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Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Coming close no consolation to Buckeyes
Ohio State had a much better showing in the Fiesta Bowl than in its previous two BCS bowl games, national championship losses to Florida and LSU, but that did not mean much to the Buckeyes’ players.
“It’s a loss. We can’t be proud of close games,” freshman quarterback Terrelle Pryor said. “These are the type of games you have to take over and win. Hanging in there is not good enough.”
Pryor said he had absolutely no sense that the game was over when the Buckeyes took a 21-17 lead with 2:05 remaining on Dan Herron’s 21-yard touchdown run.
“We have a great defense, but they have a guy who was a top candidate for the Heisman” Trophy, Pryor said of Longhorns quarterback Colt McCoy.
“He’s going to make plays, whether we like it or not. He’s a Heisman quarterback. He’s going to match them downfield.”
Pryor and Todd Boeckman were on the field for the first play of the game, with Boeckman at quarterback and Pryor at wide receiver, and were on the field together for maybe a dozen plays or more.
“I was cool with it,” Pryor said of the formation. “I could be used as somewhat of a decoy, and then get the ball, too.”
Pryor made his first college catch mean something - his five-yard touchdown reception from Boeckman with 7:31 remaining brought the Buckeyes within two, 17-15.
“Nothing special,” Pryor said.
Boeckman did not see it that way.
Pryor, used as a decoy when he lined up at receiver most of the night, was the primary receiver on the touchdown pass.
“We’d been practicing that the last couple of weeks, to let him go up and get it,” Boeckman said.
“When you are 6-foot-5 and that athletic… let him go up for the rebound. He’s a heck of a player. He is going to be making so many plays in years to come. I’m excited where’s he at.
“Being that young and that poised on a big stage, he’s special. He’s a smart player. He is only going to get better.”
Beanie Wells had his eighth 100-yard rushing game of the season, gaining 106, but he missed most of the second half after suffering a concussion in the third quarter.
“My guys fought out there, and I am proud of them for that,” Wells said.
“Unfortunately, I couldn’t be out there to help my team whey they needed me most. Regarding a possible move to the NFL, “I haven’t even thought it,” he said.
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One key: Texas had too much time late
Ohio State just left Colt McCoy a little too much time at the end of the Fiesta Bowl, but what was Dan Herron supposed to do, not score on his 15-yard run with 2:05 remaining?
When Texas got the ball with 1:58 and two timeouts remaining left, McCoy did not have to force the ball deep and deviate from his quick-strike attack. The Longhorns did not even need to use a timeout on their winning drive, converting a 26-yard pass from McCoy to Quan Cosby for a 24-21 victory.
While the Buckeyes took no solace from coming close, the tightness of the game should keep Texas from being considered for the AP half of the national championship. That leaves Florida and Oklahoma to play for both No. 1 rankings in the BCS title game Thursday.
Other keys to the Fiesta Bowl:
Texas’ precision passing attack. Longhorns quarterback McCoy tried maybe three deep balls among his Fiesta Bowl-record 59 pass attempts, instead opting for short out routes or slant routes to his group of quick, sure-handed receivers. McCoy’s ability to dink and dunk the ball up the field enabled the Longhorns to remain in an offensive flow despite the fact that they got only 72 yards rushing and never showed much push off the line of scrimmage.
Beanie Wells’ concussion. Wells had 53 yards rushing in the first quarter and 96 in the first half, but he suffered a concussion early in the third quarter and had only four carries in the second half, two of those coming on the Buckeyes’ first two scrimmage plays of the third quarter. Wells gives the Buckeyes a power/speed option that makes him a top candidate to leave for the NFL, although after the game he again said he has not made a decision.
Fourth down success. Texas converted two fourth-down plays on the opening driving of the third quarter. Facing fourth-and-two from the Ohio State 47-yard line, the Longhorns lined up in punt formation, but upback Rashad Bobino took a direct snap and rammed over right guard for just barely the two yards he needed. Four plays later, on fourth-and-one from the 36, Cody Johnson gained two yards over the left side. McCoy scrambled around right end three plays later on a 14-yard touchdown run, giving the Longhorns their first lead, 10-6. “We had plenty of chances to get them off the field,” safety Kurt Coleman said. “They got that yard when they needed to.”
Settling for three. The Buckeyes controlled the first half — rushing for 140 yards and controlling the ball for four minutes, 38 seconds longer than Texas — but could not convert long drives into touchdowns. They reached the Texas 25-yard line on their second series but settled for a 51-yard field goal; the Texas 34 before missing a field goal, and the Texas 7 before a false start penalty and an incompletion forced a 30-yard field goal. It was 6-3 at half; it could have been 14-3, even 17-3.
