Ohio State Football - Central Ohio News

Ohio State’s first national championship in 34 years came wrapped in one of the greatest games in college football history. It was played more than 2,000 miles from Columbus, in Tempe, Ariz., yet at least 80-percent of the fans in the 75,000-plus seat stadium were wearing scarlet and roaring for the Buckeyes, in deafening tones.

The No. 2-ranked Bucks were a 13-point underdog to undefeated and No. 1-ranked Miami, the defending national champion. Yet a brilliant defensive performance and an opportunistic offense combined to lead the Buckeyes to an incredible 31-24 double-overtime victory in the 2003 Fiesta Bowl.

Miami jumped to an early 7-0 lead on a Ken Dorsey TD pass in the first quarter. But the OSU defense turned to stone after that. Although Dorsey wound up with 299 yards passing, he wouldn’t dent the end zone again in regulation. In addition, the Buckeyes would force him into two interceptions and a fumble, and the offense would turn that into 14 points just before the half.

All-American safety Mike Doss picked off one pass near midfield and returned it to the Miami 15. The Buckeyes tied the game on quarterback Craig Krenzel’s ensuing 1-yard sneak. Moments later, Kenny Peterson sacked Dorsey and forced a fumble. It was recovered deep in Hurricane territory by teammate Darrion Scott. Tailback Maurice Clarett capped that short march with a 7-yard TD blast to give the Buckeyes a 14-7 halftime edge.

OSU stretched the lead to 17-7 after a bizarre play early in the third quarter. Krenzel threw an interception in the end zone and Miami safety Sean Taylor roared upfield with the return, but he was tackled and stripped all in one motion by Clarett, who recovered the ball before hitting the ground. That led to a Mike Nugent field goal and a shocking, 17-7 bulge.

The Hurricanes finally regrouped later in the period, when star tailback Willis McGahee finished a drive with a nine-yard TD dash. Miami threatened again in the fourth quarter, but Dustin Fox forced a fumble by Roscoe Parrish deep in Buckeye territory to kill a threat.

With less than three minutes remaining, OSU punted to Parrish, whose long return set up Miami inside the Ohio State 30. Once again the defense tightened, with Simon Fraser sacking Dorsey to force a Todd Seivers field goal try on the final play of regulation. The 40-yard kick slipped just inside the right upright to send the game to overtime at 17-17.

The Hurricanes scored first in the extra session on another Dorsey TD pass, but the Buckeyes responded. Krenzel found Michael Jenkins on a critical 4th-and-14 for a 17-yard gain. Moments later, Miami cornerback Glenn Sharpe was penalized for interfering with receiver Chris Gamble in the end zone on another fourth-down play. The call sparked controversy because official Terry Porter waited more than three seconds after the play to throw the flag, despite replays showing Sharpe with a handful of Gamble’s jersey. Krenzel later snuck in from the one to send the game to a second overtime at 24-24.

This time the Buckeyes struck first, with Clarett rumbling in from five yards out. The Hurricanes fought right back, reaching the OSU 2 with a first-and-goal. But three shots yielded a half-yard, and on fourth-down Dorsey was pressured by linebacker Cie Grant and threw incomplete in the end zone to finish a breathtaking, 31-24 contest.

The victory snapped Miami’s 34-game winning streak. The 24 points the Hurricanes scored were a season-low. They were also held to a season low in rushing yards (65) and their 369 total yards were their second worst output of the season. Ohio State’s four sacks were the most Miami allowed all year. Doss, the emotional leader of the defense, was selected the game’s Defensive MVP.

Meanwhile, the OSU offense never mustered a drive longer than 25 yards, and that came in overtime. Krenzel's 80 yards rushing were a game-high, and landed him the Offensive MVP award, despite a 7-of-21 passing performance.

Some said Ohio State was simply fortunate, winning its third consecutive game on the final play. Others said the wheel had finally turned. Indeed, this contest quelled the demons of missed national championship runs in 1969, 1970, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1979, 1996 and 1998, all of which came undone by one game.

