Fiu's Stream of
Consciousness Notes
2008 BCS Championship
By
Pete
Fiutak
Welcome again to my pretentious, goofy and self-serving
stream-of-consciousness thoughts and notes on the big games, the
broadcasts, the ads and the teams for the attention deficit
disordered. E-mail
me with your own thoughts and notes and what you'd like to see.
Pregame
- Let's get this out of the
way right here, right now so we can all move on with our lives and get
on to bigger and better things.
USC lost to Stanford (at home). USC lost to Oregon. Georgia lost to
South Carolina (at home). Georgia got obliterated by Tennessee. That's
it. It's over. Fin. Let's go have a latte and cinnamon chip scone.
For those of you who can't get past the Ohio State vs. LSU matchup and
would sleep better at night with a plus-one to solve the issue, guess
what? USC and Georgia would be watching just like everyone else. A
plus-one, Final Four-like format would've had Ohio State vs. Oklahoma
and LSU vs. Virginia Tech. Georgia was fifth in the final BCS while
Missouri, who beat Illinois to start the season, was sixth. USC was
seventh.
Oh sure, it might seem like Georgia and USC rock the casbah right now,
but you and a few friends could've gotten a steady pass rush on Hawaii.
Illinois didn't have any business being in the Rose Bowl in the first
place, and before you throw the Ohio State loss to the Illini back in my
face, one word: Stanford.
The sports world was spoiled by the cut 'n' dry, no question One vs. Two
matchup of USC vs. Texas a few years ago. There was no buzz last year
since everyone assumed it was an Ohio State coronation, and no one
outside of the college football world seems to care about this year's
national championship because 1) few really believe these are the two
best teams in America and 2) the time lapse.
Both teams deserve to be here as much, if not more, than anyone else. A
fully healthy LSU really might be the best team in America, while Ohio
State was number one in the nation in defense, number one in pass
defense, and number one in scoring defense. It's the real deal, and it
has to show it tonight.
As far as the lag time between New Year's Day and January 7th, I'm with
you. Now the world is talking about Roger Clemens and the NFL playoffs.
As I keep saying, the Rose and Fiesta should be on the 1st, the Sugar on
the 2nd, the Orange on the 3rd, and the national title on the 4th. Along
with the flurry of games on the 31st, it would be a five-game college
football extravaganza and everyone would be into the title game.
Whatever. It's not happening, so enjoy the terrific matchup to decide
the national championship.
- I'll be stunned if this isn't fantastic. I never thought the Sugar or
Rose were going to be close, and I thought the Fiesta would be a total
blowout, only the other way. I liked the Orange, but couldn't sell it to
the average fan. This will be good. The two teams appear to be in the
right frame of mind, unlike last year when Ohio State thought it had won
before getting to Glendale.
I'd only be shocked by an Ohio State blowout. I'm open for anything
else. Ohio State is good enough to win. LSU, now healthy, is good enough
to play like it did at the start of the year and blow the doors off the
Buckeyes. I'm demanding to be entertained.
- For those of you who missed it, that was Urban Meyer saying the SEC
speed thing over the Big Ten is a myth. However, he's wrong when he says
it's just the top teams. Several lower-level Big Ten teams can run.
That's not any good at playing football, but they can run.
- I was going to look into getting one of those retractable sun-setter
shades for my back porch, but instead I'll check into renting out James
Laurinaitis's ears.
- Did the big man ever graduate from Love Shaq University? Come to think
of it, did Jack Nicklaus graduate from OSU?
- According to the FedEx ad, West Virginia gets it done on the ground
and through the air. The Mountaineers finished 114th in the nation in
passing, but 12th in passing efficiency. That would be like FedEx being
able to deliver from New York to Boston without a problem while
struggling to get things to L.A.
- It's the national championship. It's New Orleans. You couldn't get
Wynton Marsalis to play the national anthem instead of whatever this is?
