Allstate Sugar Bowl 2011: Ohio State and Arkansas Deliver an Instant Classic

Wow.  There is almost no other word one could use to describe last night's Allstate Sugar Bowl between Ohio State and Arkansas, an epic thriller that saw the Buckeyes escape New Orleans with a 31-26 win—their first ever bowl victory versus an SEC opponent.

"Escape" seems like a very fitting word to describe the Buckeyes victory, because, despite everything that went right for them yesterday evening, Arkansas would keep knocking on the door, oh so close to pulling out their first ever BCS bowl win. 

Terrelle Pryor led the charge for the Buckeye offense; his almost 340 total yards and two touchdown passes earning him game MVP. 

Not to be outdone,  Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallet was on the money almost all night, throwing two touchdown passes himself, before his final throw—a ball that would be intercepted by OSU DE Solomon Thomas—would clinch it for the Buckeyes.

To be sure, the game appeared to be a tale of two halves.  In the first half, OSU pushed the Razorback defense around the field at will, with Pryor's TD passes, a fumble recovery in the Arkansas end zone by Dane Sanzenbacher and a Daniel "Boom" Herron TD run allowing OSU to build a 28-10 lead. 

In the second half, it seemed Arkansas could do no wrong, as they continually pinned OSU inside their own 5-yard line with amazing punt coverage, and in addition to scoring two more touchdowns they also were able to tackle Boom Herron in the end zone for a safety.  After blocking an OSU punt late in the fourth, it seemed Arkansas was in the driver's seat until Mallet's untimely pass would end the game.

That the game was almost decided on a blocked punt in the fourth quarter had to irritate OSU head coach Jim Tressel, who constantly reminds his players and the media that the punt "is the most important play in football."  But he had to be excited for the day Pryor had, especially after all he'd been through recently. And for the play of his defense—led by senior defensive end Cameron Heyward, who pressured Mallet all evening long.

In the end, however, fans of both teams have to be pleased with what they had just witnessed.  And Razorback fans can't be too disappointed in the performance of their team, even if the outcome wasn't what they necessarily wanted.