We have a ton of information, the depth charts and a prediction on the Fiesta Bowl between No. 3 Texas and No. 10 Ohio State. We look at the history of the two programs, including past bowl scores. Plus, we have a game-by-game look at each team's 2008 season. This has all the info you need for this huge showdown on Monday (8 p.m., Fox).
Fiesta Bowl Game Data: Ohio State vs. Texas
* Bowl: Tostitos Fiesta Bowl
* Date, Time: Mon., Jan. 5; 8 p.m. (Eastern); 6 p.m. (Mountain in Arizona)
* Location: University of Phoenix Stadium (surface, grass; capacity, 73,000); Glendale, Ariz.
* TV: Fox national broadcast (Announcers: Matt Vasgersian, Tim Ryan and Laura Okmin call the action from the booth with Chris Myers on the sidelines.) In Columbus, the game will be seen on WTTE-TV (Ch. 28).
* Radio: ESPN national broadcast (Announcers: Dave Barnett and Dennis Franchione will call the action from the booth with Dave Ryan on the sidelines), available locally in Phoenix on KTAR-AM (620); OSU Football Radio Network (Announcers: Paul Keels and Jim Lachey will call the action from the booth with Marty Bannister on the sidelines) available locally in Columbus on WBNS-AM (1460).
* Records, Rankings: Ohio State, 10-2 overall, 7-1 Big Ten (tied for first), ranked No. 10 in Associated Press poll, USA Today coaches poll and BCS standings; Texas, 11-1 overall, 7-1 Big 12 (tied for first in Big 12 South), ranked No. 3 in AP and coaches polls and BCS standings.
* Coaches: Ohio State, Jim Tressel (eighth year at OSU, 83-18; 23rd year overall, 218-75-2; vs. Texas, 1-1; bowl record, 4-3); Texas, Mack Brown (11th year at Texas, 114-26; 25th year overall, 200-100-1; vs. OSU, 1-1; bowl record, 9-5).
* Series History: Ohio State and Texas meet for the third time in history with the series tied one game apiece. The Longhorns won the first meeting, 25-22, on Sept. 10, 2005, in Columbus, while the Buckeyes won the second meeting, 24-7, on Sept. 9, 2006, in Austin. In the 2005 game, Texas was ranked second and OSU was fourth. A year later, OSU was No. 1 and Texas was No. 2.
Here is a look back at the two previous OSU-Texas games:
http://www.bucknuts.com/news/articles/2008/12/25/looking-back-at-the-2-previous-osu-texas
* Fiesta Bowl History: Ohio State is 4-1 all-time in the Fiesta Bowl, while Texas is 0-1 all-time in the Fiesta Bowl. Ohio State also appeared in Glendale for the BCS National Championship Game against Florida in January 2007 and lost that game.
* Team Information: Ohio State will wear its white jerseys and use the west bench on game day. Texas will wear its dark jerseys and use the east bench on game day.
* Team Payout: Approximately $18 million per team.
Charting Ohio State
* Ohio State Schedule (10-2, 7-1 Big Ten): Aug. 30, Youngstown State, W 45-0; Sept. 6, Ohio U., W 26-14; Sept. 13, at USC, L 35-3; Sept. 20, Troy, W 28-10; Sept. 27, Minnesota, W 34-21; Oct. 4, at Wisconsin, W 20-17; Oct. 11, Purdue, W 16-3; Oct. 18, at Michigan State, W 45-7; Oct. 25, Penn State, L 13-6; Nov. 8, at Northwestern, W 45-10; Nov. 15, at Illinois, W 30-20; Nov. 22, Michigan, W 42-7.
* Ohio State Key Players (2008 Stats): QB Terrelle Pryor (95 of 152 passing, 1,245 yards, 12 TDs, 4 INTs; 124 carries, 553 yards, 6 TDs), RB Chris “Beanie” Wells (191 carries, 1,091 yards, 8 TDs), WR Brian Robiskie (37 catches, 419 yards, 8 TDs), WR Ray Small (18 catches, 149 yards; 1 punt return TD), WR Brian Hartline (21 catches, 479 yards, 4 TDs), MLB James Laurinaitis (121 tackles, 4 sacks, 2 INTs), WLB Ross Homan (64 tackles, 6 TFLs), SLB Marcus Freeman (76 tackles, 3-1/2 sacks, 9 TFLs), CB Malcolm Jenkins (54 tackles, 3-1/2 TFLs, 3 INTs), SS Kurt Coleman (67 tackles, 4 INTs).
