Next Man Up!: Ohio State's Unbelievable 2014 Championship Season - Softcover

The Columbus Dispatch

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1629370576 ISBN 13: 9781629370576

Verlag: TRIUMPH BOOKS, 2015

Inhaltsangabe

This up-to-the-minute commemorative edition is officially licensed by Ohio State University and featuring stories and photos from the Columbus Dispatch,
 
On January 12, 2015, the Buckeyes secured their first-ever College Football Playoff Championship with a win over Oregon in Arlington, Texas. Featuring unique images and highlights from the championship game and Sugar Bowl win over Alabama, this book captures the team’s path to its first championship since 2002. Taking readers through every exciting moment of this historic campaign, this chronicle of the Buckeyes’ journey highlights the team’s season from overcoming the starting quarterback’s season-ending injury to the memorable wins over Big Ten foes Michigan State and Michigan to the dominating shutout of Wisconsin in the Big 10 Championship Game and the glorious moments in New Orleans and Arlington. It includes feature stories on head coach Urban Meyer, the team’s seniors, and other star players—accompanied by vivid photographs every step along the way.

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The Columbus Dispatch has been covering the news in Ohio’s capital city for more than 140 years. Located less than five miles from Ohio Stadium, the Dispatch is the leading authority on Ohio State athletics.

The Columbus Dispatch has been covering the news in Ohio&;s capital city for more than 140 years. Located less than five miles from Ohio Stadium, the Dispatch is the leading authority on Ohio State athletics.

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Next Man UP!

By Benjamin J. Marrison

Triumph Books

Copyright © 2015 The Columbus Dispatch
All rights reserved.

ISBN: 978-1-62937-057-6

Contents

Introduction By Ben Marrison, 
Sugar Bowl vs. Alabama, 
College Football Playoff National Championship vs. Oregon, 
Elliott Rushes to Offensive MVP Honors, 
J.T. Barrett, 
Ohio State vs. Navy, 
Ohio State vs. Virginia Tech, 
Ohio State vs. Kent State, 
Urban Meyer, 
Ohio State vs. Cincinnati, 
Ohio State vs. Maryland, 
Michael Bennett, 
Ohio State vs. Rutgers, 
Ohio State vs. Penn State, 
Evan Spencer, 
Ohio State vs. Illinois, 
Ohio State vs. Michigan State, 
Joey Bosa, 
Ohio State vs. Minnesota, 
Ohio State vs. Indiana, 
Senior Class, 
Ohio State vs. Michigan, 
Missing OSU Player Found Dead, 
Ezekiel Elliott, 
Big Ten Championship Game vs. Wisconsin, 

CHAPTER 1

Sugar Bowl vs. Alabama

January 1, 2015 • New Orleans, Louisiana

Ohio State 42, Alabama 35

Rolling Over the Tide

Elliott Rushes for 230 Yards as OSU Rallies Back From 21-6 Deficit

By Bill Rabinowitz

In the victorious locker room, Ohio State players wore T-shirts that read "WON NOT DONE."

Tyvis Powell clutched the football that he intercepted to clinch the Buckeyes' gripping 42-35 Sugar Bowl victory over top-ranked Alabama in the College Football Playoff semifinals.

Michael Bennett and Adolphus Washington consented to an interview only if they did it together, such is their bond in the middle of the Ohio State defensive line.

Such is the bond among the entire team, and how necessary it's been for a team that has become the embodiment of resilience.

A team that has lost two star quarterbacks this season, that fell behind 21-6 to the pre-eminent program in college football, that made the ending heart-wrenching after it seemingly had the game in hand, is now a victory over Oregon away from winning the national championship.

The Buckeyes (13-1) will play the Ducks on Jan. 12 in suburban Dallas. Ohio State will be underdogs again. They will not care a whit.

On a day when the Big Ten reasserted its strength with stirring victories by Michigan State and Wisconsin in premier games, Ohio State came through with the biggest.

"That was a sledgehammer game," Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer said. "That was a classic."

No one would disagree.

It was a game that had almost everything. Momentum shifts that left one team staggering and then the other. Record-breaking performances. A razzle-dazzle touchdown by Ohio State. Even the punters — Ohio State's Cameron Johnston and Alabama's JK Scott — were worth the hefty price of admission.

The Buckeyes dominated the game statistically in the first half but were thwarted by two turnovers and the inability to score touchdowns twice when they had first-and-goal near the Alabama goal line.

