For second straight game, OSU will be expected on Saturday at Minnesota to rout a lesser foe, with little if any reward in the rankings.
Ohio State tailback Dan Herron running the football in the Buckeyes' 49-0 win over Purdue.Cleveland, Ohio -- Ohio State began the "Win-and-hope-for-help" portion of its schedule with Saturday's 49-0 rout of Purdue in Columbus.
The win moves Ohio State (7-1, 3-1 in the Big Ten) in the various national rankings from No. 11 to 10 in the Associated Press top 25; has the Buckeyes stay at No. 10 in the USA Today/coaches rankings; doesn't help OSU in the BCS standings, where it falls from No. 10 to 11.
The Buckeyes will try to improve their major bowl chances and Big Ten title hopes on Saturday night at Minnesota. Most likely, any manner of OSU win won't impress poll voters, as the Golden Gophers are 1-7, 0-4.
Plain Dealer and cleveland.com Ohio State coverage includes Doug Lesmerises' game story on the Buckeyes' win over Purdue, and several other reports on the game; Lesmerises' Buckeye Leaves; his College Football Insider; his Weekly Wolverine Watch; his college football preview.
Sideline to sideline
Buckeyes defense bounces back from its performance in the loss at Wisconsin, by Bob Hunter of the Columbus Dispatch.
Ohio State-Purdue game story, by John Kampf for the News-Herald and Lorain Morning Journal.
Compliments for the fine game played by linebacker Andrew Sweat, by Adam Rittenberg of ESPN.com.
The Ohio State Report Card, by Jon Spencer of the Mansfield News Journal.
Ohio State-Purdue game story, by Sheldon Ocker of the Akron Beacon Journal.
Buckeyes-Boilermakers game story, by Mike Carmin of the Journal and Courier in Lafayette, Ind.
Grading aspects of the Buckeyes' performance, by Ray Stein of the Columbus Dispatch.
Buckeyes references on Adam Rittenberg's Big Ten Blog for ESPN.com.
The Buckeyes' annual breakfast with former OSU captains, by David S. Glasier for the News-Herald and Lorain Morning Journal.
Ohio State notes, by John Kampf for the News-Herald and Lorain Morning Journal.
OSU notebook, by Matt Markey of the Toledo Blade.