COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State coach John Cooper has said for a number of weeks his team is 'fighting for second place' in the Big Ten behind unbeaten Michigan. On Saturday, the Buckeyes did just that.
The Buckeyes' 17-0 win over Minnesota was marred by a wild, fist- swinging melee, sparked by a nose-to-nose confrontation between Ohio State quarterback Kirk Herbstreit and Minnesota defensive end Andy Kratochvil.
That disagreement erupted into a series of fights all over the field with 3:45 left in the game and it took officials several minutes to restore complete order.
'I'm not going to sit there and take a hit,' said Herbstreit, who emerged from the melee with a bloody lip. 'I had carried out my fake and then someone hit me and the brawl started.'
Cooper said he apologized to Minnesota Coach Jim Wacker for the fight.
'We were the home team and should take the responsibility, I guess,' Cooper said. 'There's no place for that in college football.'
The game was a frustrating one for Ohio State, which rolled up 331 total yards in the first half but led just 10-0 at halftime.
Robert Smith scored both Ohio State touchdowns, one on a 14-yard run in the first quarter and the other on a 15-yard dash with 1:56 remaining, just four plays after order was restored from the fight.
Smith, who saw almost all of the action at tailback, finished with 119 yards in 19 carries. Fullback Jeff Cothran also had a solid rushing day with 93 yards in 16 carries.
The victory was the fourth in a row for Ohio State, 7-2 overall and 4-2 in the Big Ten, two games behind Michigan with two games left. A victory over Indiana next week likely would send the Buckeyes to the Citrus Bowl.
'I think we're fighting for second place,' Cooper said. 'We've said that all along. I don't see anybody beating Michigan until its showdown time here (Nov. 21).'
Minnesota, 1-8 and 1-5 in Big Ten play, had two good scoring opportunities, one late in the first half and another early in the second half.
The first one vanished in a when Aaron Piepkron missed a field-goal attempt and the second ended when Ohio State safety Chico Nelson intercepted a Marquel Fleetwood pass in the end zone.
'I thought we had a good chance of getting on the scoreboard in the fourth quarter,' Minnesota Coach Jim Wacker said. 'But, here again, our mistakes and Ohio State's good defense just wouldn't let it happen.'
Fleetwood, who entered the game as the Big Ten's total offense leader at 268 yards per game, completed 15 of 24 passes for 118 yards and added four yards rushing.
Herbstreit completed 15 of 23 for 217 yards. His 24-yard run also helped trigger the Buckeyes' first touchdown drive, a 91-yard, 10-play march.
'We moved the ball up and down the field, but we couldn't put it in the end zone,' Cooper said. 'But you're not going here me complain about this victory. Minnesota is a scrappy football team and Fleetwood is as good as advertised.'
The shutout was Ohio State's first since 1989, covering 34 games.
Wacker, Minnesota's first-year coach, said the game was the 'same song, different verse. That's been the story of our season.'
