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Are the Buckeyes the second-worst champions of the BCS era?
ESPN.com is celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Bowl Championship Series with several stories surrounding its history, including many rankings.
In today’s offering, Mark Schlabach offers his ranking of BCS champions in order of first to worst. Maybe a surprise to Ohio State fans but not to many around the country: Ohio State is ranked No. 9:
Why they’re No. 9: It’s hard to believe a team that nearly lost to 4-5 Purdue and needed overtime to win at Illinois could beat one of the greatest teams in college football history. But that’s exactly what Ohio State did when it prevented Miami from winning its second consecutive national title. It wasn’t Ohio State’s greatest team and it didn’t overwhelm many opponents, but the Buckeyes finished unbeaten and pulled off one of the biggest upsets in college football history.
For Buckeyes fans, the 2002 team was very special because it didn’t always win on talent, but sometimes on effort. Its defense was stunning and its offense was serviceable, and Mike Nugent cleaned up the rest.
But this is how the rest of the country sees it: It was a team that lucky enough times to go undefeated and become the national champion. Do the two other title game losses make the 2002 team look worse? That’s tough to say, but it could lead many to feel OSU was even luckier that season.
Even worse for Ohio State is that the Florida team that beat the Buckeyes in 2007 is No. 8 on the list and the LSU team that won last January is No. 10. So, not only is the OSU champion No. 9, but the two teams that blew the Buckeyes out are the two others in the bottom three.
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Comments
By Michael
May 22, 2008 6:46 AM | Link to this
I don’t know about ESPN’s rankings, but I do know it’s better to be considered one of the worst champions than not to have played in the championship game. Go Bucks!By C
May 22, 2008 8:04 AM | Link to this
ESPN has no idea what a great champion is. Ohio State is not only the #1 collegiate Football Program in history! It’s also the most respected, most coveted, and most talked about as well. No other college football program has the history, moral excellence, or the high success rate after graduation as OSU. So let ESPN act ignorant to all the facts, the truth stands firm!By buckeyealum
May 22, 2008 8:08 AM | Link to this
The BCS has been around for ten years and for three of those ten years, The Buckeyes have been in the Championship Game. Correction; make that fours times counting the coming season. GO BUCKS !!!By jeff
May 22, 2008 8:48 AM | Link to this
Yeah beating my Miami who had won 30 some straight and a team of 1st rounders was lucky too. Give me a break that OSU defense was one of the best we have seen in a while. Remember we were supposed to be a year away at that point.By Wes
May 22, 2008 9:06 AM | Link to this
Truly, I think they got it right. OSU is a great team, but they are not talking quantity of appearances, they are referencing the quality of the team. I believe that there were better teams over the past ten years, like the 2 that destroyed our Bucks in the Championship Games…By El Presidente
May 22, 2008 9:10 AM | Link to this
ESPN (Exceptionally Stupid Pontificators Network). So this is how they spend their summer, trying to invent something to report on. As a Buckeye who has lived pretty much everywhere but Ohio the past 28 years (military), it is amazing how many people hate our Buckeyes because their GOOD. I love seeing the Block O’s and OSU stickers on cars all over the world, and wearing your OSU clothing is a way to meet new frieinds everywhere! Go Bucks!By Johnny
May 22, 2008 10:33 AM | Link to this
You know, we didn’t have superstar names on that team like other teams did that year but it was some of the best football I have ever seen. And we got the job done! Who cares what the records of the other teams were. The UC game was one of the funnest and emotional games I have ever watched regardless of ranks and records. Thats what football is all about..By Tim Tim
May 22, 2008 12:16 PM | Link to this
C, thank you for displaying why the rest of the country thinks us buckeye fans are backwards, inbred, and most of all delusional… no one outside of us would call OSU the “best program ever” (USC, ND, team up north). “most respected, most coveted, most talked about” — dude, you need to get out some. and the “facts” are against you. tressel might be moral, but that’s not how people see the program. let’s see…clarett, cop shooter, child molester, and gambler. and osu isn’t even near the top of the big 10 in graduation rates. gotta respect your enthusiasm though!By Bakari Lumumba
May 22, 2008 2:26 PM | Link to this
