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Ohio State steps out of Big Ten play vs. Bowling Green

Oct 3, 2006 - 7:11 PM Bowling Green (3-2) at No. 1 Ohio St (5-0), 3:30 pm EDT

COLUMBUS, Ohio (Ticker) - After another impressive victory, top-ranked Ohio State tries to extend the nation's longest winning streak to 13 games when it hosts intrastate foe Bowling Green on Saturday.

The Buckeyes (5-0) pulled away from then-No. 13 Iowa on the road last weekend, 38-17, in a Big Ten Conference showdown to cap an impressive September in which they also beat then-No. 2 Texas and Penn State - the two teams that defeated them last year.

"All that does is make October more important," said Buckeyes coach Jim Tressel, whose squad does not face another team currently ranked until concluding the regular season vs. No. 6 Michigan on November 18.

Troy Smith tossed a career-high four touchdowns for the Buckeyes, who intercepted Drew Tate three times and recovered a fumble to give them 13 takeaways on the season. Sophomore linebacker James Laurinaitis recorded one of the interceptions and has picked off a pass in four straight games.

Bowling Green (3-2) improved to 2-1 in the Mid-American Conference with a 21-9 triumph over Ohio last Saturday.

Freddie Barnes ran for two touchdowns and Chris Bullock rushed for 114 yards and a score for the Falcons, who will be facing the nation's fifth-ranked scoring defense (9.8 points per game) in this one.

The Buckeyes are 3-0 against the Falcons, though they won by just 24-17 in the last meeting, in 2003.