* Ohio State National Rankings: Offense -- Rushing, 28th (191.6 ypg); passing, 104th (148.1); total, 78th (339.7); scoring, 45th (28.2 ppg). Defense -- Rushing, 20th (114.9 ypg); passing, sixth (164.3); total, eighth (279.3); scoring, seventh (13.1 ppg).
* Ohio State Fast Facts: Location: Columbus, Ohio; Enrollment, 47,952; Nickname, Buckeyes; Colors, Scarlet and Gray; Stadium, Ohio Stadium (surface, FieldTurf; capacity, 102,329).
* Ohio State National Championships: 5 consensus titles (1942, 1954, 1957, 1968, 2002), 2 splinter titles (1961, 1970).
* Ohio State Conference Championships: 33 Big Ten titles
* Ohio State Heisman Trophy Winners: 7 (Les Horvath, 1944; Vic Janowicz, 1950; Howard “Hopalong” Cassady, 1955; Archie Griffin, 1974-75; Eddie George, 1995; Troy Smith, 2006)
Charting Texas
* Texas Schedule: Aug. 30, Florida Atlantic, W 52-10; Sept. 6, at UTEP, W 42-13; Sept. 20, Rice, W 52-10; Sept. 27, Arkansas, W 52-10; Oct. 4, at Colorado, W 38-14; Oct. 11, vs. Oklahoma (at Dallas), W 45-35; Oct. 18, Missouri, W 56-31; Oct. 25, Oklahoma State, W 28-24; Nov. 1, at Texas Tech, L 39-33; Nov. 8, Baylor, W 45-21; Nov. 15, at Kansas, W 35-7; Nov. 27, Texas A&M, W 49-9.
* Texas Key Players (2008 Stats): QB Colt McCoy (291 of 375 passing, 3,445 yards, 32 TDs, 7 INTs; 128 carries, 576 yards, 10 TDs), RB Vondrell McGee (88 carries, 376 yards, 4 TDs), WR Jordan Shipley (79 catches, 982 yards, 11 TDs), WR Quan Cosby (78 catches, 952 yards, 8 TDs), LB Roddrick Muckelroy (106 tackles, 4 TFLs), LB Sergio Kindle (50 tackles, 9 sacks, 13 TFLs), DE Brian Orakpo (40 tackles, 10-1/2 sacks, 18 TFLs), DB Earl Thomas (63 tackles, 2 INTs), CB Ryan Palmer (30 tackles, 3 INTs).
* Texas National Rankings: Offense -- Rushing, 34th (176.9 ypg); passing, 11th (299.5); total, ninth (476.4); scoring, fifth (43.9 ppg). Defense -- Rushing, second (73.6 ypg); passing, 109th (266.3); total, 50th (339.2); scoring, 20th (18.6 ppg).
* Texas Fast Facts: Location: Austin, Texas; Enrollment, 49,738; Nickname, Longhorns; Colors, Burnt Orange and White; Stadium, Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium (surface, grass; capacity, 94,113).
* Texas National Championships: 4 consensus titles (1963, 1969, 1970, 2005)
* Texas Conference Championships: 32 (27 Southwest Conference titles; 5 Big 12 titles since 1996)
* Texas Heisman Trophy Winners: 2 (Earl Campbell, 1977; Ricky Williams, 1998)
Depth Charts
Ohio State Offense
WR 80 Brian Robiskie, 6-3, 199, Sr.
8 DeVier Posey, 6-3, 205, Fr.
7 Lamaar Thomas, 5-11, 186, Fr.
LT 75 Alex Boone, 6-8, 312, Sr.
67 Kyle Mitchum, 6-3, 291, Sr.
LG 64 Jim Cordle, 6-4, 297, Jr.
71 Steve Rehring, 6-7, 335, Sr.
C 50 Mike Brewster, 6-5, 296, Fr.
64 Jim Cordle, 6-4, 297, Jr.
66 Andrew Moses, 6-3, 280, Jr.
RG 71 Steve Rehring, 6-7, 335, Sr.
77 Connor Smith, 6-4, 321, So.
RT 70 Bryant Browning, 6-4, 312, So.
73 Josh Kerr, 6-4, 286, So.
TE 86 Jake Ballard, 6-6, 256, Jr.
or 88 Rory Nicol, 6-5, 252, Sr.
87 Brandon Smith, 6-2, 251, Sr.
WR 9 Brian Hartline, 6-2, 186, Jr.
12 Dane Sanzenbacher, 5-11, 175, So.
QB 2 Terrelle Pryor, 6-6, 235, Fr.
17 Todd Boeckman, 6-4, 244, Sr.
14 Joe Bauserman, 6-2, 220, R-Fr.
TB 28 Chris Wells, 6-1, 237, Jr.
