Loss leaves many area fans speechless

Many OSU fans seemed shocked after the big defeat.
STAFF/WIRE REPORTS
YOUNGSTOWN -- Ohio State fans milled around with heavy faces Monday night after watching the Buckeyes lose the national title football game to the Florida Gators.
Ohio State, which came into the game undefeated and ranked No. 1, lost 41-14 to No. 2 Florida.
Downtown, at the B & amp;O Station, mixed emotions were flying. Inside the building, lifelong OSU fans were teary-eyed and depressed. Many of them couldn't find the words to describe how they were feeling, so they said nothing. A few tried to make excuses for the fall of the scarlet and gray.
Ashley Lamanna of Boardman said she has been a fan since birth.
She blamed Ted Ginn Jr.'s injury and OSU's overload of confidence for the loss.
"Ginn was not in the game," Lamanna said. "It upset the whole balance of the game. Florida did their homework, and they outsmarted us."
Craig Lynn of Youngstown agreed with Lamanna but also credited Florida's defense for playing a great game.
"The offense never got going after Ted," Lynn said. "It's a major letdown, and I didn't expect it. That's all."
Other explanations
Matt Annichine of Youngstown said the team came out flat, looked past Florida and took them lightly. When the teams are that evenly matched, no one can be that confident, he said.
"It's not so bad that we lost; it's the way we lost," Annichine said. "It wasn't a good game, and it wasn't our best effort."
Outside on the patio, friends were screaming at one another. Some were ecstatic about the outcome, and others were just as depressed as their indoor counterparts.
Willie Holmes of McDonald said that he was happy that Florida proved they were supposed to be there.
Charles Chapman of Youngstown is a lifelong Buckeye fan and friend of Holmes. He said after Monday's game he feels hopeful for next season because it will give OSU coach Jim Tressel and the team motivation to repeat the national championship appearance.
On campus
In Columbus, about 6,000 students and faculty watched a giant scoreboard that televised the game inside Value City Arena, the school's basketball venue.
The fans, many wearing scarlet and gray football jerseys, had little to cheer about and sat with looks of disbelief as the Buckeyes played their worst game of the year.
"I'm shocked more than anything," said David Popp, a senior from Columbus. "Maybe we took Florida too lightly."
The crowd at Value City Arena erupted in cheers when Ginn returned the opening kickoff 93 yards for a touchdown, but it was mostly disappointment after that, with no more chants of the popular "O-H-I-O."
"We came out flat on offense and didn't play to our potential," said Steve Cassidy of Miamisburg. "But Florida deserves it. They wanted it more."
Eric Emmons of West Carrollton said he thinks the long layoff hurt the Buckeyes. Ohio State hadn't played in more than 50 days since beating Michigan in the regular season finale Nov. 18.
He also said the loss of Ginn, who left the game in the first quarter with an apparent injury, hurt the Buckeyes' offense.
"To go undefeated during the regular season and not win it all is a huge disappointment, he said. "It makes a bad ending."
As the game came ended, a recording of the Ohio State alma mater played at the Value City Arena, with fans standing and swaying, their arms around one another.
"We were totally outplayed," said Amberly Campbell of Miamisburg. "We didn't look like ourselves tonight."
CONTRIBUTOR: Staff writer Sarah Poulton.