- Can we put Les Miles on The Moment Of Truth and ask him about
the Michigan job?
- If I'm Ohio State, I chop block Glenn Dorsey at the coin flip.
- Two weeks after Christmas, all across America, various Chia pets look
exactly like the heads of Chris Weinke and Danny Wuerffel.
First Quarter
- The Buckeyes get the ball first. If only they can get a big kickoff
return for a touchdown just like ... oh yeah.
Ohio State on its own 22
- Uh, OSU. Let's hope you came to the dance with a better
blocking scheme than what you showed on the opening play.
- Play Two: Glenn Dorsey 1, Alex Boone 0
- June Jones, take note of what you do to get the ball out of the hands
of your quarterback right away. Todd Boeckman 1-2-fire. First down.
- Obviously the Big Ten can't run with the SEC. It's not nearly athletic
enough to handle the speed and athleticism of the top end teams. Oh by
the way, Beanie Wells ran for a 65-yard touchdown.
- Glenn Dorsey 1, Alex Boone 1
- LSU LB Ali Highsmith took the absolute wrong path and got blown out of
the play.
- Game (bleep)ing on.
Ohio State 7 ... LSU 0
- How can the ball blow off the kicking tee in the Superdome?
(callous, snarky Katrina comment kept to myself)?
LSU on its own 20
- Settle things down, LSU. Just pound with Jacob Hester early on
to get your feet wet.
- First play, Hester three-yard run.
- Early Doucet drops a pass. Is LSU going to start feeling nerves?
Remember, it's supposed to win this thing.
- Speaking of nerves, C Brett Helms air mails a snap to Matt Flynn.
Flynn has to pounce on it deep in his own end.
- GREAT punt by Patrick Fisher. That might not be recognized as the game
goes on, but he just bailed the Tigers out of a huge jam.
Ohio State on its own 41
- Boeckman get time, has a wide open Brandon Seine, and it's down to
the LSU 15. Obviously it's still ridiculously early, but Miles and his
staff are getting the tails handed to them.
- Highsmith is guessing way, way wrong so far.
- Overreaction alert, overreaction alert. I hear the message boards
buzzing as we speak. Is OSU alum Bo Pelini wearing Nebraska underwear
under the LSU garb?
- Times the distance from Baton Rouge to the Superdome has been
mentioned so far (apparently it's 80 miles): 4. Times it's been
mentioned in some way that Jim Tressel is more intense than he looks: 4
- I got a chance to sit down with Tressel this offseason. As always,
he was polite to a fault, and then I started asking him about the
Florida game. I thought he was going to punch me in the brain, only it
wasn't a steam-coming-out-of-the-ears anger like most coaches would
show. It was a creepy,
I'm-going-to-wait-until-you-least-expect-it-and-then-I'll-poison-you-in-your-sleep
seethe.
- OSU sort of screws up, but it also doesn't take any chances in the
red zone. There needed to be at least one play in the end zone, but the
field goal and a 10-0 start isn't going to be sneezed at.
Ohio State 10 ... LSU 0
- LSU has to take the attitude that everything bad has happened so
far and it's "just" 10-0. 14-0 would've been a killer.
LSU on its own 20
- Again, don't panic. Get the O line moving and start pounding
on the nasty run OSU run D . Establish a little attitude.
- Alright, scrap that. OSU isn't respecting the pass even a little bit.
Everyone and Jay Burson is up against the run.
- College football isn't that hard. It's all about time. Give a veteran
passer three seconds of free time and he'll complete passes. Flynn got
time, allowed Early Doucet to run across the field, and it was an easy
game of pitch and catch for a first down.
- Helms made up for his bad snap with a crushing block on Cameron
Heyward to spring Hester for another big first down.
- NICE throw from Flynn floating it over Anderson Russell for
another first down.
- Note to Ohio State: He's No. 9. He's good. You might want
to think about covering him.
- Nothing kills a great defense's confidence like third down
conversions, especially when they come on the ground. LSU is 3-for-3.
