Buckeyes Bitched By Gators, Unleash Volley Of Excuses

“Florida doesn’t belong on the same field as Ohio State.”

“The Buckeyes’ physicality will be way too much for the Gators.”

“Florida is a finesse team. They can’t compete with Big 10 ball.”

“Michigan is easily the second-best team in the country.”

It turns out the fraud wasn’t the BCS after all. It was the Big 10 all along. In an overwhelming dismantling that turned a year-long Buckeyes coronation into a four-hour apology for Ohio State’s play, the BCS national championship game was memorable only for the ease with which the Gators dispatched the Buckeyes. Ted Ginn – aided by two uncalled holds – raced 93 yards for the opening kickoff to give Ohio State the opening salvo, but Florida then reeled off three straight touchdowns on its way to a 41-14 destruction. Observers had maintained that OSU would try to run the ball down Florida’s throat to set up the pass, but the Buckeyes could do neither against a swarming, hard-hitting Gators defense that appeared to employ 15 players, not just 11. Florida held Ohio State to just 82 offensive yards; in fact, the Buckeyes had more penalty yards (50) than they did rushing yards (47).

The Gators more than doubled Ohio State’s time of possession (40:48 to 19:12), held OSU to just 1-for-9 on third-down conversions, was +2 in the turnover margin and racked up 21 first downs to just eight. Florida spread the ball around on offense, using a lot of misdirection and forcing Buckeyes defenders to make decisions in space, a tactic that worked to perfection.

Florida coach Urban Meyer admitted that getting his team motivated sort of took care of itself; his players felt slighted by the lack of attention they received and the assumption that they were lucky to even have the opportunity to be on the same field with the vaunted Buckeyes. At the end, as Meyer mercifully spared Ohio State even more humiliation by taking a knee instead of scoring another touchdown, he was animated on the sideline, pumping his fist, hugging coaches and smiling broadly. He had been accused of campaigning for a berth in the title game and working behind the scenes to elevate his team’s media stature, but he and his Gators ultimately had the last laugh.

• Quick memo to all the bandwagon Ohio State fans that popped up in the last 50 days: If you left the tags on that rack-wrinkled jersey, there’s still a chance you can return it.

• I’ve always been of the belief that Big 10 basketball is underrated and Big 10 football is overrated. With Michigan getting hammered by USC and Ohio State being exposed by Florida, I guess that Big 10 arrogance isn’t quite so justified, is it?

• Looking at it honestly, the Buckeyes are probably lucky that they didn’t have Wisconsin on the schedule this year. Then again, getting a tough test against a very good team earlier in the year may have brought Ohio State back down to earth.

• Did any player see his NFL stock drop more this bowl season than Troy Smith? The Heisman winner was 4-for-14 for 35 yards and an interception, showing almost zero pocket presence and very little of the elusiveness for which he was lauded. Draftniks spent most of the last two months convincing himself that Smith was a top-10 pick, but his lack of height, overrated ability to create with his feet and questionable ball security make that iffy at best. Yes, it was only one game, but Smith demonstrated that he has been feasting on subpar opponents while having 10 seconds to go through his receiver progressions. He learned that it’s a different story when the defensive line is as fast as you are and you have to make decisions quickly and on the run.

For that matter, did any player elevate his stock more than LSU quarterback JaMarcus Russell?

• There was no better example of Ohio State’s cockiness than deciding to go for it on 4th and 1 from their own 29-yard line late in the first half. That decision goes completely against everything that Buckeyes coach Jim Tressell has ever stood for: field position, ball control and reliance on defense. Florida had dominated the trenches on both sides of the ball, so electing to go for it in that situation reeked of desperation and arrogance – and borderline disrespect. And when they predictably didn’t make it, the game was effectively over. How is that vest fitting now, Jim?

• Everyone knew that Meyer would win big at Florida. No one expected it to be this year, however. The possibilities of what he could continue to establish in Gainesville is downright frightening. Even though Chris Leak is leaving, backup Tim Tebow is obviously more than ready to step in, and he’ll have a fleet of tall, fast receivers and an opportunistic, head-hunting defense to back him up. Everyone is focused on Nick Satan’s arrival at Alabama, but those in the know in SEC circles are shaking their heads and sighing this morning, wondering just how to slow down the Florida juggernaut.

• Overheard by Buckeye Fan this morning: “Ohio State was class the whole way” and “If we could play again today, it would be a different story.” If class means that your money-taking Heisman winner hasn’t been caught for throwing the game yet, I guess you’re right. But you got bitched in front of 100 million people by a team that you thought you shouldn’t have to be bothered to play. Deal with it.