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Buckeyes (barely) break SEC curse
ASSOCIATED PRESS
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Ohio State running back Dan Herron (1) rushes during the second quarter of the Sugar Bowl NCAA college football game at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2011. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Photo
Ohio State wide receiver Dane Sanzenbacher (12) dives on a fumble in the end zone for a touchdown against Arkansas during the Sugar Bowl NCAA college football game at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2011. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
Cleveland Plain Dealer
NEW ORLEANS
The Ohio State Buckeyes seized the Sugar Bowl so quickly and so emphatically Tuesday night, for four hours there wasn’t time to think or talk about anything but football.
Not sanctions nor tattoos, not SEC domination nor Big Ten stumbles. There was just time for Ohio State fans to get nervous, and for the Buckeyes suspended for the start of next season to save Ohio State on this night.
Nearly blowing a 21-point lead, the Buckeyes scrambled to hang on to a 31-26 win over Arkansas that wasn’t easy, but it was official.
There were fumbles and deep passes and dropped passes and injuries and Terrelle Pryor rolling up yards and Cameron Heyward chasing down Razorbacks and when the Buckeyes climbed on their charter back to Columbus from New Orleans after their night in the Superdome, the zero was gone.
Repelling the Razorbacks’ rally in the second half, with the overwhelming Arkansas crowd making the dome Fayetteville South, the No. 6 Buckeyes (12-1) beat the SEC in a bowl game for the first time, now 1-9 all-time, which seems impressive only when compared to 0-9. But after the last two weeks, including the Big Ten’s 0-5 bowl performance on New Year’s Day that included three losses to the SEC, Ohio State fans have something to hold on to.
The victory was finished by an interception in the final seconds from defensive end Solomon Thomas, the least-known of the five Buckeyes hit with five-game suspensions from the NCAA. Before him, the other suspended Buckeyes — Pryor, running back Dan Herron, receiver DeVier Posey and left tackle Mike Adams ‘” led the way, and it was just enough.
The fans still face those five-game suspensions at the start of next season and what might be a nervous two weeks wondering if the suspended Buckeyes will live up to their promises of not leaving for the NFL.
But on this night, all the players involved played. The Buckeyes won. On a team led by 24 seniors, some veteran Buckeyes went out with some of the best games, including a dominating night from Heyward and the evolution into a sack monster of Dexter Larimore.
Luck helped, too.
Arkansas receiver Joe Adams dropped what could have been a touchdown strike on the Razorbacks’ first play of the game. Then on Ohio State’s first drive, the Buckeyes scored on ... a fumble?
The Buckeyes attacked No. 8 Arkansas (10-3) with a no-huddle offense and converted two third downs on their opening drive.