2003 Fiesta Bowl
Encyclopedia
The 2003 Tostitos
Fiesta Bowl
took place on January 3,2003 in Tempe, Arizona
at Sun Devil Stadium
. The Ohio State Buckeyes
defeated the Miami Hurricanes
by a score of 31–24 in double overtime. It also served as the BCS National Championship Game
for the 2002 NCAA Division I-A football season
. The game was the second overtime result in either the Bowl Championship Series, or its predecessors, the Bowl Alliance
or the Bowl Coalition
, the first being the January 1, 2000 Orange Bowl
between Alabama
and Michigan
.
, Ken Dorsey
, Andre Johnson
, Kellen Winslow Jr., Jonathan Vilma, D.J. Williams, William Joseph
, Jerome McDougle
, Antrel Rolle
, Kelly Jennings
, and the late Sean Taylor
. Their offensive line had also produced 3 straight 1,000 yard seasons by 3 different running backs, and were leading the nation in fewest sacks allowed. They were an overwhelming favorite to win their 2nd consecutive national title.
Ohio State had started the season ranked #13 after losing to South Carolina in the Outback Bowl the previous year. It was head coach Jim Tressel
's second year with the team, and he had the experienced Buckeyes looking to win the Big Ten title. After gaining national respect by beating a top 10 Washington State team, Ohio State would go on to ride their strong defense and surprising offense to a 13-0 regular season. Freshman star Maurice Clarett
highlighted their elite rushing attack, while quarterback Craig Krenzel
managed the games well by throwing to talented wideouts Michael Jenkins and Chris Gamble
. They had won 6 games by 7 points or fewer.
The Buckeyes took advantage and finished their season with a close win against their hated rival Michigan Wolverines
, who were ranked 9th nationally. They held on to a 14-9 lead with an interception in the endzone by safety Will Allen
in the final seconds. Even though they were undefeated, the Buckeyes were heading into the Fiesta Bowl as -2 touchdown underdogs. But they had a lot of motivation from strong leaders like 3x All-American safety Mike Doss
.
but the Buckeyes were flagged for having 12 men on the field, moving the spot of the ball back to the Buckeye 15-yard line. The Buckeyes' first series resulted in a three-and-out, and Buckeye punter Andy Groom
's 56-yard punt resulted in Miami beginning their first possession on their own 20.
During the first down, the Hurricanes' quarterback Ken Dorsey
was sacked for a loss of 3 yards. Running back Willis McGahee
was tackled on the second down in the backfield for a loss of 2 yards. On third and 15, Dorsey completed a 20-yard pass to Andre Johnson
for a 1st down. A couple of plays later, Dorsey again completed a pass to Andre Johnson for 11 yards. The next play saw Dorsey sacked again, this time for a 5-yard loss. The Miami offense failed to gain a first down and punter Freddie Capshaw punted the ball 43 yards. Ohio State received the ball on its one yard line.
After three downs, the Buckeyes punted. Groom kicked the ball 44 yards where Roscoe Parrish
made a fair catch
at the Miami 48 yard line. Miami's drive started out slowly with a 1-yard loss on a run by McGahee, but the next play saw Dorsey throw a 28-yard first down pass to Kellen Winslow, Jr.
. Three plays later, Dorsey sidestepped blitzing
safety Donnie Nickey
and threw to Parrish for a 25-yard touchdown to put Miami up 7 - 0 (after Todd Sievers’s extra point) with 4:09 left in the first quarter.
Ohio State's Maurice Hall returned the ensuing kickoff for 15 yards. On the first play from scrimmage, Buckeye quarterback Craig Krenzel
threw an interception to Miami safety Sean Taylor. On its first play after this, the Miami quarterback completed a 14-yard pass to Andre Johnson for another first down. McGahee was tackled twice for a net loss of 4 yards, and Dorsey's pass on third-and-15 was 2 yards short of a first down. On fourth down Miami's Capshaw punted 44 yards for a touchback. The Buckeyes took over at their 20 yard line, but got a false start penalty, moving them to their 15 yard line. The Buckeyes did not get a touchdown before the quarter ended.
was tackled for no gain, and then a 7 yard loss, on the next two plays. Groom punted for 63 yards to the Miami 7 yard line where Parrish returned it 6 yards.