- LSU is mixing things up, but it's also starting to screw up a bit.
This has been a nice march, but it's not going to convert on third downs
all night against this group. The O line is playing well; let Flynn
throw it a bit.
- The guy in the Allstate college football fan ads will always be the
guy showing the "O' face.
- OSU holds on third down. The secondary does a fantastic job of
clamping down on Doucet and no one else was open. Flynn had time, but
nothing was there.
- Each team will be more than happy with the three at this point.
Ohio State 10 ... LSU 3
Ohio State on its own 27
- OSU started off with the same play and the same
blocking that sprung Wells for the long score, and it almost worked
again. Beanie got five and seemed to be one arm tackle away from
breaking it.
- The right side of the line, Ben Person and Kirk Barton, are killing
the Tyson Jackson.
- Charles and Thom, I let it go once. The Buckeyes are trying to
exorcise their demons, not exercise them.
- Flashbacks to the Florida game. Ohio State's receivers aren't remotely
close to getting open. Troy Smith was awful last year, but he didn't
have anyone to throw to. Boeckman is getting time, but NO ONE is open.
Outside of one big busted coverage early, the LSU defensive backs are
dominating.
- LSU PR Chad Jones never seemed to have it on the punt return. Huge
break for the Tigers.
LSU on its own 12
- OSU has gone on two scoring drives, but it hasn't exactly
marched. LSU gets a good play on first down. OSU needs a stop here to
get its offense in prime field position.
- Yaaaayyyyy. This doesn't suck.
First Quarter Score: Ohio State 10 ... LSU 3
SECOND QUARTER
- LSU converts another third and
short on the ground. The Tiger offensive line is more physical than the
OSU defensive front.
- Don't like it ... don't like it ... don't like it ... don't like it
... don't like it ... don't like it ... don't like it ... don't like it
... don't like it ... don't like it ... don't like it ... the offense is
moving. You just got a first down. Keep Matt Flynn in.
- OSU was all over Ryan Perrilloux as soon as he started to run the
option.
- You don't call that. OSU got tagged with a questionable (at very, very
best) late hit call.
- OSU is every bit as fast as LSU, but it can't let the receivers run
free. The corners have to get more of a jam.
- Terrific call to catch OSU napping. The Buckeyes were on their heels
and Flynn quick-pitched with a throw to Richard Dickson for a touchdown.
That was way, way, way too easy for LSU.
- The scary part for Ohio State is that it got pressure on the drive.
Flynn was getting hit a bit and he still made plays.
LSU 10 ... Ohio State 10
- If you remember, there was a point in the Florida debacle when the
Gators answered the big early OSU punch and then it was like, Uh oh;
this could quickly get ugly. The Buckeyes had better score right here,
right now.
Ohio State on its own 23
- What a stiff-arm by Beanie Wells on Chevis Jackson. That was
an NFL back beeatch slapping an NFL corner for a huge gain.
- The LSU line has been non-existent in the pass rush.
- Wrong, Charles Davis, wrong. Blood is not thicker than school when
it comes to the really, really big games. Ask the Bowdens.
- The OSU line is manhandling the LSU defensive front. That's what sucks
about being an offensive lineman. You can block the All-America
defensive tackle 19 times in a row, but get beat the 20th time and you
get called out.
- I want to see the review on that. Interesting dynamics. LSU star
safety Craig Steltz was hurt on the play before, OSU sees it, picks on
him, and it looked like Brian Robiskie beat Chevis Jackson for a
touchdown with Steltz not able to get over, but it was knocked loose.
Steltz is still hurt and being attended to allowing Fox to go to a TV
timeout that's lasting at least three minutes, and it's giving OSU time
to review the play over and over again.
- I got into a drunken bar argument over whether or not Serena is
hot. I point to the hp ad that just aired and walk out of the room
holding up the number one sign like Larry Bird with the final ball still
in the air in the 1988 three-point contest.
