Ohio State Football: How Important Is the Rose Bowl for Jim Tressel's Image?

Drew Thurman (9:18 AM)

As the Buckeyes look ahead to a Rose Bowl battle against Oregon, there is a lot more at stake than just closing the season out with a win against the Ducks. The Buckeyes and the Big Ten both have their reputation on the line, and maybe even more interesting, Tressel's legacy is at risk.

It's hard to believe with his resume of accomplishments that he has to worry about his image, but Buckeye fans are getting impatient. Sure, Tressel has dominated Michigan since he came to Columbus, boasting an incredible 8-1 record against that school up north. Not only the Wolverines, but Tressel has owned the Big Ten.

In fact, the Buckeyes have had at least a share of the Big Ten Title for five straight years. Oh, and I almost forgot, he brought Buckeye Nation a National Championship in 2002. So why is there so much pressure to beat Oregon?

Simple, fans want big-game wins. This wasn't the case a few years ago, as Tressel was on a run of winning four straight bowl games, three of which were Fiesta Bowl wins (one National Championship). Things turned though at the most unexpected time, as Troy Smith and the Buckeyes were heavy favorites against an inferior Gator team in the 2006 National Championship.

They would be shocked by Urban Meyer and company 41-14 though (the most painful numbers in OSU history), and since then Tressel's prestige has plummeted.     

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Since that beatdown by the Gators, the Buckeyes have never been able to get over the big game blues. It has been rough going with losses from LSU, Texas, and twice to USC. In that time, Tressel has gone from media darling to one of the most criticized coaches around. Buckeye fans have bought into those complaints, and are growing increasingly impatient with each disappointment on a national stage.

So, with all that said, I think it is clear that a Buckeye victory in the Rose Bowl is vital for Tressel's lasting legacy. Not only for that, but Tressel should be concerned about his image currently.

Buckeye fans will only have so much patience for continual bowl losses, and one has to even wonder how well Tressel can keep recruiting until he wins a big one again. He needs to turn things around and get momentum on his side, and a Rose Bowl victory will certainly do that.

Let's not downplay how big this game is for next year as well. With all the returning stars on offense, including Pryor, the Buckeyes could be ready to once again contend for a National Championship. It will be hard for this team to focus on that goal if they are still having to answer questions about losing big games. Instead, they need to prove to themselves and to the country that they have what it takes, starting with Oregon.    

That is a lot of pressure on one game, but it is coming increasingly important for Tressel and the Buckeyes to turn their image around. At some point, fans aren't going to be satisfied with conference titles and wins over Michigan.

That sounds incredibly selfish, but legacies are built on National Championships and big game wins, not just beating out a conference that has proven itself as average in recent years. Don't get me wrong Tressel has done some incredible things for the Buckeyes in his tenure, but four straight bowl losses would be hard to deal with.