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The Ten Greatest Buckeye Teams of All Time (#10)

T-10. The 1996 & 1998 Ohio State Buckeyes

2-10-1: That's about the only thing most Buckeye fans remember about the John Cooper Era, although the hardcore cynics are quick to point out that his teams were also 3-8 in bowl games. But lost amongst those dismal numbers is the undeniable fact that Coop lead Ohio State to a pair of second-place finishes in both major polls.

The 1996 Buckeyes had lost all their offensive superstars to the NFL – first round picks running back Eddie George (Heisman trophy), wide receiver Terry Glenn (Biletnikoff Award), and tight end Rickey Dudley had combined for 4,363 yards and 49 touchdowns in 1995, and third round selection quarterback Bobby Hoying set many single-season and career records (since broken). But the Buckeyes still had All-World left tackle Orlando Pace (1995-96 Lombardi; 1996 Outland) to anchor the offensive line and a Silver Bullet defense headed by All Americans defensive end Mike Vrabel (career sack leader) and cornerback Shawn Springs (1996 Big Ten defensive POY), and freshman phenom Andy Katzenmoyer (1997 All American and Butkus Award winner) at middle linebacker.

Ohio State rolled through their first ten games by an average score of 43-10. Then came Michigan. Even though the Buckeyes dominated the first half statistically (220 yards and 19:39 TOP to 62 yards and 10:21 TOP), they consistently got bogged down in the red zone and led only 9-0 as the teams entered the locker room. On the second play of the third quarter, Shawn Springs slipped in single coverage and Wolverine wide receiver Tai Streets took a short slant 69 yards for a touchdown. The Ohio State offense got completely stymied in the second half (84 yards, 10:29 TOP), while Michigan was able to kick a pair of field goals down the stretch to make the final score 13-9 in favor of the bad guys.

Even after the heartbreaking loss in The Game, #3 Ohio State earned a trip to the Rose Bowl to face unbeaten #2 Arizona State. The Buckeyes won the game in the final seconds, 20-17, on a short touchdown pass from quarterback Joe Germaine to true freshman wide out David Boston. Meanwhile in the Sugar Bowl, #4 Florida upset #1 Florida State by the score of 52-20. A handful of pollsters voted the Buckeyes the number one team in the country, but the vast majority were more impressed with the Gators' curb stomping of the Seminoles, and Florida (12-1-0) ended the 1996 season as the consensus national champion, with Ohio State (11-1-0) finishing as the runner up.

1996 Ohio State Buckeyes
Final record: 11-1-0
Poll rankings: #2 AP; #2 CP
Defeated #4 Arizona State (Rose Bowl); #7 Penn State; #18 Iowa; #19 Notre Dame
Lost to #20 Michigan​


The 1998 Ohio State squad entered the season as the clear #1 team in the country, and through the first two-thirds of the season they certainly played like it. Led by All Americans wide receiver David Boston (85 receptions, 1,435 yards, 13 TD's), cornerback Antoine Winfield (1998 Thorpe Award), safety Damon Moore (team-leading 81 tackles), and guard Rob Murphy, the Buckeyes won their first eight contests by an average margin of victory of 38 to 9.

But in Week Nine the Buckeyes suffered through one of the most bizarre and agonizing games in their long and storied history. Michigan State entered The Horseshoe as a 28-point underdog, and halfway through the third quarter the Spartans were well on their way to being blown out. Already down 24-9 and punting from their own end zone, Michigan State was just about done….

Except that John Cooper's Hee Haw luck ("If it weren't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all") bit him in the butt once again. The Spartan punter shanked a ball so badly that it hit the back of an Ohio State gunner and Michigan State recovered the muff near midfield. A quick Spartan touchdown cut the score to 24-15, but the Buckeyes still seemed to be firmly in control. In reality, the wheels were falling off one by one. The ensuing Buckeye possession lasted a grand total of two plays and 11 seconds before a fumble killed the drive; the Spartans kicked a field goal to cut the lead to 24-18. The next Ohio State drive ended with a punt followed by the go-ahead Michigan State touchdown. Then another punt, another fumble, and a turnover on downs. Even after that comedy of errors, Ohio State still had a chance to pull out a sloppy victory with a first-and-ten in the red zone, but Joe Germaine threw three straight incompletions and an interception as time expired. Michigan State had pulled off one of the greatest upsets of all time, 28-24.

Ohio State recovered from the Spartan debacle by beating Iowa 45-14 and Michigan (finally!) 31-16 to finish the regular reason at 10-1-0. Tennessee was the only major program to finish the regular season undefeated, and they secured one spot in the inaugural BCS Championship Game. Florida State, with a bad early loss, was selected over Ohio State, with a bad late loss, for the other spot. The Volunteers the game won to secure an undisputed national championship. Meanwhile, Ohio State beat Texas A+M in the Sugar Bowl by the score of 24-14 to finish #2 in both the AP and the coaches poll.

