COLLEGE FOOTBALL : Washington Can’t Stop George, Loses : Nonconference: The running back scores twice to lead No. 10 Ohio State to a 30-20 victory over the Huskies.

Eddie George rushed for 212 yards and two touchdowns, but it was the zero he had in another category that most impressed Ohio State Coach John Cooper.

“I think that’s the best I’ve seen Eddie run overall,” Cooper said after 10th-ranked Ohio State’s 30-20 victory Saturday over No. 18 Washington. “What’d he do, run the ball 36 times? With no turnovers, that’s the beauty of it.”

George played his own version of keepaway as the Buckeyes held the ball 15 minutes longer than the Huskies.

George’s 212 yards and 36 carries were the second-highest totals of his career. He accounted for 98 yards in two Ohio State drives in the second quarter that turned a two-point lead into the 16-point advantage. In the opening half alone, he had 149 yards in 18 carries.

“It was awesome,” Washington Coach Jim Lambright said of George’s effort. “He does a great job with his vision. They got us caught between inside plays and outside plays. He then has the vision to take what the defense gives him.”

A year ago, Ohio State had fallen behind, 22-0, in the first half and never recovered in losing, 25-16.

“Eddie George is a great running back and he proved it today,” Washington free safety Lawyer Milloy said. “He’s the same person he was last year, but last year we jumped out on them quickly and it took him out of the game. They were a one-dimensional team.”

Not this year. Quarterback Bob Hoying completed 18 of 26 passes for 192 yards and two touchdowns.

Ohio State (2-0) had been idle for 20 days--the longest in-season layoff in its 106 years of football--after opening with a 38-6 victory over Boston College in the Kickoff Classic. But the Buckeyes showed they weren’t stale by roaring to a 23-7 lead at the half.

Ryan Miller’s interception opened the door for Hoying’s 22-yard touchdown pass to Nicky Sualua. After Leon Neal’s 66-yard run set up Rashaan Shehee’s 10-yard touchdown run, Washington took a short-lived 7-6 lead.

On Ohio State’s next three possessions, George took control. He gained 40 yards in a 79-yard drive that was capped by Josh Jackson’s 19-yard field goal.

On the next Ohio State series, George provided the biggest surprise of the day, setting up in the slot and then coming back for a lateral on a fake field goal.

He gained 12 yards--and 36 of the 53 on the drive--to set the stage for Hoying’s six-yard touchdown pass to Terry Glenn.

After another Washington punt, George accounted for 62 of the drive’s 78 yards, finishing it with a seven-yard touchdown run to put Ohio State ahead, 23-7.

He had a 16-yard touchdown run in the third quarter, on the play following a wild punt snap that was recovered by Ohio State.