American college football season
The1959 Ohio State Buckeyes football team was anAmerican football team that represented theOhio State University as a member of theBig Ten Conference during the1959 Big Ten season . In their ninth year under head coachWoody Hayes , the Buckeyes compiled a 3–5–1 record (2–4–1 in conference games), tied for eighth place in the Big Ten, and were outscored by a total of 114 to 83. They were ranked No. 7 at the start of the season, but lost games against No. 11USC , No. 20Illinois , No. 12Wisconsin , No. 15Iowa , and unrankedMichigan .[ 1]
The team's statistical leaders included quarterbackTom Matte (439 passing yards, 54.9% completion percentage); fullbackBob Ferguson (371 rushing yards, 6.1 yards per carry); and endJim Houston (11 receptions for 214 yards).[ 2] 1959 All-Big Ten Conference football team .[ 3] [ 4]
The team played its home games atohio Stadium inColumbus, Ohio .
Date Opponent Rank Site Result Attendance Source September 26 Duke * No. 12 W 14–1382,834 [ 5] October 2 at No. 11USC * No. 14 L 0–1749,592 October 10 No. 20Illinois L 0–982,980 October 17 No. 6Purdue W 15–083,391 October 24 at No. 12Wisconsin No. 20 L 3–1255,440 October 31 Michigan State W 30–2483,130 November 7 Indiana T 0–082,075 November 14 No. 16Iowa L 7–1682,126 [ 6] November 21 atMichigan L 14–2390,093 *Non-conference game Rankings fromAP Poll released prior to the game
Team 1 2 3 4 Total Duke 0 0 0 13 13 • Ohio State 7 0 0 7 14
Date: September 26Location: Ohio Stadium Game attendance: 82,834Game weather: Clear, 83 °F (28 °C)
Scoring summary Q1 OSU Ferguson 15 yard run (Kilgore kick) OSU 7–0 Q4 DUKE Wilson 3 yard run (pass failed) OSU 7–6 Q4 DUKE McGee 1 yard run (Browning kick) DUKE 7–13 Q4 OSU Matte 22 yard pass to Bryant (Kilgore kick) OSU 14–13
Team 1 2 3 4 Total Ohio State 0 0 0 0 0 • Southern California 0 9 0 8 17
Scoring summary Q2 USC Zachik 27 yard field goal USC 0–3 Q2 USC Charles 38 yard pass to Hayes (kick field) USC 0–9 Q4 USC Charles 4 yard run (Charles to Wilder pass good) USC 0–17
Team 1 2 3 4 Total • Illinois 6 0 0 3 9 Ohio State 0 0 0 0 0
Date: October 10Location: Ohio Stadium Game attendance: 82,980Game weather: Clear, 68 °F (20 °C)
Scoring summary Q1 ILL Meyers 73 yard pass to Counts (kick failed) ILL 0–6 Q4 ILL Roberts 25 yard field goal ILL 0–9
Team 1 2 3 4 Total Purdue 0 0 0 0 0 • Ohio State 3 9 0 3 15
Date: October 17Location: Ohio Stadium Game attendance: 83,391Game weather: Cloudy, 58 °F (14 °C)
Scoring summary Q1 OSU Kilgore 36 yard field goal OSU 3–0 Q2 OSU Team safety OSU 5–0 Q2 OSU Fields punt return (Kilgore kick) OSU 12–0 Q4 OSU Kilgore 35 yard field goal OSU 15–0
Team 1 2 3 4 Total Ohio State 0 3 0 0 3 • Wisconsin 9 3 0 0 12
Scoring summary Q1 WIS Hackbart 7 yard run (Holzwarth kick) WIS 0–7 Q1 WIS Team safety WIS 0–9 Q1 OSU Kilgore 27 yard field goal WIS 3–9 Q4 WIS Holzwarth 27 yard field goal Wis 3–12
Team 1 2 3 4 Total Indiana 0 0 0 0 0 Ohio State 0 0 0 0 0
Date: November 7Location: Ohio Stadium Game attendance: 82,075Game weather: Cloudy, 36 °F (2 °C)
Ohio State: 127 yards total offense; 5 first downs; 8 punts for 333 yards; missed FGs from 58 and 50 yards
Indiana: 179 yards total offense; 11 first downs; 7 punts for 290 yards
Team 1 2 3 4 Total Iowa 7 0 0 0 7 • Ohio State 6 0 0 10 16
Date: MONTHDAYLocation: Ohio Stadium Game attendance: 82,126Game weather: Cloudy, 37 °F (3 °C)
Scoring summary Q1 IOWA Hollis 13 yard pass to Whiskr (kick failed) IOWA 0–6 Q1 OSU Detrick 1 yard run (Kilgore kick) OSU 7–6 Q4 IOWA Moore 26 yard field goal IOWA 7–9 Q4 IOWA Mauren 4 yard run (Moore kick) IOWA 7–16
^ "1959 Ohio State Buckeyes Schedule and Results" .SR/College Football . Sports Reference LLC. RetrievedJuly 29, 2025 .^ "1959 Ohio State Buckeyes Stats" .SR/College Football . Sports Reference LLC. RetrievedJuly 29, 2025 .^ Charles Chamberlain (November 24, 1959)."Lanphear Unanimous AP All-Big Ten Choice" .The LaCrosse Tribune . p. 12. ^ Ed Sainsbury (November 27, 1959)."4 Northwestern gridders make UPI all-Big 10 team; Norton, Jeter place" .Globe-Gazette, Mason City, Iowa . p. 12. ^ "OSU's late TD beats Duke, 14–13" .The Cincinnati Enquirer . September 27, 1959. RetrievedJanuary 19, 2024 – viaNewspapers.com .^ Bill Bryson (November 15, 1959)."Iowa Rally Beats Ohio, 16-7: Moore's Kick and Mauren Runs Win It; After Four Fumbles Hamper Attack" .Des Moines Sunday Register . p. 1, 9 (sports) – viaNewspapers.com .
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