OSU's Tressel: Lock on Toledo

9/15/2009

COLUMBUS — Ohio State coach Jim Tressel said this afternoon that he expects his team to get past the sting of Saturday's loss to Southern California, and avoid the distraction of looking ahead to the Big Ten schedule, which starts next week. Tressel wants the Buckeyes fully locked in on Toledo, he said at a news conference held at the Jack Nicklaus Museum on the OSU campus.

"If we're thinking about last week, or if we're thinking about the Big Ten and next week, then we're in trouble," Tressel said.

The Buckeyes (1-1) lost a potential national redemption game to USC 18-15 when the Trojans drove the length of the field in the final moments. Ohio State has Illinois to open the Big Ten schedule, knowing that the Illini came to Ohio Stadium and stunned the then unbeaten Buckeyes two years ago. Despite those forces tugging at his team, Tressel said he's seen no indication that Toledo does not have Ohio State's full attention.

"How good we're going to be is really determined by how well we can stay on what we need to do," Tressel said.

The Buckeyes and the Rockets (1-1) face off at noon on Saturday in Cleveland Browns Stadium.