1969 Ohio State Buckeyes football team

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1969 Ohio State Buckeyes football
Big Ten co-champion
ConferenceBig Ten Conference
Ranking
CoachesNo. 5
APNo. 4
Record8–1 (6–1 Big Ten)
Head coach
MVPJim Otis
Captains
  • Alan Jack
  • Dave Whitfield
Home stadiumOhio Stadium
1969 Big Ten Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 4 Ohio State +6–1–08–1–0
No. 9 Michigan +6–1–08–3–0
No. 18 Purdue5–2–08–2–0
Minnesota4–3–04–5–1
Iowa3–4–05–5–0
Indiana3–4–04–6–0
Northwestern3–4–03–7–0
Wisconsin3–4–03–7–0
Michigan State2–5–04–6–0
Illinois0–7–00–10–0
  • + – Conference co-champions
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1969 Ohio State Buckeyes football team was an American football team that represented the Ohio State University as a member of the Big Ten Conference during the 1969 Big Ten season. In their 19th year under head coach Woody Hayes, and as defending national champion, the Buckeyes compiled an 8–1 record (6–1 in conference games), tied with Michigan for the Big Ten championship, and outscored opponents by a total of 383 to 93. The Buckeyes were ranked No. 1 in the AP poll from the start of the season, but dropped to No. 4 after losing the 1969 Ohio State vs. Michigan football game on November 22.[1] The loss to Michigan snapped a 22-game winning streak dating to November 4, 1967. Hayes called his 1969 squad "the best team we ever put together, probably the best team that ever played college football."[2]

The team tallied an average of 308.2 rushing yards and 185.0 passing yards per game. On defense, they held opponents to 98.1 rushing yards and 176.3 passing yards per game.[3] the team's individual statistical leaders included quarterback Rex Kern (1,002 passing yards, 50.4% completion percentage), running back Jim Otis (1,027 rushing yards, 4.5 yards per carry, 16 touchdowns), and Bruce Jankowski (23 receptions for 404 yards).[3] Six Ohio State players received first-team honors on the 1969 All-America team. Three of the Buckeyes (Otis, Jim Tatum, and Jim Stillwagon) were consensus All-Americans. Eleven Buckeyes received first-team honors on the 1969 All-Big Ten Conference football team.

The Buckeyes played their home games at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio.

Schedule

DateTimeOpponentRankSiteTVResultAttendanceSource
September 271:30 p.m.TCU*No. 1
W 62–086,412[4]
October 44:30 p.m.at Washington*No. 1
W 41–1458,000[5]
October 111:30 p.m.No. 19 Michigan StateNo. 1
  • Ohio Stadium
  • Columbus, OH
W 54–2186,641[6]
October 182:30 p.m.at MinnesotaNo. 1
W 34–753,016[7]
October 251:30 p.m.IllinoisNo. 1
W 41–086,576[8]
November 12:30 p.m.at NorthwesternNo. 1
ABCW 35–641,279[9]
November 81:30 p.m.WisconsinNo. 1
  • Ohio Stadium
  • Columbus, OH
W 62–786,519[10]
November 151:30 p.m.No. 10 PurdueNo. 1
  • Ohio Stadium
  • Columbus, OH
ABCW 42–1485,027[11]
November 221:00 p.m.at No. 12 MichiganNo. 1
ABCL 12–24103,588[12]
  • *Non-conference game
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
  • All times are in Eastern time

[13]

Game summaries

TCU

Team 1 234Total
TCU 0 000 0
• Ohio St 19 141415 62
  • Date: September 27
  • Location: Ohio Stadium
  • Game start: 1:30 p.m.
  • Elapsed time: 2:13
  • Game attendance: 86,412
  • Game weather: Rain; 63 °F (17 °C); wind 7 mph SE
Scoring summary
Q113:47OHSTJankowski 58 yard pass from Kern (White kick)OHST 7–0
Q18:34OHSTOtis 1 yard run (kick failed)OHST 13–0
Q13:32OHSTBrockington 1 yard run (kick blocked)OHST 19–0
Q28:15OHSTOtis 8 yard run (White kick)OHST 26–0
Q25:35OHSTBrockington 5 yard run (White kick)OHST 33–0
Q3OHSTKern 17 yard run (White kick)OHST 40–0
Q3OHSTKern 5 yard run (White kick)OHST 47–0
Q47:21OHSTBrockington 2 yard run (Brockington run)OHST 55–0
Q4:16OHSTCampagna 62 yard pass from Rusnak (White kick)OHST 62–0
  • Jim Otis 27 Rush, 121 Yds[14]
  • Ohio State's biggest win since 1957 versus Indiana and most points scored in a game since 1950 versus Iowa.[15]

