Ohio Stadium

The Rams' first major roster reduction brought no surprises Tuesday, although Jim Laughlin was pleased to find himself a survivor. For Laughlin, the only Ohio State alumnus on the Ram roster, it means a sentimental journey back to Columbus, Ohio, where the Rams will play the Philadelphia Eagles on Friday night in their third exhibition game of the season. (KCBS, Channel 2, said Tuesday that it will telecast Friday's exhibition game live, starting at 4:30 p.m., PDT).

at No. 13 Ohio State 30, Illinois 0: Dan Herron slogged through a downpour for two touchdowns as the Buckeyes (3-1, 1-0) collected a second straight shutout for the first time in 13 years. Quarterback Juice Williams, who engineered a 28-21 upset of top-ranked Ohio State the last time the Fighting Illini (1-2, 0-1) came to Ohio Stadium, and his offense were held to 170 yards. at No. 23 Michigan 36, Indiana 33: Tate Forcier led another fourth-quarter scoring drive, connecting with Martavious Odoms with 2 minutes 29 seconds left to give the Wolverines (4-0, 1-0)

It took 30 years, but Pete Carroll finally returned to Ohio Stadium as the third-ranked Trojans prepared for tonight's game against eighth-ranked Ohio State. Carroll was a 28-year-old secondary coach on Earl Bruce 's 1979 Ohio State staff. After the Buckeyes lost to USC in the 1980 Rose Bowl, Carroll left for North Carolina State. So Friday's visit to the Horseshoe for the Trojans' typically playful stadium walk-through stirred memories. Carroll recalled looking out his office window three decades ago and seeing former Ohio State coach Woody Hayes walking across the street.

It took 30 years, but Pete Carroll finally returned to Ohio Stadium as the third-ranked Trojans prepared for tonight's game against eighth-ranked Ohio State. Carroll was a 28-year-old secondary coach on Earl Bruce 's 1979 Ohio State staff. After the Buckeyes lost to USC in the 1980 Rose Bowl, Carroll left for North Carolina State. So Friday's visit to the Horseshoe for the Trojans' typically playful stadium walk-through stirred memories. Carroll recalled looking out his office window three decades ago and seeing former Ohio State coach Woody Hayes walking across the street.

Matt Barkley enjoyed the relative comfort of home in his debut as USC's starting quarterback, more than 85,000 fans cheering the freshman as he led the Trojans to a season-opening victory over San Jose State. The atmosphere will be about 100,000 times more hostile Saturday when the Trojans play Ohio State at the "Horseshoe" in Columbus. More than 105,000 fans are expected to fill Ohio Stadium to root on the Buckeyes and make things especially tough on a true freshman quarterback playing his first road game.

Ohio Stadium was a big hit. The jury is still out on the team that plays in it. "The stadium, the field, the crowd . . . everything was great," Coach John Cooper said Saturday after the No. 16 Buckeyes' 43-10 thrashing of Fresno State. Then he added, "Except the way we played." David Mitchell returned a fumble and an interception for touchdowns, and Michael Doss and Matt Wilhelm also provided defensive touchdowns before the largest crowd ever in remodeled Ohio Stadium.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- It was as if a stadium full of more than 105,000 people were suddenly empty. An eerie silence descended on Ohio Stadium when Ohio State's Heisman Trophy prospect Chris "Beanie" Wells went down because of a foot injury in the third quarter of the second-ranked Buckeyes' 43-0 victory over Youngstown State on Saturday. All of a sudden, what seemed like a nice tuneup for the mammoth showdown in two weeks against No. 3 USC seemed secondary. "First and foremost, you really can't replace Beanie," wide receiver Brian Robiskie said.

Security procedures before Saturday's Michigan-Ohio State game have enraged Wolverine Coach Lloyd Carr. Carr expressed his displeasure with his team and staff being subjected to searches by drug and bomb-sniffing dogs upon their arrival at Ohio Stadium. The searches were conducted in front of Buckeye fans, Carr said, making the situation even more humiliating. "I found it extremely disrespectful," Carr told the Detroit Free Press. "It was a violation of our individual rights."

USC's offensive line has played only one game in its current configuration and is readying for a test on Saturday at Ohio State. But the unit left quite an impression on San Jose State Coach Dick Tomey . On Monday, after reviewing tape of the Trojans' season-opening 56-3 victory over the Spartans, Tomey said the Trojans' line was "the best I've competed against as a coach," adding that the Trojans "might have four first-round draft choices...

