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OSU vs. ND - Disciples of College Football

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Large Father's picture
December 31, 2015 at 2:53pm
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Tressels, Fickells and Urbans,

Whether you believe in the power of Holy Buckeye or Touchdown Jesus, at least you are a disciple of College Football.  This is a week of College Football celebration and we worship the same deity.  

The Ohio State - Notre Dame Fiesta bowl match-up tomorrow pre-dates most of us.  When I was a young boy absorbing everything about sports, I asked my Uncle Garth who was his favorite team.  He answered, "Ohio State and whoever is playing Notre Dame."  His college football beliefs were seeded by my grandparents' and great grandparents generations.  Historically, the Fighting Irish has been the pinnacle of college football...people love to love 'em or love to hate 'em.  It's a little difficult for younger generations to truly grasp because recently Notre Dame seems like a team legendary for something that happened long ago -- 1988 was the last consensus national championship.  You have to zoom out and look at the bigger picture to comprehend ND's importance and rapid national fan base.  

The 1935 Ohio State vs. Notre Dame game played in Ohio Stadium has been called "The Game of the Century"...which today is an overused term but back then was special.  The pictures from the 1935 game are incredible.  Grainy black, white and gray shots.  Over 80,000 people in the stadium - most of the men wearing those dark hats associated with that period.  No facemasks, so you can see the grizzled look on the players faces...who all look much older than they really are.  This was the height of the Great Depression and yet 10,000 people came by train from South Bend to see this game.  In 1935, Ohio State lost on a touchdown pass (which was fairly revolutionary at that time) in the final minute.  The Buckeyes would lose again in South Bend in 1936.

Do you remember where you were in 1995 when the Buckeyes finally had a chance for redemption against the Fighting Irish?  One of the best college football images ever captured...Eddie George pulling away from nearly the entire Notre Dame team with 9 gold helmets chasing him from behind.  Ohio State won again in South Bend in 1996.  

The fifth time the Buckeyes and Irish met was 10 years ago in the Fiesta Bowl.  I remember my eldest son was only 6 weeks old and our celebratory roars did not wake him up.  I also remember after the game, Troy Smith said during practice he worked on not overthrowing the long ball to Teddy Ginn...they knew it would be open.

The Ohio State / Notre Dame game on January 1st, 2016 is already historic and there hasn't even been a snap.  Who knows how many times in the 21st century these teams will meet, so a win carries long-term spoils.  It is also the type of game that can catapult a program into next season...which is important, but just a small blip on the football timeline for these schools.  

This is also the last chance for many of the Ohio State players to finalize their Buckeye legacy.  A few months from now, many will be millionaires and football will become a profession.  For now, they can go out as one of the top Ohio State classes ever...and one of the few teams with a win against Notre Dame.   

Touchdowns:  Zeke, Zeke, Zeke, JT, Thomas, Jalin
 
OSU 42 ND 21

Go Bucks!  Beat Notre Dame!  Josh Perry for Heisman! 

Large Father
 

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