Published: Tuesday, January 3, 2006
OSU's offense riddled Notre Dame, 34-20
By ROB TODOR
VINDICATOR SPORTS EDITOR
TEMPE, Ariz. — Most of the pregame hype was reserved for Notre Dame's offense. It was Ohio State's that had the jaw-dropping performance.
The Buckeyes turned in their most complete offensive performance in the program's bowl history Monday night, defeating the Fighting Irish, 34-20, in the 35th Tostitos Fiesta Bowl.
Led by quarterback Troy Smith, the offensive player of the game, and featuring long scoring plays by receivers Ted Ginn Jr. and Santonio Holmes, and running back Antonio Pittman, Ohio State dominated the much-anticipated game with an electric offensive attack that was slowed more by turnovers and an uncharacteristic breakdown in kicking game than the Fighting Irish's defense.
"The scheme was to make big plays," Smith said. "The guys stepped up, the offensive line did a great job and I was fortunate to be able to connect on a couple deep passes."
Racks up 617 total yards
Ohio State (10-2), ranked No. 4 by the Associated Press, gained 617 total yards. The Buckeyes averaged 9.6 yards per play and better than 7.5 rushing the ball.
"We thought we could make some big things happen," Ohio State coach Jim Tressel said. "[The offensive assistants] had a tremendous plan and our guys executed it so well."
Smith completed 19 of 28 passes for a career-high 342 yards — his previous best was the 300 he had at Michigan Nov. 18 — and rushed for 66 more.
"Every day [Smith] learns something and gets better, and every game he learns," Tressel said. "He's very passionate about being a great quarterback."
Ginn caught eight passes for 167 yards, including a 56-yard strike from Smith on the Buckeyes' first drive that tied the score at 7. He also scored on a 68-yard reverse that gave Ohio State a lead it would not relinquish early in the second period.
Holmes had five receptions for 124 yards and an 85-yard catch and run from Smith late in the first half that gave Ohio State a 21-7 lead.
And Pittman's 60-yard dash with 1:46 remaining sealed the outcome and put the caps on a 136-yard effort, his seventh game of the season in triple digits.
Praises offensive line
"Without the guys up front bearing down and settling in for four quarters to get the job done, none of this happens," Smith said. "Two, the execution of the game plan. We set out to do the things that we needed to do, assert ourself within the offense, making the big plays and complete the deep passes.
"Everything was accomplished today."
For all those big plays, there were a couple more that resulted in far less yardage but proved to be just as important. They came on the Buckeyes' final scoring drive, a pair of third down plays that Smith converted with his feet and right arm.
Key third down plays
On third-and-9 from the OSU 16, Smith found Pittman wide open in the right flat for a 10-yard gain. Three plays later, on 3-and-11 from the Buckeyes' 25, Smith faced heavy pressure up the middle, spun out of it and hit Anthony Gonzalez for a 15-yard gain.
Pittman's long TD run came on the ensuing play.
"The key to any great performance is your key players have to make plays," Tressel said. "What Troy does is he has a great command of our offense."
Meanwhile, linebacker A.J. Hawk led a Buckeyes' defense against Notre Dame's Brady Quinn and the much-ballyhooed offense of coach Charlie Weis.
Quinn was 29-for-45 for 286 yards, but he was sacked five times and had no scoring passes.
"We knew Notre Dame was coming out to make plays," said Hawk, who was named the defensive player of the game with 3.5 sacks. "They have a ton of talent [but] we always talk about our next play [being] the most important."
Defense shuts down Irish
Ohio State, which led the nation in rushing defense this season, allowed just 62 net yards, although running back Darius Walker finished with 90 yards on 16 carries and three touchdowns. But, as the Fighting Irish fell behind, Walker had just five carries in the second half as they went to a no-huddle attack.
"At halftime I decided I was not going to allow the tempo of the game to stay the way it was," Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis said. "We were lucky for it to be 21-7 at halftime."
After blocking a field goal midway through the third quarter, the Fighting Irish went to its no-huddle offense and it paid immediate dividends.
