Ohio State Football: The 10 Best Wins of the Jim Tressel Era
In Ohio State, coach Jim Tressel is entering his 11th season as the main man in Columbus.
And the 10 seasons of Tressel at the helm has been much better than many ever expected.
Tressel and his Buckeyes have gone 106-22 in the 10 years since he began his Buckeye coaching career.
Here is a look at his 10 greatest wins as the head coach at Ohio State.
10. 2008 at Wisconsin, 20-17
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At this point in the 2008 season, Ohio State's quest to return to the BCS title game for a third straight season was heading down the toilet after the blowout loss at USC.
Young freshman Terrelle Pryor was thrust into the starting job after the USC game and had won his first two starts.
But the game that kept the team's hopes for another BCS appearance alive was the game at Wisconsin, a place where the Buckeyes had not won in the Tressel era.
With five minutes left down by four points, Pryor led the Buckeyes down the field on a methodical drive and finished it with an 11-yard TD run, which was certainly a sign of things to come.
9. 2004 vs Michigan, 37-21
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2004 was not a good year for Ohio State after back-to-back Fiesta Bowl wins.
With Ohio State dropping games to Wisconsin, Iowa, Purdue and even Northwestern, it was a rough, rough season.
But they got some redemption against Michigan, who was ranked No. 7 at the time and headed to the Rose Bowl against Vince Young's Texas Longhorns.
Troy Smith threw for 241 yards and rushed for 145, but it was freshman WR Ted Ginn, Jr. who stole the show.
The track star from Cleveland Glenville returned his fourth punt for a TD in the second half, which sealed the deal against the Wolverines.
Ohio State would go on to beat Oklahoma State at the Alamo Bowl, and the Wolverines fell victim to Vince Young in the Rose Bowl on a last-second field goal.
8. 2006 Fiesta Bowl vs Notre Dame, 34-20
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After giving up an opening touchdown to Brady Quinn and the Fighting Irish, all Ohio State did was gain over 600 yards of total offense and dominate Notre Dame in Tempe.
Troy Smith connected on big bombs to Santonio Holmes and Ted Ginn, as the Buckeyes scored all four of their touchdowns from Notre Dame's side of the field.
Smith threw for 342 yards and three TDs, and Holmes and Ginn each had over 100 receiving yards.
Quinn still threw for 286 yards but did not have a TD and was sacked twice by A.J. Hawk in his final collegiate game.
The win propelled the Buckeyes into the 2006 season, which saw them take the No. 1 ranking from Week 3 all the way to the national championship game, where they suffered a horrible defeat from Florida.
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7. 2002 vs Michigan, 14-9
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In Jim Tressel's second season at Ohio State, his team was one victory away from a shot at their first national championship since 1970.
Of course, that game was against rival Michigan, and like they had all season, the Buckeyes scored late and hung on for the big win.
Maurice Hall scored late in the fourth quarter, and the defense held twice against John Navarre and the Wolverines offense.
Without this win, the national championship upset would not have been possible.
6. 2009 vs Iowa, 27-24 OT
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The game that would decide who would go to Pasadena for the 2010 Rose Bowl came down to the leg of former soccer player Devin Barclay, who banged home the game-winner in OT.
Ohio State took a 14-point lead in the fourth quarter after a Dan Herron TD run. But back-to-back Iowa TDs tied the game at 24, as backup QB James Vandenberg tried to keep Iowa's hopes alive after a prior loss at home to Northwestern.
In what would be the game that decided the Big Ten title, the Buckeyes got the big win they were looking for, despite only 93 passing yards and 29 rushing yards from Terrelle Pryor.
But they always say what matters is the scoreboard and not the statsheet.
And on that night, Ohio State had just a little more than Iowa in what was a fantastic matchup between two very good teams who each won their respective BCS bowl games.
5. 2006 vs Michigan, 42-39
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The Game is always special, but it took on new meaning in 2006 when it featured the No. 1 and 2 teams for the first time in the 100+ years in the history of Ohio State and MIchigan.
And these two teams put together an offensive show, racking up the most points in the history of the rivalry.
But in the end, Troy Smith capped off his Heisman campaign throwing for four TD passes, and Beanie Wells had a breakout 52-yard TD run in the second quarter.
In what was the most hyped matchup in the history of the rivalry, both teams put on a show, but it was the Buckeyes that had just a little more in the tank.
4. 2010 Rose Bowl vs Oregon, 26-17
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If there was any more important game for Ohio State in recent years, this was it.
After consecutive years of being touted as a wannabe, the Buckeyes shutdown a potent Oregon Ducks offense in Pasadena and beat the favored Ducks 26-17 to earn back some of its lost luster.
Terrelle Pryor earned MVP honors on a torn MCL and PCL by throwing for 266 yards and two TDs, the only two the Buckeyes scored all game.
Devin Barclay put up four field goals, but the game was all about Pryor putting up his best passing game of the season and Jim Tressel letting him throw the ball against the Ducks all game.
The Vest's first trip to Pasadena was quite a success.
3. 2001 vs Michigan, 26-20
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After John Cooper was fired and replaced by Jim Tressel, he made a promise to Buckeye fans that his team would play well against Michigan.
And after losing five of the prior six meetings, the Buckeyes traveled up to Ann Arbor in 2001 to face a Wolverine team ranked No. 11.
The Buckeyes rocketed out of the gate early and took a 23-0 lead at halftime and held on late to secure a stunning win.
Tressel's team had five takeaways, including four INTs, and lived up to their coach's lofty promises made when he was hired to coach the Buckeyes.
Since this game, Tressel would only lose to Michigan once in his career.
2. 2011 Sugar Bowl vs Arkansas, 31-26
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Ohio State had never beaten the SEC in a bowl game, and Jim Tressel's Buckeyes had been embarrassed in back-to-back national championship games.
That streak ended with a spectacular offensive showcase in the first half and miraculous defensive efforts to beat Arkansas 31-26.
Pryor once again was named MVP with a spectacular first half, throwing for two scores and 221 yards as well as adding 115 yards.
Ohio State showed that they had the speed necessary to make big plays and to match Arkansas blow for blow.
And in the end, Solomon Thomas made the interception inside the OSU redzone that sealed the deal for Ohio State on the only turnover of the night.
The Buckeyes held on for the big win and finally got the SEC monkey off their back.
1. 2003 Fiesta Bowl vs Miami, 31-24 2OT
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This game was one of the greatest college games of all time and one of the most surprising upsets in history.
With one of the greatest teams in college football history on the other sideline in Miami, not too many people believed Ohio State had a chance to win.
Not only did they win the game, but they flustered Miami's Ken Dorsey and rendered superstar RB Willis McGahee all game long.
The defense was phenomenal all night long, and the offense with Craig Krenzel and Maurice Clarett did just enough to give OSU the points to get the win.
This game still has the tremendous controversy of the pass interference call on Miami's Glenn Sharpe in overtime on 4th-and-12 that kept the game alive.
But give credit to OSU, because they took advantage of the penalty and were able to shut Miami down in second overtime to seal the deal.
The win was OSU's first national championship since 1970 and made this team the first ever to go 14-0 in college football history.
For more college football news and information, visit The BCS Blitz and follow me on Twitter @bielik_tim.
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