34 Maurice Wells, 5-10, 196, Sr.
1 Dan Herron, 5-10, 193, R-Fr.
3 Brandon Saine, 6-1, 217, So.
FB 87 Brandon Smith, 6-2, 251, Sr.
49 Ryan Lukens, 6-0, 238, Sr.
K 85 Ryan Pretorius, 5-9, 169, Sr.
or 20 Aaron Pettrey, 6-2, 199, Jr.
LS 96 Jake McQuaide, 6-2, 219, So.
Ohio State Defense
DE 93 Nader Abdallah, 6-4, 300, Sr.
9 Robert Rose, 6-5, 285, Jr.
DT 84 Doug Worthington, 6-6, 276, Jr.
92 Todd Denlinger, 6-2, 292, Jr.
DT 97 Cameron Heyward, 6-6, 287, So.
72 Dexter Larimore, 6-2, 300, So.
DE 90 Thaddeus Gibson, 6-2, 240, So.
9 Robert Rose, 6-5, 285, Jr.
SLB 1 Marcus Freeman, 6-1, 239, Sr.
26 Tyler Moeller, 6-0, 216, So.
MLB 33 James Laurinaitis, 6-3, 240, Sr.
38 Austin Spitler, 6-3, 234, Jr.
11 Etienne Sabino, 6-3, 232, Fr.
WLB 51 Ross Homan, 6-1, 229, So.
36 Brian Rolle, 5-11, 221, So.
CB 2 Malcolm Jenkins, 6-1, 201, Sr.
29 Shaun Lane, 5-10, 175, Sr.
SS 4 Kurt Coleman, 5-11, 188, Jr.
7 Jermale Hines, 6-2, 210, So.
3 Jamario O’Neal, 6-0, 205, Sr.
FS 21 Anderson Russell, 6-0, 205, Jr.
8 Aaron Gant, 6-0, 194, So.
CB 5 Chimdi Chekwa, 6-0, 188, So.
or 20 Donald Washington, 6-0, 194, Jr.
13 Andre Amos, 6-1, 183, Jr.
P 15 A.J. Trapasso, 6-0, 229, Sr.
48 Jon Thoma, 6-2, 201, Jr.
Texas Offense
WR 8 Jordan Shipley, 6-0, 190, Sr.
5 Brandon Collins, 6-0, 170, So.
LT 74 Adam Ulatoski, 6-8, 302, Jr.
56 Tray Allen, 6-5, 310, So.
LG 52 Charlie Tanner, 6-4, 305, Jr.
63 Michael Huey, 6-5, 315, So.
C 78 David Snow, 6-4, 300, Fr.
53 Greg Smith, 6-4, 295, So.
RG 55 Cedric Dockery, 6-4, 315, Sr.
63 Michael Huey, 6-5, 315, So.
RT 64 Kyle Hix, 6-7, 320, So.
72 Britt Mitchell, 6-5, 300, So.
TE 83 Greg Smith, 6-4, 295, So.
86 Peter Ullman, 6-4, 260, Sr.
WR 6 Quan Cosby, 5-11, 200, Sr.
4 Dan Buckner, 6-4, 213, Fr.
QB 12 Colt McCoy, 6-3, 210, Jr.
7 John Chiles, 6-2, 215, So.
RB 28 Fozzy Whittaker, 5-10, 190, R-Fr.
2 Vondrell McGee, 5-10, 205, So.
FB 31 Cody Johnson, 5-11, 255, R-Fr.
24 Antwan Cobb, 6-0, 215, So.
WR 9 Malcolm Williams, 6-3, 218, R-Fr.
11 James Kirkendoll, 5-11, 175, So.
K 39 Ryan Bailey, 6-2, 205, Sr.
15 Hunter Lawrence, 6-0, 185, Jr.
Texas Defense
DE 98 Brian Orakpo, 6-4, 260, Sr.
81 Sam Acho, 6-3, 258, So.
DT 99 Roy Miller, 6-2, 295, Sr.
92 Ben Alexander, 6-0, 310, Jr.
DT 95 Aaron Lewis, 6-4, 270, Sr.
33 Lamaar Houston, 6-2, 279, Jr.
DE 37 Henry Melton, 6-3, 260, Sr.
32 Eddie Jones, 6-3, 255, So.
SLB 2 Sergio Kindle, 6-4, 239, Jr.
1 Keenan Robinson, 6-3, 225, R-Fr.
MLB 44 Rashad Bobino, 5-11, 230, Sr.
11 Jared Norton, 6-3, 230, Jr.
WLB 38 Roddrick Muckelroy, 6-2, 235, Jr.
