Sept. 2, 2006
Recap | Final Stats | Quotes | Photo Gallery
Attendance: 103,896 Ohio State Postgame Notes
The Buckeyes have an all-time opening day record of 101-12-4 and have won their last 28 home openers. OSU's last opening-day loss at home was to Penn State in 1978.
With the win Saturday, Ohio State now has posted a 21-1 record against teams from the Mid-American Conference. The Buckeyes lone loss was to Akron in 1895 by a 14-6 count.
Ohio State now has won 38 of its last 39 home games against non-conference opponents. With the win Saturday, Ohio State has won 28 of its last 30 games at home. The losses came against Wisconsin in 2004 and Texas in 2005.
With the win Saturday, the Buckeyes hold a 53-9-1 record when ranked as the top team nationally. The Buckeyes were last ranked No. 1 in a regular-season game Nov. 7, 1998, in a loss to Michigan State at Ohio Stadium. Ohio State had won nine of its last 10 as a No. 1-ranked team before the loss to the Spartans. Overall, the Buckeyes are 284-68-9 when carrying a Top 10 ranking and 391-123-14 as a Top 25 team.
Season Openers as No. 1
| Date | Opponent | Result | Score |
| 10/17/42* | Purdue | W | 26-0 |
| 9/27/58 | No. 20 SMU | W | 23-20 |
| 9/27/69 | TCU | W | 62-0 |
| 9/26/70 | Texas A&M | W | 56-13 |
| 9/13/80 | Syracuse | W | 31-21 |
| 9/5/98 | at No. 11 WVU | W | 34-17 |
| 9/2/06 | Northern Illinois | W | 35-12 |
* First Associated Press poll released Oct. 17
Jim Tressel's record with the Buckeyes now is 51-13 and his career record is 186-70-2. The Buckeyes are 32-4 at home under Tressel's direction.
With the win Saturday, Ohio State now is 776-300-53 in 117 seasons and owns an Ohio Stadium record of 367-104-20 since 1922.
Under Tressel, the Buckeyes now are 37-3 when leading at the half and 39-3 when ahead after three quarters. Offensive Notes
With the 35-12 win Saturday, Ohio State has scored 35-plus points in seven of its last eight games, dating back to a 35-24 victory over Michigan State at Ohio Stadium Oct. 15, 2005. The Buckeyes have scored at least one touchdown in 114-consecutive games.
Ohio State scored on its first four possessions Saturday. The Buckeyes scored on four consecutive possessions against Texas last season on three Josh Huston field goals and a touchdown reception by Santonio Holmes in the second quarter. The last time the Buckeyes scored four touchdowns on four-consecutive possessions was against Kent State in the first half Sept. 7, 2002, in Ohio Stadium.
Ohio State scored touchdowns on its first three drives in the first quarter. The last time the Buckeyes scored three times in a quarter was last season at Minnesota, when Holmes had a touchdown reception, Huston kicked a field goal and flanker Ted Ginn Jr. returned a kickoff 100 yards for a score. The last time Ohio State scored three touchdowns in a quarter was against San Jose State in the third quarter Oct. 12, 2002.
Ohio State last scored 28 points in a half vs. Northwestern in the first half last season in Ohio Stadium.
Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith connected with Ginn Jr. for a 5-yard touchdown pass on the Buckeyes' opening drive of the game. The drive covered 66 yards on eight plays. Dating back to last season, Ohio State has scored a touchdown on its opening drive in four-consecutive games and six of its last seven. Offensive Player Notes
Smith opened the game converting his first five passes with three of the throws going for touchdowns. Smith now has eight career games passing for two touchdowns or more and has four games with three passing TDs. Smith finished the game 18-for-25 with 297 yards passing to mark his eighth career game with 200-plus yards passing. He has passed for at least 200 yards in seven of his last eight games.
Smith's career total offense total of 4,438 yards is 11th all-time in Ohio State history. He surpassed the 4,158 total yards accumulated by former quarterback Rex Kern from 1968-70.
