No quarterback controversy here. Braxton Miller is back and there is no question who will be leading Ohio State as it tries to get back to the top of the Big Ten.
Miller matched a career-high with four touchdown passes in his first game in three weeks and No. 4 Ohio State ran the nation’s longest winning streak to 17 games with a 31-24 victory over No. 23 Wisconsin on Saturday night.
Miller missed the last two games with a sprained left knee, but didn’t show the slightest bit of rust. The junior threw three touchdown passes in the first half, including a 40-yarder to Corey Brown with 1 second left that put Ohio State (5-0, 1-0 Big Ten) up 24-14.
“I’ve been working really hard this last couple weeks because I’ve been hurt, fundamental-wise,” Miller said. “I felt pretty good. My leg felt good, energy-wise. I wasn’t out of shape.”
Joel Stave and Jared Abbrederis kept the Badgers (3-2, 1-1) in it. Stave threw for 295 yards and two TDs. Abbrederis caught 10 passes for a career-best 207 yards and a score, winning most of his one-on-one matchups with star cornerback Bradley Roby.
James White ran 17 yards for a touchdown with 13:47 left in the fourth quarter to cut Ohio State’s lead to 31-21.
Wisconsin got within 31-24 on a 42-yard field goal by Kyle French with 2:05 left in the fourth, and got the ball back at its own 10 with 1:29 left but Ohio State didn’t even give up a first down.
The Buckeyes’ first big game of the season was big enough to bring Ohio native LeBron James to the Horseshoe and turn Ohio Stadium into the most-scarlet place on earth. Just about everyone in the crowd of 105,826 – third-largest in Ohio State history – was donning the Buckeyes’ shade of red.
The Buckeyes had been off the radar for the first four weeks of the season, beating up on overmatched foes and dropping a couple of spots in the polls.
The only news from Columbus was Miller’s injury early in the second game of the season, though the Buckeyes didn’t miss a beat without him. Kenny Guiton stepped in, led Ohio State to three blowout victories and won consecutive Big Ten offensive player of the week honors.
Guiton was so good some Buckeyes fans wondered aloud whether he should keep playing even if Miller was ready to play.
Miller said he wasn’t paying any attention.
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