Frey Again Passes Test Against Gophers, 52-23

Greg Frey passed for three touchdowns and ran for another--all in the first half--as Ohio State knocked Minnesota out of a first-place tie in the Big Ten with a 52-23 victory Saturday.

Frey completed 16 of 27 passes for 257 yards with one interception.

He had 362 yards passing and three touchdowns a year ago as the Buckeyes overcame a 31-0 first-half deficit to beat the Golden Gophers in Minneapolis, 41-37.

Over the last half of the 1989 game and the first half Saturday, Frey was a combined 30 of 44 passing for 514 yards and six touchdowns.

The Gophers began the game tied for the conference lead with Illinois and Iowa.

Minnesota, 4-3 overall and 3-1 in the Big Ten, scored first for a 3-0 lead and then watched as Ohio State (4-2-1, 2-1-1) score touchdowns on its first four possessions and five of the next six on the way to a 38-17 lead at the half.

Brent Berglund kicked a 47-yard field goal on Minnesota’s opening possession, but the Buckeyes countered on a one-yard dive by Frey, a 13-yard touchdown pass from Frey to Jeff Graham, a seven-yard run by Raymont Harris and a seven-yard pass from Frey to tight end Gary Lickovitch.

Ohio State freshman Robert Smith rushed for 120 yards in 11 carries, including a 24-yard touchdown run. Harris, who also had an 18-yard touchdown run in the second half, finished with 81 yards in 13 carries as the Buckeyes rushed for 294 yards and totaled 551 yards for the game.

Frey also hit Bobby Olive on a 52-yard scoring pass.