Additional coverage: Only one thing left to say: Champions

OSU 27, USC 16
1969

Woody Hayes had his sophomore-laden team peaking after a 50-14 blowout win over No. 4 Michigan. USC, featuring Heisman Trophy winner O.J. Simpson, was ranked No. 2 and sat as defending national champion.

How many times have OSU fans seen an opposing team’s superstar set the tone of a game? The Juice seemed to do just that when he broke loose for a spectacular 80-yard TD run in the second quarter to push USC on top 10-0. NBC’s Curt Gowdy called that play the most memorable he ever witnessed at the Rose Bowl.

But it wasn’t enough. In fact, that run seemed to wake up the Buckeyes. Sophomore quarterback Rex Kern, the game’s MVP with 101 yards passing and two TDs, engineered a bludgeoning offense that ripped off 27 consecutive points. All-American tackles Rufus Mayes and Dave Foley were especially effective as Ohio State collected 260 yards rushing and did not commit a turnover.

The win completed a 10-0 season and clinched a consensus national championship.

OSU 20, Arizona St. 17
1997

Buckeye fans waited 23 years for a game like this.

It was Ohio State’s first Rose Bowl win since Archie Griffin’s sophomore year. Yet it wasn’t just the victory, but the way OSU captured a dramatic contest ESPN selected as the game of the year.
Defense dominated with freshman linebacker Andy Katzenmoyer (three sacks, five tackles for loss and one interception) leading the way. The Bucks stuffed Arizona State’s running game (75 yards on 41 attempts) and kept quarterback Jake Plummer in check most of the afternoon.

Ohio State took a 14-10 lead when second-string quarterback Joe Germaine connected with Dimitrious Stanley on a 72-yard score in the third quarter.

But Plummer seemed to give undefeated Arizona State a national title with a pair of incredible plays in the final two minutes. First, The Snake converted a fourth-and-long with a 29-yard pass to Lenzie Jackson inside the Ohio State 10. Two plays later, Plummer scored on a stunning, 11-yard scramble off a third-and-goal situation at the 1:40 mark.

But Germaine engineered a 12-play, 65-yard drive, helped enormously by two pass interference penalties. He then finished the march, and clinched his Rose Bowl MVP trophy, by tossing a 5-yard TD pass to freshman David Boston with 19 seconds to play.

The Buckeyes (11-1) finished No. 2 in both national polls and Arizona State dropped to No. 4.

OSU 42, USC 21
1974

This victory should have given Ohio State a national crown. The 10-0-1 Buckeyes drilled the defending national champions, but lagged behind two lesser teams in the polls because of a tie at Michigan.

Still, this was undoubtedly the school’s greatest offensive showing in a bowl game of such magnitude.

Ohio State overpowered USC behind Archie Griffin’s 149 yards, 94 yards from fullback Pete Johnson, and 176 yards of total offense generated by quarterback Cornelius Greene (Rose Bowl MVP).

The Buckeyes trailed 21-14 early in the third quarter, but erupted for 28 second-half points.

Neal Colzie’s dazzling, 56-yard punt return put the Buckeyes inside the USC 10 and set up the go-ahead score. Griffin sealed the deal during a nifty 47-yard TD run with 4:35 to play.

Ohio State finished second to Notre Dame in the AP poll, and third behind Alabama and Oklahoma in UPI.

OSU 20, Michigan 9
1970

This was the revenge game that Ohio State waited 12 months to play. The 1969 loss at Michigan cost the Buckeyes a national title and was Woody Hayes’ most bitter defeat.

So, the coach placed a rug outside the locker room with the previous year’s score embroidered on it. A year of festering anxiety created an electrifying atmosphere in Ohio Stadium.

It all culminated when Ohio State forced a fumble off the opening kick and took a 3-0 edge.

A 26-yard Rex Kern to Bruce Jankowski TD pass gave the Bucks a 10-3 edge, but the Wolverines answered with a score. However, Tim Anderson blocked the PAT to keep OSU on top 10-9.

