Ohio State v. LSU- National Championship

[BerniesElbow]

This isnt professional sports but I just wanted to see what you thought about tommorow nights game

GO BUCKEYES! 8)

[BennettVilla]

i see lsu winning this one tbh

watched them a few times on NASN and there quite impressive

[rjw63]

I havent a clue

[BOF]

I havent a clue

Neither have I

Unless you subscribe to Setanta NASN you don't get college football over here :?

[leviramsey]

Have to think that LSU will win... did Ohio State ever manage to play a ranked team this season?

[BerniesElbow]

Yes, Wisconsin and Purdue were both ranked in the top 25 when they played; Illinois after they beat the Buckeyes.

[leviramsey]

You do have to admit that it was a rather weak Big 11 this year, perfect for launching their TV channel.

Toughest conferences this year, IMO

SEC

Pac-10

Big 12

large gulf

Big 11

Big East

ACC (their raid of the Big East looks to have been a stroke of genius... it made the Big East the main basketball conference, IMO, and wasn't enough to keep their football standing when Florida State collapsed)

I doubt the Buckeyes could win 6 conference games in the Pac-10 or SEC.

[kkr]

I picked LSU and this is despite not seeing a second of college ball this year. The reason i selected them though is because they produced Laron Landry last year and he seems to be one hell of a player so im going with him.

Don't see any college football over here which is a shame as i never know who is any good in the draft, especially outside the first round.

[BerniesElbow]

In the 2008 season, Ohio State plays at USC. In 2009 the prophylactics, er, Trojans play at Columbus.

[leviramsey]

I'm of the opinion that the BCS conferences should get together to arrange some sort of rotation of non-conference opponents among the top programs.

I've worked out a scheme where the BCS ratings are used to construct conference ratings and to come up with a baseline score for each conference (somewhat like the UEFA coefficients). These rankings would then be used to construct pods of three schools, each from a different conference, with a requirement that in order to be voted the coaches' national champion you would have to play both schools in your pod. With a greater likelihood of top schools playing each other in the regular season (I would suggest that the conferences basically set aside three weeks in late September and early October for these games), you could probably return to the traditional bowl alignments and crown in most years a consensus national champion.

I haven't finalized the rankings for this season (for now, I'm taking the BCS scores and adding 0.1 for a bowl win), but here's how the pods stood before the bowls were taken into account:

LSU/Ohio State/USC

Oklahoma/Va Tech/Florida

Georgia/W Virginia/Wisconsin

Auburn/Texas/Michigan

Tex Tech/Tenn/Louisville

Nebraska/Az State/Penn State

Mizzou/BC/Cal

Kansas/Arkansas/Miami

Oregon/Illinois/Clemson

UCLA/Virginia/Rutgers

Alabama/Iowa/Wake Forest

Florida State/South Florida/Texas A&M

Oregon State/Cincinnati/Georgia Tech

UConn/Colorado/Northwestern

Kentucky/Purdue/Pitt

South Carolina/Okla State/Minnesota

Miss St/Indiana/Arizona

North Carolina/Mich St/Kan State

Maryland/Wash St/Iowa St

Stanford/Ole Miss/NC State

Vandy/'cuse/Baylor

Washington/Duke

This abolishes the BCS to crown the champion, but uses it to get a general idea of how good a season was (which I think it's very well suited for). Some of those games would make great television before the conference schedules really get going (thus meaning more money for the schools).

[BerniesElbow]

Across the Field

-------------------------

Fight the team across the field,

Show them Ohio's here

Set the earth reverberating with a mighty cheer

Rah! Rah! Rah!

Hit them hard and see how they fall;

Never let the dirty old , stinky, nasty tigers get the ball,

Hail! Hail! The gang's all here,

So let's win that old conference now.

Buckeye Battle Cry

------------------------------

In old Ohio there's a team

That's known thru-out the land;

Eleven warriors, brave and bold,

Whose fame will ever stand.

