 Ricky Bryant Fr
WR 14 Mike DeMaria Fr
QB 15 Scott McMullen Fr
QB 16 Craig Krenzel Fr
QB 17 Rick McFadden Fr
RB 28 Jonathan Wells Jr
FB 39 Jamar Martin Jr
C 68 LeCharles Bentley Jr
C 77 Tyson Walter Jr
WR 80 Reggie Germany Sr
Defense
Pos. # Name Class
S 2 Mike Doss So
LB 6 Cie Grant So
DB 7 Derek Ross So
CB 20 Nate Clements Jr
LB 58 Courtland Bullard Jr
DT 73 Joe Brown Sr
DT 79 Ryan Pickett Jr
Special teams
Pos. # Name Class
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured Injured
  • Redshirt Redshirt

Roster
Last update: 2001-02-14

2001 NFL draftees

Player Round Pick Position NFL club
Nate Clements 1 21 Defensive back Buffalo Bills
Ryan Pickett 1 29 Defensive tackle St. Louis Rams
Rodney Bailey 6 181 Defensive end Pittsburgh Steelers
Reggie Germany 7 214 Wide receiver Buffalo Bills
Derek Combs 7 228 Defensive back Oakland Raiders
Ken-Yon Rambo 7 229 Wide receiver Oakland Raiders

[11]

References

  1. ^ "2000 Ohio State Buckeyes Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 5, 2025.
  2. ^ Bill Livingston (January 3, 2001). "2-10-1 and Done: From folksy to failure: Cooper's faulty legacy". The Plain Dealer. pp. 1D, 5D – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ a b "2000 Ohio State Buckeyes Stats". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 5, 2025.
  4. ^ "2000 All-Big Ten Football Teams & Individual Honors Announced". Ohio State Buckeyes. November 28, 2000. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  5. ^ "Buckeyes bashed; Snubbed Brewer gets the last laugh". The Akron Beacon Journal. January 2, 2001. Retrieved October 20, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ Park, Jack (2003). The Official Ohio State Football Encyclopedia. Champaign, IL: Sports Publishing LLC. ISBN 1-58261-695-7.
  7. ^ "Fresno State vs. Ohio State". USA Today. September 2, 2000. Retrieved September 22, 2014.
  8. ^ "Ohio State vs. Arizona". USA Today. September 9, 2000. Retrieved September 22, 2014.
  9. ^ "Penn State vs. Ohio State". USA Today. September 23, 2000. Retrieved September 22, 2014.
  10. ^ "Ohio State vs. Wisconsin". USA Today. October 7, 2000. Retrieved September 22, 2014.
  11. ^ "2001 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved December 11, 2024.
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