Ohio State, ranked No. 1 but underdogs in the BCS national championship game, played the no-respect card all last week.
By kickoff, you would have thought this was Kermit Washington stepping into the ring against Kermit the Frog.
“It’s easier to focus when the world is telling you not only that you won’t win but that you’re not worthy of being in the game,” Buckeyes cornerback Malcolm Jenkins said. “After about 50 days of hearing it, it can get to you.”
Too bad, Buckeyes. You’ll be hearing it for another 12 months.
After trailing 10-0, second-ranked LSU stepped on the gas and steamrolled Ohio State in a 38-24 victory Monday night before a boisterous, pro-Tigers crowd of 79,651 at the Superdome.
If one play epitomized the Buckeyes’ plight, it came early in the third quarter. They trailed 24-10 but had LSU in a fourth-and-23 spot.
Ohio State’s Austin Spitler, a sophomore linebacker, busted through LSU’s wall of blockers and was in perfect position to knock down Patrick Fisher’s punt.
But Spitler somehow missed the ball, and his collision with Fisher resulted in a roughing-the-punter penalty that gave LSU new life.
The stunning turn of events left Ohio State coach Jim Tressel shaking his head.
That’s what Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany probably did for much of the game.
The loss further diminished his conference’s reputation. The league has now lost its last four BCS bowl games, including two blowouts in the Rose Bowl.
Equally ridiculed by many will be the BCS. Four of its five games were routs, leading some to alter its tag to Botched Championship Series or Blowout Championship Series.
Ohio State fell to an incomprehensible 0-9 against the Southeastern Conference in bowl games. Or maybe it’s not so hard to believe, given the caliber of LSU athletes.
The victory marks the pinnacle of Les’ Miles coaching career. The Ohio boy-turned-Michigan man beat the Buckeyes in the biggest game of them all.
The game’s first half left America asking: This is what the nation’s top-rated defense looks like?
The Buckeyes had held seven of their opponents to seven points or less. But none of their opponents had the speed, the power or the schemes of LSU.
The Tigers dropped 24 points on Ohio State in the first half — more than the Buckeyes had allowed in an entire game all season. They averaged 8.7 yards per play, punted only once and converted 8 of 10 third downs.
Think Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Heacock spent halftime relaxed, lying in a hammock? Probably not.
Oh, and LSU, the most penalized team in the SEC, drew zero first-half flags. The Buckeyes had four, including three 15-yard personal fouls, for 48 yards.
Just like last year, when Ted Ginn Jr. — who showed up on the sideline Monday night wearing a White Sox cap — took the opening kickoff 93 yards, Ohio State scored first.
On the fourth play from scrimmage, Chris “Beanie” Wells broke through the middle, cut back to the right and beat All-American safety Craig Steltz to the goal for a 65-yard score.
It looked like a simple enough play, with right guard Ben Person pulling to create a hole. It resulted in the longest run in a BCS title game, besting a 64-yard scamper by LSU’s Justin Vincent on the first play of the 2004 Sugar Bowl.
Trailing 10-3, LSU benefited from two Ohio State personal fouls.
Seconds after the officials walked off the second 15-yard penalty, LSU hurried into the trips-right formation, sending every Ohio State defensive back to that side.
Before the Buckeyes could adjust, quarterback Matt Flynn took the snap and flipped to Richard Dickson, who was all alone out to the left. The 13-yard score tied the game at 10-10.
Ohio State came back, driving to the LSU 21. Todd Boeckman lofted a perfect pass down the left sideline for Brian Robiskie, but he couldn’t corral it.
Ryan Pretorius tried a 38-yard field goal, but the kick was a helmet-scraper. LSU blocked it, giving Pretorius four blocked kicks in 23 tries this season.
The Tigers took the lead when Flynn rolled left and fired across his body to the back of the end zone. Brandon LaFell made the 10-yard touchdown catch, beating Jenkins.
Boeckman got decked on a blitz, fired to Ray Small, and Chevis Jackson made a terrific interception and ran it back to the 24-yard line. Jacob Hester plunged one foot to give LSU 24 unanswered points.
After the botched blocked punt, LSU stormed ahead 31-10. Flynn hit Early Doucet, and horrific tackle attempts by safeties Donald Washington and Anderson Russell allowed him to score from 4 yards out.
Ohio State rallied in the second half, but it was not enough.
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tgreenstein@tribune.com