18 Emmanuel Acho, 6-2, 220, Fr.
CB 13 Ryan Palmer, 5-10, 186, Sr.
3 Curtis Brown, 6-1, 182, So.
SS 12 Earl Thomas, 5-10, 195, R-Fr.
23 Christian Scott, 6-1, 205, R-Fr.
FS 21 Blake Gideon, 6-1, 197, Fr.
23 Christian Scott, 6-1, 205, R-Fr.
CB 7 Deon Beasley, 5-10, 175, Jr.
8 Chykie Brown, 6-1, 185, So.
P 47 Josh Gold, 6-3, 210, So.
6 Justin Tucker, 6-1, 175, Fr.
Breaking It Down
* When Ohio State Has The Ball: The Buckeyes will want to try and establish the running game with Chris “Beanie” Wells and possibly as well with quarterback Terrelle Pryor. Wells finished the season on a strong note with 100-yard games against Northwestern, Illinois and Michigan to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark for the second year in a row.
But Texas boasts the nation’s No. 2-ranked rush defense, allowing just 2.8 yards per carry and 73.6 yards per game. It should be noted that Texas’ opponents averaged 26 running plays to 39 pass plays per game, so that stellar per game average could be stilted because UT’s Big 12 opponents either preferred to pass the ball or they fell behind so much they had to pass to try and keep up.
However, Texas’ front seven is pretty strong with Roy Miller at DT, Brian Orakpo at DE and Rashad Bobino and Rodd Muckelroy at the linebacker spots. This will be a battle to watch. If Wells is being held to 2 and 3 yards a carry – as he was in the Penn State loss – the Buckeyes could be in for a long night.
The Texas secondary was the strength of the defense when the teams met in 2005-06. That is not the case now, though, as the Longhorns start two freshmen at the safety spots. UT ranks a dismal 109th against the pass (266.3 yards per game). Can Ohio State and Pryor capitalize on this weakness? Pryor only averaged 15 pass attempts in the nine games he started. If he can approach 200 yards passing, OSU could have a shot. But OSU must also neutralize the All-American Orakpo coming off the edge.
* When Texas Has The Ball: Quarterback Colt McCoy was the Heisman Trophy runner-up and deservedly so. His passer rating of 179.2 ranks him third nationally. Even if he goes 0-for-15 against Ohio State, he will still set an NCAA Division I-A record for completion percentage.
He is also Texas’ top rusher as well, although the Longhorns will certainly want to lay that work off onto a collection of running backs to save wear and tear on McCoy. This comes down to how well linebackers Marcus Freeman and James Laurinaitis contain McCoy when he breaks contain.
I think nickel backs Tyler Moeller and Jermale Hines must come up big here, both against the pass and the run. And OSU must somehow get to McCoy, whether it is with ends Thaddeus Gibson and Cameron Heyward applying pressure or through the blitz. But he is so slippery.
Oh, and his top two targets, Quan Cosby and Jordan Shipley, each caught over 70 passes this year. Can the Buckeyes get off the field on third down? That will be the key in this match-up.
* How It Will Go: Ohio State is in kind of a no-lose situation here. If the Buckeyes can upset Texas, it would be a great jumping off point for 2009 (kind of like that Fiesta Bowl win over Notre Dame three years ago). But OSU is a heavy underdog here, so even a close loss would probably be acceptable from a national standpoint.
Obviously, Jim Tressel and his seniors want nothing out of a moral victory. They want that one on the scoreboard at the end of this game. It would exorcise some of the demons from OSU’s last two BCS title game defeats. It would also give the seniors more wins than any other senior class in school history.
If Wells and the OSU defense play up to their capability, I think the Buckeyes have a chance to take a stirring victory here. It will take their best efforts to get this one done, though. McCoy is so tough.
Just look at what it took to beat Texas – Texas Tech needed a touchdown with one second left to win on its home field. That was the fourth game in a four-week stretch that saw them beat No. 1 Oklahoma, No. 11 Missouri and No. 7 Oklahoma State.
Still, there has to be some sentiment from the Texas camp that they should be playing for the national championship. If they bring that sentiment with them to this game, it could be the opening Ohio State needs. Maybe a special teams play or a late kick makes the difference. I’ve got it: Ohio State 27-24
* For The Record: I am 10-2 straight-up and 5-5-1 against-the-spread with Ohio State. (Texas is currently an 8-1/2 point favorite.)
* Other Picks: On this week’s Bucknuts Radio Hour, here were the rest of the picks: Mr. Bucknuts picked Ohio State 24-21. Jerry Rudzinski said OSU 33-31. Dave Biddle said Texas 27-24. Kirk Larrabee said Texas 28-20. Jeff Rapp picked Texas 30-24. Ross Lucksinger, editor of InsideTexas.com, picked Texas 45-21.