Quinn completed six of nine passes for 61 yards, and Walker zipped in the final 10 for the touchdown with 4:25 remaining. But D.J. Fitzpatrick missed the extra point try, leaving the Buckeyes ahead, 21-13.
Ohio State answered with a pair of field goals to make it a two-touchdown margin. Josh Huston converted kicks of 40 and 26 yards, the latter coming with 10:12 remaining in the game, to make it 27-13.
Buckeyes get break
Huston's first field goal, with 2:20 remaining in the third quarter, came one play after an apparent fumble by the Buckeyes (and return for a Notre Dame touchdown) was overruled. The play was ruled an incomplete pass.
"That changed the whole complexion of the game," Weis said. "I disagreed with it but I am prejudiced. All I told the officials was, 'I hope that guy [the replay official] is right.' "
Quinn then guided the Irish 80 yards in 13 plays, and it was 27-20 when another video replay gave Walker a 3-yard touchdown run with 5:27 remaining.
Both teams left points on the field in the first half.
With the score tied at 7, Weis made a curious decision to go for it on fourth down and 2 from the Buckeyes' 6.
Quinn's first option was covered and he never had time to look for second before being sacked by Hawk.
"We thought we had a play where we felt pretty good about scoring," Weis said. "We planned on taking a lot of chances. The team understood the risk-reward factor."
Ohio State then moved 86 yards in just six plays to take the lead. On first down from the OSU 32, Smith moved to the right on an apparent option play, but pitched back to Ginn going to the left.
Ginn turned the corner untouched and raced down the sideline, breaking a tackle at about the Notre Dame 8 and jogging into the end zone.
Ohio State's next drive ended at the Fighting Irish's 9 when Smith's pitch to Ginn was errant.
Four plays after a Notre Dame punt, Smith found Holmes behind the secondary at about the 50 and Smith outraced the secondary to the end zone, making it 21-7.
todor@vindy.com
Tuesday, January 3, 2006
By ROB TODOR
VINDICATOR SPORTS EDITOR
TEMPE, Ariz. — Most of the pregame hype was reserved for Notre Dame's offense. It was Ohio State's that had the jaw-dropping performance.
The Buckeyes turned in their most complete offensive performance in the program's bowl history Monday night, defeating the Fighting Irish, 34-20, in the 35th Tostitos Fiesta Bowl.
Led by quarterback Troy Smith, the offensive player of the game, and featuring long scoring plays by receivers Ted Ginn Jr. and Santonio Holmes, and running back Antonio Pittman, Ohio State dominated the much-anticipated game with an electric offensive attack that was slowed more by turnovers and an uncharacteristic breakdown in kicking game than the Fighting Irish's defense.
"The scheme was to make big plays," Smith said. "The guys stepped up, the offensive line did a great job and I was fortunate to be able to connect on a couple deep passes."
Racks up 617 total yards
Ohio State (10-2), ranked No. 4 by the Associated Press, gained 617 total yards. The Buckeyes averaged 9.6 yards per play and better than 7.5 rushing the ball.
"We thought we could make some big things happen," Ohio State coach Jim Tressel said. "[The offensive assistants] had a tremendous plan and our guys executed it so well."
Smith completed 19 of 28 passes for a career-high 342 yards — his previous best was the 300 he had at Michigan Nov. 18 — and rushed for 66 more.
"Every day [Smith] learns something and gets better, and every game he learns," Tressel said. "He's very passionate about being a great quarterback."
Ginn caught eight passes for 167 yards, including a 56-yard strike from Smith on the Buckeyes' first drive that tied the score at 7. He also scored on a 68-yard reverse that gave Ohio State a lead it would not relinquish early in the second period.
Holmes had five receptions for 124 yards and an 85-yard catch and run from Smith late in the first half that gave Ohio State a 21-7 lead.
And Pittman's 60-yard dash with 1:46 remaining sealed the outcome and put the caps on a 136-yard effort, his seventh game of the season in triple digits.