Washington

Team 1 234Total
• Ohio St 14 7146 41
Washington 0 707 14
Scoring summary
Q1OHSTKern 64 yard run (White kick)OHST 7–0
Q1OHSTOtis 1 yard run (White kick)OHST 14–0
Q2OHSTOtis 3 yard run (White kick)OHST 21–0
Q2WASHWillis 1 yard run (Volbrecht kick)OHST 21–7
Q3OHSTOtis 1 yard run (White kick)OHST 28–7
Q3OHSTKern 4 yard run (White kick)OHST 35–7
Q4OHSTMaciejowski 5 yard run (kick failed)OHST 41–7
Q4WASHKennamer 6 yard run (Warner kick)OHST 41–14

[16]

Michigan State

Team 1 234Total
Michigan State 7 707 21
• Ohio St 27 7614 54
  • Date: October 11
  • Location: Ohio Stadium
  • Game start: 1:31 p.m. EST
  • Elapsed time: 2:28
  • Game attendance: 86,641
  • Game weather: Cloudy 74 °F (23 °C)
Scoring summary
Q112:42OHSTDebevc 14 yard interception (White kick)OHST 7–0
Q18:54OHSTKern 1 yard rush (White kick)OHST 14–0
Q16:45OHSTZelina 73 punt return (Kick failed)OHST 20–0
Q15:47MSUTriplett 76 yard pass to Foreman (Boyce kick)OHST 20–7
Q11:40OHSTKern 4 yard rush (White kick)OHST 27–7
Q23:14MSUTriplett 40 yard pass to Foreman (Boyce kick)OHST 27–14
Q20:30OHSTKern 24 yard pass to White (White kick)OHST 34–14
Q34:10OHSTKern 14 yard pass toJankowski (Kick failed)OHST 40–14
Q412:31MSUHighsmith 3 yard rush (Boyce kick)OHST 42–21
Q411:18OHSTKern 29 yard pass to Campana (White kick)OHST 49–21
Q40:40OHSTKern 5 yard pass to Campana (White kick)OHST 54–21

[17] [18]

  • Attendance: 86,641 (record)
  • Rex Kern 10/21, 187 Yds, 2 TD, 2 rush TD (left early in 4th)

[19]

Minnesota

Team 1 234Total
• Ohio St 14 6014 34
Minnesota 0 070 7
  • Date: October 18
  • Location: Memorial Stadium, Minneapolis
  • Game start: 1:30 p.m.
  • Elapsed time: 2:18
  • Game attendance: 53,016
  • Game weather: 55 degrees, windy 20 mph SW
Scoring summary
Q1OHSTOtis 8 yard run (kick failed)OHST 6–0
Q1OHSTOtis 2 yard run (Kern pass to Zelina)OHST 14–0
Q2OHSTRusnak 25 yard pass to Jankowski (kick failed)OHST 20–0
Q3MINNCarter 6 yard run (Nygren kick)OHST 20–7
Q4OHSTHayden 7 yard run (White kick)OHST 27–7
Q4OHSTGillian 1 yard run (Warner kick)OHST 34–7

[20]

Illinois

Team 1 234Total
Illinois 0 000 0
• Ohio St 7 14713 41
  • Date: October 25
  • Location: Ohio Stadium
  • Game start: 1:30 p.m. EST
  • Elapsed time: 2:12
  • Game attendance: 86,576
  • Game weather: Sunny, 56 °F (13 °C)
Scoring summary
Q17:17OHSTOtis 1 yard run (White kick)OHST 7–0
Q28:22OHSTKern 10 yard pass to White (White kick)OHST 14–0
Q21:09OHSTKern 15 yard pass to White (White kick)OHST 21–0
Q30:50OHSTKern 4 yard run (White kick)OHST 28–0
Q49:16OHSTBrockington 2 yard run (White kick)OHST 35–0
Q43:47OHSTBrockington 1 yard trun (Kick failed)OHST 41–0

[21]

Northwestern

Team 1 234Total
• Ohio State 7 1477 35
Northwestern 0 006 6
Scoring summary
Q10:42OSUOtis 1 yard run (White kick)OSU 7–0
Q26:09OSUKern 21 yard pass to White (White kick)OSU 14–0
Q22:00OSUOtis 1 yard run (White kick)OSU 21–0
Q310:23OSUHayden 33 yard run (White kick)OSU 28–0
Q16:13OSUMaciejowski 12 yard pass to Otis (White kick)OSU 35–0
Q43:57NWHudson 10 yard run (Kick failed)OSU 35–6