I would agree with ESPN rankings No.9 is a good spot if we would have beaten florida we could got like fifth miami 1 and usc 2 is good with me if we want to be ranked higher win its that simple. And on another note I would like to see when HBCU’s can compete for an national champioship even if its on a mid- major level. The real conversation should be on how these HWCU’s are using black altheltes to make millions of dollars off of them. And don’t even care if they graduate. Often times forcing them to skip classes to go to extra pratice sessions and weight training.By The Harvey
May 22, 2008 4:09 PM | Link to this
I agree with Tim Tim. tosu’s arrogance, “we’re the most perfect, the finest, blah, blah, blah” attitude of tosu fans makes everyone else around the country sick. You can’t even win the big games and won’t dump Youngstown State for a game against Georgia. And Tim Tim, you forgot the wonderful Antonio Henton who was arrested for trying to buy sex for $20 from an undercover officer and was suspended from the team, until The Vest realized he needed some speed against THE 2007 BCS NATIONAL CHAMPIONS LSU TIGERS. All of a sudden, he’s elligible? I mean, I hope Henton at least took an introduction to counting class (How to Count 101) so he could count to 20. Henton didn’t even have $20 on him when he tried to buy the trick from the cop. No wonder the snap count is on one for tosu, they can’t count higher than that.By dpkdayton
May 22, 2008 4:23 PM | Link to this
I gave up caring what ESPN thinks about anything years ago. As for Tim Tim. Dude, I’ve lived all over the country. No matter where you are, everyone there hates everyone else. Everyone thinks their local team is the greatest of all time. The fact that a lot of people hate OSU is a testimate to their success. Nobody takes the time to hate a team that loses. You want to talk about backwards? Live anywhere south of the Mason-Dixon line and even pathetic teams like Alabama who hasn’t been relevant to the National Championship in years, think the sun rises and sets on their team.By go bucks
May 22, 2008 8:24 PM | Link to this
notre dame is the most hated team ever guys. but really, the people who made that list don’t know football. the 2002 team played real, hard nosed, ohio football. how can ohio high school teams that play the same style, be considered the best in the country, but when a college does it, they barely make anyone blink? its because people don’t like to watch it. watching a team win with defense and effort isn’t entertaining. you know why usc and miami are up top? because they had exciting offenses. its all about entertainment. not real, winning footballBy Charles
May 23, 2008 5:40 AM | Link to this
I am glad to see the fraud exposed, everyone (except the blind osu fans) knows the ref blew the call against Miami, they got their butts handed to them against florida and lsu, they look good all year to ohio state fans because they don’t play any credible teams..akron, youngstown st, you all think its a big deal to beat michigan, heck michigan can’t beat a division 2 schoolBy Minton
May 23, 2008 7:39 AM | Link to this
I agree with the rankings. We still won the championship against a great Miami team. I do think the first post by Charles needs to be set straight. The “blown call” would have never happened if the refs wouldn’t have blown the call on our last drive in regualation. They called Jenkins out of bound on his 3rd down conversion reception. If it wasn’t for that blown call no overtimes would’ve happened. Buckeyes would’ve ran out the clock and won the game in regulation. If anything, the last call was a make up call. Watch the tape you’ll see what I’m talking about. Only haters would forget about the first blown call that basically set up the overtime.By pete
May 23, 2008 8:58 AM | Link to this
I tend to agree with charles on the blown call by the ref, he had his eyes closed for the entire play then had to ask his partner what went on, thats not the point though with the article, the point is that osu dodged so many bullets that year, and hence got the name “luckeyes” that it will not be considered a very good team, the same for last year and the way they backed into the championship game, and I won’t go into detail about the gators chomping all over the nuts. bottom line is the buckeyes are a good big ten team and bowl results prove it. tressel is out of his league with the likes of urban meyer and les miles,By Rudyl
May 23, 2008 9:13 AM | Link to this
Being the 9th best National Champ is kinda like being the 9th poorest millionaire or pth ugliest supermodel. I’ll gladly be any of themBy Rudyl
May 23, 2008 9:13 AM | Link to this
Being the 9th best National Champ is kinda like being the 9th poorest millionaire or 9th ugliest supermodel. I’ll gladly be any of themBy Mike
May 23, 2008 9:18 AM | Link to this
Talk about revisionist history…. 2002 OSU is the only college team in history to go 14-0, played the top strength of schedule in 2002, won the toughest conference in 2002, beat 3 top ten teams in 2002, and had every started from that team drafted by the NFL with the exception of the FB, P, and QB. (However, Krenzel eventually played in the NFL.) As far as playing tight games, almost every other BCS champion had a loss or played in close games during their championship run.By Mike
