FanHouse gathers around the TV to bring you insights from Bowl Season '08.
Strangely, despite both programs being big names, highly successful and loaded with talent, this game is being perceived mainly as a "money" match for the Fiesta Bowl. Not a match-up particularly desired by fans, but chosen because of how well both fans travel and the potential strength of the ratings.
Why? Well, mainly it is because of the Big Ten team everyone is tired of seeing blown out in the BCS Championship game. This is the sixth BCS bowl in the last seven years for the Buckeyes. Ohio State may have won three straight BCS bowls prior to the last two blowouts (including the national championship), but those were some fierce beatdowns in the biggest games.
The other side has a Texas team (and fans) that feels this is not the game they should be playing, against a team they shouldn't be playing. They feel they should be in that other game that will be played on Wednesday. Even if they were not going to the BCS Championship game, shouldn't the Longhorns be playing a team like Utah or Alabama or even USC? Teams that are (or were) making their own claims at being left out of the national championship equation.
Well, it's one of the last games of the college football season. It's still a big game. If Texas wants to have any standing in the "unfairness" of the system, they need to win this game. Ohio State is looking to gain some measure of redemption.
Join us around 8 pm EST for the Fiesta Bowl LiveBlog.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
1-05-2009 @ 2:20PM
tim frenchko said...
There's an Auburn hue on them Texas chicks, yucch.
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1-06-2009 @ 12:28AM
Andy said...
Yet another mis-match by the BCS. 10 vs. 3? wtf is that?
The Utes are the real champs.
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1-06-2009 @ 12:28AM
cnote said...
osu will win because colt and the boyz will try to play over their heads and turn the b BALL over ! people are making too much of hype of the longhorn offense i give it a though 8, but thier defense is questionable!
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1-06-2009 @ 12:28AM
tortillapete said...
if the OSU QB would grow a pair, the Buckeyes would be leading this game...haven't seen this many runs to the sideline (or twitchy passes) since the Germans invaded France...
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1-06-2009 @ 12:29AM
Matt said...
this is probably the worst officiating crew i have ever seen in the history of college football. They have made this game all for texas just because of the higher rank.
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1-06-2009 @ 12:29AM
Skapanza said...
The officiating looked pretty good to me. Matt, maybe you and Eddie George can go cry in the corner together about how the refs robbed you again.
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1-06-2009 @ 12:29AM
jAK said...
The officiating was in the tank. The ncaa should be ashamed.
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1-06-2009 @ 9:40AM
Skapanza said...
Waaaaaaah! I'm a somehow-still-entitled-feeling aOSU fan! Officials hate my team! Boo hoo hoo hoo...
Whining about the refs is a fun way to mask the fact that your team is a bunch of undisciplined choke artists.
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1-06-2009 @ 9:41AM
sarge28 said...
Well, this is one Buckeye fan who isn't complaining or blaming the officiating crew (although the second roughing the passer call was a joke). Instead, I'm going to blame our wimp of a running back, Beanie Wells. Yes folks, I hate to break it to you, but the man is a certified pansy. Good luck in the pros big guy. They won't pay you if you're on the injured list all the time.
Second, I will blame the play calling of our coach who NEEDS TO GET AN OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR. I commend him for what a great person he his and blah, blah. But come on, even my husband who knows little about football pointed out the ridiculous play calling.
The bottom line, we will never win big games with Tress calling the plays. The only reason we won the National Championship was because Boeckman changed the plays from the line of scrimmage.
I realize Tress isn't going anywhere, but damn, I'm sick of watching it.
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1-06-2009 @ 9:41AM
vince819 said...
I'll have to say this. OSU's defensive coordinator let this team down. I the second half, Texas made an adjustment to pickup just about every blitz OSU was sending at McCoy. This means limit your blitzing in the end guys! You drove the length of the field and scored the go ahead TD with 2min left. Make Texas beat you in the air, that's what they do! What did the Def. Coord. do?????? Bunch the LBs in the box, what???don't you think that they are waiting for the blitz???? Keep the guys in front of you and make them penetrate the goal line in FRONT of you. Experienced receiver Crosby, experienced QB McCoy recognized this.......major let down. I'm a UM fan, of course, being a Canes fan I find it hard to root for OSU but damn I hate that they make McCoy out to be the best thing since sliced bread. The defensive coordinator helped further this claim. IDIOTS! you let those kids down who fought hard to get back in this game. SHAMEFUL!
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1-06-2009 @ 9:41AM
tyler said...
ohio state is a better team. that defense call at the end of the game was a joke. why would u blitz. you should of kept the covergae back. plus we didnt have bennie in the second half.
OH - IO
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1-09-2009 @ 10:36AM
Me said...
Go back and watch the damn game. Texas had many opportunities to close it out and failed to do so. This very well could have been a blowout. Brian Orakpo was being held on practically every passing play. It's an insult that it wasn't called EVERY time. The most important being on the big catch to extend the Ohio State drive in the 4th. He was obviously held. Roy Miller was also held on several occasions. Ohio State did everything they could to win this game. They slowed it down, controlled the clock, ran all the 2qb trickery, held the UT d-line, and did everything they could to finally get these seniors a BCS win. And FAILED...
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