You've been spotted: River Days
Kings Marching Invitational
Cross country invitational
Home > Blogs > Buckeyes Beat > Archives > 2008 > January > 08 > Entry
Tigers, breaks, too much for Buckeyes
Ohio State was beaten by the better team. Let’s get that straight right up front.
LSU was clearly superior and would win most times those two teams tangled. But a few plays could have made a difference. Enough to turn around the 38-24 result? Doubtful. But things could have been very interesting in the second half if the Buckeyes didn’t implode when they did.
After LSU tied it at 10-all, the Buckeyes stampeded down the field. But a bonehead personal foul on receiver Brian Hartline halted the momentum.
They still had a chance to put seven points on the board, but a rare drop by Brian Robiskie in the end zone on third down forced the Buckeyes to go for a field goal with 10:53 left in the first half.
It was blocked because of a surge up front — the fourth blocked field goal this season for Ryan Pretorius, known for his low kicks — and the Tigers marched down the field with the help of two OSU personal-foul penalties for a momentum-changing score.
If the Buckeyes had gone up 17-10, they may have been able to nurse that lead into the half. And who knows what happens? Maybe LSU’s talent advantage ultimately takes over, but OSU would have gone to Chris Wells repeatedly, and he may have been capable of taking over long enough to make for an interesting finish.
There were plenty other what-if plays … like what if Austin Spitler doesn’t miss that potential blocked punt on the first possession of the second half with OSU trailing by 14?
But the bottom line, for the second year in a row, is there’s still a clear talent gap between the Buckeyes and the teams capable of winning a national title, like LSU and Florida.
Yeah, the Buckeyes didn’t have some breaks go their way. But they don’t want to have to go into these games relying on breaks.
Permalink | Comments (18) | Post your comment |
Comments
By Mike D
January 8, 2008 3:02 AM | Link to this
What if, what if, what if!!! Get over it, LSU won and that’ the bottom line!! The “darling” of the media was hammered by an SEC team and the media just can’t stand it. Well, regardless of the “what if’s” and the “maybe’s” LSU did infact win and a rather complete win it was! GO LSU!!!By stefanee
January 8, 2008 6:08 AM | Link to this
The officiating was the worst I have ever seen. Take time to watch film again and you will see numerous holding calls missed, one illegal block in the back it is hard to believe LSU commited one foul the whole game we ned to have our officials next time that was sad.By stefanee
January 8, 2008 6:08 AM | Link to this
The officiating was the worst I have ever seen. Take time to watch film again and you will see numerous holding calls missed, one illegal block in the back it is hard to believe LSU commited one foul the whole game we ned to have our officials next time that was sad.By Doug Harvey
January 8, 2008 6:45 AM | Link to this
If you have never put on any official umiform then you don’t know what there doing, you don’t know how there doing it and you don’t know why there doing it!By pat obrien
January 8, 2008 7:49 AM | Link to this
A slowhio state university is a joke. Anyone who complains about the officials doesnt know a thing about college football. T.he big ten is aweful - 7 teams in the sec played LSU much closer than slowhio- 0-9 all time vs the SEC- maybe the best team in division 2.By Alan Sierichs
January 8, 2008 9:35 AM | Link to this
I want to thank the sore loser OSU fan(s) who broke out the window in my car after the game because it had my LSU alumni sticker on it. I’ve lived all over the country and OSU has the most irrational and bad sports fans anywhere!By frank
January 8, 2008 4:04 PM | Link to this
Stefanee needs to check out the film alright.Ohio State does the best job I have ever seen on holding. Quite crying and except the fact you got spanked again. I think you like it! One more thing, did Ohio States Defensive line get any holding calls on them?By null
January 8, 2008 4:53 PM | Link to this
Nick Who? Ohio State #5 Les is More! Geaux Tigers!! Ohio State Fans get over it. Move on! Let it go! Ya’ll lost to a much better team!! Purple/Gold RuleBy Matt
January 9, 2008 9:11 AM | Link to this
Congratulations to the LSU Tigers. For us OSU fans, it was an exciting, but ultimately frustrating game. I agree with Doug and believe that LSU played the better game … but not as much better as the score seems to indicated. I partially agree with Stefanee. It’s hard to believe that LSU, the SEC’s leader in number of penalties and total penalty yards (113 penalties for 844 yards), only committed four fouls. A Tiger just can’t “change its stripes” like that. But, no one can’t deny that luck plays a hand in every game and it’s one of those things we have to accept. As for any for anyone who still thinks OSU’s team is “slower” than LSU’s, I can only tell them to go back and look at OSU’s first touch down. The LSU defenders couldn’t even close the gap with Wells as he ran toward the end zone. I wish OSU had played better, but for a team that had a regular season record of 11-1, beat archrival Michigan and went to the National Championship in what was to be a “transitional” year, I’m pretty pleased. With Tressel at the helm and Boeckman, Wells/Wells, Hartline, Robiskie, and Saine all back next year … WATCH OUT!By harry
