Best Tiger
Bowl Moment:
Look no further than the 2004 Sugar Bowl, a
more-dominant-than-the-score-indicated 21-14 win over Oklahoma,
which gave LSU a share of its first national championship in 45
years. The Tigers harassed Heisman winner Jason White from the
opening drive, getting just enough of an offensive spark from
freshman back Justin Vincent to pull off the mild upset in the
Superdome.
Best Buckeye Bowl Moment: Beyond the plethora of Rose Bowl
wins, nothing could compare to the 2003 Fiesta Bowl. In one of the
most thrilling college football games of all-time, Ohio State upset
Miami in overtime to cop its first unanimous national championship
in 34 years. A distant runner-up was the come-from-behind win
against USC in the 1969 Rose Bowl that put the finishing touches on
that previous national title.
Ohio State's best win ...
Ohio State 14 ... Michigan 3
Chris Wells scored from one and 62 yards out and the defense
held Michigan to 91 yards of total offense as Ohio State won a
sloppy game filled with several slips and dropped passes. The
Wolverines gained just 15 yards rushing with Mike Hart gutting it
out through a gimpy ankle for 44 yards. Chad Henne struggled through
his shoulder injury to complete 11 of 34 passes, but he was plagued
by several drops. The Buckeyes held on to the ball for 37:50 as
Michigan converted just three of 18 third down conversion attempts.
Player of the
game: Ohio State RB Chris Wells ran 39 times for 222 yards and
two touchdowns, and DE Vernon Gholston made five tackles, three
sacks and four tackles for loss. Stat Leaders: Michigan - Passing: Chad Henne,
11-34, 68 yds Rushing: Mike Hart, 18-44. Receiving: Mario Manningham,
5-34 Ohio State - Passing: Todd Boeckman, 7-13, 50
yds, 1 INT
Rushing: Chris Wells, 39-222, 2 TD. Receiving: Brian
Robiskie, 2-21
Ohio State's worst loss ...
Illinois 28 ... Ohio State 21
Illinois tore off 260 rushing yards, but it was the passing
game that killed Ohio State early on with Juice Williams throwing
four touchdown passes to four different receivers. A 31-yard strike
to Marques Wilkins late in the third quarter gave the Illini a 28-14
lead, but the Buckeyes marched right back going 76 yards in eight
plays with Chris Wells finishing it off with his second touchdown
run of the game. And Illinois decided to not let Ohio State have the
ball again. The Buckeyes ran two plays in the fourth quarter with
the second an interception by Marcus Thomas with 8:09 to play. And
then Illinois played keep-away, going 42 yards on 16 plays taking
off the rest of the time, highlighted by a two-yard quarterback
sneak on fourth and inches on the Illinois 33 to keep the drive
alive. Marcus Freeman and James Laurinaitis combined to make 30
tackles for the Buckeyes, while J Leman made 12 stops for Illinois. Player of the game: Illinois QB Juice
Williams completed 12 of 22 passes for 140 yards, and ran 16 times
for 70 yards Stat Leaders: Illinois - Passing: Isiah Williams, 12-22,
140 yds, 4 TD Rushing: Daniel Dufrene, 8-106. Receiving: Brian Gamble, 3-27, 1
TD Ohio State - Passing: Todd Boeckman, 13-23, 156 yds, 3 INT
Rushing: Chris Wells, 20-76, 2 TD. Receiving: Brian Hartline, 4-86
LSU's best win ...
SEC Championship,
LSU 21 ... Tennessee 14
LSU outgained Tennessee 464 yards to 343, but needed a bid
play from the defense to win the SEC championship. Jonathan Zenon took a long
Erik Ainge out pattern throw the other way 18 yards for an LSU touchdown for the
winning score. The Vols had one last big chance, but a fourth and four pass on
the LSU 21 was dropped by Denarius Moore. Their final drive ended with an
interception. The Tigers got two Colt David field goals and a 27-yard Demetrius
Byrd touchdown catch from Ryan Perrilloux, who injured his finger, but stay in
for most of the game. Tennessee played well with two Erik Ainge touchdown passes
with an 11-yarder to Chris Brown and a six-yard play to Josh Briscoe. Player of the game: LSU CB Jonathan Zenon made six
tackles, broke up a pass, and picked off a pass for the game-winning touchdown.