- Um, has anyone bothered to at least attempt to ask a little Mitchell
Report-like question when it comes to the Williams sisters?
- Ohio State field goal attempt ... blocked.
- Uh, Fox, my brother, where are the replays of what happened on the
Robiskie play? I can't be the only one who thought he had control for a
split second.
LSU on its own 34
- LSU is mixing things up extremely well, but I need a second here ...
- Since Fox didn't provide a replay, I went back to see the Robiskie
play. Chevis Jackson knocked it out. No question. Now I have one other
question ...
- There wasn't a replay on it, but it looked to me like LSU TE Keith
Zinger never touched the ground on a third and two catch as he rolled
over the OSU defender and fumbled. There wasn't a replay, but yeah, his
knee touched the ground. Just wanted to check on those two.
- Love the DVR.
- Yet ANOTHER third and short that LSU converts. The emotion swing has
completely and totally gone to LSU's side. It's not like the Tigers are
doing anything fancy; they're just blowing the Buckeyes off the ball and
getting three yards a crack.
- As I've said all week, LSU plays like an old school Big Ten team. Line
'em up, pound it, and keep pounding it.
- Another third and five. OSU is getting killed on these plays. A field
goal here would mean everything to OSU. But ...
- Flynn is fantastic. He gets on the move away from pressure and hits an
open Brandon LaFell for a score.
- 17 unanswered points.
LSU 17 ... Ohio State 10
Ohio State on its own 31
- Time to swing things back the other way. If OSU goes on a
scoring drive, the crisis will have been temporarily averted. However,
outside of one big run and one big pass, the offense hasn't really
worked.
- And there's Glenn Dorsey. LSU is frothing at the mouth and appears to
be a heartbeat away from making a big play happen. The D is jumping
around and appears to be in a groove.
- As I write that, Chevis Jackson just boosted his draft stock even
more. I'm not 100% sold on him at the next level, but he made a
fantastic play on a pickoff and return down to the 24. Again, like the
Florida game, the OSU receivers aren't even close to getting open.
- I fully expect Jackson to go back to the LSU coaches, sit down,
look over, and say, "It was Dentyne."
LSU on its own 24
- I always wonder why football teams don't take timeouts like
they do in basketball to slow down a run. LSU is marching with easy and
is in a great rhythm. OSU is hitting Flynn, but it has to do something,
anything to slow things down.
- On the one, you run Hester four straight times and end the game.
- The Tigers are getting a little too cute around the goal line. Hester
vs. Laurinaitis ... 33 makes the stop, but Hester falls into the end
zone.
- It's happening again ...
LSU 24 ... Ohio State 10
Ohio State on its own 20
- With over four minutes to play, OSU has more than enough time
to do something. It doesn't have to score, but it has to show it can at
least string together a few first downs.
- Someone has to work on Boeckman's release. I takes longer for him to
get the ball out of his hands on a deep out than it does for Emmitt
Smith to get out a sentence.
- Third and eight and still 3:30 to play. LSU is pinning its ears back.
Now it knows the corners have the receivers down cold. It's time to
release the hounds.
- Nice throw by Boeckman to get the first down. The OSU receivers aren't
doing anything deep, but they're getting off the line well.
- Yeah, end arounds aren't going to work on a defense with this kind of
speed and athleticism.
- About my offensive line comment before. Boeckman got ten days to
throw, Kirk Barton did a great job on Tyson Jackson, but the receivers
were covered, the ball was held on to way, wayyyy to long, and it's a
sack and fumble.
- 1:27 to play. Now is when you're glad to have A.J. Trapasso punting
the ball.
- Fantastic kick. Should've been down at the one.
LSU on its own 20
- Under a minute, get out. You're up 24-10 and OSU doesn't have
anything left in the bag. Just get to the locker room and don't allow
any free points.
- Now THAT'S the LSU of early in the year.