Fiesta Bowl Results
Season Date Score
1971 Dec. 27, 1971 Arizona State 45, Florida State 38
1972 Dec. 23, 1972 Arizona State 49, Missouri 35
1973 Dec. 21, 1973 Arizona State 28, Pittsburgh 7
1974 Dec. 28, 1974 Oklahoma State 16, BYU 6
1975 Dec. 26, 1975 Arizona State 17, Nebraska 14
1976 Dec. 25, 1976 Oklahoma 41, Wyoming 7
1977 Dec. 25, 1977 Penn State 42, Arizona State 30
1978 Dec. 25, 1978 Arkansas 10, UCLA 10
1979 Dec. 25, 1979 Pittsburgh 16, Arizona 10
1980 Dec. 26, 1980 Penn State 31, Ohio State 19
1981 Jan. 1, 1982 Penn State 26, USC 10
1982 Jan. 1, 1983 Arizona State 32, Oklahoma 21
1983 Jan. 2, 1984 Ohio State 28, Pittsburgh 23
1984 Jan. 1, 1985 UCLA 39, Miami (Fla.) 37
1985 Jan. 1, 1986 Michigan 27, Nebraska 23
1986 Jan. 2, 1987 Penn State 14, Miami (Fla.) 10
1987 Jan. 1, 1988 Florida State 31, Nebraska 28
1988 Jan. 2, 1989 Notre Dame 34, West Virginia 21
1989 Jan. 1, 1990 Florida State 41, Nebraska 17
1990 Jan. 1, 1991 Louisville 34, Alabama 7
1991 Jan. 1, 1992 Penn State 42, Tennessee 17
1992 Jan. 1, 1993 Syracuse 26, Colorado 22
1993 Jan. 1, 1994 Arizona 29, Miami (Fla.) 0
1994 Jan. 2, 1995 Colorado 41, Notre Dame 24
1995 Jan. 2, 1996 Nebraska 62, Florida 24
1996 Jan. 1, 1997 Penn State 38, Texas 15
1997 Dec. 31, 1997 Kansas State 35, Syracuse 18
1998 Jan. 4, 1999 Tennessee 23, Florida State 16
1999 Jan. 2, 2000 Nebraska 31, Tennessee 21
2000 Jan. 1, 2001 Oregon State 41, Notre Dame 9
2001 Jan. 1, 2002 Oregon 38, Colorado 16
2002 Jan. 3, 2003 Ohio State 31, Miami (Fla.) 24, 2 OT
2003 Jan. 2, 2004 Ohio State 35, Kansas State 28
2004 Jan. 1, 2005 Utah 35, Pittsburgh 7
2005 Jan. 2, 2006 Ohio State 34, Notre Dame 20
2006 Jan. 1, 2007 Boise State 43, Oklahoma 42 (Fiesta)
Jan. 8, 2007 Florida 41, Ohio State 14 (BCS Title)
2007 Jan. 2, 2008 West Virginia 48, Oklahoma 28
OSU Game-By-Game
* Aug. 30 at Columbus, Ohio State (2) 43, Youngstown State 0 – OSU won its home opener for the 30th straight year, although the Penguins made the Buckeyes settle for five field goals. TB Chris “Beanie” Wells had 111 yards and a TD before leaving with a foot injury. QB Todd Boeckman threw for 187 yards and 2 TDs.
* Sept. 6 at Columbus, Ohio State (3) 26, Ohio U. 14 – The Buckeyes trailed the upstart Bobcats 7-6 at halftime and 14-6 in the third quarter. This one was not in hand until Ray Small’s 69-yard punt return TD inside the final six minutes. OSU feasted on five OU turnovers, including four interceptions.
* Sept. 13 at Los Angeles, USC (1) 35, Ohio State (5) 3 – Playing without the injured Wells, OSU suffered its worst loss by margin in the Jim Tressel era. USC QB Mark Sanchez threw for 172 yards and four TDs. Boeckman struggled, throwing a pair of picks (one of which LB Rey Maualuga returned for a score).
* Sept. 20 at Columbus, Ohio State (13) 28, Troy 10 – Terrelle Pryor became the first true freshman to start a game at QB for Ohio State in 30 years and he delivered. Pryor completed 10 of 16 passes for 139 yards and 4 TDs. He also rushed for 66 yards. RB Boom Herron filled in for the injured Wells and had 94 yards on 20 carries.
* Sept. 27 at Columbus, Ohio State (14) 34, Minnesota 21 – Wells returned to action for the Big Ten opener and OSU rolled up 279 yards rushing against the previously unbeaten Gophers. Wells had 14 carries for 106 yards, while Pryor rushed eight times for 97 yards and two TDs.
