As i'm sure many of my fellow 11W members do, I love to look through the links that are provided at the end of the Skull Sessions. Today, one in particular caught my eye, "The Oral History of the 2003 Fiesta Bowl". As I was reading through it, many of the plays and moments that the players were articulating were replayed in my head.
One play stood out the most, during the early part of the third quarter:
Third Quarter
Just before the second-half kickoff, Tressell told ABC sideline reporter Todd Harris: "It's gonna be down to the final second. We're gonna play as hard as we can and see if we deserve it."
Miami went three-and-out to start the second half. On third down of the ensuing possession, Krenzel lofted a bomb down the left sideline that Gamble ran under and caught for a 57-yard gain. It was Ohio State's longest pass play of the year, and it gave the Buckeyes first-and-goal at the Miami six. But Krenzel was picked off in the end zone by Taylor.
CIE GRANT, OHIO STATE LINEBACKER: You talk about a shift in momentum.
VILMA: I thought Sean was going to score. Sean had done that so many times. Once he got it and took it out [of the end zone] I was like, "He's gone." I started celebrating.
KRENZEL: I'm trying to chase him down and he's on the 35-yard-line and then I get blasted.
VILMA: And then out of nowhere comes Maurice Clarett.
KRENZEL: And when I get up I realize Maurice Clarett's got the football.
VILMA: Not only does [Clarett] prevent Sean from scoring, he gets the ball back. And not only does he get the ball back, but they end up getting three points out of it. That was a hell of a play by Maurice Clarett.
DONNIE NICKEY, OHIO STATE SAFETY: That was the game right there ... It was like God put his hand on Maurice and pushed him to go get that ball and get it out.
And it hit me, Donnie Nickey was right. The 2002-2003 season was filled with improbable, odds-defying, even magical moments, but that play by Clarett may have very well been the one that defined that game, and that season.
Another moment always stands out to me when this topic is discussed between my family and friends:
With the Buckeyes trailing 14-7 at the beginning of the second quarter, JT Barrett and company faced a 3rd and 23 from their 37 yard line. On the ensuing snap, Barrett dropped back, threw the ball down the near sideline, hitting Devin Smith over the shoulder for a 43 yard pickup.
I truly believe that play shifted the momentum for the rest of the game, setting in motion the avalanche of points the Scarlet and Gray would pour on the Spartans that cold night in East Lansing, and put the Buckeyes in the driver's seat for the B1G East crown and a trip to Indy.
You know I love to hear from you guys, so tell me, what plays from the multitude of games you have all witnessed come to mind as "momentum shifters" for that game, and possibly for that respective season?