And when the ball goes over,

Our cheers will reach the sky,

Ohio field will hear again

The Buckeye Battle Cry-

Drive! Drive on down the field,

Men of the scarlet and gray;

Don't let them thru that line,

We have to win this game today,

Come on, Ohio!

Smash through to victory.

We cheer you as you go:

Our honor defend

So we'll fight to the end for O-hi-o.

Listen, once again even if we dont win, we werent supposed to be here. Shock the world baby gonna shock the world!

[Salsa Party Animal]

So what the different between College Football and NFL - Is this a student athletic and Professional athletic playing football.

[BerniesElbow]

Yes, exactly. In college you dont get paid, per se, and each team can can only offer a limited number of football scholarships, i.e, if they play footbal their tuition is paid for. The rest do it for fun with hopes someday of maybe playing in the NFL. Only a very small percentage make it to the NFL.

[BerniesElbow]

Our date with destiny awaits.

Hopefully it wont be one of those dates where we go out to dinner, the girl gets sick and I'm home by ten.

[Salsa Party Animal]

Is there anything apart from College Football, NFL, NFL Europe, Arena Ball (indoor Gridiron 7/8 a side) Just like to know how widely the game played. I mean is there something like American Football version of Walsall or Burnley for example or Sunday pub league or school playing against school ie Cleveland High Via North Cleveland Arts School.

[leviramsey]

High school football is huge, especially in Ohio, Florida, Pennsylvania, Texas, Southern California, and a few other places (my high school was too small to field a team), but even in places where life doesn't stop on Friday night (traditionally, high school games are played on Friday night, college games on Saturday, and pro games on Sunday; indeed, the NFL is prohibited by law from playing games on Friday night, and doesn't play Saturday games until college's regular season ends, before the bowl games), it's still big.

wiki

If you want to get an idea of the importance of high school football in Texas, the films Varsity Blues, Friday Night Lights, or the TV show inspired by the latter.

perhaps the best scene of Varsity Blues (if the other 'mericans around are under 30, I think they'll know exactly which scene it is...)

Especially in the more rural parts of America, the focus of the town or county becomes the local high school (and because the public schools are limited to fielding teams from the kids in the district, even the relative doormats will occasionally rise up and win something; because the private schools aren't as limited, they often compete in separate divisions (which are geographically defined with "promotion" and "relegation" based on school enrollments)); it can safely be said that being a star player on the team that won a state or regional championship forms the basis of lasting local celebrity.

As far as senior football, outside of the NFL, Canadian Football League, and Arena ball, things quickly peter out to the equivalent of Sunday leagues, which is part of why so much importance is attached to the final home game in high school and college football: for those who are seniors, in their final season of eligibility, this will very likely be the final football game they play. There are thousands of high schools playing football, but only maybe 500 colleges, and going from college well under a hundred clubs where the wages are enough to keep one above the poverty line. Even on a top-level high school team, a decent portion of the graduating seniors will not play in college, and there are probably only a hundred or so openings in the NFL each season (with several thousand completing their college careers competing for those spots... there's a reason that the NCAA, the governing body of most college sport in the US, runs adverts during college football and basketball games says that most student-athletes "go pro" in something other than sports). Before the NFL became ubiquitous on television (and college's rules limiting TV broadcasts were loosened), many smaller cities supported minor league feeder clubs for the NFL, but attendances dried up and few of those leagues survived into the 1980s (one hopes that lower- and non-league football doesn't meet the same fate in England). An example of such a league is the Atlantic Coast Football League, which endures mainly because of a documentary that NFL Films did that followed the Pottstown Firebirds for a season. I caught the documentary and a 30-year reunion special late one night on ESPN Classic, and have been itching for a DVD of both for years.

