Last week we really got into the weeds. In parts one and two of my preseason AP Top 25 poll reactions I touched on 21 teams both inside and just outside of the initial rankings. While that was the in depth content I’m certain (based on my outrageous readership numbers) everyone was craving, some of the less hardcore fans might want something lighter. Most medical professionals would agree that the best thing to come out of the COVID pandemic was re-watch recaps. For the first time in our lives there were no games on TV and the only way to compensate was to watch a game you had already seen and blog about it. I wasn’t blogging back then so I’m making up for it now and there is no better place to start than with the first college football game I remember watching. That brings us to the 2003 Fiesta Bowl between the Miami Hurricanes and the Ohio State Buckeyes. These teams were on a collision course for the title game from week eleven on, when #1 Oklahoma was upset by Texas A&M. Both teams entered the game undefeated, setting the stage for an iconic championship matchup.
The game was a couple months before my ninth birthday and I really didn’t know much about either team. In fact, I’m pretty sure the only players I knew of at the time were Ken Dorsey, Willis McGahee, and Maurice Clarett. I remember being completely enamored with Miami. The flashy pro-caliber skill players, the cool modern uniforms, and the hip-hop culture all drew me in like a tractor beam. Outside of that bias towards the Canes my college football fandom was a blank slate on that early January night, and this game would lay the foundation for a lifetime of enjoyment.
First things first: Keith Jackson. The nostalgia levels skyrocket seconds into the re-watch when you hear the legendary broadcaster’s voice for the first time. Although my experiences with him were minimal (he would call his final game, the 2006 Rose Bowl, three years later. More on that in a future post.), Jackson is synonymous with college football and just hearing him brings me back in time. His smooth as molasses Georgia voice combined with the pace at which he delivers each phrase was one of a kind. Even the fact that he still referred to receivers as “split ends” made me smile. I ate up every second of him on this broadcast and it certainly helped the re-watch value.
After Jackson, the next thing I noticed was how modern this game looked. This year marks the twentieth anniversary of that season but you wouldn’t know it from watching the game. The broadcast graphics, uniforms, and even the helmets all resembled what we see today. The early 2000s were a transformative time for college football and it makes me curious about where we will be twenty years from now. Between player safety initiatives and NIL, we are likely in the midst of another major reshaping of the game and only time will tell what it will look like. I feel like we will come out better on the other side and I look forward to watching it all unfold.
The first quarter was very telling as to how this game would play out. Ohio State was penalized on the very first play from scrimmage for having too many men on the field, a truly reprehensible offense to open such an important game. The Buckeyes sloppiness on offense would become a theme of the night and really test their ability to put points on the board. Another theme was the immense talent of the Miami skill players. Andre Johnson, Roscoe Parrish, and Kellen Winslow Jr. were a cut above the rest. All three would go on to good pro careers, with Johnson being one of the best receivers of his era. They were open all night and it helped the Canes get the game’s first score midway through the first quarter, when Johnson gashed the Buckeyes for a couple nice chunks before Dorsey hit Parrish for a 25 yard touchdown.
The third theme that developed early was the complete dominance of the defensive fronts. Neither team could get the run game going at all in the first half. The offensive lines were getting manhandled, particularly the Miami group. It didn’t matter who Ohio State had on the field. Even freshman and future star AJ Hawk was getting run early in this game when stud linebacker Cie Grant left the temporarily with an injury. The true star of the Buckeyes defense on this night was defensive lineman Will Smith. The future New Orleans Saints star was in the Canes backfield all game and it had a major impact as Willis McGahee could not get anything going early.
Late in the first quarter it was time for Miami’s talented defense to shine. Star safety Sean Taylor made a highlight interception after he leaped into the air for a ball that had been tipped, then bobbled it all the way to the ground before securing the catch. Just minutes after Miami’s first score it looked like they might be about to run away with the game.
The lives of both Will Smith and Sean Taylor were tragically taken too soon as a result of gun violence. In 2007 at the age of 24, Taylor was shot and killed in his own home after a break in. In 2016 Smith and his wife were shot in the streets of New Orleans following a traffic incident. Although his wife Racquel survived multiple gunshot wounds, the 34 year old Smith was pronounced dead at the scene. Both senseless killings ended lives far too soon and serve as a reminder of just how precious life is.
Miami was unable to capitalize on the game changing play from its defensive star as Smith and the Ohio State front continued to dominate and the teams exchanged punts.
Midway through the second quarter the Buckeyes made a noticeable change that would have a big impact on this game. Early on they were running many multiple back sets, including a split formation with two running backs standing parallel to each other behind quarterback Craig Krenzel to his left and right. With little success on the ground to this point in the game, Ohio State coach Jim Tressel finally sent Clarett out on his own to line up as a single back directly behind the quarterback. Another sloppy pre-snap penalty, this time a false start, would put the Buckeyes drive behind schedule and it would eventually stall. This adjustment however, would be a critical step towards getting the Ohio State offense going.
Late in the quarter Canes receiver Andre Johnson proved that he is in fact a human. First on a deep ball near the right hash Johnson was unaware the ball had been thrown his way, letting a potential big play fall incomplete. Ken Dorsey and his receivers had trouble getting on the same page all night as this was not the only play like this. Then just a few plays later, Johnson dropped a pass, deflecting it into the air for an easy Ohio State interception. This time the Buckeyes would capitalize, marching down the field to score on a Krenzel quarterback sneak, tying the score at 7-7. On the very next play from scrimmage Dorsey fumbled, leading to a shifty yet powerful seven yard touchdown run from Maurice Clarett giving Ohio State a 14-7 lead.
