Football Flashback: 1999 Sugar Bowl – Buckeyes Handle Texas A&M, 24-14 – Ohio State Buckeyes
12/23/2007 12:00:00 AM | Football
NEW ORLEANS (AP) – This time, Ohio State can celebrate the new year on Bourbon Street.
The third-ranked Buckeyes shook off the embarrassment of last season’s poor Sugar Bowl performance and defeated No. 9 Texas A&M, 24-14, by scoring three first-quarter touchdowns and choking the Aggies offense in the second half.
Ohio State also staked its claim for a national title, should No. 2 Florida State knock off top-ranked Tennessee in Monday night’s Fiesta Bowl. The winner of the Fiesta Bowl will be voted the national champion in the ESPN/USA Today coaches’ poll. But if the Seminoles deal the Volunteers their first loss in unconvincing fashion, the Buckeyes (11-1) have a slim chance of sneaking into the top spot in the Associated Press media poll.
“I think it (being national champions) depends on what happens Monday night in the Fiesta Bowl,” said Ohio State coach John Cooper. “If it’s a sloppy game and Florida State wins the game, I think you can make an argument that the Buckeyes could be No. 1.”
Ironically, Ohio State must root for the Seminoles, who beat them in last year’s Sugar Bowl, 31-14. Ohio State recorded its first Sugar Bowl victory, having also lost to Alabama, 35-6, in 1978.
Despite being hobbled with a bad left ankle that forced him to fair catch every Texas A&M punt, David Boston caught 11 passes for 105 yards to earn Most Valuable Player honors for Ohio State.
“I played injured all year,” Boston said. “You can’t make a decision on whether you’re going to play early in the week. I was probably 80 percent. I can’t make a statement right now about No. 1. We’ll have to wait and see how everything shakes out.”
The Aggies (11-3) were appearing in the Sugar Bowl for just the second time in school history, having beaten Tulane, 14-13, in 1940.
“They’re (Ohio State) a far too talented team to try and play catch-up football against and it just took us too long to get going,” said Aggies coach R.C. Slocum. “It’s disappointing to end the season with a loss, but I can’t say enought about my team. “We were Big 12 champions, we won 11 games this season and played eight bowl teams and a loss tonight doesn’t take away from a tremendous season.”
Texas A&M scored the only points of the second half midway through the third quarter, and only because the Buckeyes helped out.
After Dan Stultz missed a 49-yard field goal attempt, the Aggies
Ohio State vs. Texas A&M
Extended Box
Jan 01, 1999
| NCAAF | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
| Ohio St (3) | 21 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 24 |
| Texas A&m (9) | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 14 |
Texas A&m-Hall 9 run (Bynum kick)
Ohio St-R Germany 18 pass from J Germaine (Stultz kick)
Ohio St-Montgomery 10 run (Stultz kick)
Ohio St-Griffin 16 blocked punt return (Stultz kick)
Ohio St-FG Stultz 31
Texas A&m-Hodge 7 pass from Stewart (Bynum kick)
| Ohio St | Texas A&m | |
| First downs | 25 | 17 |
| Rushed-yards | 42-210 | 27-96 |
| Passing yards | 222 | 187 |
| Sacked-yards lost | 5-27 | 3-17 |
| Return yards | 30 | 0 |
| Passes | 21-38-0 | 22-39-0 |
| Punts | 6-38.3 | 10-39.8 |
| Fumbles-lost | 3-0 | 1-1 |
| Penalties-yards | 6-61 | 6-43 |
| Time of possession | 31:42 | 28:18 |
Individual Statistics
RUSHING: Ohio St-Montgomery 9-96, Wiley 16-88, Wells 7-30, Keller 4-15, J Germaine 6-minus 19. Texas A&m-Toombs 10-62, Hall 11-53, Parker 1-6, Stewart 5-minus 25.
PASSING: Ohio St-J Germaine 21-38-0-222. Texas A&m-Stewart 22-39-0-187.
RECEIVING: Ohio St-Boston 11-105, Wiley 5-40, R Germany 2-34, Miller 1-28, Lumpkin 1-8, Keller 1-7. Texas A&m-Taylor 5-52, Spiller 5-43, Parker 3-9, Toombs 2-19, Hodge 2-15, Hall 2-3, Campbell 1-20, Oliver 1-20, Bumgardner 1-6.
Att: 76,503
