OHIO STATE HAS NOW WON FIVE STRAIGHT 1-1 BOWL GAMES.
NEXT STOP 1-12 AND THE OREGON DUCKS.
BOWL GAMES HAVE BEEN UPDATED AT THE BOTTOM
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 1 Alabama | 14 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 35 |
| No. 4 Ohio State | 6 | 14 | 14 | 8 | 42 |
OHIO STATE PLAYERS
Ezekiel Elliot rushed for a Sugar Bowl record 230 yards.
Cardale Jones completed 18/35 passes for 243 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 interception. 12 Gauge also rushed for 43 yards.
Ezekiel Elliot rushed for Sugar Bowl record 230 yards (11.5 ypc) and 2 touchdowns. EzE was named offensive MVP.
Devin Smith had a game-high 87 yards receiving and a touchdown.
Darron Lee was named defensive MVP.
Steve Miller returning one of Blake Sims' interceptions for a touchdown.
ALABAMA PLAYERS
- Blake Sims completed 22/36 passes for 237 yards, 2 touchdowns and 3 interceptions.
- Derrick Henry rushed for 95 yards (7.3 ypc) and a touchdown.
- Amari Cooper had a game-high 9 receptions for 71 yards and 2 touchdowns.
KEY PLAYS
- Steve Miller's 40+ yard interceptions return for a touchdown.
- Ezekiel Elliott's 85 yard touchdown run late in the 4th quarter.
THE REST OF THE STORY
The story is still being written. Hopefully the final chapter will be a national championship.
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 8 Texas A&M | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 14 |
| No. 3 Ohio State | 21 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 24 |
BACKGROUND
The Buckeyes entered this game with a 10-1 record and were one upset loss away from playing for a national championship. The Buckeyes defeated That Team 31-16, but the Michigan State shocker (24-28) made it a season of what if. At that moment in time I genuinely thought I would live my life and not see Ohio State win a national title.
Texas A&M was led by quarterback Brandon Taylor. The Aggies came into this game with a 11-2 record. A&M finished the season winning 11 out of its last 12 games. The one loss in that stretch was a 24-26 heart breaker to Texas.
Joe Germaine led the Buckeyes to a Sugar Bowl victory to cap his record breaking 1998 season.
2014 OHIO STATE MEDIA GUIDE
“Ohio State capped off an 11-1 season with a convincing win over Texas A&M. The Buckeyes took control early, jumping to a 21-7 first-quarter lead. The Aggies scored on their first possession, driving 59 yards with Dante Hall going in from 9 yards out. Joe Germaine then engineered an eight-play, 71-yard scoring drive.
Following a defensive stop, the Buckeyes marched down the field again, using six plays to go 71 yards with Joe Montgomery’s 10-yard touchdown run for a 14-7 lead. Another defensive stop followed by a huge special teams play gave OSU a 21-7 advantage with just 1:59 to go in the first quarter. After Derek Ross streaked in to literally “take” the football off A&M punter Shane Leckler’s foot, Kevin Griffin picked up the loose ball and went untouched into the end zone.”
David Boston led a all players with 105 receiving yards.
OHIO STATE PLAYERS
- Joe Germaine completed 21/38 passes for 222 yards and a touchdown.
- Joe Montgomery rushed for a game-high 96 yards (10.7 ypc) and a touchdown.
- David Boston had a game-high 105 yards receiving (9.5 ypr).
TEXAS A&M PLAYERS
- Brandon Steward completed 22/39 passes for 187 yards and a touchdown.
- Dante Hall ran for 53 yards (4.8 ypc) and a touchdown.
- Chris Taylor led the Aggies receivers with 52 yards (10.4 ypr).
Derek Ross blocking the punt.
KEY PLAY
Derek Ross' blocked punt that Kevin Griffin scooped up and ran in for a touchdown (21-7) late in the first quarter.
