Wednesday, January 02, 2002
Ohio State loses big pot on last gamble
The Associated Press
TAMPA, Fla. — In a game filled with gambles, the final one by Ohio State coach Jim Tressel didn't pan out.
Having worked their way back from a 28-0 deficit to tie it in the fourth quarter behind Steve Bellisari's passing, the 22nd-ranked Buckeyes had the ball on their 18 with 1:12 left — with a chance to settle for overtime.
But because Bellisari was 6-of-6 on Ohio State's last drive, leading to the tying touchdown, Tressel didn't want to waste the momentum. So he went for it all, calling for a deep pass.
“When I saw that ball go long, they'd completed so many, I said, "Good Lord, not again,' ” South Carolina coach Lou Holtz said.
But this time, cornerback Sheldon Brown was waiting to intercept the ball, and he returned it 37 yards to Ohio State's 29.
Four plays and two Buckeyes timeouts later, sophomore Daniel Weaver kicked a 42-yard field goal that barely cleared the crossbar and saved the 14th-ranked Gamecocks (9-3) from a huge embarrassment with a 31-28 victory Tuesday.
It was the Gamecocks' second consecutive Outback Bowl win over Ohio State (7-5).
“You can dare to go after things or you can not,” Tressel said. “Our feeling was it was either going to be something for us or nothing. It was my call, and it was the wrong one.”
Holtz was expecting overtime, especially when Jonathan Wells started the Buckeyes' last series with a 1-yard run.
Brown figured that, too. “Absolutely, I couldn't believe it” when the ball was thrown, said South Carolina's All-American corner.
Brown broke across the field after the catch with a twisting run to set up the winning field goal. Weaver's kick slipped through for his first game-winning boot, and he was instantly mobbed on the field.
“I thought it was short,” said South Carolina quarterback Phil Petty, the game's MVP, who threw for 227 yards and two touchdowns. “But he had it lined up right.”
Bellisari hadn't played since his November arrest and suspension on drunken driving charges, and he was rusty for three quarters, going 8-of-19 for 118 yards.
His 2-yard keeper for a touchdown closed the third period and seemed to spark the Buckeyes.
“We were at the lowest we've been all year when we were down 28-0,” said Bellisari, who was 21-of-35 for a career-high 320 yards. “The team really pulled together and we showed some real heart and grit right there.”
He found Darnell Sanders for a 16-yard touchdown with 10:18 left to cut the lead to 14. Bellisari then drove Ohio State to the South Carolina 18, but lost the snap, and South Carolina linebacker Jermiah Garrison recovered.
On the next play, Derek Watson fumbled right back to Ohio State's Mike Doss, and Wells ran for a 1-yard touchdown to make it 28-21 with 5:02 to go.
Ohio State got the ball back on its 11 with 3:56 to play, and Bellisari was magnificent. He went 6-of-6 for 86 yards, tying the game on Sanders' 9-yard catch.
Cie Grant gave the Buckeyes a chance for victory, intercepting Petty's pass with 1:12 left. A celebration penalty backed them up to their 18 and set up the crazy finish.
Then Bellisari and Tressel went for the big play that didn't work out.
“It was a lot of fun slinging the ball around,” said Bellisari, who threw for 202 yards in the last 15 minutes.
Only two years ago, South Carolina was 0-11 in Holtz's first season. Since then, the Gamecocks are 17-7 and won consecutive bowl games for the first time in 108 seasons.
“In the past, if you're up 28-0 and you blow that lead, you don't come back very often,” Holtz said. “And that took a tremendous amount of character on our football team.”
Ohio State, off its first win at Michigan in 14 years and talking of payback against the Gamecocks, dropped to 0-4 at the Outback Bowl. South Carolina beat the Buckeyes 24-7 a year ago.
Petty threw touchdown passes of 7 yards to Brian Scott and 50 yards to Andrea Gause. Andrew Pinnock scored on runs of 1 and 10 yards for South Carolina.
Ohio St (23) 0 0 7 21 28
South Carolina (14) 0 14 14 3 31 FINAL
South Carolina-A Pinnock 1 run (Weaver kick)
South Carolina-B Scott 7 pass from Petty (Weaver kick)
South Carolina-A Gause 50 pass from Petty (kick failed)
South Carolina-A Pinnock 10 run (Watson reception for
two-point conversion)
Ohio St-Bellisari 2 run (Nugent kick)
Ohio St-D Sanders 16 pass from Bellisari (Nugent kick)
Ohio St-J Wells 1 run (Nugent kick)
Ohio St-D Sanders 9 pass from Bellisari (Nugent kick)
South Carolina-FG Weaver 42
Ohio St South Carolina
First downs 21 17
Rushed-yards 35-64 36-120
Passing yards 324 227
Sacked-yards lost 3-24 3-21
Return yards 20 53
Passes 22-37-1 19-37-1
Punts 5-44.6 6-47.7
Fumbles-lost 2-2 2-1
Penalties-yards 6-40 8-43
Time of possession 28:37 31:23
Individual Statistics
RUSHING: Ohio St-J Wells 19-37, L Ross 1-13, Bellisari 11-10,
Krenzel 4-4. South Carolina-Brewer 5-61, A Pinnock 12-49,
Watson 11-27, Jenkins 1-2, D Pinkins 1-0, Petty 6-minus 19.
PASSING: Ohio St-Bellisari 21-35-1-320, Krenzel 1-2-0-4. South
Carolina-Petty 19-37-1-227.
RECEIVING: Ohio St-Jenkins 8-152, Vance 5-61, D Sanders 5-56,
Gamble 2-32, Martin 1-19, Hartsock 1-4. South Carolina-B Scott
7-83, Watson 4-37, A Gause 3-72, Brewer 2-17, A Pinnock 2-10, M
Thomas 1-8.
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Ohio State loses big pot on last gamble
