The Associated Press

COLUMBUS - Mike Doss almost gave up his senior season to enter the NFL draft. Now, the Ohio State strong safety recognizes what he might have lost.

FIESTA BOWL

• Who: Ohio State (13-0) vs. Miami (12-0). • When: 8 p.m., Friday, Jan. 3. • Where: Tempe, Ariz. • TV: ABC. • Line: Miami by 13. • At stake: A national title

"I came in 1999 with the No.2 recruiting class in the country," he said. "We always said when it was our turn we were going to play for a national championship."

Mission accomplished. The second-ranked Buckeyes (13-0) play No.1 Miami (12-0) in the Fiesta Bowl on Jan.3 for the national title.

Doss announced his decision to return last January. He broke down sobbing at the podium, his shoulders shaking, as he talked about his mother's sacrifices.

He has rededicated himself - some say transformed himself - to make his senior year a success.

Doss had perhaps his finest season at Ohio State, mainly because he learned to rein in his talent. Doss is a vicious hitter, and he caused numerous fumbles during his first three seasons by rushing to the line to unload on a running back.

But because he tried to make big plays all the time, Doss also tended to get burned. He regrets the 64-yard pass from Drew Brees to Seth Morales with 1:55 left that gave Purdue a 31-27 win two years ago, costing Ohio State a shot at a Big Ten title.

This year, Doss learned to rely on teammates more, play within the system and wait for the action to come to him. For the first time since his freshman year, he didn't lead the team in tackles.

"Mike kind of set that example," Buckeyes defensive back Will Allen said. "He showed us that for the team to win, some players aren't going to get the stats that they need. And look where we are now."

As a result, Doss might have improved his draft status. He'll leave as only the seventh three-time All-American at Ohio State.

"That is special," Doss said. "I never dreamed about that. It shows you the hard work. You've got to be blessed, too, to stay injury-free to have those kind of seasons. You just try to take it step by step and have some fun."

Doss acknowledges that his mind sometimes wandered during workouts in the August heat or while lifting weights in February.

"Being a human and having dreams and aspirations, you're always going to think about what might have happened if you had changed your mind or made a different decision," he said. "You think, `Maybe I could be in an NFL camp.' But that's part of life. You make decisions and then you live with the decisions you make."

Doss laughs as he says the only thing he really missed by not turning pro was having extra pocket money.

"Maybe I could have afforded a few more PlayStation games." Doss said. "That would have been good."

Buckeyes coach Jim Tressel recognized last spring that Doss wouldn't go through the motions.

"He's in a kick scrimmage on the last play of the game hurtling his body through the air trying to block the kick," Tressel said, grinning as he shook his head in disbelief. "That's what I've seen from him. What has gone through his head? I'm sure at some point someone has whispered to him, `Mike, you might get hurt.' But I haven't seen that in action."