THE REST OF THE STORY
1998 was yet another season that John Cooper and the Buckeyes let a championship slip through their fingers. Coach Cooper only had two seasons left as Ohio State's head coach before one Jim Tressel would guide the Buckeyes to the promised land. In Tressel's second season (2002) he won the national title that all of us had always dreamed about.
| Opponent | Location | Score |
|---|---|---|
| No. 11 WVU | A | 34-17 |
| Toledo | H | 49-0 |
| No. 21 Missouri | H | 35-14 |
| No. 7 Penn State | H | 28-9 |
| Illinois | A | 41-0 |
| Minnesota | H | 45-15 |
| Northwestern | A | 36-10 |
| Indiana | A | 38-7 |
| Michigan State | H | 24-28 |
| Iowa | A | 45-14 |
| That Team | H | 31-16 |
| No. 8 Texas A&M | Sugar Bowl | 24-14 |
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 6 Ohio State | 14 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 31 |
| No. 8 Arkansas | 7 | 3 | 11 | 5 | 26 |
BACKGROUND
The Buckeyes entered this game with an 11-1 record and had just defeated That Team (37-7) for a school record seventh straight time. Ohio State's only loss was at No. 18 Wisconsin. The Buckeyes' best regular season win was at home against No. 12 Miami (36-24) the second week of the season.
The Sugar Bowl was marred by the revelation that five Ohio State players violated NCAA rules by selling memorabilia. The players were given a three-game suspension to start the 2011 season, but were allowed to play in the Sugar Bowl.
Arkansas was led by quarterback Ryan Mallet. The Razorbacks came into this game with a 10-2 record and had won six straight games.
Terrelle Pryor beat Arkansas with his arm and legs in his last game as a Buckeye.
allstatesugarbowl.org 2011 SUGAR BOWL RECAP
“In the first half Ohio State, and Pryor, dominated Arkansas like no other opponent did all season (and remember, the Hogs' two losses came from national champion Auburn and defending national champ Alabama), opening up a 28-7 lead until four seconds before intermission. In the second half the Razorbacks, and Ryan, had their way with the Buckeyes, closing to within five points of pulling off one of the most spectacular finishes in Sugar Bowl history.
[…]
In the last 30 minutes, Arkansas cut Ohio State's point production from four touchdowns to one field goal, which also allowed the Hogs to get back on track offensively.
[…]
Arkansas' final chance started with a dropped pass (the last of six by Arkansas receivers) senior tight end D.J. Williams. It was one of six passes dropped by Razorback receivers. On the next play Mallett made one of his few mistakes. Baited by coverage, Ryan let loose a pass that Solomon Thomas cut in front of, going down to the Superdome turf with the ball cradled in his arms with 58 seconds to play.That ended any chance of a stirring finish.”
Devier Posey scoring a touchdown.
OHIO STATE PLAYERS
- Terrelle Pryor completed 14/25 for 221 yards and 2 touchdowns. He also rushed for a team-high 115 yards (7.7 ypc).
- Dan “Boom” Herron rushed for 87 yards and a touchdown.
- Devier Posey caught 3 passes for 70 yards (23.3 ypr) and a touchdown.
- Devon Torrence had 7.5 tackles, a forced fumble and a pass break up.
ARKANSAS PLAYERS
- Ryan Mallet completed 24/47 passes for 277 yards, 2 touchdowns and an interception.
- Knile Davis led all players with 147 yards rushing (5.3 ypc).
- Joe Adams had a game-high 120 yards receiving (13.3 ypr) and a touchdown.
Solomon Thomas' game winning interception.
GAME WINNING PLAY
Solomon Thomas intercepting Ryan Mallet with 58 seconds left in the game.
QUOTABLE
From ESPN.com Solomon Thomas:
"That was the second interception of my whole life," Thomas yelled on the field as his teammates celebrated around him. "It feels great."