Second Quarter Score: LSU 24 ... Ohio State 10
- The LSU Golden Girls are dancing high heels. The south does have
its moments.
- Again, this is New Orleans. This is the national championship. This
halftime show should be a jazz extravaganza, and we're getting the
school bands. Yeah, that's right. Your clarinet is making all the
difference.
- JaMarcus Russell is wearing my grandma's drapes.
THIRD QUARTER
- It's only 14. Getting a stop here could make
this interesting. Yeah, right.
LSU on its own 20
- OSU has nothing to lose and is going to be ultra-aggressive. A
reverse could come up huge.
- Fantastic down-field block by Doucet on Laurinaitis to spring a first
down run.
- Don't like it ... don't like it ... don't like it ... don't like it
... don't like it ... don't like it ... don't like it ... don't like it
... don't like it ... don't like it ... don't like it ... don't like it
... don't like it ... don't like it ... You're roaring with Flynn.
Perrilloux should be studying the playbook for next year.
- The OSU tackles are getting shoved around way too much.
- Does LSU have a penalty yet?
- Everything is working, and LSU isn't even taking any shots downfield.
- Another third and one. Here comes Mariano Rivera.
- Actually, it's Flynn for yet another third down.
- OSU really isn't playing poorly. It's simply not getting the one big
stop it needs to get LSU off the field.
- And then it gets its first huge break of the game. Flynn gets nailed
for intentional grounding.
- 3rd and 23. If OSU can't stop this ...
- That was the first penalty on the Tigers.
- OSU gets out of it. There's the stop. Now we see of the OSU coaching
staff has any new ideas.
- DUMB DUMB DUMB DUMB DUMB DUMB DUMB. We're not five minutes into the
second half, and that's the nail in the coffin. OSU is getting the ball
back, all the momentum is on its size, and backup linebacker Austin
Spitler gets nailed for a roughing the punter. That wasn't a cheapy. It
was a dumb play, but I blame the coaches. What are you doing rushing the
punter in that situation? Spitler almost got it.
- Tressel has a look on his face like, We just blew it, we just blew it,
we just blew it.
- And there's the fifth personal foul of the game.
- Enough freakin' shots of the freakin' band.
- LSU is taking full advantage of the mistakes and is rolling again.
- Early Doucet touchdown breaking two tackles to get in.
- Coming up on HBO, JFK. On HBO2, Real Sex. Maybe it's the one
with old ugly people finding new ways to pleasure themselves, along with
an in-depth exposé on strippers, or maybe it's the one with old ugly
people finding new ways to pleasure themselves, along with an in-depth
exposé on strippers.
- Ooooh. Last King of Scotland.
LSU 31 ... Ohio State 10
Ohio State on its own 28
- On replay, that was a bad personal foul call on OSU.
- Still dreaming of an interesting game, it's still not a total and
complete blowout just yet IF OSU gets a touchdown on this drive.
- Big run by Boeckman for a first down.
- Ricky-Jean Francois just ate Beanie. Wells is 235 pounds and
disappeared in the sophomore's belly.
- Boeckman has to make the throw faster. He had a wide open receiver in
the flat, spent all his time rolling out, and allowed the Tiger
defensive backs to close. Instead of his guy getting the ball in space
to work, it was stopped for a minimal gain.
- Boeckman can't be afraid to make mistakes at this point. It's almost
like Tressel Ball is so deeply ingrained in his head that he just can't
make himself force a throw.
- Midfield down 21 with your defense doing absolutely nothing to come up
with a stop ... how is this not four down territory?
- In the "It's the mirrors" TV ad with the guys playing basketball,
you'd think they'd have gotten a better take for the final dunk. The guy
just barely rattles it down.
LSU on its own 11
- Right now, the only thing that matters is not turning the ball
over. Punting it is fine, the defense is doing the job, but you can't
give the ball to the Buckeyes in the red zone.
- Herman Johnson is having himself a whale of a game at left guard.
