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 Custom Avalanche Jerseys . It was just business as usual for the Thunder at home. Durant scored 32 points and the Thunder beat the Bulls 107-95 on Thursday night for their eighth straight win. Custom Avalanche Jersey China . -- Golden State Warriors coach Mark Jackson asked his players a simple question during Fridays morning shootaround: How many of them had ever been on a team 14 games over . http://www.customavalanchejersey.com/ . 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At the end of round three, Chawrasia was in tied-22nd place.Chawrasias compatriot Anirban Lahiri registered his third successive over-par score, shooting 4-over 75, to virtually rule himself out of contention for a medal. Lahiri was tied-57th at the end of round three.Chawrasias start was explosive, with birdies on the 604-yard par-five 1st, 547-yard par-five 5th and the 196-yard par-three 6th, before a bogey on the par-four 7th. He would shoot another birdie and a bogey within the next four holes, before successive birdies on the 479-yard par-four 13th and the 229-yard par-three 14th took him up to tied-11th at one stage. He would finish his round with by dropping shots on the 133-yard par-three 17th aand the 571-yard par-five 18th -- taking his overall score to 2-under 211 -- and will now need an exceptional fourth round for a podium finish.ddddddddddddahiri, who teed off earlier, dropped as many as five shots in the front nine while scoring just one birdie on the 351-yard par-four 3rd, before suffering a double bogey on the 191-yard par-three 4th. His overall score dropped to 10-over at one stage when he bogeyed the 229-yard par-three 14th.He would register a birdie on the 303-yard par-four 16th to finish with 9-over 222.Siddikur Rahman, Bangaldeshs first Olympian?also shot 4-over -- scoring bogeys on the 1st, 10th, 12th and the 17th holes -- which took his overall tally to 7-over 220. He was 55th at the end of the third day.? ' ' '