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

[OregonBuckeye]

don't know if this has been posted here but i think the quote is very telling on why they lost...from alex boone:

"We're thinking this game was going to be a lot easier than it was. That was our mistake.

"We score early and we're thinking, 'Man, these guys are nothing.' Then we went back out and got a field goal on the next possession and are thinking this is going to keep happening. Then they stopped us and we didn't know what to do."

We heard that excuse last year. That's not very encouraging.

 

[BrutusMaximus]

Guys I hate to be the one to say this, but I thought back during the Wiscy game, that we didnt need to be in this game. When they lost to Illinois, I almost thought, "Good, I dont want these guys in the NC". They just were not ready for it this year. The D is good, Beanie is ridiculous, but we are not strong at Wide Receiver, and as much as I love TB, he is not going to go out and win us a National Championship. I was absolutely NOT dissapointed last night. I think they played amazing. Yes some of those idiotic penalties and such really hurt (really odd to get that from a Tress team), but I honestly think LSU woulda had an answer no matter what. They were better. They just are better. Honest to god I thought that USC belonged in the game against them, course so did Georgia. And not to mention that the WVU that beat Oklahoma.......would probably beat anybody in the country. Flame me all ya want, but this is how I see things, and the BCS is just broken completely.

On a lighter note.......I am so happy with how the team did not quit last night. They kept fighting, and scrapping, and clawing, and that was great to see. Beanie is RIDICULOUS. Heisman next year, mark it down. TB played his heart out, but it has nothing to do with him "sucking ass" or any other colorful term, it is basically just that he is not the right fit in my book. Would be a great management QB if we had the same kind of defense we had back in 02, but we dont. I am not really sure what to say about the D. Is it the D? Or is it the D coaching? Saw some awful pass coverages last night, a terrible job stopping the run on 3rd and short, (bringing guys from the outside, when it was obvious they were just jamming it up the middle). When LSU started moving the ball on that last drive of the 1st Q, and it just kept repeating like 4 or 5 straight times, I honestly see that as a problem with the defensive staff making ANY adjustments. Saw the same thing in the NC last year. "That" is what killed us. Nothing else.

 

[Basebuck]

After sleeping on some irrational thoughts last night I started thinking about Big 10 competition.

I don't think anyone would argue that this year was not the year we were going to put our best national championship foot forward. When the conference is up we are protected about every other year from playing an extremely challenging opponent.

Currently even our "average" teams are dominating the conference. I really feel like this is where the problem is. I'm not saying I didn't enjoy a National title run but wouldn't it have been nice to play a good team in a bowl game in a transition year?

 

[Fungo Squiggly]

IIRC they made that a focal point a couple of years ago (2005) and it seemed to pay off then.

It was last season that the team forced so many turnovers...hard to remember that when thinking back to the UM and UF games.
The 2005 team was -9 (12 forced, 21 committed); -5 going into UM game: -2 vs UM, -2 vs ND
The 2006 team was +9 (27 forced, 18 committed); +14 going into UM game: -3 vs UM, -2 vs UF
The 2007 team was -3 (19 forced, 22 committed); 0 going into UM game; -1 vs UM, -2 vs. LSU

 

[OhioExile]

Congrats to LSU on the National Championship.

Beanie looked great last night and I can't wait to see him next year....especially against USC.

I can't wait for another exciting Buckeye Football Season....lets hope some of the Juniors stay around for a change!

 

[buckeyesin07]

When LSU started moving the ball on that last drive of the 1st Q, and it just kept repeating like 4 or 5 straight times, I honestly see that as a problem with the defensive staff making ANY adjustments. Saw the same thing in the NC last year. "That" is what killed us. Nothing else.

I agree. I think that in both last year's NC and this year's NC, OSU has had bad defensive game plans and there were few in-game adjustments. I mean, OSU's defense did a little better in the second half, but honestly speaking, OSU did not stop LSU once in the first half:

1st drive: Punt (but on third down, LSU's center snaps it over Flynn's head, so OSU didn't really stop them)
2nd drive: FG
3rd drive: TD
4th drive: TD
5th drive: 1 play and then halftime

 

[buckeyesin07]

After sleeping on some irrational thoughts last night I started thinking about Big 10 competition.

I don't think anyone would argue that this year was not the year we were going to put our best national championship foot forward. When the conference is up we are protected about every other year from playing an extremely challenging opponent.

Currently even our "average" teams are dominating the conference. I really feel like this is where the problem is. I'm not saying I didn't enjoy a National title run but wouldn't it have been nice to play a good team in a bowl game in a transition year?