- I'll continue on my Laurinaitis is overrated rant. He has lived off
being the Buckeye star LB who came in after A.J. Hawk, but he's average
in pass coverage and makes way, way, way too many stops seven yards down
the field.
- Why, why, WHY?! LSU is killing the Buckeyes with the running game, it
has a miscommunication with the passing game, and Malcolm Jenkins picks
off a pass to get down to the 12. That's the one thing it couldn't do.
Ohio State on the LSU 12
- Now THIS is four
down territory.
- Wells isn't being stopped. He's doing a great job of being patient.
- Barton has had a fantastic game when locked up on Dorsey.
- And then Ricky-Jean Francois flattens center Jim Cordle and stuffs
Wells on third and one.
- Right now, of course you go for it on fourth and four from the
five. Of course.
- Boeckman's been getting more time to throw than the announcers are
making it sound. He gets a few seconds and he gets it to Brian Robiskie,
who makes a fantastic catch.
- It's only 14 now, but this is usually when LSU comes up with a big
drive.
LSU 35 ... Ohio State 21
- Alright, Ohio State. I'm thinking about the onside kick. You're
thinking about the onside kick, The entire stadium is thinking about the
onside kick. You've got a little momentum. Let Ryan Pretorius put
another boot into the end zone, let LSU start from the 20, and see if
you really do have a national championship-level defense.
- They kick it away. Trindon Holliday gets to the 29.
LSU on its own 30
- Now the OSU defense is hopping. Big stick on Flynn by Malcolm
Jenkins.
- LSU all of a sudden has gone Pat Buchanon. Third and six with the
fourth quarter starting. OSU hasn't come up with a key third down stop
all night outside of the third and forever. This is it. This is the
chance to really make this a fun fourth quarter.
Third Quarter: LSU 35 ... Ohio State 21
FOURTH QUARTER
- LSU seems shell-shocked after the pick. On third down, Flynn
runs and get stopped. Considering the roughing the punter penalty, the
OSU D has come up with a stop on three straight drives.
- Brennaman just says the same thing.
- BOOM. Patrick Fisher blasts the bejeebers out of a punt into the end
zone.
Ohio State on its own 20
- Hmmmmmm, let's take a guess on this one. Beanie.
- Yup, Beanie for two.
- That's a play that'll work. The LSU corners are still all over the OSU
receivers, but a quick slant pattern off the line will work if Boeckman
makes the throw. Boeckman makes the throw.
- Again, the LSU D line isn't getting much in the way of pressure.
- Wells just made Chevis Jackson grasp at air.
- Dorsey has spent the last three downs slap-fighting with various
Buckeye linemen, but he isn't doing much.
- Why is OSU picking on Jackson?
- Pelini just runs in from out of the locker room after boarding a plane
for Lincoln at halftime.
- How is that not a personal foul on Ali Highsmith? Boeckman started to
slide and got popped. That gets flagged every time in the NFL.
- LSU is going to have to blitz. It has to start generating pressure
from somewhere. Before, the corners were getting the job done and the
line got time to get into the backfield. It's not happening now.
- After a great drive, Boeckman turns indecisive. He actually has an
extra half-tick to look for a second receiver, but he's looking at his
one, if its not there, he's giving up and waiting for LSU to get to him.
- Fourth and seven on the 35. Yeah, you have to go for it. It sucks, but
you have to.
- A second straight awful, AWFUL play by Boeckman, He has time, has
time, has time, rolls out, doesn't have time and inexplicably tries to
wind up and fire. Highsmith stuffs the play, forces a fumble, and SS
Harry Coleman, who's in for an injured Craig Steltz, picks it up. Crisis
averted for the Tigers.
- Pregnant women have it so made. If I asked for something crunchy,
chewy, cheesy and melty, my wife would hand me my daughter's diaper.
LSU on the OSU 45
- The clock is still not moving. There's still more than ten
minutes.
