BACKGROUND

The Buckeyes entered this game with an 8-2 record and had just defeated No. 11 Penn State (24-7) in Happy Valley. The losses in '09 included the home heart breaker against USC and the mess at Purdue. With a win over the Hawkeyes the Buckeyes would secure a trip to the Rose Bowl.  

Iowa was 10-1, but had just lost to Northwestern (10-17). The Hawkeyes were up 10-0 against the Wildcats after the first quarter, but gave up 17 straight points in the loss. Iowa's quarterback, Ricky Stanzi, was injured in the first half of the Northwestern game and freshman James Vandenberg was making his first collegiate start against Ohio State.  Iowa was also playing for the right to play in Pasadena.

OHIO STATE PLAYERS

• Terrelle Pryor was 14/17 for 93 yards.
• Brandon Saine rushed for 103 yards (9.4 ypc) and 2 touchdowns.
• Boom Herron rushed for 97 yards (3.0 ypc) and a touchdown.
• Devin Barclay was 2/3 on FG attempts, but made the game-winning 39-yard FG.

IOWA'S PLAYERS

• James Vandenberg completed 20/33 passes for 233 yards 2 touchdowns and 3 interceptions.
• Adam Robinson had 74 yards (3.7 ypc).
• Marvin McNutt had 78 yards receiving (13.0 ypr) and 2 touchdowns.
   

Brandon Saine scoring one of his two touchdowns against Iowa.

KEY PLAYS OF THE GAME

Ohio State's defense forcing Iowa to go for it on 4th and 26 in the first overtime. Vandenberg was intercepted by Anderson Russell in the end zone. That set up pure Tressel ball as Ohio State gained 2 yards on three carries to provide Barclay the opportunity to win it with his leg.

Iowa's Derrell Johnson-Koulianos helped force the overtime after he returned a kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown. The return cut the lead to 24-17 in the fourth quarter and sparked Iowa's comeback. 

QUOTABLE

After the game Jim Tressel said this to the AP:

None of our kids have gone to the Rose Bowl. I haven't been there in 25 years [since] I was an assistant coach in the 1985 Rose Bowl. There's nothing like it. It's a great feeling.

Austin Spitler  added:

It means everything to us. Senior day, we're going to remember this for the rest of our lives. This is a special moment.

Jim Cordle' thoughts on the win:

Man, this was great. I'm bruised. I'm battered. But we're victorious, man. We did it.

Iowa coach and future namesake of the B1G Coach Of The Year Award, Kirk Ferentz:

We didn't quite do it. Maybe if we had, we might have won. This was a heck of a challenge. 

THE REST OF THE STORY

The next week Ohio State traveled to Ann Arbor and defeated That Team 21-10. The Buckeyes would finish the season with a six game winning streak. That included defeating No. 7 Oregon 26-17 in the 2010 Rose Bowl. The 2010 Rose Bowl was Ohio State's first trip to Pasadena since the 1997 victory over Arizona State. Ohio State finished the 2009 season first in the Big Ten and No. 5 in both the USA Today and AP polls. 

Iowa defeated Minnesota 12-0 to finish the regular season. The Hawkeyes defeated No. 9 Georgia Tech 24-14 in the 2010 Orange Bowl. That was the last time Iowa won a New Year's Day Bowl.

THIS WEEK'S ARTICLES

Torrance Gibson Rumor Addressed
Recruiting Recon: Illinois' Offense
Recruiting Recon: Illinois' Defense
The Rundown: No. 2 Ohio State at Illinois
The Series History: Ohio State/Illinois
Prep Tracker Week 12

NEXT ARTICLES

This Date In Ohio State History: Nov. 14th (Sat)
The Ohio State Effect (Sun)
Prep Tracker Week 12 (Sun)