By Fitzgerald Cecilio

Columbus, OH

Kenny Guiton led two touchdown drives in regulation and overtime as Ohio State survived the loss of star playmaker Braxton Miller to edge Purdue, 29-22, Saturday at Ohio Stadium for its eighth straight victory.

Guiton took over when Miller went down with an undisclosed injury late in the third quarter after he was thrown to the turf by cornerback Josh Johnson on a running play. Miller had to be taken to an area hospital.

The Boilermakers (3-4, 0-3Big Ten) were ahead by 22-14 when Guiton led the Buckeyes' seven-play, 61-yard drive with 47 seconds left in regulation, capping it with a two-yard touchdown pass to Chris Fields.

Guiton then found freshman Jeff Heuerman for a two-point pass to tie the game at 22 and force extra time.

In overtime, Guiton led a five-play, 25-yard drive that ended with running back Carlos Hyde's one-yard touchdown run that clinched it for the Buckeyes (8-0).

After the game, coach Urban Meyer heaped praise on Guiton, whose touchdown pass in the fourth quarter was the second of his career, with the first coming against Indiana last week.

"He's all Buckeye now. That family ought to be very proud. I know they are…Just what kind of kid he is. And I'm not talking about the game winning touchdown. Just what kind of kid he is, what kind of team player," Meyer said of Guiton.

"I just love Kenny Guiton. Especially when he hit the long pass, I really thought he was going to go in and overtime the energy in that stadium, how loud, that was louder than the Nebraska game," he added.

Guiton completed six of 11 passes for 77 yards with one touchdown and one interception.Miller finished the game 9-for-20 for 113 yards and no passing score. He also had 47 rushing yards on 12 carries with a touchdown in the first quarter.

Hyde finished with a game-high 91 rushing yards on 19 carries and two touchdowns while wide receiver Devin Smith tallied 48 yards on two receptions.

Sophomore linebacker Ryan Shazier led the team in tackles for the fifth time this season with 12 stops, including 1.5 tackles for loss and one pass breakup. He leads the team with 77 tackles in 2012.

Senior defensive lineman John Simon followed Shazier with nine tackles, one off his career high.

Caleb Terbush completed 19 of 30 passes for 230 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Boilermakers.

 

Backup Quarterback Guiton Shines as Ohio State Edges Purdue