In the fourth quarter, linebacker Stan White made the play of the game by returning an interception to Michigan’s 9-yard line. Leo Hayden’s 4-yard run off an option pitch from Kern clinched the win and sent OSU back to the Rose Bowl.

OSU 21, Michigan 14
1975

Never have the Buckeyes authored a more stirring comeback against their arch-rivals. The fact that it happened in Ann Arbor made this win even sweeter.

No. 1-ranked Ohio State marched 80 yards on the opening drive and took a 7-0 lead on a short Cornelius Greene-to-Pete Johnson pass. But the Bucks gained only one more first down in the first half, and didn’t move the sticks again until late in the fourth quarter.

By then Michigan owned a 14-7 lead. Just when all appeared lost, Greene fired up the passing game and completed four straight aerials to move the Buckeyes the length of the field. Johnson smashed over for the score with 3:18 showing and the tying PAT put the Wolverines in panic mode.

Michigan had to win to go to the Rose Bowl, so freshman QB Rick Leach took to the air. In dramatic fashion, defensive back Ray Griffin picked off his first career interception and returned it 30 yards to the Wolverines’ 3.

Moments later, Johnson hammered in again to send Ohio State to its fourth straight Rose Bowl.

OSU 13, Purdue 0
1968

Ohio State was a rare home underdog when Purdue’s dangerous passing duo of Mike Phipps and Leroy Keyes brought the No. 1-ranked Boilermakers into Ohio Stadium.

Defense dominated on both sides, with Purdue knocking Rex Kern out of the game and sophomore Jack Tatum blanketing Keyes all over the field.
Ohio State jumped in front in the third period when defensive back Ted Provost picked off a Phipps pass and raced 35 yards for a score. The Buckeyes clinched it in the fourth quarter when backup quarterback Bill Long scored on a scramble up the middle.

It was Ohio State’s biggest win in six years, and triggered the beginning of an historic era.

OSU 18, Michigan 14
1944

For the first time in league history, Ohio State met Michigan with the league title on the line. The Wolverines came in 5-1 in the Big Nine, while OSU was 5-0.
In a fascinating, seesaw affair played before 71,958, the Buckeyes survived a contest that included lead changes on all five scoring plays.

Michigan took a 7-6 edge on a score just before the half, but Ohio State’s Les Horvath dominated the second half.

With just over eight minutes to play, the Bucks took over on their own 48 and Horvath spearheaded a 14-play, 52-yard drive. The future Heisman Trophy winner capped the march with a 1-yard plunge for the game-winning score.

Ohio State finished the season 9-0 and ranked No. 2, but the conference denied the Bucks a Rose Bowl berth based on World War II travel restrictions.

OSU 14, Wisconsin 13
1916

This game, pitting two undefeated teams, was the most significant contest in the first 26 years of Ohio State football.
Wisconsin coach Paul Withington was so confident of victory he didn’t attend the game.

Three-time All-American Chic Harley made the Badgers pay for their arrogance. The Columbus East product scored on a 23-yard run to tie the game 7-7 at intermission. He then put OSU on top with a stunning, 78-yard punt return in the fourth quarter.

Although Wisconsin drove for a late score, the Badgers missed the PAT and Ohio State was on its way to the first Western Conference title (later renamed the Big Ten) after joining the league in 1913.

OSU 45, Notre Dame 26
1995

Buckeye fans waited 60 years for revenge from the excruciating 1935 loss to Notre Dame, and Ohio State’s offensive stars delivered it against a wilting Fighting Irish defense.

Eddie George rambled for more than 200 yards and two TDs, Bobby Hoying threw four touchdown passes, and Terry Glenn hauled in two scores, one an 82-yard hook-up that electrified a record crowd in Ohio Stadium.

The Buckeyes trailed 10-0 and 17-7 before Hoying tossed a TD pass to Dimitrious Stanley just before halftime. When the Fighting Irish fumbled a punt early in the third quarter, the momentum changed for good.

OSU finished 11-2 and ranked sixth in the polls.