BIG TEN ROUNDUP : Ohio State, Down 31-0, Wins, 41-37

Greg Frey passed for three second-half touchdowns, including a 15-yarder to Jeff Graham with 51 seconds to go, as Ohio State overcame a 31-0 deficit for a 41-37 Big Ten victory over Minnesota Saturday at Minneapolis.

The Buckeyes, 5-2 overall and 3-1 in the Big Ten, beat Minnesota (4-3 and 2-2) for the eighth consecutive year and the 20th time in 21 meetings since 1969.

Frey completed only two of eight passes for 35 yards in the first half and his two fumbles and an interception led to 17 Minnesota points.

But in the second half, he was 18 for 23 for 327 yards, scored a touchdown and completed three two-point conversion passes in addition to his three touchdown passes.

Frey’s two touchdown passes to Carlos Snow, and a 32-yard field goal by Minnesota’s Bren Berglund pulled Ohio State to 34-26.

It appeared the Buckeyes’ last of six turnovers--center Dan Beatty’s shotgun snap never reached Frey and Sean Lumpkin recovered with 7:25 left, leading to Berglund’s 42-yard kick--might do them in, but Frey led two quick scoring drives.

A 17-yard pass to Graham on third and 18 set up Frey’s one-yard scoring run on fourth down to make it 37-34. Then, the Buckeyes’ defense forced a punt and Ohio State went 73 yards in five plays to win it on Graham’s touchdown catch.

Minnesota had a chance to win, but Steve Rhem could get only one hand on Scott Schaffner’s 22-yard pass into the end zone as time expired.

The Gophers took a 17-0 lead on what was officially called an 85-yard interception return by Lumpkin. Ohio State was deep in Minnesota territory after a 79-yard kickoff return by Snow. But Frey was sacked by Mike Sunvold, the ball popped in the air, and Lumpkin picked it off and raced downfield.

Illinois 32, Wisconsin 9--The Badgers’ Fred Owens returned the opening kickoff 96 yards for the touchdown, but little else went right for them as the Illini won at Champaign, Ill., to improve to 6-1 and 4-0.

After Owens’ touchdown, Illinois’ Jerry Hamner blocked the extra-point kick and Quintin Parker caught the ball in the end zone and returned it 100 yards for a two-point safety.

Jeff George threw to Howard Griffith for a 45-yard touchdown pass play and Illinois had a 9-6 lead just 53 seconds into its homecoming game.

“I’ve never seen such a strange beginning,” said Wisconsin Coach Don Morton, whose team fell to 2-5 and 1-3.

Michigan State 28, Purdue 21--Dan Enos rushed for two touchdowns and passed to Courtney Hawkins on an 80-yard scoring play, all in the third period, as the Spartans survived a frantic comeback by the Boilermakers in a Big Ten game at West Lafayette, Ind.

The Boilermakers trailed 28-0 before Eric Hunter completed eight of nine passes for 169 yards and three touchdowns in the final 8:12.

The freshman’s heroics ended when his pass to Tony Vinson fell incomplete in the end zone on the game’s last play, giving Purdue (1-6 and 0-4) its sixth consecutive loss.

The Spartans improved to 3-4 and 2-2 as Enos, who also threw a five-yard touchdown pass to Tico Duckett, completed 12 of 21 passes for a career-high 278 yards. Enos sat out most of the fourth quarter.

Hawkins, who got behind cornerback Steve Jackson on his touchdown and had nothing but open field ahead of him after catching the pass at the 50, had 193 yards on seven catches.

Iowa 35, Northwestern 22--Sophomore quarterback Matt Rodgers threw two touchdown passes to Richard Bass and Mike Saunders ran for two touchdowns in leading the Hawkeyes to a Big Ten victory at Evanston, Ill.

Rodgers, playing only three quarters, completed 20 of 24 for 246 yards. He threw touchdown passes of six and seven yards to Bass. Saunders scored on runs of two and five yards.

The Hawkeyes are now 4-3 and 2-2, while Northwestern fell to 0-7 and 0-4.