Buckeyes Win Another Nail-Biter

The last-second hero stuff never gets old for Will Allen and Ohio State.

Allen intercepted Josh Harris’ pass on the final play Saturday as No. 5 Ohio State (4-0) held off a late Bowling Green charge in a 24-17 victory at Columbus, Ohio.

“Once again, it came down to one play, and thank God I was in the right spot,” Allen said. “It’s beginning to be second nature to have the ball in my hands at the end of the game.”

The victory marked the 10th time in 15 games that the defending national champions -- riding an 18-game winning streak -- have won a game decided by a touchdown or less. Allen, it seems, is usually the guy providing the magic at the finish.

Last year, he secured victories over Cincinnati and Michigan with interceptions on the final play, and he had the hit that knocked Miami’s Willis McGahee out of the Fiesta Bowl.

Allen had a 100-yard interception return as the Buckeyes edged 32-point underdog San Diego State, 16-13, two weeks ago, then recovered a fumbled kickoff and made the critical tackle inches short of the goal line on the final play as the Buckeyes held off North Carolina State, 44-38, in triple-overtime last week.

Lydell Ross scored two touchdowns and the Buckeyes held the nation’s most prolific offense to 366 yards. The Falcons (3-1) came in averaging 575 yards and 51 points.

“There are no medals for trying,” Bowling Green Coach Gregg Brandon said. “It’s a loss. It stinks.”

Ohio State did not have quarterback Craig Krenzel, who watched from the sideline because of a hyper-extended right elbow. Scott McMullen took his place and passed for one touchdown.

Ohio State has not lost to another Ohio college since falling, 7-6, to Oberlin in 1921.

Wisconsin 38, North Carolina 27 -- Freshman Booker Stanley ran for three touchdowns at Madison, Wis., as the Badgers (3-1) rebounded from a loss to Nevada Las Vegas.

The Badgers haven’t lost nonconference home games on consecutive weekends since 1969, and Stanley helped keep that streak intact by rushing 28 times for 119 yards and scoring his first three career touchdowns against the Tar Heels (0-3), who entered with the nation’s worst defense.

Minnesota 48, Louisiana Lafayette 14 -- Marion Barber III ran for 120 yards and two touchdowns at Minneapolis, as the Golden Gophers became the 25th Division I-A school to win 600 games. Minnesota, 4-0 for a second consecutive season, led, 31-0, in the second quarter before Louisiana Lafayette (0-4) crossed midfield.

Penn State 32, Kent State 10 -- Freshman Austin Scott ran for 100 yards and three touchdowns in his first start, as the Nittany Lions (2-2) rallied from a 10-0 deficit to defeat the Golden Flashes (2-2) at State College, Pa.

Kentucky 34, Indiana 17 -- Jared Lorenzen passed for two touchdowns and ran for another as the Wildcats (2-2) brushed aside the Hoosiers (1-3) at Bloomington, Ind.

Northwestern 28, Duke 10 -- Jason Wright ran for 149 yards and two touchdowns at Durham, N.C., and the Wildcats (2-2) ended the quest of the Blue Devils (2-2) to win three in a row for the first time since 1994.