* Oct. 4 at Madison, Wis., Ohio State (14) 20, Wisconsin (18) 17 – Wells rolled up 168 yards with a TD on 22 carries, but Pryor was the star. He guided OSU on a 12-play, 80-yard drive, capped by his 11-yard TD run with 1:08 left for the win. CB Malcolm Jenkins capped it with an interception with 53 seconds left.
* Oct. 11 at Columbus, Ohio State (12) 16, Purdue 3 – OSU won without benefit of an offensive touchdown. Etienne Sabino scored after Jenkins blocked a Purdue punt and K Ryan Pretorius booted three field goals. Jenkins also had an interception to thwart a Purdue threat.
* Oct. 18 at East Lansing, Mich., Ohio State (12) 45, Michigan State (20) 7 – OSU built a 28-0 halftime lead and cruised in dealing MSU its first Big Ten defeat. Wells had 140 yards and two TDs on 31 carries. Pryor threw for 116 yards and a TD and also rushed for 72 yards and a score. OSU notched a pair of defensive TDs on fumble returns (69 yards by DE Thaddeus Gibson and 48 yards by DB Jermale Hines).
* Oct. 25 at Columbus, Penn State (3) 13, Ohio State (10) 6 – Penn State notched its first Big Ten win at Ohio Stadium in eight tries, capitalizing on a pair of fourth-quarter turnovers by Pryor. OSU led 6-3 until Pryor, who threw for a career-high 226 yards, fumbled near midfield. PSU converted that miscue for the game-winning TD. Pryor threw an INT in the final minute as well.
* Nov. 8 at Evanston, Ill., Ohio State (12) 45, Northwestern 10 – The Buckeyes bounced back from their only Big Ten defeat with a big win on a cold and rainy day at Evanston. Wells had 140 yards and two TDs on 28 carries. Pryor threw for 197 yards and two TDs.
* Nov. 15 at Champaign, Ill., Ohio State (10) 30, Illinois 20 – OSU had a pair of 100-yard rushers with Wells (24 carries, 143 yards, one TD) and Pryor (13 carries, 110 yards, one TD). Pryor also threw for a score. DB Kurt Coleman had a critical INT and Jenkins blocked an Illini punt for a safety.
* Nov. 22 at Columbus, Ohio State (10) 42, Michigan 7 – OSU claimed a piece of the Big Ten title for the fourth straight year and also defeated rival Michigan for the fifth consecutive season for the first time in the 105-year history of the rivalry. It was also OSU’s largest margin of victory over UM in 40 years. Wells had 15 carries for 134 yards, including a 59-yard TD. Herron added two TD runs, while Pryor threw for 120 yards and two scores in moving to 8-1 as the starter.
Note: Game day Associated Press poll rankings in parentheses
Ohio State Bowl Record
All-Time Bowl Record (through 2007 season): 18-21
Season Bowl Score
1920 1921 Rose Bowl California 28, Ohio State 0
1949 1950 Rose Bowl Ohio State 17, California 14
1954 1955 Rose Bowl Ohio State 20, USC 7
1957 1958 Rose Bowl Ohio State 10, Oregon 7
1968 1969 Rose Bowl Ohio State 27, USC 16
1970 1971 Rose Bowl Stanford 27, Ohio State 17
1972 1973 Rose Bowl USC 42, Ohio State 17
1973 1974 Rose Bowl Ohio State 42, USC 21
1974 1975 Rose Bowl USC 18, Ohio State 17
1975 1976 Rose Bowl UCLA 23, Ohio State 10
1976 1977 Orange Bowl Ohio State 27, Colorado 10
1977 1978 Sugar Bowl Alabama 35, Ohio State 6
1978 1978 Gator Bowl Clemson 17, Ohio State 15
1979 1980 Rose Bowl USC 17, Ohio State 16
1980 1980 Fiesta Bowl Penn State 31, Ohio State 19
1981 1981 Liberty Bowl Ohio State 31, Navy 28
1982 1982 Holiday Bowl Ohio State 47, BYU 17
1983 1984 Fiesta Bowl Ohio State 28, Pittsburgh 23
1984 1985 Rose Bowl USC 20, Ohio State 17
1985 1986 Citrus Bowl Ohio State 10, BYU 7
1986 1987 Cotton Bowl Ohio State 28, Texas A&M 12
1989 1990 Hall of Fame Auburn 31, Ohio State 14
1990 1990 Liberty Bowl Air Force 23, Ohio State 11
1991 1992 Hall of Fame Bowl Syracuse 24, Ohio State 17
1992 1993 Citrus Bowl Georgia 21, Ohio State 14
1993 1993 Holiday Bowl Ohio State 28, BYU 21
1994 1995 Citrus Bowl Alabama 24, Ohio State 17
1995 1996 Citrus Bowl Tennessee 20, Ohio State 14
1996 1997 Rose Bowl Ohio State 20, Arizona State 17
1997 1998 Sugar Bowl Florida State 31, Ohio State 14
