SAN ANTONIO – Controversies persist. Opportunities for distraction abound. Adversity becomes their 12th Man just minutes into the game.

And the Buckeyes roll merrily along.

The more trouble accumulates off the field, the better they seem to play on it. The No. 22 Buckeyes proved it again Wednesday night with a 33-7 victory over Oklahoma State in the Alamo Bowl before a sellout crowd of 65,265 fans at the Alamodome.

Highly focused and lethally efficient, Ohio State (8-4) authored a dominating performance in blocking out 10 days worth of controversy surrounding suspended quarterback Troy Smith and illegal cash payments he accepted from a Dayton-area booster.

Massillon graduate Justin Zwick, playing for the first time since Oct. 13, overcame inactivity and a first-quarter hamstring injury to throw for 190 yards and a touchdown that helped Ohio State build a 23-0 halftime lead. Multi-talented freshman Ted Ginn Jr. added to his budding legend by taking five snaps at quarterback and setting up a TD with a spectacular 42-yard reception.

The Buckeyes defense, meanwhile, forced two turnovers, battered quarterback Donovan Woods and held running back Vernand Morency to 20 yards on eight carries. The all-around effort was made complete by All-American kicker Mike Nugent, who contributed four field goals and became Ohio State’s all-time leading scorer.

Even senior Lydell Ross, who served a one-game, midseason suspension, had 99 yards on 12 carries.

Not a bad outing for a team supposedly in turmoil. Of course, Jim Tressel’s bunch has become proficient in handling distractions since Maurice Clarett was suspended a year ago for accepting improper benefits and then accused the Buckeyes program of wide-ranging improprieties.

Ohio State finished the season winning five of its last six games after starting 3-3.

The self-destructive Cowboys (7-5), who might be on the verge of losing their coach, Les Miles, to Louisiana State, did not exhibit the same cool as the Buckeyes when confronted with circumstances beyond their immediate control.

The team with the nation’s best turnover margin gave away the ball on two of its first three possessions, leading to 10 Ohio State points. Two shanked punts – perhaps the result of trying to keep the ball out of Ginn’s clutches – added to glorious first-half field position.

Zwick took full advantage in his first appearance since separating his shoulder at Iowa. The redshirt sophomore completed 17-of-27 passes and looked competent directing an offense that has made substantial strides since he last played. He even threw a crushing block on a fourth-quarter Ginn reverse.

Zwick’s performance likely will quell talk of a possible transfer. On the first drive, he found Anthony Gonzalez for a 23-yard TD. Zwick gave fans and the coaching staff a scare on the next series when he tweaked his left hamstring while scrambling. Tressel had feared an injury to Zwick might force him to burn the redshirt of freshman Todd Boeckman.

But Zwick recovered and did his best Lance Armstrong impression riding an exercise bike on the sideline to keep the hamstring loose. Ginn filled in admirably, running mostly quarterback draws, and never throwing a pass. He scored on a 5-yard run to make it 30-0 midway through the third quarter.

Ginn was typically explosive in his role of receiver. He set up a second-quarter TD by catching a short pass on the left sideline, faking out two defenders and reversing his field for a 42-yard gain. He raced 28 yards on a third-quarter drive that he capped with the 5-yard run. He caught six passes for 78 yards.

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(c) 2004, Akron Beacon Journal (Akron, Ohio).

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PHOTOS (from KRT Photo Service, 202-383-6099): ALAMOBOWL

AP-NY-12-30-04 0018EST