Buckeye Come Up Short, 21-24
Jerod Smalley
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By Jerod Smalley
Sports Anchor & Reporter
Published: January 5, 2009
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.—Thousands of empty seats stood out in University of Phoenix Stadium. They missed a dynamite finish.
Ohio State overcame an 11 point second-half deficit to pull ahead of #3 Texas Monday night in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl. But the Longhorns pulled off a dramatic last-second touchdown drive to send the Bucks to their third straight bowl defeat, 24-21.
The first half began as a kicking contest. Ohio State took an early 3-0 lead on a 51-yard field goal by Aaron Pettrey. Texas evened the game in the 2nd quarter on a 27yard field goal by Hunter Lawrence. Ryan Pretorius put the Bucks back in front with a field goal to set OSU to a 6-3 halftime lead. Texas QB Colt McCoy was intercepted in the final seconds of the 1st half at the OSU 1 yard line by Anderson Russell.
Texas stormed ahead in the 3rd quarter with two touchdowns, first a McCoy td run and then a TD toss to Quan Cosby. Texas gained 14 first downs in the 3rd quarter, compared to zero for the Buckeyes.
OSU managed another field goal by Pettrey to pull within one possession at 17-9. Then in the 4th quarter the Bucks used their two quarterback tandem to perfection. Todd Boeckman lobbed a pass into the endzone for Terrelle Pryor who made the first touchdown catch of his career. The Bucks missed the two-point conversion keeping OSU two points behind at 17-15.
After a Texas 3-and-out, the Bucks went back to work. OSU grinds out an 85 yard drive, ending with a 15 yard touchdown run by Boom Herron, lifting the Bucks into a 21-17 lead with 2:05 to play. A 2-point conversion try failed.
Texas drove near midfield and picked up a crucial 4th down by inches. Then McCoy found Cosby on a quick pass over the middle, who then sprinted untouched to the endzone for the game-winning score.
Ohio State finishes its season 10-3 and sends 28 seniors out tied as the winningest class in school history (43 wins) but with losses in four straight national showcase games.
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Reader Reactions
Posted by ( Oscar ) on January 06, 2009 at 7:15 pm
It’s a great day the bucks lose another bowl game again, But O.S.U. will probly give good old coach a raise again. I love it I love it I love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Posted by ( tbuck75 ) on January 06, 2009 at 10:20 am
mspenc21 you are a moron. Be VERY careful what you wish for! Michigan was unhappy with a good coach and now look where they are. Make up your mind - you say that we need to go in a different direction but if we beat USC next year all is forgotten? We lost to a very good team on a neutral field by 3 points. This loss hurts, but THANK YOU to the 28 Seniors for a helluva ride and “one more year” Beanie! We don’t need a new head coach - we need a new Offensive Coordinator that will utilize the talent that we have. Go Bucks!
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Posted by ( hphuffman ) on January 06, 2009 at 7:01 am
I realize that a Buckeye defeat was not the anticipated outcome of our 3rd bowl game, but come on, it truly isn’t about whether you lose or win, it is about the character and constitution of the team and how they handle the wins/losses. I feel very proud of these Buckeyes because despite what others have said about this team not being aboe to “get the job done” they keep coming back week after week with a continued postive outlook. This is one of the most professional collegiate organizations in the history of Ohio State history and they have wonderful leadership and guidance under Coach Tressel. Yes, a bowl game win would have been a wonderful and fitting end for these guys, but just remember—this is the team that has beat Michigan for several years in a row…still counts as some of the most impressive wins in OSU history and I, as just one individual, am very proud to call this team the Buckeyes—let’s look at this as what it is-just another game, so less or more important then any other in the end. Ya’ll have done good for the past 5 years as a team, hold on to your accomplishments, not your disappointments. In closing, let me say I have never posted a comment any where before, but after seeing your faces-I had to do something-however small it may be. We love our
Bucks! Thank you for a wonderful, thrilling game and past several years. We love you all.
