CollegeFootballDigestfrom CooperSearch

1984 Ohio State

9–⁠3 (7–⁠2 Big Ten), coached by Earle Bruce, finished No. 13 in the AP poll.

Schedule and results

Ohio State in 1984, game by game: won vs. Oregon State 22–14; won vs. Washington State 44–0; won vs. No. 14 Iowa 45–26; won at Minnesota 35–22; lost at Purdue 23–28; won vs. Illinois 45–38; won at Michigan State 23–20; lost at Wisconsin 14–16; won vs. Indiana 50–7; won at Northwestern 52–3; won vs. Michigan 21–6; lost vs. No. 18 USC 17–20+49−5Won 22–14 vs. Oregon State+8Oregon StateWon 44–0 vs. Washington State+44Washington StateWon 45–26 vs. No. 14 Iowa+19No. 14 IowaWon 35–22 at Minnesota+13MinnesotaLost 23–28 at Purdue-5PurdueWon 45–38 vs. Illinois+7IllinoisWon 23–20 at Michigan State+3Michigan StateLost 14–16 at Wisconsin-2WisconsinWon 50–7 vs. Indiana+43IndianaWon 52–3 at Northwestern+49NorthwesternWon 21–6 vs. Michigan+15MichiganLost 17–20 vs. No. 18 USC-3No. 18 USC
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below.
DateOpponentResultElo
Sep 8vsOregon StateW 22–⁠1487%
Sep 15vsWashington StateW 44–⁠071%
Sep 22vs14IowaW 45–⁠2667%
Sep 29atMinnesotaW 35–⁠2284%
Oct 6atPurdueL 23–⁠2871%
Oct 13vsIllinoisW 45–⁠3866%
Oct 20atMichigan StateW 23–⁠2070%
Oct 27atWisconsinL 14–⁠1664%
Nov 3vsIndianaW 50–⁠791%
Nov 10atNorthwesternW 52–⁠386%
Nov 17vsMichiganW 21–⁠670%
Jan 1Bowls & playoffvs18USCRose BowlL 17–⁠2067%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Lost to USC 20–⁠17 in the Rose Bowl; No. 13 in the final AP poll; Big Ten champions.

In program history: The 51st-best season in program history by end-of-season Elo (of 128 on file).

AP poll, week by week

  1. Wk 1: 7
  2. Wk 2: 6
  3. Wk 3: 9
  4. Wk 4: 5
  5. Wk 5: 3
  6. Wk 6: 2
  7. Wk 7: 8
  8. Wk 8: 8
  9. Wk 9: 6
  10. Wk 10: 16
  11. Wk 11: 13
  12. Wk 12: 11
  13. Wk 13: 8
  14. Wk 14: 6
  15. Wk 15: 6
  16. Final: 13

Players on this team

Before 2004 our records hold honors and the draft; these are the players whose college years here, from their Wikipedia articles or their honors, include 1984.

Big Ten champions7–⁠2 in the conference

Heisman voteKeith Byars, second

Led the nationKeith Byars: rushing yards (1,764 yds), rushing touchdowns (22 TD), points (144 pts), points per game (13.1)

2 consensus All-AmericansJim Lachey, OG; Keith Byars, RB

Record
9–⁠3
Conference
7–⁠2 first in Big Ten
AP final
No. 13 peak No. 2
Points
391–⁠200
Coach
Earle Bruce
Elo
1679 +42 this season
SP+ rating
16.6 No. 10 of 106; offense No. 10, defense No. 39
SRS
14.8 No. 7 of 110 in Division I-A
Recruiting class
—
Offensive coordinator
Glen Mason
Defensive coordinator
Bob Tucker
Captains
Pepper Johnson, Mark Krerowicz, Kirk Lowdermilk and Mike Tomczak
Most valuable player
Keith Byars

Drafted in 1985

The 1985 draft
Rd 1Jim Lachey OTSan Diego Chargers
Rd 3Kirk Lowdermilk CMinnesota Vikings
Rd 6Mark Krerowicz OGCleveland Browns

All-Big Ten

6 first team, 1 second team

First team

Second team

  • Scott ZalenskiOGAP-2; UPI-2

From Wikipedia’s 1984 all-conference team article, with the selectors that named each player (AP-1: the Associated Press’s first team).

1984 Big Ten standings

Conference page
TeamConf.OverallAP final
Ohio State7–⁠29–⁠313
Illinois6–⁠37–⁠4
Purdue6–⁠37–⁠5
Iowa5–⁠3–⁠18–⁠4–⁠116
Wisconsin5–⁠3–⁠17–⁠4–⁠1
Michigan State5–⁠46–⁠6
Michigan5–⁠46–⁠6
Minnesota3–⁠64–⁠7
Northwestern2–⁠72–⁠9
Indiana0–⁠90–⁠11

Ordered by conference winning percentage, then conference wins. Division splits and tiebreakers aren’t applied.