This is a good point. I think that in the last two NC games, OSU was hurt by the fact that it didn't really have to play in a come-from-behind position much during the regular season. OSU's players aren't used to playing from 10-14 points down, and it seems like it impacts the players too much and keeps them from executing when they have to.

 

[ysubuck]

I can't even bring myself to go to another board besides this one. I'm not sure what to say.

I know I should be thinking that this wasn't even supposed to happen this year and it's a testament to everything about this team that they even got to this point, but it's tough.

Congratulations to LSU as they were clearly the better team. Dorsey is a MAN.

 

[EidoloN]

i definately see beanie a front runner for the heisman next year. maybe henton wins the qb battle and hopefully this loss leaves the juniors a bad taste in their mouth and they stick around and do it. after a "rebuilding year" ( i like to call it "reloading") we destroyed the critics in making it to the NC. i think next year is our year! with the incoming class already and many returning players, a tough non-con schedule then the big ten...we can do it! hopefully pryor comes and maybe red-shirts and sees a NC run next year, sees potential the team has and stays 4 years! haha, anyway, we'll rebound!

 

[joefoshow]

Beanie I think will also be in the running for the Heisman if he doesn't win it I think he comes back

 

[Wells4Heisman]

I don't know really where to put this BUT please tell me someone just saw James Carville go berserk on ESPN... WOW

 

[CausticMick]

Dude, I'm with you to a point, it's been a fabulous run, and we've had a great season. But questioning some of the decision-making or some of the personnel calls or some of the other issues involved in a game doesn't constitute lack of respect for coaches or the team. And there are a lot of people on this board that know an awful lot about football, some of whom are coaches themselves. So I'm all for staying positive, but don't paint the "chicken little shit" brush too broadly. We are very careful to maintain a positive and constructive environment here, which can include some less-than-celebratory analysis of a loss.

I find it hard to believe you don't think anyone has claimed tOSU world is over (e.g. if we don't beat USC our program is done, etc.) or that we should be disrespected because we lost two NC Games in a row to an SEC team. In addition, I also can't wrap my mind around the possibility that most analysis or criticism is warranted considering ignorance of circumstance and the game from a strategic standpoint. Please re-read my post, then re-read the post game thoughts in this thread. My post is an attempt to reel some flamers in and help them understand- 99.99% are way off base when they critique a game or personnel. Does it mean they can't say what they think? We have the message boards and radio shows to voice our meaningless opinions, so where there's a channel... there's always an opinion.

The message I am trying to deliver is- let's consider (during our rants) that there are a lot of elements and strategy that go into a game that very nearly if not all are ignorant of. Anyone see Hartline limping? How does that effect playcalling? And what plays were we trying to run that we couldn't run successfully that, if successful, we could have opened up the playbook a bit? A lot of this comes down to execution- JT can't tackle well these days, he can't do it all. Let's consider the season we had and how very little we all really know about that game last night. Then, let us all try to keep things in perspective moving forward- nothing more.

Stay classy.

:osu:

 

[t_BuckeyeScott]

For me this loss is so much easier to handle.

Last year, I was in shock. I had no answer for why the Buckeyes laid an egg, and the loss was, to me, simply astonishing.

This year, I saw what happened. The Tigers executed, the Buckeyes did not. I can live with that. Getting beat happens. I hold my head up today, as should all Buckeye nation. We are fans of one of only 3 teams to be 1-2 in Title shots in the BCS era.

This team.... I would have been happy with a 2 loss season when it all began.. Lo and behold, that's where we are. I did not expect the opportunity to root on a championship effort. This young team provided that. The future remains bright for Ohio State football.

All, I agree with.

I think the Illinois game popped my cherry with this (2007) team. I asked then where was the quick strike passing? I somehow suspected that the lack thereof would haunt us this game. I 've just been hoping JT would fix it. But really it has been said since the early games in the year that we thought Todd held on to the ball too long. Only 2 teams had the talent to exploit it.

There are many reasons the Buckeyes lost this game. Most of them involved LSU out-executing Ohio State.

Less than 12 hours after that game its really hard to be excited about a top 5 preseason ranking for 2008.

There's so much to say... there's so much not to say...

 

[sandgk]

Be Ready For What Will Come Next

At halftime I didn't bother with much of the analysis on FOX - well frankly there wasn't much coming forth. There was however one telling comment, delivered by Jimmy Johnson. He spoke to how LSU came back to tie the game and then go ahead - because they were well tested in the regular season.

He was right. LSU was resilient, they had been tested before and it showed on the field.

