Game Thread BCS National Championship Game: tOSU 24, LSU 38 (final)

[NastyDogg72]

Like LSU is favored, TOSU was heavily favored last year. We came out kind of lax and we were expecting a win. Teddy returning the opening kick really killed us. First, because he was injured during the "celebration." Second, it proved to our team that it would be an "easy" win. That's when things started to go wrong. But let's stop living in the past. What's done is done and if I am not mistaken, there is still a game being played to decide the national champion.

It's ironic how many times this happens when a team returns the opening kickoff for a touchdown there does seem to be a bit of a letdown. When you combine that with the loss of TGJR for the rest of the game, everybody believing the hype that was heaped on the team during the month and a half layoff and a great gameplan and execution by Urban and UF and you had the recipe for disaster that played out. Nothing should be taken from UF, they won the game. But tOSU should not be branded forever because they lost it.

 

[pokey]

I feel the loss of Ginn at the very start of the game might have demoralized us somewhat and in the end helped caused our play.

I feel the Ginn injury was devastating to the team on several accounts.
1) Special Teams: Opposing teams didn't dare kick to Ginn. Florida accidently kicked to Teddy and it was an instant 7 points, and this was against "Florida speed." Ginn allowed Ohio State to start on the 35 to 40 yd line rather than the 20 yd line. Some people don't quite grasp how huge that 15 to 20 yd difference is to the probability of scoring, the field position battle, and the probability that a turnover will give the opposing team a short field.
2) Offense: The threat of Ohio State receivers serve to balance the weakness of our tackles in handling speed rushers. Ohio State's inability to handle speed rushing DEs was not new information exposed by Florida. In the Michigan game, our tackles weren't able to adequately handle Woodley. If you remember that game, Troy got rid of the ball so quickly (almost always to receivers) that commentators thought he would be a 1st or 2nd round pick. (BTW, the Ravens got a steal with Troy). He was also able to elude the rush, but his ability improved with time of possession as the defense got slower as the game went on. With Teddy gone, the rhythm of the offense and the quick recognition was broken. A half-second longer to throw the ball could be the difference between a completion and a sack. Florida could play more aggressively and not have to worry about double-covering Teddy. IMHO, the weakness was the o-line. The extraordinary athelete that was able to overcome this weakness was Troy Smith with his receivers, until one of them went down.

That's my two cents. Now it is everyone's turn to tell me how wrong I am.

 

[BuckeyeCrazy107]

It's ironic how many times this happens when a team returns the opening kickoff for a touchdown there does seem to be a bit of a letdown. When you combine that with the loss of TGJR for the rest of the game, everybody believing the hype that was heaped on the team during the month and a half layoff and a great gameplan and execution by Urban and UF and you had the recipe for disaster that played out. Nothing should be taken from UF, they won the game. But tOSU should not be branded forever because they lost it.

Exactly.

 

[bukIpower]

NO nobody has better talent that OHIO STATE UNEXCEPTABLE!! lol jp

Personally I've always atleast thought of the possability that florida was just straight up better, but well I'll just believe all our other theories!

But yeah Ted Ginn going out of this game would be like taking Reggie Bush from USC back 2 years ago. He was very important in what we did. He made field position possible for us and when we thrived on field position as much as we did we could ill afford to lose a player like Ted Ginn. which is what happened..

 

[OCBucksFan]

Meh, not that we need to have this conversation as it's old news, the crystal football is at UF. However, Florida was a better team, but, that game should have been closer than it was.

Take a moment and think about all that transpired.

The team was constantly told how they were going to blow out Florida, and in contrast, the Gators were told non-stop they were going to get blown out.

Urban Meyer put together a game plan that NO ONE had seen on film.

Teddy gets hurt, this means that they can just double cover Gonzalez and deal with that.

It was a perfect storm, I don't think if you take away those elements that tOSU would win because Florida was better than us, and better than expected. Whoever said if we play that game 10 times we win 7 isn't being realistic, bottom line, we were unprepared, Urban Meyer and the Gators were ready and planned for us, and we did some stupid things, but you can't take anything away from Florida.

The difference I see this year? We're not going in thinking we've got this, and it's over, not to mention that Les Miles coaches a more traditional style of football, smash mouth, win in the trenches, not "here's three wide receivers, sometimes they will be running backs, sometimes tight ends, and sometimes what they are described as, you figure out how to defend it." A lot of people make excuses for that game, but the best case scenario we actually compete in that game, however, I don't see us winning.