[22]

Wisconsin

Team 1 234Total
Wisconsin 0 007 7
• Ohio State 21 13721 62
  • Date: November 8
  • Location: Ohio Stadium
  • Game start: 1:31p.m. EST
  • Elapsed time: 2:20
  • Game attendance: 86,519
  • Game weather: Cloudy, 48 °F (9 °C); Wind NE 12-15 mph
Scoring summary
Q19:54OSUMaciejowski 31 yard pass to Jankowski (White kick)OSU 7–0
Q11:12OSUOtis 1 yard run (White kick)OSU 14–0
Q10:24OSUMaciejowski 19 yard pass to Kuhn (White kick)OSU 21–0
Q29:33OSUOtis 1 yard run (Kick failed)OSU 27–0
Q20:26OSUOtis 1 yard run (White kick)OSU 34–0
Q35:53OSURusnak 5 yard pass to Kuhn (White kick)OSU 41–0
Q414:21OSURusnak 5 yard pass to Campana (White kick)OSU 48–0
Q46:56OSUBrockington 1 yard run (White kick)OSU 55–0
Q44:51WISLosse 14 yard pass to Reddick (Yaeger kick)OSU 55–7
Q41:22OSUColburn 5 yard run (Johnston kick)OSU 62–7

[23] [24]

Purdue

Team 1 234Total
Purdue 0 707 14
• Ohio St 6 22140 42
  • Date: November 15
  • Location: Ohio Stadium
  • Game start: 1:30 p.m. EST
  • Elapsed time: 2:29
  • Game attendance: 85,027
  • Game weather: Snow; 23 °F (−5 °C); wind 15–20 mph SW
  • TV announcers (ABC): Chris Schenkel, Bud Wilkinson
Scoring summary
Q12:56OHSTKern 6 yard run (kick blocked)OHST 6–0
Q29:47OHSTWhite 33 yard field goalOHST 9–0
Q25:32OHSTOtis 5 yard run (kick failed)OHST 15–0
Q23:44OHSTKern 1 yard run (White kick)OHST 22–0
Q2:52OHSTJankowski 38 yard pass from Kern (kick blocked)OHST 28–0
Q2:39PURBrown 98 yard kickoff return (Jones kick)OHST 28–7
Q313:08OHSTHayden 4 yard run (White kick)OHST 35–7
Q310:58OHSTZelina 57 yard punt return (White kick)OHST 42–7
Q41:12PURBell 3 yard pass from Phipps (Jones kick)OHST 42–14

[25]

Michigan

#1 Ohio State Buckeyes (8–0) at #12 Michigan Wolverines (7–2)
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Ohio St 6 6 0012
Michigan 7 17 0024

at Michigan Stadium • Ann Arbor, Michigan

Game information
Ohio St
Michigan

Personnel

Coaching staff

Depth chart

Defense


FS
Mike Sensibaugh
⋅


LB LB
Doug Adams Phil Strickland
Bob Trapuzzano Mike Radtke
SS
Jack Tatum
⋅
CB
Tim Anderson
Mike Polaski


DE DT NT DT DE
Mark Debevc Bill Urbanik Jim Stillwagon Paul Schmidlin Dave Whitfield
Nick Roman Brad Nielsen ⋅ Ralph Holloway Ken Luttner
CB
Ted Provost
⋅
Offense
SE
Bruce Jankowski
Jimmie Harris
LT LG C RG RT
Dave Cheney Thomas Backhus Brian Donovan Alan Jack Charles Hutchison
Randy Hart Ted Kurz Tom DeLeone ⋅ Rick Simon
TE
Jan White
Dick Kuhn
WB
Larry Zelina
Tom Campana
QB
Rex Kern
Ron Maciejowski
FB
Jim Otis
John Brockington
Special teams





RB
Leo Hayden
Ray Gillian

[27]

Awards and honors

Six Ohio State players received first-team honors on the 1969 All-America team: Otis (consensus);[28] defensive back Jim Tatum (consensus);[28] middle guard Jim Stillwagon (consensus);[28] Kern (Central Press,[29] Football News[30]); defensive back Ted Provost (Time,[31] The Sporting News); and guard Chuck Hutchison (Time[31]).

