Ohio State isn't playing for a national championship, but the Rose Bowl is a damn good consolation prize.
That got me thinking, what's your favorite non-national championship bowl memory?
(That excludes semifinal games too. Sorry, the 2014 Sugar Bowl doesn't count)
I've tossed around a few in my mind, but I think I'm going with the 2010-11 Sugar Bowl win over Arkansas.
The narrative going into that game was how Ohio State couldn't beat the SEC and how the Buckeyes hadn't won a bowl game against an SEC opponent. It just felt like Ohio State really, really needed to win that game – especially as a Buckeye fan growing up in the south.
Jim Tressel did his best Jim Tressel and it turned into an extremely close game, but the good guys got the win – even if it no longer counts officially.
I think the 2009-10 Rose Bowl is a close second for me.
What is your favorite?