[3_Penny_Opera]

I was beat up at work for four days preparing for this game. My restaurant is huge and we always get bought out by Allstate and the BCS, whether it's the sugar bowl or the Championship game. Last week we had a lunch buy-out in the restaurant for 200 Hawaiian fans and 200 Georgia fans, two days ago it was 200 Ohio St fans and 200 LSU fans. It was nuts. It was close to mardi gras. Thousands and thousands of Ohio St and lsu fans ran our town and I was worked to death. The final day, yesterday, I couldn't drive to work and took the streetcar. After my 11 hour shift I tried to take the streetcar back and the crowd of cars and people walking the streets after the game stopped the streetcars. I had to walk all the way home, after all the shifts and the double the day before, I had to walk home to crash and finally sleep. Today was my day off finally and I woke up at 1pm.

Pretty good time was had by all though, I guess.

Hey Levi, my family is from Pottstown.

Up the Chargers.

[rjw63]

So who actually won the game?????

[leviramsey]

LSU 38 - Ohio State 24

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Les Miles unleashed an ear-piercing whoop, then leaned back and exhaled as if he had been holding his breath all night.

''I just had to do that,'' the LSU coach said.

Easy for him to say, now that he has the BCS national championship trophy.

The second-ranked Tigers danced, dodged and darted their way into the end zone Monday night for a 38-24 victory, turning the title game into a horrible replay for No. 1 Ohio State.

They made it look easy with Matt Flynn throwing four touchdown passes. Now the debate begins: Are they the best?

In a season of surprises, this was hardly an upset: Ohio State once again fell apart in college football's biggest game. A year after the Buckeyes were routed by Florida 41-14, they barely did better.

But this was unprecedented. Playing at their home-away-from-home in the Big Easy, the Tigers (12-2) became the first two-loss team to compete for the title.

Still, LSU was a runaway No. 1 in the final Associated Press poll. The Tigers received 60 of 65 first-place votes from a national media panel. Georgia, Southern California, Missouri and Ohio State rounded out the top five. Georgia had three first-place votes while Southern Cal and No. 7 Kansas each had one.

And while Miles got to hoist the $30,000 crystal prize, surely many fans around the country were wondering if someone else was equally worthy.

The top six teams in the final AP poll all had two losses and Kansas had one.

''Certainly there will be some argument as to who's the best team. But I think the national champion has been crowned tonight,'' Miles said. ''I have give great credit to some divine intervention that allows us to be in this position.''

Shouts of ''SEC! SEC!'' bounced around the Superdome as the Tigers won their second BCS crown in five seasons. They are the first school to win a second title since BCS rankings began with the 1998 season.

''My team is the No. 1 team in the land,'' said All-American defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey , who passed up the NFL draft to return for his senior season.

LSU rallied from an early 10-0 deficit, taking a 24-10 halftime lead that held up.

''We just didn't do the things you need to do to win a ballgame of this nature. We're very aware that LSU's a deserving champion,'' Ohio State coach Jim Tressel said.

Jacob Hester bulled for a short touchdown, Early Doucet wiggled loose for a touchdown and Dorsey led a unit that outplayed the top-ranked defense in the nation.

Ohio State (11-2) had little to celebrate after Chris ''Beanie'' Wells broke loose for a 65-yard TD run on the fourth play of the game.

''It's unbelievable to know you've failed two years in a row,'' Wells said.

LSU, whose two losses both came in triple overtime, became just the fourth favorite to win in 10 BCS championship games. The Tigers added to the crown they won in 2003 - their other national championship came in 1958.

''We came out here with the right frame of mind. We kept hanging in there,'' Flynn said.

Miles probably got a little extra satisfaction, too. Though he turned down a chance to return home to Michigan, he did something his alma mater hasn't done recently - beat the Buckeyes.

The loss left Ohio State at 0-9 overall in bowl games against teams from the Southeastern Conference. The SEC delights in whipping Big Ten teams in what's become a rivalry that steams up fans on both sides.

Better on offense and defense, the Tigers got two big plays on special teams - Ricky Jean-Francois blocked a field goal, and LSU took advantage of a roughing-the-kicker penalty.

Flynn hit Doucet with a 4-yard toss with 9:04 left for a 31-10 lead and the celebration was on in earnest. The Buckeyes made the score more respectable on Todd Boeckman 's 5-yard TD pass on fourth down to Brian Robiskie , only to have Flynn come back and throw his second TD pass to Richard Dickson .