The Hurricanes moved the ball after a 10 yard holding penalty for another first down. Ohio State responded after the mental error when cornerback
Dustin Fox
intercepted Ken Dorsey’s pass, which was intended for Parrish, at the Miami 49 and returned it 12 yards.
Ohio State picked up a first down in 2 plays but come up short on a long 3rd and 12 to make it 4th and 1. The Buckeyes uncharacteristically decided to fake the field goal attempt and have kick holder Andy Groom (otherwise a punter) carry the ball on an option, but the Buckeyes were stopped for no gain on the play and turned the ball over on downs.
Miami began their next possession with another penalty. The Hurricanes were called for an illegal formation penalty for 5 yards, but Dorsey quickly rebounded as he completed a 14 yard pass to Ethenic Sands for a Miami 1st down. Dorsey again completed a pass on the next play to Jason Geathers for a 4 yard gain. The Hurricanes tried to pass two more times, but the first pass was incomplete and the second was intercepted on a deflection by Buckeye safety Mike Doss
, who returned the ball 35 yards to the Miami 17 yard line.
A few plays later Krenzel threw 8 yards for a first down to Chris Vance. Ohio State proceeded to move the ball to the 2 yard line, with the help of a Miami offsides penalty. Krenzel carried the ball into the endzone on 4th and 1 from the 2 for a touchdown. Mike Nugent
kicked the PAT to tie the score at 7 - 7 with a little over 2 minutes to go in the first half.
Nugent's kickoff after the score went to the back of the endzone for a touchback. On the Hurricane's first play from scrimmage Ken Dorsey was sacked and fumbled the ball. The Buckeye's Darrion Scott
recovered the fumble on the Miami 14 yard line. 2 plays later, and again with the help of a Miami offsides penalty, Maurice Clarett ran for a 7 yard touchdown. After another successful PAT by Nugent the Buckeyes were up 14-7.
Nugent kicked off for another touchback, and Miami chose to run out the clock. The Buckeyes led at half time, 14–7.
Mike Nugent sent the ball into the endzone for yet another touchback. Miami began with the ball on the 20 yard line but fell short on a 3rd and 3 to make it 4th and 1 and elected to punt. Freddie Capshaw punted the ball 43 yards and the ball was downed at the Ohio State 28 yard line.
The Buckeyes began the drive with good momemtum as they handed off to Clarett twice, resulting in a 4 and 10 yard gain respectively and a Buckeye first down. Ohio State was flagged for a 5 yard offsides penalty on the next play. The Buckeyes were stopped twice in a row to bring up a 3rd and 15.
On third down, Krenzel threw a deep ball to Chris Gamble
for a 57 yard reception to the Miami 6 yard line and an Ohio State first down. Krenzel then threw an interception to Sean Taylor who returned it 28 yards. However, the ball was stripped by Maurice Clarett causing a fumble which was recovered by Clarett. The turnover resulted in 3 points for OSU when Nugent converted a field goal that put the Buckeyes up 17–7.
On the following kickoff the Hurricanes' Andre Johnson returned the ball 39 yards before getting tackled. Again, the Buckeyes defense held Miami to a 3 and out and forced a punt. Capshaw had a 43 yard punt down to the Ohio State 10 yard line where Chris Gamble fielded the ball for a 1 yard gain. Antrel Rolle
was called for a kick catch interference penalty of 10 yards on the punt.
Ohio State began their next drive at their own 21 yard line, and only moved the ball 4 yards before calling in Groom to punt the ball 30 yards out of bounds. Miami's next possession consisted of a couple big plays including a 23 yard reception and a 7 yard reception by Winslow from Dorsey. Miami then faced 1st and goal from the Ohio State 9 yard line. Willis McGahee ran 9 yards for a Miami touchdown. Sievers PAT kick was good and the score became 17–14, Buckeyes.