Eleven Buckeyes received first-team honors on the 1969 All-Big Ten Conference football team: Otis (AP/UPI); Tatum (AP/UPI); Stillwagon (AP/UPI); Provost (AP/UPI); defensive end Dave Whitfield (AP/UPI); defensive tackle Paul Schmidlin (AP/UPI); defensive back Mike Sensibaugh (AP/UPI); center Brian Donvan (AP); defensive end Mark Debeve (AP); Hutchison (UPI); and linebacker Doug Adams (UPI).[32][33]

1970 NFL draftees

Player Round Pick Position NFL club
Chuck Hutchison238GuardSt. Louis Cardinals
Ted Provost7162Defensive backLos Angeles Rams
Jim Otis9218Running backNew Orleans Saints
Nick Roman10241Defensive endCincinnati Bengals

References

  1. "1969 Ohio State Buckeyes Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 1, 2025.
  2. Matt Gutridge (July 18, 2016). "100 teams in 100 Days: Oho State's 1969 Squad, the Best Team Woody Hayes Ever Coached". Eleven Warriors.
  3. "1969 Ohio State Buckeyes Stats". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 1, 2025.
  4. "Buckeyes in romp". The Post-Crescent. September 28, 1969. Retrieved March 26, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. "OSU thumps Huskies, 41–14". Springfield News-Sun. October 5, 1969. Retrieved October 22, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. "Buckeyes' Kern dazzles Spartans before 86,641". The Fresno Bee. October 12, 1969. Retrieved October 22, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. "Fumbling Gophers fall". Grand Forks Herald. October 19, 1969. Retrieved October 22, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. "Kern shatters record as Bucks ramble, 41–0". The Lima News. October 26, 1969. Retrieved October 22, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. "No. 1 Bucks spoil QB's heroics, 35–6". The Cincinnati Enquirer. November 2, 1969. Retrieved October 22, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. "Ohio State does it again; Wisconsin is 62–7 victim". The Ironton Tribune. November 9, 1969. Retrieved October 22, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. "Ohio State smashes Purdue Phipps, 42–14". The Times Recorder. November 16, 1969. Retrieved October 22, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. "U-M 24, OSU 12!". Detroit Free Press. November 23, 1969. pp. 1C, 5C – via Newspapers.com.
  13. "Schedule/Results (1969 Ohio State)". NCAA Statistics. National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved October 22, 2025.
  14. "Game: 6901, Date: Sept. 27, 1969" (PDF). Ohio State Athletics. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 28, 2017. Retrieved November 15, 2015.
  15. "Buckeyes rout TCU, 62-0." Eugene-Register Guard. 1969 Sept 28.
  16. "Buckeyes humiliate Huskies." Eugene-Register Guard. 1969 Oct 5.
  17. "Summary of Football Game Statistics, Ohio State v. Michigan State, 10/11/1969" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on November 27, 2016. Retrieved November 27, 2016.
  18. "Game: 6903, Date: Oct. 11, 1969" (PDF). Ohio State Athletics. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 28, 2017.
  19. "Buckeyes rip Spartans 54-21 for 17th win." Eugene-Register Guard. 1969 Oct 12.
  20. "Summary of Football Game Statistics, Minnesota v. Ohio State, 10/18/69" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on November 27, 2016. Retrieved November 27, 2016.
  21. "Game: 6905, Date: Oct. 25, 1969" (PDF). Ohio State Athletics. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 28, 2017.
  22. "Game: 6906, Date: Nov. 1, 1969" (PDF). Ohio State Athletics. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 28, 2017.
  23. "Game: 6907, Date: Nov. 8, 1969" (PDF). Ohio State Athletics. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 28, 2017.
  24. "Summary of Football Game Statistics, Ohio State v. Wisconsin, 11/08/69" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on November 28, 2016. Retrieved November 27, 2016.
  25. "Game: 6908, Date: Nov 15, 1969" (PDF). Ohio State Athletics. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 28, 2017. Retrieved April 21, 2015.
  26. "Game: 6909, Date: Nov. 22, 1969" (PDF). Ohio State Athletics. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 31, 2018.
  27. 1970 Ohio State Football Media Guide
  28. "Football Award Winners" (PDF). National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). 2016. p. 10. Retrieved October 21, 2017.
  29. Walter L. Johns (November 24, 1969). "Ohio State Dominates 1969 Central Press Captains All-American Team". The Gaffney Ledger. p. 5.
  30. Roger Stanton, ed. (November 29, 1969). "FN Picks All-American Team". The Football News. p. 1.
  31. Time's All-America: The Pick of the Pros January 5, 1970.
  32. "No Hawks Named All-Big Ten" (PDF). The Daily Iowan. November 26, 1969. p. 6.
  33. "Bucks Head All-Big Ten". Oshkosh Daily Northwestern. November 28, 1969. p. 16.