In an NIL and transfer portal era where some of college football's best seem to be getting older, it was a group of "Super Sophomores" that led the way for Ohio State nearly six decades ago.
While many Ohio State fans will remember the 1968 season for being the first time the Buckeye leaves appeared on OSU helmets and Woody Hayes – supposedly – saying that he only went for two because he "couldn't go for three" while leading 50-14 over Michigan, that season ended with the Buckeyes' first No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup ever.
After demolishing the Wolverines, Ohio State was set to play the second-ranked Trojans in the national championship game. Led by a group of second-year players, the "Super Sophomores," as they are known, consisted of college football Hall of Famers Rex Kern (quarterback), Jim Stillwagon (offensive lineman) and Jack Tatum (defensive back). It also included Leo Hayden, Jan White, Bruce Jankowski, Larry Zelina, John Brockington, Mark Devevc, Doug Adams, Mike Sensibaugh and Tim Anderson—twelve sophomore starters, for those counting.
“We had a lot of doubters when the season began,” Hayes said after the game. “But we knew we had an outstanding group of young men. The way they have played this year is a tribute to them. We can celebrate the championship and look forward to representing our conference in the Rose Bowl.”
USC, meanwhile, was led by Heisman Trophy winner O.J. Simpson.
After OSU missed a 27-yard field goal on the first play of the second quarter, USC answered with a field goal of its own to take a 3-0 lead. The Trojans took a 10-0 lead following an 80-yard touchdown run by Simpson.
"That entire season we had only given up one run over 15 yards," Lou Holtz said while discussing the game in an interview with Ohio Magazine in 2018. "In the first half, O.J. [Simpson] went 80 yards to score a touchdown. Woody got in my face and yelled, “How did he go 80 yards?” I told him, “Because that’s all he needed.”
But the early deficit didn't last thanks to a one-yard touchdown run by Jim Otis and a 26-yard field goal by Otis, as Ohio State tied things up at 10-10 at halftime.
The Buckeyes took their first lead of the game when Roman converted a 25-yard field goal with 1:40 left in the third quarter. Following a recovered fumble by OSU's defense, Ohio State took a two-possession game six plays later with a four-yard touchdown pass from Kern to Leophus Hayden to make it 20-10.
Late in the game, Kern found Ray Gillian for a 16-yard touchdown to give the Buckeyes a 27-10 lead with 4:55 left. USC's Steve Sogge found Sam Dickerson for a touchdown late in the game, but Ohio State beat the Trojans for the national title, 27-16.
“Our practices were brutal. We had no fun in California," Brockington said. "All Woody wanted to do was kick their asses and go home.”
Even though he scored an 80-yard touchdown, Ohio State held Simpson to just 91 yards on 27 carries in the game.
"I kicked a field goal to tie the game with three seconds left before halftime. I ended up with two field goals and three extra points that day. [Dave] Foley still introduces me as the guy who outscored O.J. in the Rose Bowl," Roman said.
In all, Ohio State beat No. 1 Purdue, No. 2 USC and No. 4 Michigan on the Buckeyes' run to their fifth national championship. It was Hayes' fourth national championship and fifth Big Ten title.
Eleven players from the 1968 team earned All-America honors during their respective careers and six players were drafted in the first round of the NFL draft in either 1969 or 1971.
"Those players weren’t close because they won," Holtz said of that 1968 team. "They won because they were close, and they still are to this day.
