COLUMBUS Buckeyes expect tough game against Marshall

The Thundering Herd was upset by Troy it its opener, 17-15.
COLUMBUS (AP) -- After losing at home to Troy last week, almost no one would think Marshall has a shot at beating No. 9 Ohio State on Saturday. And that's just fine with the Thundering Herd.
"It's a brand new day," offensive tackle Nate Griffin said. "None of that matters. So we're back again, we're going to Columbus and we'll see how it turns out."
Marshall is coming off an embarrassing 17-15 loss to Troy. The Thundering Herd had only 25 yards rushing and totaled 177 yards of offense while surrendering eight sacks and losing the ball twice on turnovers.
"We've got to show mass improvement on offense to keep up with anybody, much less a top team," Marshall coach Bob Pruett said.
Pulled some stunners
Marshall has a history of toppling big-name programs. Last year alone, the Herd shocked No. 6 Kansas State and barely lost another road game at No. 11 Tennessee.
So despite the Herd's sloppy opener, the Buckeyes expect a tough game.
"They're going to come in here with a point to prove having lost their first game," starting quarterback Justin Zwick said.
Linebacker A.J. Hawk said the Buckeyes aren't listening to what their fans have to say about Marshall.
"Marshall's a great team and people are trying to say, 'Ah, they lost to Troy State.' But we watched the film of Troy. They're a good team," he said.
Buckeyes win opener
While the Herd were getting beaten at home, Ohio State was dominating Cincinnati 27-6. The Buckeyes piled up 220 yards rushing -- their most in 22 games since Maurice Clarett was in the backfield. Lydell Ross gained 141 yards on 17 carries to take some of the pressure off sophomore quarterbacks Zwick and Troy Smith.
There were some negatives that need to be corrected, however. Zwick threw two interceptions and fumbled four times. The defense didn't get a sack or a turnover.
"We've got to get better and there's a lot of areas we've got to get better [in]," coach Jim Tressel said. "I'll tell you this, we can't lose the turnover margin 3-0 and win any games.
Too many turnovers
"So if you want to talk about one main area that better get better, it's turnover margin. Now, there are 50 others that need to get better too, but that's a big one."
If Marshall can't find a way to run the ball, it could be another long day for the Herd. Earl Charles rushed for 1,039 yards and 12 touchdowns a year ago as a junior and was expected to excel this season, particularly with a veteran line up front. But he managed just 56 yards on 21 carries against Troy.
"Offensively, we were horrendous," Pruett said.