San Diego State at No. 3 Ohio State football preview

9/7/2013

San Diego State at No. 3 Ohio State

■ Time: 3:30 p.m.

■ Records: SDSU 0-1; OSU 1-0.

■ TV: 13

■ Series: OSU leads series 3-0

■ Favorite: OSU by 28

■ Notes: Ohio State is 7-1 all-time against current members of the Mountain West Conference, with its lone loss coming in the 1990 Liberty Bowl to Air Force. ... With 2,063 career rushing yards, Braxton Miller needs just 18 more to pass Cornelius Greene as the Buckeyes’ all-time leading rusher among quarterbacks. ... SDSU lost 23 straight games to ranked teams between 1997 and 2009 before winning two of its last six — including a 21-19 win at No. 19 Boise State last season. ... The Aztecs return 15 starters from last year’s MWC co-champions, but endured a stunning 40-19 home loss to FCS Eastern Illinois in their opener. ... The game will match a pair of old Mountain West Conference coaching rivals. In 2003, Rocky Long handed Urban Meyer his last loss at Utah — the Aztec coach leading New Mexico past the then-No. 23 Utes 47-35. Long laughed when asked if he could tap the same well a decade later. “That’s a fallacy that we outschemed Meyer once before,” Long said. “I have yet to see a coach win a football game.” ... The Buckeyes’ defense should be back at full strength, with the return of All-American cornerback Bradley Roby (suspension) and senior safety C.J. Barnett (ankle).