Associated Press Photo
COLUMBUS, Ohio (Sports Network) - Braxton Miller threw for 143 yards and ran for a pair of touchdowns, as No. 16 Ohio State defeated UAB, 29-15, on Saturday.
Miller completed 12-of-20 passes and rushed for 64 yards on 11 carries for the Buckeyes (4-0), who were coming off a narrow, 35-28 win over California.
Jordan Hall had 105 yards on 17 carries in Saturday's victory, while Rod Smith and Zach Boren both ran for a score. Corey Brown added 67 yards on four catches.
Austin Brown threw for 196 yards and an interception on 21-of-35 passing for the Blazers (0-3), who took on a ranked opponent for the second straight game after falling to then-No. 8 South Carolina, 49-6, last Saturday.
Darrin Reaves rushed for 72 yards on 16 carries in the setback and Ty Long made 3-of-4 field goal attempts.
The Blazers cut their deficit to 21-15 early in the fourth quarter when Long made a 34-yard field goal to cap a 16-play, 80-yard drive, which lasted more than seven minutes.
They moved into field goal range again after an Ohio State 3-and-out, several completions by Brown, and a 15-yard taunting penalty on Christian Bryant. But Long, who had made his previous 11 field goals, pulled his 46-yard attempt wide left.
The Buckeyes capitalized on Long's rare miss with an 10-play touchdown march.
Miller hit three different receivers during the drive and ripped off a 17-yard run before reaching the end zone on a short keeper with 5:03 remaining. He then found the edge and stiff-armed his way to a two-point conversion for a 29-15 advantage.
Brown was intercepted by a leaping Doran Grant two plays into UAB's next drive as the Buckeyes held on to secure their fourth straight win.
Ohio State got off to a sluggish start, resulting in an early 9-0 deficit.
UAB fumbled away the football on its first possession, but the Buckeyes failed to capitalize and lined up to punt on 4th-and-2. Ben Buchanan never got the kick off, however, as Cortez Webb got a hand on the ball before Nick Adams scooped it up and scampered 20 yards for a touchdown.
Long missed the extra point, but he atoned with a 47-yard field goal early in the second quarter to make it 9-0.
The Buckeyes notched their first third down conversion of the game on their next touch courtesy of a short burst by Smith, who followed with runs of 12 and one yard to cap the 75-yard touchdown march.
Long answered with a 54-yard field goal, but Ohio State closed the quarter with a pair of scores to take a 21-12 lead into the half.
Miller sparked the late flurry, which began with a five-play, 75-yard touchdown trek. The sophomore signal caller completed four straight passes on the drive, including consecutive connections with Brown of at least 20 yards, before eluding a defender and extending the ball into the end zone on a 12- yard draw.
Kennard Backman fumbled two plays into the Blazers' next possession and Grant recovered the ball at the UAB 32.
Miller then reeled off a 19-yard run and found Brown for 11 yards before Boren scored from two yards away.
The Blazers recovered an onside kick to open the second half but went 3-and- out, beginning a string of back-and-forth punts which highlighted a scoreless third quarter.