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Texas quarterback Vince Young fumbles in the second quarter as Nate Salley assists on the tackle.
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OSU notebook: Smith, Young try to keep up friendship

OSU notebook: Smith, Young try to keep up friendship

COLUMBUS Last weekend, in the moments after their teams had recorded season-opening wins, what were Texas quarterback Vince Young and Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith doing? chatting on the phone with each other.

They met at a camp while both were in high school, Young at Houston s Madison High and Smith at Glenville in Cleveland. Young said the pair has stayed in touch, and despite being on opposite sides of last night s pressure-cooker matchup of nationally ranked powerhouses, they have maintained a friendship.

Troy and I respect each other, so there s none of that nonsense between us. We re friends, Young said.

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Young tried to motivate his Texas teammates to prepare for the Buckeyes this summer by challenging them to attend voluntary workouts.

If you want to beat Ohio State, meet me here every night at 7 p.m. Young s chalkboard message read.

We have been thinking about this game all summer long, Young said, and now it s here.

While Young was leading his Longhorns to a 60-3 win over Louisiana-Lafayette last week, Smith was reduced to spectator status for Ohio State s opening win over Miami as he served the final game of a two-game suspension for accepting illegal payments from a booster.

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Smith, who led Ohio State to a huge win over Michigan to end the 2004 season, entered last night s game near the end of the first quarter and had a 10-yard run to help lead the Buckeyes to their first score, a 45-yard field goal by Josh Huston.

METEOROLOGICAL TACTICS: Texas running back Selvin Young had come close to deciding on attending Ohio State when Texas coach Mack Brown lured him back with a fabricated weather report.

He looked at me like I was crazy, after I said I was going to Ohio State, Young said, and coach Brown came back five minutes later and said a snowstorm came in and it shut the whole school down. I said to myself, that s way too cold, I m not going there.

WOODY RECOGNIZED: Legendary former Ohio State head coach Woody Hayes was honored at halftime last night as grandchildren Laura Hayes and Phillip Hayes looked on.

A sign recognizing the accomplishments of Hayes during his almost three decades with the Buckeyes was unveiled on the west fa ade in Ohio Stadium.

NIGHT MOVES: Prior to last night, the Buckeyes had played under the lights 33 times in history.

Ohio State is now 25-9 overall, including bowl games, in games played at night.

Last night s loss was the first for Ohio State in a night game at Ohio Stadium. The Buckeyes had been 6-0 in home night games.

The last night game played in Columbus was a 28-9 win against No. 17 Washington in the 2003 season opener.

HARDWARE HAULERS: The Buckeyes have won seven national championships, produced 164 first-team All-Americans, and six Heisman Trophy winners.

Texas has had 110 players named first-team All-American, two Heisman Trophy winners and three national championships.

NEXT UP: Ohio State returns to action on Saturday. The Buckeyes are scheduled to play host to San Diego State at 3:30 p.m.

First Published September 11, 2005, 2:34 p.m.

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