 

[OregonBuckeye]

The team was constantly told how they were going to blow out Florida, and in contrast, the Gators were told non-stop they were going to get blown out.

Will this urban legend ever die? No one was predicting a blowout. Florida, quite frankly, exaggerated a lot of the disrespect they were receiving. Ohio St. was always the favorite but Florida became the trendy pick as the game approached(especially with espin). Many were citing the Florida/SEC speed advantage. The consensus was tOSU by about 4-7.

 

[OCBucksFan]

Will this urban legend ever die? No one was predicting a blowout. Florida, quite frankly, exaggerated a lot of the disrespect they were receiving. Ohio St. was always the favorite but Florida became the trendy pick as the game approached(especially with espin). Many were citing the Florida/SEC speed advantage. The consensus was tOSU by about 4-7.

I heard, read and saw in various media outlets that this was going to be a boring game, sure, as the game time got closer people hyped it, but I think a lot of people assumed that was to make the game feel like it was worth watching.

I listened here where one radio program said what OTHER stuff was on TV in case you didn't want to watch Ohio State win their second national title under Tressel.

 

[OregonBuckeye]

I heard, read and saw in various media outlets that this was going to be a boring game, sure, as the game time got closer people hyped it, but I think a lot of people assumed that was to make the game feel like it was worth watching.

I listened here were one radio program said what OTHER stuff was on TV in case you didn't want to watch Ohio State win their second national title under Tressel.

Sounds like your typical shock jock. I'm sure Florida had their share of them too making similar predictions.

I saw a lot of people picking us too but I can't recall one national outlet saying it would be blowout city. The largest margin of victory that comes to mind was 11 by Mandel.

 

[gost8]

Who are we playing this year again? :tongue2:

Question about tickets... Are the tickets that are sold to the students the same as any other ticket? The reason I ask is because I am reading that they will be/are non transferable.

 

[BuckeyeCrazy107]

Meh, not that we need to have this conversation as it's old news, the crystal football is at UF. However, Florida was a better team, but, that game should have been closer than it was.

Take a moment and think about all that transpired.

The team was constantly told how they were going to blow out Florida, and in contrast, the Gators were told non-stop they were going to get blown out.

Urban Meyer put together a game plan that NO ONE had seen on film.

Teddy gets hurt, this means that they can just double cover Gonzalez and deal with that.

It was a perfect storm, I don't think if you take away those elements that tOSU would win because Florida was better than us, and better than expected. Whoever said if we play that game 10 times we win 7 isn't being realistic, bottom line, we were unprepared, Urban Meyer and the Gators were ready and planned for us, and we did some stupid things, but you can't take anything away from Florida.

The difference I see this year? We're not going in thinking we've got this, and it's over, not to mention that Les Miles coaches a more traditional style of football, smash mouth, win in the trenches, not "here's three wide receivers, sometimes they will be running backs, sometimes tight ends, and sometimes what they are described as, you figure out how to defend it." A lot of people make excuses for that game, but the best case scenario we actually compete in that game, however, I don't see us winning.

I couldn't agree with you any more.

 

[Coqui]

Well there goes the third national championship we lost in a years time.This is really starting to piss me off.

You do realize Ohio was cursed this year right?

The Indians, Cavaliers, and the Columbus Destroyers basically got there (well the Indians ended up out a round before but the point's still there)

 

[BuckeyeNation27]

 

[NastyDogg72]

Who are we playing this year again? :tongue2:

Question about tickets... Are the tickets that are sold to the students the same as any other ticket? The reason I ask is because I am reading that they will be/are non transferable.

go st8,

If the tickets for students are the same as all past years the system works like this:

1 A student can get a lottery number

2 If their number comes up they have to got to the ticket office with their payment and student ID. They recieve a voucher that they must take to a ticket office set up in NO.

3 They then have to take this voucher as well as their student ID again to the ticket office in NO to pick up their actual ticket. In past years this ticket is exactly the same as all other game tickets, so from this point anyone can use it.

So unless the policy has changed you would have to get a student that would go all the way to NO with you to pick it up and sell it to you there if you were looking at getting a ticket that way.

 

[Zurp]

You do realize Ohio was cursed this year right?

The Indians, Cavaliers, and the Columbus Destroyers basically got there (well the Indians ended up out a round before but the point's still there)

That was 2007. Ohio State plays LSU in 2008.

 

[Shivvy77]

Indians v. Redsox and Cavs v. Spurs was a best of 7 series. Ohio State v. LSu is a one game shot. We can put it together and play wit (and beat) LSU in a 60 minutes of competition.