COLUMBUS – The Scarlet defeated the Gray, 34-33, in the annual LifeSports Spring Game, presented by Union Home Mortgage, Saturday afternoon at Ohio Stadium.
A crowd of 80,012 turned out on a warm, sunny day in Columbus as a national audience watched on broadcast television. Fox’s live coverage of the intrasquad scrimmage was the first live broadcast of a college football spring game.
The final score could have looked differently after quarterback Air Noland threw an interception with seconds remaining in the fourth quarter that was returned to the opposite end zone have. What would have been a touchdown in a game was blown dead after the interception, so the defense had to settle for three points for the takeaway instead of six points.
The scrimmage pitted the offense, wearing scarlet jerseys, against the gray-clad defense.
Points were awarded to the offense the traditional way — on touchdowns and field goals — while the defense earned points off touchdowns, takeaways, sacks and other achievements.
There was no clear winner in the contest to win the starting quarterback job though Kansas State transfer Will Howard took the first snaps.
Howard, Noland and three others combined to pass for 357 yards and one touchdown with four interceptions.
Julian Sayin played in the second half and led the passing with 85 yards and threw one interception.
The Scarlet squad rushed for 243 yards, led by three true freshmen.
Sam Williams-Dixon had 75 yards and a touchdown, Noland had 42 net yards and James Peoples had 36 yards and a score.
C.J. Hicks led the Gray with eight tackles while safety Inky Jones had seven.