May 23, 2008 9:18 AM | Link to this
Talk about revisionist history…. 2002 OSU is the only college team in history to go 14-0, played the top strength of schedule in 2002, won the toughest conference in 2002, beat 3 top ten teams in 2002, and had every started from that team drafted by the NFL with the exception of the FB, P, and QB. (However, Krenzel eventually played in the NFL.) As far as playing tight games, almost every other BCS champion had a loss or played in close games during their championship run.By d-town
May 23, 2008 12:01 PM | Link to this
Who cares??!! ESPN just tries to turn sports into an episode of Jerry Springer, if there was another sports network I would watch it. This list is a pointless topic at a slow time of year. GO BUCKS!!!By Randy Plessinger
May 23, 2008 12:05 PM | Link to this
OSU has nothing to hang its head about. I’d rank them in the bottom five all time.They have to win the big ones, not just show up.As for BCS, that’s just bull with an “C” in the middle.I look to true experts Like Keith Jackson for a more accurate and respectable analysis. Go Bucks and Go “Big Hoss”.By Howie Feltersnatch
May 23, 2008 12:31 PM | Link to this
Who cares. These little ranking’s articles are nothing more than space fillers that create argument and achieve nothing! The only thing I care about is that the entire season was tremendously exciting BECAUSE OF ALL THE CLOSE GAMES!Mark Schlabach is no more an authority on the subject than anyone making a comment on this page.By dean
May 23, 2008 12:48 PM | Link to this
all i can say is watch out for usc,,you guys are toast larinitis -jockalitisBy TimDog
May 24, 2008 7:17 AM | Link to this
To the georgia fan below.Georgia couldnt beat Tennesse or South Carolina last year and the same will happen this year.You know why the big ten is hated so much,Because the big ten holds more national titles, in all sports than any other confrence. Look it up. Sec isnt any better than big ten,or pac-10. Georgia got A pity vote thats why they even Played in a bcs bowl game look who they played. I predict georgia to have three losses this year South Carolina Steve Spuirier has there number,Florida W/ Mr. Tim Tebow And last but not least Lsu. We know the tears in your eyes isnt form the onions in Vidaila. Georgia only has two national titles last one was when hershal walker was there hes like a relic now.That should give you an idea of how long its been. You should all turn to Ga.Tech fan. Nobody in the sec has more tiles than ohio state or michigan. So go ponder on that a while. Nothin i Hate more than a ignorant Southern Redneck. Go Buckeyes.By TimDog
May 24, 2008 7:17 AM | Link to this
To the georgia fan below.Georgia couldnt beat Tennesse or South Carolina last year and the same will happen this year.You know why the big ten is hated so much,Because the big ten holds more national titles, in all sports than any other confrence. Look it up. Sec isnt any better than big ten,or pac-10. Georgia got A pity vote thats why they even Played in a bcs bowl game look who they played. I predict georgia to have three losses this year South Carolina Steve Spuirier has there number,Florida W/ Mr. Tim Tebow And last but not least Lsu. We know the tears in your eyes isnt form the onions in Vidaila. Georgia only has two national titles last one was when hershal walker was there hes like a relic now.That should give you an idea of how long its been. You should all turn to Ga.Tech fan. Nobody in the sec has more tiles than ohio state or michigan. So go ponder on that a while. Nothin i Hate more than a ignorant Southern Redneck. Go Buckeyes.By ohio_buck_i
May 25, 2008 10:00 AM | Link to this
Maybe ESPN has it right. Who cares? As someone who has had season tickets for 30+ years all I can say is it’s great to be invited to the party. These Tressel years are the best of times. Priorities are beating Michigan, winning the Big Ten,and going to the best bowl game available…how much more success do we need. It’s not winning it all….it’s the journey getting there. No one has spent as much time traveling in style as the buckeyes.By Purvis R. Coley
May 27, 2008 12:20 PM | Link to this
I think its funny. ESPN thinks that they are the final voice when it comes to anything related or unrelated to sports. This is no different. Winning is what this program does very well. Proud to be a Buckeye, Born a Buckeye…GO BUCKS!!!!By Bob540
May 27, 2008 1:53 PM | Link to this
As another stated: Playing in 3 of the 10 NC games . . and winning an NC . . what’s not to like? I shake my head when some people blame OSU for the fact that every team lost last year, allowing the Bucks to get another title shot. As for the other teams: Don’t lose, and Ohio State doesn’t get to go!