1998 Ohio State Buckeyes
Final record: 11-1-0
Poll rankings: #2 AP; #2 CP
Defeated #11 Texas A+M (Sugar Bowl); #12 Michigan; #17 Penn State; #21 Missouri
Lost to unranked Michigan State​


Final thoughts: A second place finish ain't too shabby, but at Ohio State it barely gets you into the top ten.
 
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I could go the rest of my life without recalling one second of any of the Cooper years and not miss it in the least.

2-10-1
3-8

There really is no positive spin to offset that

Great collections of individual talent, systemic team mental weakness bred by the man at the top.
 
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I could go the rest of my life without recalling one second of any of the Cooper years and not miss it in the least.

2-10-1
3-8

There really is no positive spin to offset that

Great collections of individual talent, systemic team mental weakness bred by the man at the top.

Those are the teams I grew up with. I still look back on that era fondly. 2-10-1 speaks for itself, but I take greater issue with the .500 football at the turn of the millennium. Winning two championships and dominating M*ch*g*n in the last decade-plus after that tempers some of the heartbreak of the '90s for me. Having been a fan through that experience gives me a fuller appreciation of what has been accomplished since then.

I wonder sometimes about the generation of fans after me - the ones who grew up in 2002 or later that have never had anything ripped away from them the way they were in the '90s. The sanctions, the SEC thing, '06 & '07... none of that compares to laying an egg against your rival on the biggest stage.
 
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The late 80's still bothers me more than the final couple years of Cooper. I guess I was numb to it by then.

Air Force was the watershed for me. I officially knew nothing good would ever come as long as he was the coach when he found a way to lose to Air Force (mostly that was a result of the utter buffoonery demonstrated in finding a way to lose to scUM that year and the team simply not caring enough to play).

I'm getting pissed sitting here thinking about Cooper
 
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I could go the rest of my life without recalling one second of any of the Cooper years and not miss it in the least.

2-10-1
3-8

There really is no positive spin to offset that.

Great collections of individual talent, systemic team mental weakness bred by the man at the top.
Could we also say the same thing about Woody Hayes from 1969 to 1975?

63-11-1 record ... 29 All Americans ... 6 College Football Hall of Famers ... zero national championships.

Those teams lost 5 season-ending games, each of which cost them a national championship:

1969: Michigan
1970: Stanford (Rose Bowl)
1972: Southern Cal (Rose Bowl)
1974: Southern Cal (Rose Bowl)
1975: UCLA (Rose Bowl)

I am too young to remember Woody's great teams from the 50's and 60's (and the NCAA sanctions that Hayes bestowed upon the program). I grew up watching Woody's teams choke away national championships in the 70's, often against inferior competition. And then The Punch, the single lowest point in Buckeye football, IMHO, and clearly a sign of "mental weakness".

I can understand why people from an older generation might love Woody Hayes, but I really don't. To me, he symbolized folding under pressure.

Cooper had a lot of faults, including some epic choke jobs. But he modernized the Buckeye program, both on the field and in recruiting, and he remains a loyal Buckeye to this day. That's some "positive spin", at the very least.
 
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I wonder sometimes about the generation of fans after me - the ones who grew up in 2002 or later that have never had anything ripped away from them the way they were in the '90s. The sanctions, the SEC thing, '06 & '07... none of that compares to laying an egg against your rival on the biggest stage.
Tattoo gate, having the Sugar Bowl victory along with all of the 2010 wins rescinded, the 2011 season, no bowl game in 2012 and back-to-back losses to end an otherwise good season in 2013.

That sucked pretty badly.

With the 2010 Sugar Bowl being vacated, technically Ohio State only won a single bowl game (2009 Rose) between the 2005 Fiesta bowl and the 2014 playoffs.

I'm not saying it's comparable- just pointing out there were plenty of things to be down on during that time- more than you are giving credit for I think.
 
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Could we also say the same thing about Woody Hayes from 1969 to 1975?

63-11-1 record ... 29 All Americans ... 6 College Football Hall of Famers ... zero national championships.

Those teams lost 5 season-ending games, each of which cost them a national championship:

1969: Michigan
1970: Stanford (Rose Bowl)
1972: Southern Cal (Rose Bowl)
1974: Southern Cal (Rose Bowl)
1975: UCLA (Rose Bowl)

I am too young to remember Woody's great teams from the 50's and 60's (and the NCAA sanctions that Hayes bestowed upon the program). I grew up watching Woody's teams choke away national championships in the 70's, often against inferior competition. And then The Punch, the single lowest point in Buckeye football, IMHO, and clearly a sign of "mental weakness".

I can understand why people from an older generation might love Woody Hayes, but I really don't. To me, he symbolized folding under pressure.

Cooper had a lot of faults, including some epic choke jobs. But he modernized the Buckeye program, both on the field and in recruiting, and he remains a loyal Buckeye to this day. That's some "positive spin", at the very least.

If you don't give Woody credit for the 54 and 68 NC's then yes, I think your points are valid. I am too young to remember any of it so I have often wondered how much heat he took for the choke jobs from 69-75.
 
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