1998 1999 Sugar Bowl Ohio State 24, Texas A&M 14
2000 2001 Outback Bowl South Carolina 24, Ohio State 7
2001 2002 Outback Bowl South Carolina 31, Ohio State 28
2002 2003 Fiesta Bowl Ohio State 31, Miami (Fla.) 24, 2 OT
2003 2004 Fiesta Bowl Ohio State 35, Kansas State 28
2004 2004 Alamo Bowl Ohio State 33, Oklahoma State 7
2005 2006 Fiesta Bowl Ohio State 34, Notre Dame 20
2006 2007 BCS NC Game Florida 41, Ohio State 14
2007 2008 BCS NC Game LSU 38, Ohio State 24
Texas Game-By-Game
* Aug. 30 at Austin, Texas (11) 52, Florida Atlantic 10 – Texas QB Colt McCoy opened in a big way, completing 24 of 29 passes for 222 yards and three TDs and also rushing for 103 yards and a TD on 12 carries.
* Sept. 6 at El Paso, Texas, Texas (10) 42, UTEP 13 – It was the first meeting between these schools since 1933 and the biggest home game in UTEP history. But McCoy spoiled all of the fun, completing 20 of 29 passes for 282 yards and four TDs. WR Quan Cosby added eight catches for 154 yards and a TD.
* Sept. 20 at Austin, Texas (7) 52, Rice 10 – McCoy shattered the Texas career record for TD passes, ending the game with 62 in his third year as the starter. In the game, he was 19 of 23 passing for 329 yards and four TDs. He also rushed for a score. Cosby had five catches for 155 yards and two TDs.
* Sept. 27 at Austin, Texas (7) 52, Arkansas 10 – Game was rescheduled from Sept. 13 due to Hurricane Ike. It didn’t matter because the ‘Horns won at home by the same 52-10 score for the third time in a row. Texas got its most lopsided win over its former Southwest Conference rival since 1916. McCoy was nearly perfect, completing 17 of 19 passes for 185 yards and three TDs. He also rushed for 84 yards and two TDs.
* Oct. 4 at Boulder, Colo., Texas (5) 38, Colorado 14 – It was a big day for RB Chris Ogbonnaya, who had 71 yards and a TD rushing and caught six passes for 116 yards (including a 65-yard TD) for the Longhorns. McCoy was 23 of 30 for 262 yards with two TDs and two INTs.
* Oct. 11 at Dallas, Texas (5) 45, Oklahoma (1) 35 – Top-ranked OU was a touchdown favorite to down rival Texas for the seventh time in nine years in the Red River Rivalry. But after trailing 21-20 at halftime, Texas dominated the second half in a win that would propel the ‘Horns to No. 1 the following week. RB Cody Johnson had a pair of fourth-quarter TD runs, including a 1-yarder with 7:07 left that gave UT the lead for good. McCoy threw for 277 yards and a TD. Ogbonnaya had 127 yards on 15 carries. WR Jordan Shipley caught 11 passes for 112 yards and a TD and also had a 96-yard kick return for a score. UT notched its biggest win since downing USC for the national title at the 2006 Rose Bowl.
* Oct. 18 at Austin, Texas (1) 56, Missouri (11) 31 – UT, ranked No. 1 in the regular season for the first time since 1984, led 35-3 at halftime and cruised to the win over the visiting Tigers. McCoy completed 29 of 32 passes for a 337 yards and two touchdowns, ran for two more and set a school record with 17 straight completions.
* Oct. 25 at Austin, Texas (1) 28, Oklahoma State (7) 24 – The Texas defense bailed out McCoy, who had a third-quarter INT and a fourth-quarter fumble to open the door for the Cowboys. OSU could only muster a field goal from those two turnovers and came up short. McCoy still completed 38 of 45 passes for a season-high 391 yards with two TDs and also rushed for a score.
* Nov. 1 at Lubbock, Texas, Texas Tech (6) 39, Texas (1) 33 – In perhaps the best regular season game in college football in 2008, the Red Raiders toppled No. 1-ranked Texas in dramatic fashion. Tech led 22-6 at the half, but McCoy led Texas back. The ‘Horns led 33-32 after Vondrell McGee’s 4-yard TD run with 1:29 left. But Tech won on Graham Harrell’s 28-yard TD pass to Michael Crabtree with one second left. Harrell threw for 474 yards and two TDs. McCoy threw for 294 yards and two TDs, including a 91-yarder to Malcolm Williams.
