COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Curtis Samuel ran for a 3-yard touchdown with 9:43 left to give Ohio State a lead and J.T. Barrett converted two key third downs on a game-sealing drive to give the sixth-ranked Buckeyes a 24-20 victory Saturday against Northwestern.After being upset by Penn State last week, the Buckeyes offense struggled against another multi-touchdown underdog. The Buckeyes (7-1, 4-1 Big Ten) punted on five straight drives in one stretch, but responded to Northwestern tying it at 17 with a touchdown drive, capped by Samuel.Northwestern (4-4, 3-2 Big Ten) then got to the Ohio State 3, but settled for a 33-yard Jack Mitchell field goal to close to 24-20 with 3:31 left. The Buckeyes mounted a final clock-eating drive. Barrett hit Noah Brown for 16 yards on third-and-8 and then took off on a 35-yard run to convert a third-and-10 to put the Buckeyes in the clear.It was a pretty good chess match back and forth, and I just loved the way we finished it off, Ohio State coach Urban Meyer said.Barrett was 21 for 32 for 223 yards, but didnt complete a pass over 19 yards until the fourth quarter.Mike Weber rushed 14 times for 87 yards and two touchdowns, the first coming on Ohio States opening drive. He chugged around the right end for a 23-yard score in the second quarter.Samuel ran the ball seven times and caught seven passes for 99 total yards.Clayton Thorson was 25 for 42 for 256 yards with a touchdown and a first-quarter interception for Northwestern. Austin Carr, the Big Tens leading receiver, caught eight passes for 158 yards.It obviously didnt start the way we wanted it to, spotting them a couple scores, but the guys didnt flinch and kept swinging, Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald said. And, you know, we ended up one punch short.THE TAKEAWAYNorthwestern: The Wildcats continue to improve and showed their Big Ten wins werent a fluke. They nearly pulled off another one in Ohio Stadium. Still, the Wildcats have not won in Columbus since 1971.We came here to win, and not getting it done is bitterly disappointing, Fitzgerald said.Ohio State: Smarting from last weeks upset, the Buckeyes at least escaped with a win over a big underdog. But problems with their passing game persist, and they need to improve to get through the rest of the schedule unscathed.Were a project, were still working things out, Meyer said. But I promise you Im going to enjoy this win.POLL IMPLICATIONSOhio States effort might cost it a spot or two in the AP Top 25.PASSING GAME WOESBarrett, who had trouble getting the vertical passing game to click in the loss to Penn State as receivers struggled for separation, didnt complete a pass that gained over 15 yards until K.J. Hill turned a sideline completion into a 34-yard play in the fourth quarter. The vertical passing game still isnt clicking.INJURY REPORTStarting Ohio State wide receiver Parris Campbell left the game after he was injured blocking for Samuel in the fourth quarter. Meyer said hes got a sprained ankle. X-rays showed its not broken.UP NEXTNorthwestern: The Wildcats return home to play No. 11 Wisconsin.Ohio State: The Buckeyes host No. 7 Nebraska.---More AP college football: www.collegefootball.ap.orgFollow Mitch Stacy at http://twitter.com/mitchstacy Nike Air Max 1 Store . "I wrote 36 on my sheet at the beginning of the game," the Cincinnati coach said, referring the yard line the ball would need to be snapped from. Nike Air Max 1 2022 .5 seconds to play in the game, Kevin Love never stopped believing that they would come out of there with a win. https://www.cheapairmax1store.com/ . -- Gus Malzahn finally had his day in Fayetteville. Nike Air Max 1 . -- Jimmie Johnson held off a teammate, passed a pair of Hall of Famers, and dominated once more at Dover. Replica Nike Air Max 1 . Fellow centre Pavel Datsyuk remains out because of a concussion. Zetterberg has 11 goals and 19 assists for a team-high 30 points, and Datsyuk has a team-high 12 goals and 11 assists. WACO, Texas -- School officials say a Texas high school football player is in intensive care after suffering an injury during a playoff game.Conroe Independent School District spokeswoman Sarah Blakelock said in a statement Monday that Grant Milton was injured during the regional football playoff game Saturday in Waco. A spokesman at Scott & White Medical Center-Hillcrest listed him in critical condition.She said the senior at The Woodlands HHigh School had required emergency surgery after the injury.ddddddddddddBlakelock directed questions on the details of the injury to a CaringBridge page set up for Milton. The page said he had suffered a head injury.The Woodlands beat Austin Bowie 52-31 in the game at McLane Stadium on the Baylor University campus. ' ' '