By contrast, this year the Buckeyes never faced and passed the kinds of tests that steeled the 2002 NC squad. The closest trial was at home against Illinois and that resulted in a loss. Wisconsin played it close through the 3rd quarter in Columbus, but the Buckeyes were never behind in that game and ran away with things in the 4th.

I should clarify that I am not discounting the facts that the Buckeyes overcame tough road environments at Husky Stadium, in Happy Valley, at night in the putrid air of West Lafayette nor the biggest win of the year in AA, MI. No, what I speak to is overcoming difficult situations within a game - and as I said above only one prior test comes close, and it was a home loss.

Last night the Defense couldn't stop the Tigers when they got going in the 2nd quarter - last night getting back from a multi-score deficit did not happen. I think part of their difficulty can be attributed to the relative lack of experience for the Buckeyes in overcoming such obstacles.

So, looking forward, what comes next? Are there strong tests pending for our 2008 edition of the Buckeyes? Consider the schedule.

2008
Youngstown State (8/30) - mark down a win, a warm-up and not one which will win high marks from the media.

Ohio (9/6) - Ditto in spades.

at USC (9/13) - Unquestionably a significant test.

Troy (9/20) - Better than YSU / Ohio, <<<<< USC.

Minnesota (9/27) -- Good to see Brewster get a couple of relatively high profile QBs in their recent class, but this game will surprise only if the Buckeyes don't win big.

at Wisconsin (10/4) -- If Wisconsin can shore up their lines this figures to be the normal tough test in Camp Randall.

Purdue (10/11) -- With all the departures pending from this squad this should be a certified win for the Buckeyes.

at Michigan State (10/18) -- Definitely an away game to try and get tickets to, and one I like the Buckeyes chances in. A test though? Not on the order of Wisconsin, certainly not as tough as USC. Simply too many critical departures.

Penn State (10/25) -- Is Penn State better off with the departure of Morelli and the installation of Devlin or Clark under Center? What will also be telling are the Junior departures from this team. Either way, it is not a guaranteed tough test and the game is in Columbus.

at Northwestern (11/8) -- It's Northwestern, I always like our chances against the Wildcats, ergo not a tough test.

at Illinois (11/15) -- Interesting, JT will want to take a scalp here but, despite the departures of graduating Seniors like Lehman and early exiting Mendenhall I have to rate this as a test. Possibly a significant test.

Michigan (11/22) -- No matter that this is the first year with RR's spread or spread-option offense, no matter that Mallett may or may not be under center (or in shotgun with 5 wide) this is The Game. No matter that it is in Columbus, this is The Game. This is therefore a huge test, one that I believe JT still owns no matter who is calling the shots for TSUN.


The point of the above being that, with the exception of USC, all of the games on the '08 schedule are winnable or very winnable. Come Thanksgiving of '08 you could easily be looking at an 11-1 Buckeye team again.

And with such a record the only issue then becomes where does the team place in the Polls. If that one loss is to 'SC then we will be debating the fairness of a top-5 through 8 poll position and planning for California weather post season. If that one loss is within Conference (meaning the now more experienced Buckeyes beat 'SC in LA) then, unless there are multiple one-loss teams, the Buckeyes definitely break the top-5.

And if there are no undefeated teams? Well then we are playing out this years game of who's on first - a game I suspect the Buckeyes may lose based on last night's contest.

Still, the Buckeyes would be in the thick of another championship chase, within striking distance of playing for it all.
And think of it, this can happen despite the (ill) wishes of media pundits, despite the harping of any OOC trolls on message boards, and despite the prior two years end of season performances. It can happen (and I believe it will happen) because the Buckeyes are and remain The Class of the Big 10.

One day that Class will show what it can really do, will fulfill it's potential in BCS play.

Hopefully against an SEC team with great swagger. Hopefully next year.

Go Bucks!

:osu:

 

[t_BuckeyeScott]

i definately see beanie a front runner for the heisman next year. maybe henton wins the qb battle and hopefully this loss leaves the juniors a bad taste in their mouth and they stick around and do it. after a "rebuilding year" ( i like to call it "reloading") we destroyed the critics in making it to the NC. i think next year is our year! with the incoming class already and many returning players, a tough non-con schedule then the big ten...we can do it! hopefully pryor comes and maybe red-shirts and sees a NC run next year, sees potential the team has and stays 4 years! haha, anyway, we'll rebound!

I don't believe there will be a "QB battle" next year. Yeah they might say there is. But if I had to bet, and I never do, Todd will be the starter next year.