Countdown To Kickoff 2022: Ohio State Blasts Fresno State, 43-10

We’re counting the days until the 2022 season by the number of points the Buckeyes scored in some of their greatest victories.

There are many ways to countdown to the upcoming college football season, though none may be more popular than naming the best player in school history by jersey number.

We've decided to do something a little different, though, and will be counting the days until Ohio State's season opener against Notre Dame on Sept. 3 by the number of points the Buckeyes scored in some of their greatest victories.

For example, Ohio State scored 48 points in its win over Utah in the Rose Bowl back in January. That game was highlighted when there was 48 days remaining in the offseason.

We understand that this approach won't allow us to do a daily countdown, especially with higher point totals, but we're hopeful that looking back at some of the more notable games in school history will build anticipation for the upcoming season.

With that said, let's continue the countdown...

Ohio State 43, Fresno State 10 - Sept. 2, 2000

Ohio State scored a school-record four defensive touchdowns to beat Fresno State, 43-10, in front of 96,583 fans – the largest crowd in the history of the newly renovated Ohio Stadium – in the 2000 season opener.

Safety Mike Doss got the scoring started by recovering a fumble in the end zone, while cornerback David Mitchell scooped up another fumble on the next play from scrimmage and returned it 36 yards for a touchdown to give the Buckeyes a 13-0 first-quarter lead.

After quarterback Steve Bellisari found wide receiver Chad Cacchio for a 23-yard touchdown to put Ohio State ahead 20-0 at halftime, Mitchell picked off eventual No. 1 overall draft pick David Carr and returned 51 yards for a score.

The teams exchanged field goals before linebacker Matt Wilhelm’s 25-yard pick-six, which represented Carr’s fourth interception of the game, though it’s worth noting he was making his first-career start that afternoon.

The Bulldogs finally got into the end zone with five seconds remaining when backup Jeff Grady found wide receiver Marque Davis from nine yards out, but the Buckeyes quickly added six more when third-stringer Scott McMullen threw a 44-yarder to wideout Ricky Bryant on the game’s final play.

The win snapped Ohio State’s three-game losing streak to end the 1999 season, when the Buckeyes finished 6-6 overall and did not qualify for a bowl game. The four defensive touchdowns quadrupled their output in that disastrous season.

"Whenever you turn the ball over four times for 28 points, that's not going to help you against a good opponent on the road," Fresno State head coach Pat Hill said after the game. "I told John Cooper after the game I'd love to play them again."

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