- Third and five. LSU has swallowed its playbook.
- OSU's D comes through again. OSU is coming up with the stops, but LSU
is doing its part. There's nowhere near the bounce in the offensive step
there was in the first half.
- Of course you punt it. Of course you do.
- OOOOOH. Fisher put it in the end zone by an eyelash.
Ohio State on its own 20
- After the way the last drive ended, you have to take the ball
out of Boeckman's hands for a few plays. Go with the fastball. Run
Beanie, and then run him again.
- Outside of the way hot mom, the despicable family in the ad for the
Dodge Caravan minivan should be thrown in a sack and steamrollered over
by Herman Johnson.
- Beanie for three. Run it again.
- There's Boeckman back again. He throws a nice ball quickly for a third
and short.
- OSU is way, way too deliberate. It needs to pick up the pace.
- There's the LSU defensive line. Great push up front to stuff Wells
facing fourth and one.
- Fourth an done. I'm thinking Michael Jenkins Purdue. I'm also thinking
Arby's.
- Beanie for the first down.
- Under seven minutes.
- LSU DE Kirston Pittman has been an eyelash away from getting to
Boeckman over the last few plays.
- Again, Jim Cordle stops Glenn Dorsey on roughly 30 plays in a row, but
on the 31st, Dorsey gets a sack and forces a fumble.
- A misfire, and now it's 3rd and 15.
- Slooooowwwwwww. Under six minutes to play.
- Boeckman is going to have nightmares for the next eight months about
that one. He did a nice of stepping up in the pocket to avoid the rush,
and then he air mails a wide open receiver for a pick. He had a first
down.
LSU on its own 47
- LSU is throwing?! Doucet gets out of bounds?! Doucet will get
blamed for going out, but that's the coaches' fault for throwing in the
first place.
- Yup. You knew that was coming. Conservative run to crank out time.
- OSU comes with the world's slowest blitz. Fourth and one on the 41.
- Four minutes to play on the OSU 41, YOU PUNT IT. The play is going to
work, it's who Les Miles is and OSU hasn't shown any hope of stopping it
so far, but you ask Fisher to get it inside the ten.
- Of course LSU gets it.
- The clock starts to bleed badly for OSU.
- One time out left for OSU and it's 2nd and 6. You have two plays to
make a stop or it's over.
- Flynn dances up a huge hole in the middle for a first down. Again,
Herman Johnson is having a game against the Buckeye DTs.
- And now it's really over. Richard Murphy gets down to the five with
under three to play.
- Laurinaitis has 18 tackles. How many actually made a stop for little
or no gain and how many times was he making a play just as the back was
by him?
- OSU sells out to stop the run and Richard Dickson is wide open for his
second touchdown of the game.
- LSU is the national champion. Sorry USC and Georgia, but it's hard not
to be sold that the college football world got it right.
LSU 38 ... Ohio State 17
Ohio State on its own 46
- Charles Davis: "(Ohio State) could very well be in this game
again next year." America: "If it's against the SEC ....
Nooooooooooooooooo!"
- Two plays, a nice catch and a pass interference to get down to the LSU
23.
- Brian Robiskie catches it in the end zone but is out of bounds.
- OSU picks up the blitz, Boeckman finds Brian Hartline on the slant,
touchdown. This matters. It might be garbage time, but the final score
will be repeated all off-season. The Buckeyes had their chances, but LSU
came through on the key plays when it really, really mattered.
LSU 38 ... Ohio State 24
- Good, high onside kick, but it's too far. Charles Scott gets it
and LSU now has it locked up.
LSU on the OSU 43
- Not bad. It was a blowout in its own way, but it was an
entertaining blowout.
- Somewhere, a bunch of Pitt players are smiling, and a bunch of LSU
fans are ordering balloon bouquets for Dave Wannstedt.
- What did they with all the scarlet and gray confetti and streamers?
FINAL SCORE: LSU 38 ... Ohio State 24