Ginn Jr. finished Saturday with four catches for 123 yards Saturday, marking his fourth career game with 100 yards receiving. The game Saturday against NIU served as Ginn Jr.'s first career game with two touchdown grabs. He now has eight career touchdown catches. Overall, the game marked Ginn Jr.'s third career contest with two touchdowns and second-consecutive game with a pair of scores. Ginn Jr. caught a touchdown pass and ran for a touchdown against Notre Dame in the 2006 Fiesta Bowl. Ginn Jr. now has eight career receptions of 50 yards or more, including his 58-yard score in the first quarter and 57-yard grab in the fourth period vs. Northern Illinois.
Junior tailback Antonio Pittman ran 19 times for 111 yards Saturday for his ninth career 100-yard rushing game. Pittman scored his ninth career touchdown Saturday. He has scored at least one TD in each of his last six games.
Anthony Gonzalez scored on a 15-yard touchdown reception, the fifth TD of his career.
Freshman receiver Brian Hartline started his first career game Saturday and pulled in a 31-yard pass on the Buckeyes' opening play. The catch was the first of Hartline's career. Brian Robiskie, a sophomore receiver, also started his first game Saturday.
Freshman Ray Small also recorded his first reception Saturday with a 5-yard grab in the second quarter.
Freshman tailback Chris Wells scored Ohio State's fourth touchdown Saturday on an 8-yard run on the opening play of the second quarter.
Sophomore tailback Maurice Wells had a 30-yard reception in the first quarter Saturday, marking his longest career catch and the third reception of his career. Defensive Notes
Northern Illinois' Garrett Wolfe, the returning NCAA rushing leader after averaging 175.6 ypg last season, became the first opposing running back to gain 100 yards since Minnesota's Laurence Maroney carried 25 times for 127 yards in Minneapolis Oct. 29, 2005. Wolfe became the first opposing player to run for 100 yards at Ohio Stadium since Wisconsin's Anthony Davis rushed for 168 yards on 39 carries Oct. 9, 2004. Wolfe is just the third opposing player to reach 100 yards rushing at Ohio Stadium since the 2001 season. San Diego State's Larry Ned had 112 yards Oct. 20, 2001.
Wolfe also had five catches for 114 yards.
As a team NIU had 151 yards rushing on 33 carries, the most since Wisconsin rushed for 184 net yards Oct. 9, 2004.
Sophomore defensive end Vernon Gholston, senior linebacker John Kerr, sophomore linebacker Marcus Freeman, senior cornerback Antonio Smith, sophomore safety Nick Patterson all started their first games Saturday. Defensive Player Notes
Gholston had two sacks Saturday, the first two of his career.
Senior safety Brandon Mitchell recorded his first career sack in the fourth quarter. Mitchell finished the game with a career-best 10 tackles.
Marcus Freeman (9 tackles), Anderson Russell (6 tackles) and Gholston all recorded career highs in tackles.
Defensive end Lawrence Wilson recorded his first career sack in the fourth quarter.
Junior linebacker Larry Grant recorded his first career interception Saturday. He returned the turnover 49 yards. Special Teams
Sophomore Ryan Pretorious missed his first career field goal try in the second quarter, a 51-yard attempt. Freshman Aaron Pettrey missed his first career try of 44 yards in the second quarter.
Jamario O'Neal had two kickoff returns for 48 total yards, the first kickoff returns of his career. Miscellaneous
Members of the 1996 Rose Bowl Champion squad were recognized at halftime of the Northern Illinois game. The 11-1 Buckeyes were co-Big Ten Champions and defeated Arizona State 20-17 in Ohio State's last Rose Bowl appearance.
Ahmed Plummer, who starred in the defensive backfield for the Buckeyes from 1996-99, served as Ohio State's honorary captain Saturday when the Buckeyes took on Northern Illinois.