Praises offensive line
"Without the guys up front bearing down and settling in for four quarters to get the job done, none of this happens," Smith said. "Two, the execution of the game plan. We set out to do the things that we needed to do, assert ourself within the offense, making the big plays and complete the deep passes.
"Everything was accomplished today."
For all those big plays, there were a couple more that resulted in far less yardage but proved to be just as important. They came on the Buckeyes' final scoring drive, a pair of third down plays that Smith converted with his feet and right arm.
Key third down plays
On third-and-9 from the OSU 16, Smith found Pittman wide open in the right flat for a 10-yard gain. Three plays later, on 3-and-11 from the Buckeyes' 25, Smith faced heavy pressure up the middle, spun out of it and hit Anthony Gonzalez for a 15-yard gain.
Pittman's long TD run came on the ensuing play.
"The key to any great performance is your key players have to make plays," Tressel said. "What Troy does is he has a great command of our offense."
Meanwhile, linebacker A.J. Hawk led a Buckeyes' defense against Notre Dame's Brady Quinn and the much-ballyhooed offense of coach Charlie Weis.
Quinn was 29-for-45 for 286 yards, but he was sacked five times and had no scoring passes.
"We knew Notre Dame was coming out to make plays," said Hawk, who was named the defensive player of the game with 3.5 sacks. "They have a ton of talent [but] we always talk about our next play [being] the most important."
Defense shuts down Irish
Ohio State, which led the nation in rushing defense this season, allowed just 62 net yards, although running back Darius Walker finished with 90 yards on 16 carries and three touchdowns. But, as the Fighting Irish fell behind, Walker had just five carries in the second half as they went to a no-huddle attack.
"At halftime I decided I was not going to allow the tempo of the game to stay the way it was," Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis said. "We were lucky for it to be 21-7 at halftime."
After blocking a field goal midway through the third quarter, the Fighting Irish went to its no-huddle offense and it paid immediate dividends.
Quinn completed six of nine passes for 61 yards, and Walker zipped in the final 10 for the touchdown with 4:25 remaining. But D.J. Fitzpatrick missed the extra point try, leaving the Buckeyes ahead, 21-13.
Ohio State answered with a pair of field goals to make it a two-touchdown margin. Josh Huston converted kicks of 40 and 26 yards, the latter coming with 10:12 remaining in the game, to make it 27-13.
Buckeyes get break
Huston's first field goal, with 2:20 remaining in the third quarter, came one play after an apparent fumble by the Buckeyes (and return for a Notre Dame touchdown) was overruled. The play was ruled an incomplete pass.
"That changed the whole complexion of the game," Weis said. "I disagreed with it but I am prejudiced. All I told the officials was, 'I hope that guy [the replay official] is right.' "
Quinn then guided the Irish 80 yards in 13 plays, and it was 27-20 when another video replay gave Walker a 3-yard touchdown run with 5:27 remaining.
Both teams left points on the field in the first half.
With the score tied at 7, Weis made a curious decision to go for it on fourth down and 2 from the Buckeyes' 6.
Quinn's first option was covered and he never had time to look for second before being sacked by Hawk.
"We thought we had a play where we felt pretty good about scoring," Weis said. "We planned on taking a lot of chances. The team understood the risk-reward factor."
Ohio State then moved 86 yards in just six plays to take the lead. On first down from the OSU 32, Smith moved to the right on an apparent option play, but pitched back to Ginn going to the left.
Ginn turned the corner untouched and raced down the sideline, breaking a tackle at about the Notre Dame 8 and jogging into the end zone.
Ohio State's next drive ended at the Fighting Irish's 9 when Smith's pitch to Ginn was errant.
Four plays after a Notre Dame punt, Smith found Holmes behind the secondary at about the 50 and Smith outraced the secondary to the end zone, making it 21-7.
todor@vindy.com
Tuesday, January 3, 2006
Most of the pregame hype was reserved for Notre Dame's offense. It was Ohio State's that had the jaw-dropping...
