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Potential pitfalls await Ohio State

The task only gets tougher for No. 1 Ohio State.

While the top-ranked Buckeyes looked awfully good in a 37-17 rout Saturday night of Penn State, potential pitfalls await in their quest for a second straight berth in the national title game.

Wisconsin visits Columbus on Saturday, followed by a Nov. 10 visit from Illinois and its potent offense.

Finally, there’s the annual season-ending rivalry game against Michigan — this year at the Big House.

“It’s a big step winning on the road at any time,” coach Jim Tressel said after the Buckeyes improved to 4-5 at Beaver Stadium. “Now we have to so see how good we are at home.”

AP Top 25 voters were impressed enough with the win over Penn State (6-3, 3-3) that the Buckeyes (9-0, 5-0 Big Ten) gained two first-place votes in this week’s poll. Ohio State notched its eighth double-digit win of the year.

Detractors had worried how first-year starting quarterback Todd Boeckman would fare in his toughest test to date at one of the rowdiest venues in the nation. The Nittany Lions had the nation’s seventh-best defense coming into the game.

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