Ohio State Buckeye national championship seasons

1957
UPI & Football Writers
9-1

After being stunned in the season opener by Texas Christian (18-14), Ohio State rolled to a 9-1 record and the UPI and Football Writers' National Championships.

This edition of the Buckeyes had everything, including an offense ranked 11th nationally and a defense that allowed only 9.2 points per game. Don Clark led the rushing attack with 655 yards and eight touchdowns, but seven players had at least 195 yards rushing and nine Buckeyes scored touchdowns. Ohio State was particularly tough late in the game as it allowed only six points in the fourth quarter all season.

Clark, Aurealius Thomas and Leo Brown earned all-Big Ten recognition and Thomas was an All-American for Woody Hayes' second National Championship team. Also, Jim Parker was drafted in the first round by the Baltimore Colts after the season.

After the loss to the Horned Frogs, the Buckeyes went on the road to battle the Washington Huskies and came away with a 35-7 victory. A week later, the Buckeyes opened the Big Ten season with a 21-7 win over Illinois and followed that win with a 56-0 pasting of the Indiana Hoosiers.

OSU faced a stern test the next week at Wisconsin, but came out on top, 16-13. Don Sutherin's third-quarter field goal provided the margin of victory.

After relatively easier wins over Northwestern and Purdue, the Buckeyes had their hands full in week eight against Iowa. Trailing 13-10 in the fourth quarter, OSU put together a patented Hayes march that culminated with a five-yard touchdown plunge by Bob White and a 17-13 triumph.

The next week OSU headed north to Ann Arbor to battle Michigan. The Buckeyes trailed 14-10 entering the second half, but took control after intermission and downed the Wolverines 31-14 to earn a trip to the Rose Bowl.

After the win over the vaunted Wolverines, the Buckeyes met Pac-8 Champion Oregon in the Rose Bowl. The Buckeyes scored first, when Frank Kremblas scored on a one-yard dive over the center, but the Ducks tied the score with a five-yard run in the second quarter. The game remained tied through the third quarter and into the fourth, but the quarter that was so kind to the Buckeyes all season was good once again.

On a drive that started with more than five minutes remaining in the third period, the Buckeyes drove 56 yards in 14 plays to take a 10-7 lead on a 34-yard field goal by the sure-footed Sutherin.

From then on, it was the defense as the Ducks were unable to get an offensive attack going and the Buckeyes grabbed their third National Championship.