Tennessee's Jerod Mayo made 15 tackles and a tackle for loss. Stat Leaders: LSU - Passing: Ryan Perrilloux, 20-30, 243
yds, 1 TD, 1 INT Rushing: Jacob Hester, 23-120. Receiving: Early Doucet, 5-29 Tennessee - Passing: Erik Ainge, 20-40, 249 yds, 2 TD, 2
INT
Rushing: Arian Foster, 21-55. Receiving: Josh Briscoe, 8-79, 1 TD
LSU's worst loss ...
Arkansas 50 ... LSU 48 3OT
In the third overtime, Arkansas scored first on a three-yard
Peyton Hillis touchdown run with Felix Jones taking it in for the two-point
conversion. LSU answered with a nine-yard Brandon LaFell touchdown catch, but
the two-point conversion attempt was picked off by
Matterral Richardson
to seal the win for the Hogs and ruin LSU's national title dreams. Darren
McFadden ran for touchdowns from 16, 73 and nine yards out, and threw a 24-yard
touchdown to Hillis, who also ran for a 65-yard touchdown and caught a ten-yard
scoring pass in the first overtime. The Tigers had to fight just to get to
overtime with Demetrius Boyd catching a two-yard touchdown pass with 57 seconds
to play. LSU scored first on a 12-yard Matt Flynn run, but Arkansas answered
with a Hillis's ten-yard catch. McFadden's nine-yard scamper gave the Hogs the
lead, but Hester helped tie it up with a two-yard run. Arkansas finished with
385 rushing yards and 513 yards of total offense to LSU's 413 yards.
Player of the game: Arkansas RB Darren McFadden ran 32 times for 206
yards and three touchdowns, and completed three of six passes for 34 yards and a
score Stat Leaders: LSU - Passing: Matt Flynn, 22-47, 209 yds, 3
TD Rushing: Jacob Hester, 28-126, 2 TD. Receiving: Early Doucet, 7-52 Arkansas - Passing: Casey Dick, 10-18, 94 yds, 1 TD
Rushing: Darren McFadden, 32-206, 3 TD. Receiving: Peyton Hillis,
5-62, 2 TD
2007 BCS Championship
Florida 41 ... Ohio State 14
Florida dominated Ohio State on both sides of the ball holding
the Buckeye offense to eight first downs and 82 total yards of offense
while amassing 370 yards and scoring 21 straight points in the first
15:04. Things started out on a high note for OSU as Ted Ginn Jr. took
the opening kickoff 93 yards for a touchdown, but the Gators responded
with a big kickoff return, helped by a penalty, and a seven-play,
46-yard drive finishing with a 14-yard Dallas Baker touchdown catch.
Percy Harvin ran for a four-yard score, and DeShawn Wynn ran for a
two-yard touchdown for the big lead, but the Buckeyes appeared to have
some life after an 18-yard Antonio Pittman touchdown run. That would be
it as Florida got two Chris Hetland field goals and took advantage of a
sack and Troy Smith fumble to go five yards in the final minute of the
first half finishing with a one-yard Andre Caldwell touchdown catch from
Tim Tebow. Tebow closed out the scoring with a one-yard run in the
fourth quarter. Player of the game ...
Florida DEs
Jarvis Moss and Derrick Harvey. The
two Gator ends combined to make six tackles, five sacks, and came up
with several hurries. Moss forced a key Troy Smith fumble at the end of
the first half deep in Buckeye territory, and Harvey recovered it.
Stat Leaders: Florida- Passing: Chris Leak, 35-36, 213 yds,
1 TD Rushing: DeShawn Wynn, 19-69, 1 TD Receiving: Percy Harvin,
9-60 Ohio State - Passing: Troy Smith, 4-14, 35 yds, 1
INT
Rushing: Antonio Pittman, 10-62, 1 TD Receiving: Anthony Gonzalez, 2-11