January 9, 2008 3:09 PM | Link to this
I think it was said the officiating crew was bit 10. I guess thye big ten likes the sec.By bucknut
January 10, 2008 12:01 AM | Link to this
It’s too bad a few idiot fans can give a school a bad reputation. I think there are bad seeds in every fan base (i.e. the Texas fan who almost got castrated by an Oklahoma fan by just walking into a bar this year). We were at the game, and so happy just to be there— like most Buckey fans we saw & know. Back to back appearances isn’t something to be embarrassed of. Nor are 7 All Nat’l Titles. Nor is the fact that we were supposed to be “average” this year, and ended up at the Championship instead, after half our Juniors went pro last year (which happens every year). And we, like many people, ran into a few “less than courteous” LSU fans as we left the game— literally taunting, spitting, shoving us, and not letting us through on the sidewalk. But the others we met were genuinely nice fans. After watching our team crumble, I can only say that we did not play “Ohio State” football— players fighting w/ each other in the locker room will never win you a game. We didn’t function as a team, and didn’t play a good game. No excuses, we just lost. But at least we’ve been there 3 times in 7 years. And to those who say we’re “Slowhio” and have no speed, and cannot compete w/ a team like LSU— just watch a re-run of that Championship we won in ‘02 against the fast and furious, “unbeatable Miami.” We would kindly beg to differ.By adam
January 10, 2008 2:08 PM | Link to this
all I have to say is, ive watched the game three times now and the officiating wasnt all that bad. Sure there were penaltys that werent called on both teams but that is football. What I also saw was a healthy LSU team show up and play “tiger” football. Yes we did have alot of penaltys in the regular season, but we had them with a younger team filling in for our veterans. Either way, I enjoyed watching the game….I love college football and I hope next year is even better.By silstang23@yahoo.com
January 12, 2008 8:57 PM | Link to this
Stefanee, so you think those were SEC refs out there? Funny. I guess you know nothing about college football cause then you would know that during bowl games refs from the conferences of the two teams participating never work the game. DUH!! By the way, Beanie Wells touchdown was do in large part by a wrong call by our linebacker causing a misalignment for the D-line and linebackers. I’m not saying thats why he scored, but i mean if you have a misalignment, you have large gaps. He did outrun are safety though, but he is white…LOL Geaux Tigers 2007 BCS National Champs.By Rolan
January 12, 2008 8:57 PM | Link to this
Stefanee, so you think those were SEC refs out there? Funny. I guess you know nothing about college football cause then you would know that during bowl games refs from the conferences of the two teams participating never work the game. DUH!! By the way, Beanie Wells touchdown was do in large part by a wrong call by our linebacker causing a misalignment for the D-line and linebackers. I’m not saying thats why he scored, but i mean if you have a misalignment, you have large gaps. He did outrun are safety though, but he is white…LOL Geaux Tigers 2007 BCS National Champs.By WILLIAM
January 14, 2008 12:00 AM | Link to this
OSU still has a great team. However, I wish people would stop talking about the touchdown pass dropped by Brian Robiskie. The replays clearly shows that the LSU defensive back clearly had his in there and caused Brian to juggle the ball and drop it.By WILLIAM
January 14, 2008 12:00 AM | Link to this
OSU still has a great team. However, I wish people would stop talking about the touchdown pass dropped by Brian Robiskie. The replays clearly shows that the LSU defensive back clearly had his in there and caused Brian to juggle the ball and drop it.By WILLIAM
January 14, 2008 12:00 AM | Link to this
OSU still has a great team. However, I wish people would stop talking about the touchdown pass dropped by Brian Robiskie. The replays clearly shows that the LSU defensive back clearly had his in there and caused Brian to juggle the ball and drop it.By WILLIAM
January 14, 2008 12:00 AM | Link to this
OSU still has a great team. However, I wish people would stop talking about the touchdown pass dropped by Brian Robiskie. The replays clearly shows that the LSU defensive back clearly had his in there and caused Brian to juggle the ball and drop it.