Jim Tressel opened up the Ohio State offense, the Buckeyes overcame an athletic disadvantage and OSU finally ended its BCS Bowl Game hex.
In related news, Hell froze over, pigs were spotted airborne and the Chicago Cubs won the World Series.
OK, so only one of those sequence of events actually occurred. But considering OSU’s nationwide reputation lately, widespread perception would have told you that the chance of either series of events was slim to none.
Tressel pushed all of the right buttons in the Buckeyes’ dismantling of the Ducks. The conservative coach stuck to his guns during the regular season, even after repeated BCS Bowl Game failures.
Over the past three postseasons, the Buckeyes came up short against quicker, more aggressive and more athletic opponents.
Ohio State, winners of five consecutive Big Ten titles, represents a conference that has fared poorly in recent bowl seasons. That has made the Buckeyes, and Tressel, the primary targets for criticism.
Oregon, another athletic adversary that runs a spread offense and represents a conference that has performed well in recent bowl seasons, embodied all of the components that the Bucks haven’t been able to overcome in recent memory.
So Tressel changed gears.
In a late-season surge, the Buckeyes powered through the tough part of their schedule — Penn State, Iowa and Michigan — with a dominant run game.
Against the Ducks, Ohio State came out throwing the football, as quarterback Terrelle Pryor attempted 24 passes in the first half alone.
Ohio State’s inability to execute a diverse offensive scheme? No longer.
An Oregon offense that had terrorized opponents for 37.7 points per game was held in check. Shifty, elusive quarterback Jeremiah Masoli finished with just 81 yards through the air and 9 yards on the ground. The Ducks’ potent offense managed to gain just 260 yards, a far cry from its average of 425 through the regular season.
Oregon’s athletic advantage on offense? Neutralized.
The Bucks put the Big Ten on their backs and carried the conference to its first signature postseason victory since Ohio State thwarted Notre Dame four years ago in the Fiesta Bowl. Penn State’s win over LSU earlier in the day helped as well, temporarily quashing the notion that the Big Ten can’t hang with the SEC. Obviously, one Capital One Bowl victory doesn’t nullify that theory (especially when Auburn topped Northwestern just hours earlier), but both Big Ten wins on New Year’s Day boosted the Big Ten back toward respectability.
Big, slow Big Ten teams can’t win the big game? No longer a go-to media critique.
Carrying the brunt of the Big Ten load, the Buckeyes have felt the most heat over the past 36 months. Tressel’s close-to-the-vest coaching style has produced annual conference crowns, but not the ideal postseason results. The coach finally shook things up when he needed to, and his Buckeyes are reaping the benefits.
Incessant roar from Buckeye critics? Silenced.
Whether Hell froze over or not, the Buckeyes’ national perception should finally start warming up.
