That was the reaction from UM fans Friday, January 3rd, when the Canes lost 31-24. “It was just like two great heavyweights slugging it out,” winning coach Jim Tressel said that very night. The game was wild as the Buckeyes barely gave Miami room to run with the ball let alone catch it. Twice in the first overtime (there were two) the Buckeyes converted fourth downs. For nearly three quarters, McGahee, sophomore, couldn’t take two steps without being hit by the Buckeyes. That was until he suffered a knee-injury at the hands of safety, Will Allen who, in tackling McGahee, delivered a forearm blow to McGahee’s left knee. The knee broke and McGahee suffered torn ligaments in the leg. “That was crucial,” Allen said on taking out Willis McGahee. “We needed to take him out. We needed to eliminate that part of their offense. I came in with a big shot.”

The match up was perfect, two undefeated teams, both trying to keep from the bitter claws of defeat. Both with at least three significant wins this season; Miami, against Boston College 38-6, at West Virginia 40-23, at Tennessee 26-3, and at Syracuse 49-7; Ohio agaisnt Washington State 25-7, San Jose State 50-9, Penn State 31-7, and at Purdue 10-6.

The Buckeyes defense had Dorsey in trouble from the beginning with two sacks. Although the game got off to a rough start for the Buckeyes, they fell behind 7-0; they scored beautifully in the rest of the game because of the enormous amount of pressure laid on them. By halftime they had doubled Miami’s score with two turnovers made touchdowns in a 78 second span.

Ohio State led 14-7 at halftime and extended the margin to 10 points on Mike Nugents 44-yard field goal. The Canes closed the score gap with Mc Gahee’s 9-yard scoring run with only 2:11 left in Q3. That set the tone for Seiver’s 40-yard field goal kick. That kick left the entire Sun Devil Stadium speechless, yup all 77, 502 people.

The competition was fierce between the two teams. After McGahee was out, Miami had the ball first in the first OT and they scored on Dorsey’s 7-yard touchdown pass to Kellen Winslow, Jr., and the Buckeye retaliated with a TD from the Miami 1-yard. In the second overtime the Buckeyes went from 1st and 25 when Clarett capped off a five play run, spinning, slithering and cutting through the Miami defense.

The Fiesta Bowl started out innocently enough for the first three quarters, it was competitive, if not memorable. But when the fourth quarter came around and the teams were tied at 17, it became a classic. Ohio State’s Maurice Clarett ran the winning touchdown gaining five yards and the points. The only regrettable thing is that late pass interference at the end of the first overtime. Instead it gave Ohio State the chance to send us reeling into the second overtime.

Would I call it the greatest game ever? Maybe, if it isn’t, then their standards are pretty high. Plus, it was the first ever college bowl to go into overtime, much less two overtimes. Even if the game wasn’t the best there were some plays that were. The 40-yard field goal by Miami’s Todd Sievers that sent that game into overtime is one such instance. The Buckeye defense that pounded on Dorsey all night is another excellent aspect of the game. And let us not forget the last play of the game… fourth and goal at the 1…Ohio’s Cie Grant blitzes and forces Dorsey to heave the ball desperately into the air to have it batted down my Matt Wilhelm.

All in all the game was great. The players gave it their all and anyone who really knows the game knows that it will be a while before we see this again.

My supreme hopes that Miami would once again reclaim it’s dynasty are probably lost among the cheers of the winners, Ohio State. Once again I find myself asking the question, WE LOST???