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Minnesota Golden Gophers |
Ohio State Buckeyes © |
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Played November 15, 1975 at Ohio Stadium Columbus, Ohio |
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Teams' Belt Records
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Team |
Belt Reigns |
Overall Record |
Home Record |
Away Record |
Neutral Record |
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W |
L |
T |
PCT |
W |
L |
T |
PCT |
W |
L |
T |
PCT |
W |
L |
T |
PCT |
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| Minnesota | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 | ||||||||
| Ohio State © | 2 | 7 | 1 | 0 | .875 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 |
Previous Belt Meetings: None
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1st |
2nd |
3rd |
4th |
Final |
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Minnesota |
0 |
0 |
6 |
0 |
6 |
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Ohio State |
3 |
14 |
0 |
21 |
38 |
The top-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes of coach Woody Hayes at 9-0 had to be careful not to look past the 5-4 Minnesota Golden Gophers of coach Cal Stoll to the annual showdown with Michigan. Ohio State's All-Big Ten QB Cornelius Greene scored 2 touchdowns while the Ohio State defense held Minnesota to a single score in a 38-6 victory to retain The Belt. The Buckeyes scored late in the 1st quarter on a 29-yard field goal by PK Tom Klaban. On the next drive Ohio State's CB Craig Cassady intercepted Minnesota's QB Tony Dungy at the Ohio State 36-yard line. The Buckeyes drove 64 yards with Greene scoring on a 14-yard run for a 10-0 lead. Midway through the 2nd quarter, the Buckeyes drove 51 yards with Heisman Trophy winning, All-American RB Archie Griffin scoring on a 19-yard touchdown run for a 17-0 lead that Ohio State held through halftime. The Golden Gophers opened the 2nd half with their only scoring drive. Dungy guided the Minnesota offense 84 yards in 18 plays finding RB Greg Barlow on a 5-yard touchdown pass for the score but the missed extra-point attempt left the score 17-6. The Buckeyes responded with a 13-play, 80-yard drive capped by an 8-yard touchdown run on the first play of the 4th quarter by RB Pete Johnson, his 22nd touchdown of the season to extend the Big Ten season record. After Ohio State's All-American S Tim Fox returned a Minnesota punt 32 yards to the Golden Gophers 41-yard line, the Buckeyes took 5 plays to score getting a 31-yard touchdown run by Greene for a 31-6 lead. On the following series, Ohio State's CB Leonard Mills blocked the Minnesota punt before recovering the ball at the Minnesota 21-yard line. Ohio State's WR Brian Baschnagel took the next snap 21 yards on an end around play for the touchdown. The Golden Gophers’ last chance to score ended when Mills intercepted Dungy at the Ohio State 22-yard line. Greene finished with 131 yards passing while rushing for 62 yards with 2 touchdowns & Griffin added 124 yards to his touchdown as well as 48 yards receiving in his final home game as a Buckeye. Dungy threw for 111 yards with a touchdown but 3 interceptions in the loss. Ohio State finished the season 11-1; Big Ten Champions & ranked 4th nationally while the Gophers finished 6-5. Minnesota would play for The Belt again in 1979.