* Nov. 8 at Austin, Texas (5) 45, Baylor 21 – McCoy and Texas rebounded as he threw for 26 of 37 passes for 300 yards with five TDs and two INTs. Cosby had eight catches for 111 yards and two of those TDs.
* Nov. 15 at Lawrence, Kan., Texas (4) 35, Kansas 7 – Texas got its eighth straight 10-win season. McCoy completed 24 of 34 passes for 255 yards and two TDs. He also rushed for a score as UT downed Kansas for the seventh straight meeting.
* Nov. 27 at Austin, Texas (4) 49, Texas A&M 9 – UT ended a two-game losing streak to instate rival A&M, giving the Aggies their worst loss by margin in this series since 1898 (48-0). McCoy wrapped his regular season by rushing for 311 yards and two TDs and rushing for two more. Johnson chipped in 102 yards and two TDs on eight carries.
Note: Game day Associated Press poll rankings in parentheses
Texas Bowl Results
All-Time Bowl Record (through 2007 season): 24-21-2
Season Bowl Score
1942 1943 Cotton Bowl Texas 14, Georgia Tech 7
1943 1944 Cotton Bowl Texas 7, Randolph Field 7
1945 1946 Cotton Bowl Texas 40, Missouri 27
1947 1948 Sugar Bowl Texas 27, Alabama 7
1948 1949 Orange Bowl Texas 41, Georgia 28
1950 1951 Cotton Bowl Tennessee 20, Texas 14
1952 1953 Cotton Bowl Texas 16, Tennessee 0
1957 1958 Sugar Bowl Mississippi 39, Texas 7
1959 1960 Cotton Bowl Syracuse 23, Texas 14
1960 1960 Bluebonnet Bowl Alabama 3, Texas 3
1961 1962 Cotton Bowl Texas 12, Mississippi 7
1962 1963 Cotton Bowl LSU 13, Texas 0
1963 1964 Cotton Bowl Texas 28, Navy 6
1964 1965 Orange Bowl Texas 21, Alabama 17
1966 1966 Bluebonnet Bowl Texas 19, Mississippi 0
1968 1969 Cotton Bowl Texas 36, Tennessee 13
1969 1970 Cotton Bowl Texas 21, Notre Dame 17
1970 1971 Cotton Bowl Notre Dame 24, Texas 11
1971 1972 Cotton Bowl Penn State 30, Texas 6
1972 1973 Cotton Bowl Texas 17, Alabama 13
1973 1974 Cotton Bowl Nebraska 19, Texas 3
1974 1974 Gator Bowl Auburn 27, Texas 3
1975 1975 Bluebonnet Bowl Texas 38, Colorado 21
1977 1978 Cotton Bowl Notre Dame 38, Texas 10
1978 1978 Sun Bowl Texas 42, Maryland 0
1979 1979 Sun Bowl Washington 14, Texas 7
1980 1980 Bluebonnet Bowl North Carolina 16, Texas 7
1981 1982 Cotton Bowl Texas 14, Alabama 12
1982 1982 Sun Bowl North Carolina 26, Texas 10
1983 1984 Cotton Bowl Georgia 10, Texas 9
1984 1984 Freedom Bowl Iowa 55, Texas 17
1985 1985 Bluebonnet Bowl Air Force 24, Texas 16
1987 1987 Bluebonnet Bowl Texas 32, Pittsburgh 27
1990 1991 Cotton Bowl Miami (Fla.) 46, Texas 3
1994 1994 Sun Bowl Texas 35, North Carolina 31
1995 1995 Sugar Bowl Virginia Tech 28, Texas 10
1996 1997 Fiesta Bowl Penn State 38, Texas 15
1998 1999 Cotton Bowl Texas 38, Mississippi State 11
1999 2000 Cotton Bowl Arkansas 27, Texas 6
2000 2000 Holiday Bowl Oregon 35, Texas 30
2001 2001 Holiday Bowl Washington 47, Texas 43
2002 2003 Cotton Bowl Texas 35, LSU 20
2003 2003 Holiday Bowl Washington State 28, Texas 20
2004 2005 Rose Bowl Texas 38, Michigan 37
2005 2006 Rose Bowl Texas 41, USC 38
2006 2006 Alamo Bowl Texas 26, Iowa 24
2007 2007 Holiday Bowl Texas 52, Arizona State 34
