Like so many bowl games in which the stakes don’t include a national championship, teams derive motivation from Aretha Franklin’s favorite seven-letter word: respect.
That was the case Thursday night in the Sugar Bowl, where fourth-ranked Florida State overwhelmed No. 9 Ohio State 31-14 before 67,289 fans at the Louisiana Superdome. The win extended Florida State’s remarkable streak of finishing in The Associated Press’ top four to 11 years.
Despite its tradition of excellence, Florida State players gabbed all week how they were tired of hearing that their conference, the ACC, was nothing but a hotbed for hoops programs.
“From going to a bunch of little awards banquets, I really got to see what players and sportswriters think of the ACC,” Seminoles defensive end Andre Wadsworth said. “The ACC isn’t respected at all. I’ve heard comments that if we were in the Big Ten, we’d be 6-5.”
Only if the Seminoles had to play Michigan 11 times.
Ohio State players also complained during the week about the so-called lack of respect for their program.
“We’ve lost two games to teams that were ranked No. 1 in the country at the time,” quarterback Stanley Jackson said. “But both times we lost, we dropped like six spots (in the polls).”
Ohio State coach John Cooper also was outspoken during the week, proclaiming at a team pep rally: “We’re going to kick their (butt).”
Cooper’s boldness seemed unusual considering that the coach has criticized his own players for filling Michigan’s bulletin board in past years with foolish predictions.
Cooper’s counterpart, the wise, old Bobby Bowden, wasn’t fazed by Cooper’s comments: “We’ve had it kicked before. Last game we played (against Florida), we got it kicked. It’s already healthy, ready to be kicked again.”
Yeah, but not by the Buckeyes, who dropped to 2-7 in bowl games under Cooper.
The Seminoles appeared to put the game away in the second quarter by scoring two touchdowns in three minutes.
Leading 7-3, Florida State jumped further ahead on a two-play, 55-yard touchdown drive that lasted 26 seconds. Quarterback Thad Busby hit E.G. Green for a 46-yard completion, then Busby weaved into the end zone from nine yards out on a quarterback sneak.
On its next possession, Ohio State drove to the Seminoles’ 28 before quarterback Joe Germaine, under intense pressure, was intercepted by rover Shevin Smith, who returned it to Ohio State’s 23.
Three plays later fullback William McCray found the end zone on a 1-yard plunge, increasing Florida State’s lead to 21-3 just before halftime.
Germaine threw two first-half interceptions and the Buckeyes were limited to 158 total yards.
Cooper strayed from his usual method of alternating quarterbacks. Instead of switching Germaine and Jackson after a series or two, he shuffled them in and out during some series. That strategy had worked well for Florida coach Steve Spurrier against the Seminoles six weeks ago.
Ohio State committed six first-half penalties, none more crucial then one early in the second quarter. After driving to the Seminoles’ 4-yard line, the Buckeyes faced a fourth and goal. Cooper called for a fake field goal, and it appeared to work perfectly as holder Brent Bartholomew hit tight end John Lumpkin in the end zone.
But the play was called back as the officials flagged Ohio State for unsportsmanlike conduct. The ruling was that an Ohio State player had lined up outside the hashmarks after the 25-second play clock had started–which is viewed as illegal deception.
