SportsDirect Inc. staff
Sep 15, 2013
No. 3 Ohio State 52, California 34: Kenny Guiton started in place of an injured Braxton Miller and threw for 276 yards and four touchdowns as the visiting Buckeyes extended the nation’s longest winning streak to 15 games.
Guiton, a fifth-year senior making his first career start, added 92 yards rushing in place of Miller. The Heisman Trophy candidate was scratched due to a sprained ligament in his left knee suffered in last Saturday’s 42-7 victory over San Diego State.
Jordan Hall rushed 30 times for 168 yards and three scores for Ohio State (3-0), which led 21-0 six minutes into the game after Guiton threw touchdown passes on the Buckeyes’ first three drives. Devin Smith caught three passes for 149 yards and two scores, and Corey Brown and Chris Fields added one touchdown reception apiece.
California (1-2) cut the deficit to 24-14 on Jared Goff’s 42-yard touchdown pass to Chris Harper with 55 seconds left in the first quarter, but the Golden Bears were unable to keep pace with Ohio State’s balanced offensive attack. Goff finished 31-of-53 for 371 yards and three touchdowns for California, which was held to 132 total rushing yards.
Vincenzo D'Amato drilled a 43-yard field goal to pull California within 31-20 at the half, but Ohio State outscored the Golden Bears 21-7 in the third quarter and drew clear for its seventh straight win over California. The Buckeyes compiled 608 total yards and were 4-for-4 on fourth-down conversions.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Goff is the first California player to throw for over 300 yards in three straight games since Aaron Rodgers in the final three games of the 2003 season. … Daniel Lasco had 10 carries for 64 yards and a touchdown for California, which has a bye week before starting Pac-12 play at Oregon on Sept. 28. … Ohio State coach Urban Meyer improved to 45-4 in his career in games played in August or September.