Wednesday, September 15, 2004
Buckeyes eye Wolfpack, storms
Effects of Hurricane Ivan cause for some wariness
By Rusty Miller
The Associated Press
COLUMBUS - Besides gearing up for a game against North Carolina State, No. 9 Ohio State is also preparing for what could be a wet, windy and wild skirmish with Hurricane Ivan on Saturday.
"We've all been put in a 'let's wait and see how this hits our country' mode," Buckeyes coach Jim Tressel said Tuesday. "(We will) hang loose. Obviously safety is the most important thing."
As Tressel spoke, Ivan was moving through the Gulf of Mexico, causing thousands of people in Florida, Louisiana and Mexico to flee its path. It was expected to hit the United States today.
Even though hurricanes lose power as they pass over land, the storm might bring rain and high winds to Raleigh, N.C. by weekend if it continues on its current track.
Linebacker A.J. Hawk said too much was being made of the effect of inclement weather on the game.
"I really don't think it changes things as much as people think," he said. Then he added with a grin, "Now, if the hurricane's coming through as we're playing, that might be a little different."
Hawk's running mate at linebacker, Bobby Carpenter, expressed concern for the people of the hurricane-battered South even as he said the weather wouldn't impact him.
"As long as it doesn't affect anyone's safety down there, it doesn't really bother me at all whether it's 110 degrees with 90 percent humidity or whether it's 70 with pouring down rain," Carpenter said. "You've got to go out and play the game no matter what and do the best you can."
The Buckeyes (2-0) have never encountered anything quite like a hurricane, although weather has frequently made for memorable games.
The 1950 Ohio State-Michigan "Snow Bowl" is one of the most famous games in school history. Heavy winds, several inches of snow and terrible visibility turned the annual showdown into a fiasco. Despite not having a first down, misfiring on all nine of its passes and punting 24 times, Michigan won the game 9-3.
During the 1990 season, No. 15 Ohio State lost to No. 18 Southern California 35-26 in a game that was prematurely ended by heavy rain and lightning with 21/2 minutes left. Buckeyes coach John Cooper agreed to permit the game to be called off after his team lost a late onside kick. Many fans called him a quitter for the decision.
Ohio State hopes to fly by private charter to Raleigh on Friday afternoon, although those plans may be disrupted by weather reports over the next two or three days.
"We're waiting to see if there's any travel issues," Tressel said. "That doesn't change our preparation for the game. It doesn't change anything other than printing out the itineraries."
A year ago, Ohio State weathered three overtimes before safety Will Allen stopped Wolfpack tailback T.A. McLendon inches short of the goal line on the final play to preserve a 44-38 victory.
Tressel said if bad weather strikes during the game, both teams will just have to deal with it.
"It's wet for you and wet for them," he said. "You better be on your feet and not be the guy that slips. The officials do a good job of keeping the balls dry. I assume they tarp their field and all those kinds of things, so if you play through a driving rainstorm, you do. Whoever holds on to the ball better or makes the least mistakes is still going to win."
Ohio State remained unbeaten last week despite three fourth-quarter turnovers, thanks to Mike Nugent's 55-yard field goal as time expired that gave the Buckeyes a 24-21 win over Marshall.
Nugent said he didn't mind sloppy weather as long as there wasn't gusting winds.
"I don't mind wind as long as it's straight," he said.
Hawk said he didn't think a storm's powerful winds would affect Nugent.
"Nooge could probably kick it through a hurricane," Hawk said. "I'd trust him."
OSU at N.C. State
