Many predicted this would be THE BCS Bowl of this season's tournament, and even those expectations did not live up to this classic in Miami. Last season, the Horned Frogs of Texas Christian looked starstruck early in their Rose Bowl appearance, but, despite their loss this year, TCU showed they belonged, fighting toe to toe with a fired up Ohio State squad.
Despite two teams known for defense, the first quarter seemed to move up and down the field as much as an 80's Coleco Football game. Ohio State started the game with a 3 minute, 74 yard touchdown drive, capped by a 34 yard Terrelle Pryor run, in which he coughed up the football, only to be recovered in the end zone for a touchdown by Dane Sanzenbacher. Devin Barclay extra point kick gave the Buckeyes the 7-0 lead. But right back came the Horned Frogs. A ten play, 77 yard, 4:30 drive was capped with a Bart Johnson 23 touchdown reception from Andy Dalton, and Ross Evans' extra point tied the game at 7. Back came the Buckeyes. Dan Herron's 9 yard touchdown run ended a 7 play, 68 yard, 2:26 drive, and Ohio State grabbed back the lead. The Coleco football continued, as Dalton's 4 yard run to the end zone completed 5 play, 57 yard, 2:38 drive, and the game was tied at 14, which is the score at the end of the first quarter.
In the second quarter, the Buckeyes power continued, and they took a 21-14 lead with a Pryor 15 yard pass to Sanzenbacher. This time, with the Buckeye pass rush harassing Dalton in this quarter, TCU could only answer with a Evans field goal, and the Horned Frogs trailed 21-17. The Buckeyes were on a roll, and a 43 yard Pryor TD pass to DeVier Posey put the Buckeyes up 28-17. TCU would not quit, answering with another field goal to trail 28-20 at the break.
The third quarter scoring began with another OSU score, a Barclay 46 yard field goal, and the Buckeyes 31-20 lead seemed to be secure. However, TCU stormed back offensively and defensively. Luke Shivers 1 yard run competed a 71 yard drive, and the Horned Frogs were back in it, trailing 31-27. Another Texas Christian field goal completed the third quarter scoring, and it was 31-30 going into the final frame. The last quarter was full of tension, and Pryor ran the Buckeyes out of several jams, and OSU maintained its 1 point lead. In the waning minutes of the game, TCU erupted with a blocked punt. However, a tipped Dalton pass was intercepted on a miraculous play by Solomon Thomas with 58 seconds remaining to finally allow Pryor to kneel out the game.
Certainly TCU is disappointed, but they gave a tremendous effort against a highly motivated, and seemingly immune to distraction Ohio State team. The Buckeyes move on to another Florida locale, the Semi-Finals in St. Petersburg, to face with winner of the Oregon-Arkansas Fiesta Bowl.
UPDATED TOURNAMENT RESULTS:
FIRST ROUND:
In Arlington, TX:
7 Oklahoma 48
10 Connecticut 20
In Charlotte:
8 Arkansas 22
9 Virginia Tech 12
BCS BOWLS (Quarterfinals):
Sugar: (results available after the completion of the games of 10Jan)
1 Auburn
7 Oklahoma
Rose:
4 Stanford 37
5 Wisconsin 20
Fiesta: (results available after the completion of the games of 10Jan)
2 Oregon
8 Arkansas
Orange:
3 Texas Christian 30
6 Ohio State 31
Semi-finals in St Petersburg FL:
Sugar Bowl winner versus Stanford
Fiesta Bowl winner versus Ohio State
BCS Championship in Glendale AZ
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