BCS National Championship Game Post Game Notes – Ohio State Buckeyes
1/8/2008 12:00:00 AM | Football
No. 1 Ohio State vs. No. 2 LSU
2008 Allstate BCS Championship Game
Jan. 7, 2008 New Orleans, La.
For Starters
Ohio State played in its second-consecutive BCS national championship Monday night at the Superdome in New Orleans, La.
LSU’s 38-24 win is its second national championship in five years and third overall. The Buckeyes were seeking their eighth all-time national championship and second in six years.
The loss drops Ohio State’s record to 11-2 on the season and to 1-2 all-time in BCS title games. LSU finishes 12-2.
Ohio State is now 4-2 all-time in BCS games and 18-21 all-time in bowl games.
BCS and Bowl History Notes
The game represented Ohio State’s fifth appearance in a Bowl Championship Series game in seven years under the direction of coach Jim Tressel.
Ohio State made its second consecutive BCS national championship game appearance and its third overall. Ohio State, Florida State and Oklahoma lead all schools with three BCS national title game appearances.
Ohio State is tied for first with Florida State, Oklahoma and USC in number of overall BCS game appearances with six.
USC leads in all-time BCS wins with five (5-1). LSU (4-0) and Ohio State (4-2) are tied for second in all-time BCS bowl game wins.
Ohio State’s 4-2 BCS record includes winning the Sugar Bowl in 1999 and the Fiesta Bowl in 2003, 2004 and 2006. The losses have come in the 2007 and 2008 BCS championship games, to Florida and LSU, respectively.
Ohio State, tied with Michigan for the most bowl games by Big Ten schools at 39, is now 18-21 in bowls.
Ohio State is 1-3 in bowl games played at the Superdome. Ohio State fell to Alabama in the 1978 Sugar Bowl and then took part in back-to-back Sugar Bowls following the 1997 and 1998 seasons, losing to Florida State and defeating Texas A&M, respectively.
Ohio State has lost back-to-back bowl games for the first time since 1995 and 1996 (losses to the SEC’s Alabama and Tennessee in the Citrus Bowl, respectively.)
Ninth Title Game for Tressel’s Teams
The title-game appearance represented the ninth championship game that a Tressel-coached team has made.
Tressel led Youngstown State to the Division I-AA national title game six times 1991-92-93-94-97-99 and he has led the Buckeyes to the Bowl Championship Series title game three times following the 2002, 2006 and 2007 regular seasons.
Ohio State is the only Big Ten representative to play in the national championship game since the inception of the BCS in 1998.
Ohio State played in a bowl for the eighth consecutive year, including all seven years in the Jim Tressel era. The OSU record for consecutive bowl trips is 15 from 1972-86.
Offensive Game Notes
Chris “Beanie” Wells’ 146 yards rushing was his ninth 100-yard game of the season.
With 1,609 yards this season, Wells passed Pepe Pearson (sixth with 1,484 yards in 1996), Tim Spencer (fifth with 1,538 yards in 1982) and Archie Griffin (fourth with 1,577 yards in 1973) to move into fourth place among all-time single season rushers in Ohio State history.
Wells also passed Griffin for first on the all-time sophomore rushing list.
Brain Robiskie caught five passes which continues his streak of games with two-or-more receptions, something he has done every game this season.
Robiskie’s five-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter was his 11th this season and 16th of his career.
With six catches against LSU, Brian Hartline has now caught multiple-passes 12 of 13 games this year.
“Beanie” Wells’ 65-yard touchdown run just 1:26 into the game was his longest career run and it was also the longest run for a touchdown ever in a BCS championship game.
Hartline’s touchdown reception was his sixth this year while Todd Boeckman’s two touchdown passes gives him 25 for the year.
New Orleans Saints’ standout and former Buckeye great Will Smith served as the team’s honorary captain.
True freshman tailback Brandon Saine made his first collegiate start at fullback. Dionte Johnson replaced him after his first play from scrimmage.
Defensive Notes
Ohio State’s defense entered the game No. 1 nationally in scoring (10.7), total defense (225.2) pass efficiency and pass defense (148.2). It had allowed just 11 touchdowns all season.
LSU scored three first-half touchdowns and totaled 198 yards, but the telling stat of the half was the Tigers’ ability to convert on third down. They were successful on 8-of-10 third downs in the first half.
LSU’s five touchdowns scored vs. the Ohio State defense was the most this season by an opponent. Malcolm Jenkins intercepted Matt Flynn late in the third quarter, his fourth pick this season and eighth of his career.
Kicker Aaron Pettrey booted three kickoffs into the end zone for touchbacks, thus forcing LSU to start drives at its own 20.
James Laurinaitis had 10 first-half tackles and 18 for the game.
Marcus Freeman (14 tackles), Kurt Coleman (10) and Larry Grant (eight) also had active games defensively.
Misc. Notes
Ohio State started only three seniors: offensive tackle Kirk Barton, fullback Dionte Johnson and linebacker Larry Grant.
Ohio State is 798-303-53 all-time through 118 seasons of play.
Tressel is 29-9 vs. Top 25 teams and 8-4 vs. Top 10 teams.
Tressel is 4-3 in bowl games and 3-2 in BCS games.
Tressel has coached five of his seven Ohio State teams to at least 10 wins and he has coached 12 of his 22 teams to at least 10 wins.
Ex-Buckeyes not in a broadcast capacity but in attendance: Will Allen, Drew Carter, Chris Gamble, Santonio Holmes, Anthony Schlegel, Ted Ginn Jr., David Patterson, Troy Smith, Bobby Carpenter, Donte Whitner, Will Smith and Craig Krenzel.
The loss was only Ohio State’s third in the last 33 games.
The Buckeyes have scored at least one touchdown in their last 139 games.
Ohio State scored on its opening drive for the 10th time this season.
