Open-Mic: 2007 BCS National Championship Game—Disappointment in the Desert

Buckeye Nation (yours truly included) believed our beloved team to be unstoppable in 2006. We had a quarterback who’d eventually win the Heisman, a star receiver in Ted Ginn Jr., a star back in Antonio Pittman and began the season ranked first in most football polls, a ranking that would continue throughout the season. We were certain we would go wire-to-wire in the polls.

Our final mission was to play our third second-ranked team of the season. After steamrolling past Texas earlier, and a nail-biter against That School Up North in the Horseshoe on a cold November night, we were certain the Florida Gators would be a cakewalk compared to TSUN. Needless to say, there were many happy fans in Buckeye Nation when we learned we wouldn’t have to prove ourselves at TSUN’s expense for the second time that season.

If only we knew the disaster our hubris would bring us that brisk January night in Glendale Arizona.

Since that double-overtime upset over the Miami Hurricanes, Ohio State reigned supreme in The Valley of the Sun, dismantling Kansas State in 2004 and Notre Dame in 2006. The 2006 Buckeyes emerged from the regular season victorious, winning the Big Ten Championship outright and had a final opportunity to prove themselves once and for all with a potential victory over the Gators in what was  predominantly a hometown crowd.

So what went wrong?

The 2007 BCS National Championship Game started well for the Buckeyes when Ginn scored a touchdown off a 93-yard kickoff return only sixteen seconds into the game to put Ohio State up 7-0.

Then the unthinkable happened: Ginn limped off the field with an injury that cost him the opportunity to play in the rest of the game. The Gators fought back on a 46-yard drive that led to a 14-yard touchdown pass from Chris Leak to Dallas Baker to tie the score.

Ohio State’s offense was unable to break through the Gators’ defensive line, and Florida retaliated with another touchdown on a four-yard run by Percy Harvin giving the Gators a 14-7 lead.

Following another ineffective offensive drive by the Buckeyes, Florida moved the ball 71 yards on 10 plays, enabling DeShawn Wynn to score another touchdown for the Gators early in the second quarter.

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