Eleven Warriors Readers Crown 2003 Fiesta Bowl as Greatest Ohio State Game of All Time

By D.J. Byrnes and Matt Gutridge on August 30, 2017 at 12:00 pm
Ohio State G.O.A.T. Game Tournament, Championship
40 Comments

The Eleven Warriors G.O.A.T. Game Tournament sought to crown the greatest game in Ohio State football history. Over 11 days and 32,287 votes, it did just that.

'03 FIESTA CHAMPIONSHIP PATH
ROUND OPPONENT ScORE %
OPENING 1974 ROSE BOWL 98-2
SWEET 16 2015 SUGAR BOWL 61-39
ELITE 8 2015 CFP TITLE 85-15
FINAL 4 2002 PURDUE 95-5
TITLE 2006 MICHIGAN 85-15

When we started this competition, we had an inkling the 2003 Fiesta Bowl would be a juggernaut.

How much of a juggernaut, we could not discern.

Now we know.

While the 2002 No. 2 Ohio State team entered the 2003 Fiesta Bowl as heavy underdogs to defending champion No. 1 Miami, the resulting game detonated any opponent it faced on its way to claiming the G.O.A.T. Game Tournament championship.

Vic Janowicz's Herculean effort against Iowa in 1950 made it to the Elite 8, and "Holy Buckeye!" upset a better overall game against Purdue in 1968, but this was a tournament marked by chalk. And none reigned with an iron fist like the Fiesta Bowl.

Its closest competition came in the Sweet 16, against Ohio State's iconic comeback win against Alabama in the 2015 Sugar Bowl.

It won that competition by a startling 61-39 percentage margin. Its next three opponents failed to muster that percentage—combined.

And now, without further ado, here is Ohio State's historic upset of Miami in its entirety:

Follow Eleven WarriorsFacebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube

40 Comments
View 40 Comments