Matt Barkley's parents stopped by USC on Tuesday to say hello to their son and deliver a small gift on his 19th birthday. "That's his present," his father Les chuckled, pointing to a sandwich in a plastic bag. "Turkey with extra mayo." The Barkleys' no-big-deal attitude is the same one Coach Pete Carroll wants his young quarterback to maintain when the third-ranked Trojans play eighth-ranked Ohio State on Saturday night in Columbus. It might be easier said than done. More than 105,000 Buckeyes fans are expected to pack Ohio Stadium to see if Ohio State can avenge last season's embarrassing 35-3 loss to the Trojans and restore a bit of Big Ten Conference pride.

USC's offensive line has played only one game in its current configuration and is readying for a test on Saturday at Ohio State. But the unit left quite an impression on San Jose State Coach Dick Tomey . On Monday, after reviewing tape of the Trojans' season-opening 56-3 victory over the Spartans, Tomey said the Trojans' line was "the best I've competed against as a coach," adding that the Trojans "might have four first-round draft choices...

Matt Barkley enjoyed the relative comfort of home in his debut as USC's starting quarterback, more than 85,000 fans cheering the freshman as he led the Trojans to a season-opening victory over San Jose State. The atmosphere will be about 100,000 times more hostile Saturday when the Trojans play Ohio State at the "Horseshoe" in Columbus. More than 105,000 fans are expected to fill Ohio Stadium to root on the Buckeyes and make things especially tough on a true freshman quarterback playing his first road game.

No. 8 Ohio State This is a big year for the Big Ten Conference and poster-program Ohio State, still making equity withdrawals from the miracle of the 2002 season that ended with a stunning double-overtime win over Miami in the Fiesta Bowl. That's the game, you'll recall, in which Miami players ran onto the field to the bursts of fireworks thinking they had won the national championship in overtime only to get stage-hooked back to the sideline by a penalty call that resulted in Ohio State running onto the field to celebrate.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- It was as if a stadium full of more than 105,000 people were suddenly empty. An eerie silence descended on Ohio Stadium when Ohio State's Heisman Trophy prospect Chris "Beanie" Wells went down because of a foot injury in the third quarter of the second-ranked Buckeyes' 43-0 victory over Youngstown State on Saturday. All of a sudden, what seemed like a nice tuneup for the mammoth showdown in two weeks against No. 3 USC seemed secondary. "First and foremost, you really can't replace Beanie," wide receiver Brian Robiskie said.

Security procedures before Saturday's Michigan-Ohio State game have enraged Wolverine Coach Lloyd Carr. Carr expressed his displeasure with his team and staff being subjected to searches by drug and bomb-sniffing dogs upon their arrival at Ohio Stadium. The searches were conducted in front of Buckeye fans, Carr said, making the situation even more humiliating. "I found it extremely disrespectful," Carr told the Detroit Free Press. "It was a violation of our individual rights."

Matt Barkley's parents stopped by USC on Tuesday to say hello to their son and deliver a small gift on his 19th birthday. "That's his present," his father Les chuckled, pointing to a sandwich in a plastic bag. "Turkey with extra mayo." The Barkleys' no-big-deal attitude is the same one Coach Pete Carroll wants his young quarterback to maintain when the third-ranked Trojans play eighth-ranked Ohio State on Saturday night in Columbus. It might be easier said than done. More than 105,000 Buckeyes fans are expected to pack Ohio Stadium to see if Ohio State can avenge last season's embarrassing 35-3 loss to the Trojans and restore a bit of Big Ten Conference pride.

at No. 13 Ohio State 30, Illinois 0: Dan Herron slogged through a downpour for two touchdowns as the Buckeyes (3-1, 1-0) collected a second straight shutout for the first time in 13 years. Quarterback Juice Williams, who engineered a 28-21 upset of top-ranked Ohio State the last time the Fighting Illini (1-2, 0-1) came to Ohio Stadium, and his offense were held to 170 yards. at No. 23 Michigan 36, Indiana 33: Tate Forcier led another fourth-quarter scoring drive, connecting with Martavious Odoms with 2 minutes 29 seconds left to give the Wolverines (4-0, 1-0)

Craig Krenzel was more worried about losing the game than his starting job. Krenzel threw three touchdown passes and Lydell Ross ran for 125 yards to lead No. 7 Ohio State to a 33-23 victory over No. 14 Michigan State at Columbus, Ohio, on Saturday. The defending national champion Buckeyes won their 15th consecutive home game before a crowd of 105,194, the second largest ever at Ohio Stadium.

When Joe Paterno came to Penn State in 1950, the football team played in a 30,000-seat steel stadium with no locker rooms, one scoreboard and a handful of bathrooms. Paterno, then an assistant under Rip Engle, will coach in a far more spacious and luxurious stadium on Saturday when the Nittany Lions open their season against the University of Miami.