Flynn finished 19-for-27 for 174 yards and was picked the game's most outstanding offensive player.

As the clock ticked down, Boeckman threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Brian Hartline .

Ohio State was trying to win its second BCS title in six years, and add to the one that Tressel captured by upsetting Miami 31-24 in double overtime for the 2002 championship.

For sure, the Buckeyes were perhaps the most-maligned No. 1 team in recent memory, with critics attacking them all season. Tressel gave his players a 10-minute DVD filled with insults hurled at them by television and radio announcers, hoping it would motivate his team.

Instead, the Tigers ravaged the nation's best defense and showed that maybe all those naysayers were right.

''I worry about disappointment because of how hard the kids work. I don't worry about criticism,'' Tressel said. ''If you struggle taking criticism, you better not be at Ohio State and better not be playing football.''

Known as a punishing runner, Wells got the game off to a quick start. On the fourth play from scrimmage, the Buckeyes' bruising back started left, made a nifty cut right and burst through the middle.

Wells was gone, off on the longest run of his career. And so much for SEC speed - Wells outran All-America safety Craig Steltz for a 65-yard TD.

Wells was welcomed by a familiar face once he got back to the sideline. Miami Dolphins receiver Ted Ginn Jr., wearing scarlet and gray Mardi Gras beads, knew all about early strikes. He provided Ohio State's only highlight in last year's BCS title game, returning the opening kickoff for a touchdown.

This time, Ohio State made it 10-0 on its next possession. Boeckman hit a wide-open Brandon Saine for 44 yards, setting up Ryan Pretorius ' 25-yard field goal.

Only five minutes into the game, Ohio State and its all-brass band was blowing away the Tigers. LSU looked dazed and defensive coordinator Bo Pelini - who now becomes Nebraska's full-time coach - had few answers.

Fortunately for the Tigers, their offense started clicking. On a team full of flash, it was the reliable ol' Hester who settled down LSU.

First, he barreled into All-America linebacker James Laurinaitis for a short gain. Both players are the rugged type and in a nice show of sportsmanship, Laurinaitis - whose dad, Joe, once starred as ''Animal'' in the ''Legion of Doom'' wrestling tag team - helped up Hester.

Hester broke off a 20-yard run on the next play, and LSU eventually got a 32-yard field goal from Colt David that made it 10-3.

That score late in the first quarter seemed to jazz everyone in purple and gold. The Tigers zoomed into fast motion, the band's Golden Girls suddenly put more bounce in their step and thousands of fans started screaming even louder.

Flynn also seemed to recognize exactly what Ohio State was trying to do. LSU quarterbacks spend a lot of time with an Xbox, playing a custom-made video game to read defenses. Apparently, what worked on the screen did even better on the field.

Two big penalties against Ohio State helped set up Flynn's 13-yard touchdown pass to Dickson, who somehow found himself uncovered. Flynn punctuated the strike by hollering, giving a wild fist pump and putting up both hands to signal TD.

Tied at 10, the Buckeyes counted on Wells. He delivered one of the season's best stiff-arms on a 29-yard romp, and Ohio State seemed poised to retake the lead.

Instead, Jean-Francois crashed through the middle, swung his big right arm and blocked Pretorius' 38-yard field goal try.

As Ohio State trudged off the field and LSU ran on, it was all over. It only took a while to confirm it.

''We had a chance early and a chance later. LSU just made too many plays,'' Laurinaitis said.

LSU turned to another of its five dangerous tailbacks, and NCAA sprint star Trindon Holliday zigzagged closer to the goal line. Flynn's perfect pass to Brandon LaFell in the back left corner of the end zone put the Tigers ahead 17-10.

Then, it was time for LSU's defense to make the big play. Cornerback Chevis Jackson intercepted Boeckman's loss toss and streaked 34 yards down the right sideline.

The Tigers moved to a first-and-goal at 1. On third down, Hester plunged up the middle and it was 24-10.

[rjw63]

Cheers mate!