Miami got the ball back with 1:10 left in the half and was far too conservative. I mentioned earlier how much this game resembled the modern game. This was one way that it didn’t. Old school football was mostly about not making mistakes. It really wasn’t that long ago that many coaches didn’t even like to pass because of the associated risks. In the modern era 1:10 is an eternity and any coach in their right mind would push hard to get points before the half in a one score game. Larry Coker instead chose to handoff and check down, taking a seven point deficit into the locker room.
My one takeaway from the intermission was just how corny Jim Tressel is. His on field interview before the start of the third quarter was… something.
Early in the second half both teams finally started to get the run game going. Instead of continuously ramming straight into the teeth of the defense, coaches made the much needed adjustments to get their star backs on the edge. After moving down the field on the shoulders of Maurice Clarett and those outside runs, the Buckeyes committed another false start, killing momentum and putting themselves behind schedule once again. Needing to make up ground, Krenzel forced a pass down field which was once again picked off by Sean Taylor. What ensued would be the play of the game. Taylor zigged and zagged through the defense returning his second interception of the game towards midfield. As he slowed down and approached the sideline, Clarett chased him down from behind and ripped the ball from his hands just before he fell out of bounds. After a lengthy review, the referees ruled that Clarett had gained possession in time and the Buckeyes would keep the ball. A drive that looked lost eventually ended with three points and Ohio State led 17-7.
With a ten point lead in the second half, the Buckeyes unleashed their defense. Will Smith’s dominance continued, and the work of defensive coordinator and future Michigan State head coach Mark Dantonio took over. I was very impressed by the many looks the Buckeyes were showing, causing more confusion between Dorsey and his receivers, this time in terms of reading the defense and adjusting routes. Even with this overall domination by Ohio State’s defense, Miami’s talent shined through as Johnson and Winslow made catches to move them downfield before Willis McGahee punched in a TD to make it 17-14 Buckeyes.
The thing I remembered most clearly from this game happened at 11:35 in the fourth quarter. Unfortunately that was a a gruesome knee injury to McGahee. Ohio State safety Will Allen darted in from the secondary to blow up a screen pass and subsequently, the running back’s knee. The commentators knew how serious it was immediately, and even commented on his upcoming draft status. They assumed he would skip the draft and return to Miami to rehab. That would not be the case, as he would actually get selected in the first round by the Buffalo Bills only a few months later and go on to have a really solid ten year pro career.
Outside of the injury, the fourth quarter was mostly non-descript. Miami would get the ball back with two minutes to play and work their way into position for a game tying forty yard field goal as time expired. The national championship game is headed for overtime.
The thing I noticed immediately in OT was that again, the play calling was too conservative. This major deviation from today’s strategy really stood out all game long. Modern coaches understand how valuable every point possibly left on the table is, and that just didn’t seem to be the case back then. Despite that, Miami’s first drive resulted in a quick score on a pass to Winslow. This capped off a monster game for the sophomore, who would go on to become one of the most tantalizing offensive prospects in recent draft history. It’s worth noting that on the play he was interfered with, catching the pass anyway. It was a pretty close call, but the flag came out in this crucial situation.
Ohio State got the ball back and struggled to get anything going. On fourth down they called timeout with one chance to save their season. On a side note, during the timeout the ESPN cameras picked up a good portion of the Ohio State huddle, even catching Krenzel telling his receivers where he would go with the ball based on the coverage. I honestly don’t remember if this used to be a thing. The commentators acted as if it was normal, even analyzing the discussion. As a viewer it was really cool, but I don’t know how realistic it would be in the era of technology due to potential espionage. After the timeout came the most controversial play of the game. Krenzel lobbed a pass to the right side of the endzone to star receiver/corner Chris Gamble. In a very similar call to the one on the final play of the previous Miami drive, a flag was thrown for pass interference. The call was late and controversial, but precedent for how that play would be called had been set on the previous drive. The Hurricanes thought the game was over, with even Larry Coker taking the field. Once the commotion subsided, it was clear the momentum had drastically shifted. Ohio State scored on another Krenzel run. The Buckeyes had yet another false start, this time on the PAT, putting their chances of tying the game in question. It was for not, as future pro draft pick Mike Nugent split the uprights to send the game to a second overtime.
This time the Buckeyes would get the ball first and it was clear they had seized the moment. They marched right into the endzone on a Clarett run, capping what would be one of the best seasons by a freshman running back in college football history.
When the Canes got the ball back they were the beneficiary of another ticky-tacky pass interference call to set up a first and goal from the one yard line, but nobody will mention that when recalling this game. They only seem to remember the call that went against Miami, not the two in their favor. Despite the tremendous setup, Dorsey’s struggles connecting with his receivers cost him once more. Miami had four chances to pick up one yard and couldn’t get it done. Ohio State was national champions for the first time in over thirty years.
This game had it all. Star power, storylines, controversy, as well as back and forth action. It was also crucial in shaping the game into what it is today and I feel lucky to have it be my earliest memory of this great sport. It’s a highly recommended re-watch, as enjoyed it very much. What I didn’t care for as much was recapping it. Not sure if I will be doing any more of these posts going forward.
Thanks for reading!
Superior CFB 