Fire up the outrage machine, Buckeyes fans, because the 2002 national championship team has been dissed by USA Today. In a list ranking the BCS champions — in front of only 2007 LSU — the paper ranked the 2002 Ohio State team as 15th best of its era:
15. 2002 Ohio State (14-0): The Buckeyes didn't win pretty. OSU pulled out several late comebacks during the regular season and needed overtime to beat Miami (Fla.) to win the championship, but there's something to be said of a team with the mental toughness needed to win close game after close game.
Yes, there is something to be said about a team that beat one of the most talented teams in history in unarguably in a top two game of the BCS era: it deserves to be ranked higher than 15th.
