Miami can't overcome four INTs in loss to No. 2 Ohio State
COLUMBUS, Ohio - Eight seasons later, the rematch wasn't nearly as close.
Terrelle Pryor ran for 113 yards and a touchdown and passed for another yesterday and No. 2 Ohio State intercepted Jacory Harris four times in a 36-24 victory over 12th-ranked Miami.
The last time the teams had met was in the national championship game at the 2003 Fiesta Bowl, with the Buckeyes taking a dramatic and controversial 31-24 victory in double-overtime.
But this one was no work of art, with numerous sloppy plays and bad tackling. But it kept the Buckeyes (2-0) perfect and prevented the Hurricanes (1-1) from making a case that they belonged back among the nation's elite.
In what was billed as a Heisman showcase, Pryor completed just 12 of 27 passes for 233 yards but had 20 carries, scoring on a 13-yard run. Harris was 22-for-39 passing for 232 yards and a touchdown but had the four interceptions - three of which could easily have been caught.
The last interception proved to be particularly costly for the 'Canes.
Trailing 26-17 at the half, Miami took the second-half kickoff and drove to a first down at the Ohio State 6. But on third-and-goal, Harris' pass over the middle was wide of the mark and intercepted by burly Buckeyes defensive end Cameron Heyward, who rumbled 80 yards.
That set up Pryor's touchdown run. He rolled right, looking to pass, then reversed field and scored untouched.
The Hurricanes, whose earlier scores both came on kick returns, scored on Harris' 9-yard pass to Chase Ford on the first play of the fourth quarter, cutting the lead to 36-24.
Miami got the ball just once more, marching down the field only to lose it on downs at the Ohio State 39 with 71/2 minutes left. The Buckeyes, with Pryor picking up big yardage on runs, then played keep-away the rest of the game.
Miami twice returned kicks for long scores in the first half. The first was Lamar Miller's 88-yard kickoff return, and Travis Benjamin returned a punt 79 yards for another score.- AP