When Alabama converted those turnovers into touchdowns and added another on its one sustained drive of the first half to take a 15-point lead, the Buckeyes looked on the verge of being knocked out.

Instead, Ohio State showed the resolve it has had all year. The Buckeyes scored two touchdowns in the final three minutes of the first half. The first came on a 3-yard run by Ezekiel Elliott, who broke the Sugar Bowl rushing record with 230 yards against a defense that had yielded only 88 yards a game on the ground this season.

"(Hall of Fame running back) Barry Sanders said before the game there were two great running backs that were going to play tonight, and they both were for 'Bama," Elliott said. "I felt a little bit left out."

The second TD came on some trickery. Jalin Marshall took the handoff from quarterback Cardale Jones and gave it to Evan Spencer. The wide receiver then threw to tightly covered Michael Thomas, who leaped and barely kept his foot inbounds for a touchdown with 12 seconds left in the half.

The Buckeyes continued their momentum to start the second half. Jones, who had been shaky early in his second career start, connected on a 47-yard touchdown pass to Devin Smith to put Ohio State ahead for the first time since it led 3-0.

Then defensive end Steve Miller made the biggest defensive play of the game. He dropped back in coverage, read the eyes of Alabama quarterback Blake Sims, made the easy interception and returned it 41 yards for a touchdown.

But Alabama hasn't been the country's dominant team in recent years for no reason. Derrick Henry caught a middle screen and ran for a 52-yard score. Four plays later, Sims ran for a 5-yard touchdown.

Ohio State's offense, saddled by terrible field position all game because of Scott's punts, had done little since early in the third quarter. When the Buckeyes got the ball with four minutes left, they were in desperate need of a big play. They got it. Elliott found a hole opened by blocks from Spencer and left guard Billy Price and ran for an 85-yard touchdown.

Up 14 with 3:24 left after Smith caught a two-point conversion pass, the Buckeyes should have felt secure.

Nope.

Alabama needed only 77 seconds to score with star receiver Amari Cooper catching his second touchdown pass of the game.

When Spencer recovered the onside kick, Ohio State should have felt secure with Alabama having only two timeouts.

Nope.

Meyer called for a deep pass to Spencer that fell incomplete.

"It was my call to throw it down the field," Meyer said, explaining that Alabama stacked the line and was vulnerable deep. "Maybe it wasn't the right call. So I just kept thinking I screwed this up."

The Buckeyes punted, giving Alabama one last chance. The Crimson Tide moved the ball to the OSU 42 with 8 seconds left. Sims threw a Hail Mary into the end zone, and Powell intercepted the pass to clinch it.

"You have to congratulate Ohio State, who played a really, really good game, and we probably didn't play our best game," said Alabama coach Nick Saban.

Meyer wouldn't necessarily agree with that assessment.

"This is one of the great team wins we've been a part of," he said, "because we didn't play well at times but found a way to win."

CHAPTER 2

College Football Playoff National Championship vs. Oregon

January 12, 2015 • Arlington, Texas

Ohio State 42, Oregon 20

Playoff Payoff!

Elliott Runs for Four Touchdowns; Defense Answers Challenge

By Bill Rabinowitz

Say it slowly and let it sink in. It really happened. You aren't dreaming.

The Ohio State Buckeyes, counted out so many times this season, are the kings of college football.

This resilient 2014 team, a combination of 1968 youth and 2002 grit, overcame four turnovers to roll over Oregon 42-20 in the championship game of the inaugural College Football Playoff at AT&T Stadium.

Counted out after losing Braxton Miller before the season and falling to Virginia Tech in their second game, the Buckeyes (14-1) won their sixth national championship in school history in front of a mostly Ohio State crowd of 85,609.

The national title is the third for Urban Meyer, who won two at Florida and now has brought one to his home state.

"We finished the year a great team," Meyer said. "To have four turnovers and still beat a team like that 42-20, incredible experience. I don't want to get overdramatic, but it's as improved a football team (as I've seen) — and I've watched for a long time — from Game 1 to Game...

Details zur Ausgabe

• Verlag: TRIUMPH BOOKS
• Erscheinungsdatum: 2015
• Sprache: Englisch
• ISBN 10: 1629370576
• ISBN 13: 9781629370576
• Einband: Taschenbuch
• Anzahl der Seiten: 128
• Kontakt zum Hersteller: Nicht verfügbar
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