GO BUCLS!!!
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Posted by ( sc gamecock fan ) on January 06, 2009 at 6:57 am
Well buckeye fans im sorry you lost but i knew it was going to happen,As far as the National Championship goes I’m going for Florida even though they beat us gotta go for the SEC.
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Posted by ( mspenc21 ) on January 06, 2009 at 2:16 am
I would hate to break it to you but football today is not the same as football 10 years ago. Sure playing for a national championship is nice. But why dont we atleast show up for one.
As for coaches. Well…Urban Meyer has never lost the big game. But thats just history. But I suggest Brian Kelly. Football is moving to a spread offense with speed. He has been running it at two levels for a very long time. Im sure he could beat Michigan. And if that doesnt work. How about someone who can recruit speed from California, Texas, and Florida. Ohio does not have the best football talent. Its just a fact. I am thankful. But cmon, beating bad big 10 teams, and Michigan every year will get us no where. But again, if you enjoy being laughed at nationally. Well good for you.
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Posted by ( The Bulldog ) on January 06, 2009 at 2:13 am
Who would you like to see coach the Buckeye’s other than Jim Tressel? Just curious.
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Posted by ( mspenc21 ) on January 06, 2009 at 2:10 am
Well if youre content with being embarrassed in national games, and only having moral victories thats fine. And Im not worried about 3-3 in the BCS. Lets look at the overall record. Florida 41-14. LSU 38-24. USC 35-3. Texas 24-21. We fired Cooper because we couldnt beat Michigan. So now we cant win the the big games nationally. Maybe we need to start to look for someone who can take us to the next level. But again, if we play well against USC next year. I will forget all about it.Personally. We deserve better. We should not have been in this game, nor should we have been in the National Championship game last year. We never showed up for the USC game, and I really think we forgot what time the Penn State game started. But the record speaks for its self. The big 10, and Ohio State, is too big, to slow, and being passed by other programs. Soon even Michigan will have better athletes then us. I am greatful for the succes. But like I said. If we cant atleast show up against USC next year. Its time to look at the future.
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Posted by ( The Bulldog ) on January 06, 2009 at 2:09 am
From Wikipedia…
Since becoming Ohio State’s 22nd head football coach, Jim Tressel coached teams have played for three National Championships (winning one in 2002), achieving the first 14–0 season record in major college football since Penn went 15–0 in 1897.[1] He has an overall record of 83-18, including five Big Ten Conference championships, a 4–4 bowl record (3–2 in BCS bowl games) and a 7–1 record against arch-rival Michigan. Tressel’s seven wins against Michigan place him second in school history to Woody Hayes’ 16, and alone in Ohio State football history in winning seven of his first eight meetings with the Wolverines, as well as being the only Ohio State head coach to win 5 consecutive games against Michigan
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Posted by ( The Bulldog ) on January 06, 2009 at 2:02 am
Funny…some are arguing that Texas is actually the best team in the country…and we only lost by 3 points on a last second touchdown by a record setting quarterback.
So we lost the game, but we were in it until the bitter end, despite being a double digit underdog. I’m proud of our guys, and Coach Tressel. You should be too.
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Posted by ( The Bulldog ) on January 06, 2009 at 1:54 am
Well…that didn’t take long. Tressel is 3 and 3 in BCS bowl games…there are some teams that would be thrilled to even be in a single BCS bowl game and yet, the “alums” are already talking about us moving backward.
Thanks for proving my point…many OSU fans are spoiled brats…Tressel could beat the U of M for the next 10 seasons in a row, and if he finally lost on the 11th game, you’d be calling for his head.
By the way, who would you like to see as OSU’s coach? Which coach is out there walking on water and healing the lame and blind? Which one has never lost “the big game” before?
Grow up and be thankful for the quality coach, program and players we have at Ohio State. Too bad we can’t recruit the right types of fans.
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