From allstatesugarbowl.org Boom Herron:
"We were tired of listening to how we couldn't beat the SEC,'' Herron howled in obvious satisfaction afterward. "But I know one thing: we couldn't have done it without Terrelle. He was unbelievable."
Jim Tressel went 9-1 against That Team.
THE REST OF THE STORY
Unknown at the time, this would be Jim Tressel's last game as Ohio State's head coach. Tressel finished his Ohio State career with a 106–22 (.828)* record. Tressel also defeated That Team 9 out of 10 times. After a season to be forgotten, Urban Meyer was hired as Ohio State's head coach in 2012 and order was restored for Ohio State football.
*NCAA sanctions be damned.
| Opponent | Location | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Marshall | H | 45-7 |
| No. 12 Miami | H | 36-24 |
| Ohio | H | 43-7 |
| Eastern Michigan | H | 73-20 |
| Illinois | A | 24-13 |
| Indiana | H | 38-10 |
| No. 18 Wisconsin | A | 18-31 |
| Purdue | H | 49-0 |
| Minnesota | A | 52-10 |
| Penn State | H | 38-14 |
| No. 21 Iowa | A | 20-17 |
| That Team | H | 37-7 |
| No. 8 Arkansas | Sugar Bowl | 31-26 |
| Totals | 12-1 | 504-186 (39-14) |
| Year | Location | Score | OSU's Rank | Opponent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1920 | Rose Bowl | 0-28 | Cal | |
| 1955 | Rose Bowl | 20-7 | No. 1 | No. 17 Cal |
| 1958 | Rose Bowl | 10-7 | No. 2 | Oregon |
| 1969 | Rose Bowl | 27-16 | No. 1 | No. 2 USC |
| 1971 | Rose Bowl | 17-27 | No. 2 | No. 12 Stanford |
| 1973 | Rose Bowl | 17-42 | No. 3 | No. 1 USC |
| 1974 | Rose Bowl | 42-21 | No. 4 | No. 7 USC |
| 1975 | Rose Bowl | 17-18 | No. 3 | No. 5 USC |
| 1976 | Rose Bowl | 10-23 | No. 1 | No. 11 UCLA |
| 1977 | Orange Bowl | 27-10 | No. 11 | No. 12 Colorado |
| 1980 | Rose Bowl | 16-17 | No. 1 | No. 3 USC |
| 1985 | Rose Bowl | 17-20 | No. 6 | No. 18 USC |
| 1987 | Cotton Bowl | 28-12 | No. 11 | No. 8 Texas A&M |
| 1990 | Hall of Fame Bowl | 14-31 | No. 21 | No. 9 Auburn |
| 1992 | Hall of Fame Bowl | 17-24 | No. 25 | No. 16 Syracuse |
| 1993 | Citrus Bowl | 14-21 | No. 15 | No. 8 Georgia |
| 1996 | Citrus Bowl | 14-20 | No. 4 | No. 4 Tennessee |
| 1997 | Rose Bowl | 20-17 | No. 2 | No. 4 Arizona State |
| 1998 | Sugar Bowl | 14-31 | No. 9 | No. 4 Florida State |
| 1999 | Sugar Bowl | 24-14 | No. 3 | No. 8 Texas A&M |
| 2001 | Outback Bowl | 7-24 | No. 18 | South Carolina |
| 2002 | Outback Bowl | 28-31 | No. 14 South Carolina | |
| 2004 | Fiesta Bowl | 35-28 | No. 7 | No. 8 Kansas State |
| 2010 | Rose Bowl | 26-17 | No. 8 | No. 7 Oregon |
| 2011 | Sugar Bowl | 31-26 | No. 6 | No. 8 Arkansas |
| 2015 | Sugar Bowl | 42-35 | No. 4 | No. 1 Alabama |
| Totals | Record 12-14 (0.462) | 534-567 (21-22) |
SOURCES
AllStateSugarBowl.org
ESPN.com
fanbase.com
Ohio State Media Guide