Sievers kickoff resulted in a touchback and gave the ball to Ohio State at their own 20 yard line with 2:11 left in the 3rd quarter. Clarett got the ball on 1st and 10 and was tackled for no gain. Krenzel ran for 4 yards making it 3rd and 6, and then took the ball himself once more for a 3 yard gain on the final play of the 3rd quarter with the score 17–14 in favor of the Buckeyes.
The next plays were a Dorsey completion to Ethenic Sands for 9 yards, and a Dorsey completion to Winslow for a gain of 11 yards. The Canes were then held forced to bring out kicker Todd Sievers to attempt a 54 yard field goal. Sievers’s attempt was wide right and the Buckeyes took over on downs.
The Buckeyes put a drive together, also earning 3 first downs including a 10 yard completion from Krenzel to Michael Jenkins, a 12 yard completion from Krenzel to Gamble, and a 6 yard rush by Clarett. However the Miami defense held and forced Ohio State to try a field goal. Nugent's attempt at a 42 yard field goal missed the uprights wide right. Miami then took over the ball at its own 25 with 6:36 left in the game.
On the first play of the Miami drive, Dorsey hooked up with Kellen Winslow for an 11 yard gain and a first down. Jarrett Payton
then rushed for 5 yards, right before Dorsey and Winslow hooked up yet again for a 10 yard gain and another Miami 1st down. Miami was stopped two plays in a row bringing up 3rd and 8 when Dorsey passed to Parrish for a 34 yard completion, but Parrish fumbled the ball at the hands of cornerback Dustin Fox. Nickelback
Will Allen recovered the fumble for the Buckeyes.
Krenzel then rushed for one more 1st down on a 4 yard gain until they were held by the Miami D and were forced to punt once again. On third down a catch by Chris Gamble was ruled incomplete due to his being out of bounds. Replays of the third down showed Gamble's catch to have been incorrectly ruled out of bounds. The Buckeyes were forced to punt and Groom punted the ball 44 yards.
Miami's returner, Parrish, ran the ball back 50 yards before being tackled by Groom and Doss. An Ohio State defender was blocked in the back as he attempted to tackle Parish just short of the Miami 40 yard line. The officials did not see the penalty, and the return was allowed to stand. Miami started their drive at the Buckeye 26 yard line with 2:02 left in the game. They ran 3 plays for a total of 3 yards and decide to take a timeout on 4th and 7 with 3 seconds left in the game. Miami elected to have Sievers attempt a 40 yard field goal. Tressel called a timeout to try to ice the kicker. Ohio State then used its last timeout in a further attempt to rattle Sievers. The 40 yard attempt was successful, however, and tied the score at 17 with no time remaining in regulation play, forcing the game into overtime.
On the Buckeyes' turn to try to score from the Miami 25 yard line, Krenzel came up with a 5 yard rush on the first play. Ohio State had a 2nd and 5 on the Miami 20 yard line and a false start penalty was called against the Buckeyes bringing them back 5 yards to the 25. On 2nd and 10 Krenzel got sacked for a 4 yard loss bringing up 3rd and 14. Krenzel then threw an incomplete pass to Clarett to make it 4th and 14 and their last chance to get a 1st down. Krenzel came through and completed a 17 yard pass to Jenkins for a 1st down on the Miami 12 yard line. Krenzel then threw another incomplete pass to Jenkins which brought up 2nd and 10 where Krenzel took the ball himself and rushed for 7 yards down to the Miami 5 yard line. The third down was an incomplete pass by Krenzel, which brought up 4th down and 3. Krenzel attempted a pass to Gamble, but the ball bounced off Gamble's hands and was called an incomplete pass by the line judge. The Miami fans and team, believing the game to be over, began to rush the field. However, a field judge had thrown a late flag in the endzone. The penalty was defensive pass interference, called on Miami defender Glen Sharpe. Due to the controversial penalty, Ohio State received the ball on the 2 yard line with an automatic first down. With a fresh set of downs, Krenzel rushed for a 1 yard touchdown on 3rd down. Nugent's kick was good and tied the score at 24 sending the game into a double overtime.
Miami had to score a touchdown to tie the game and send it to a 3rd overtime. The Hurricanes drew a couple of blanks to put them in a 4th and 3 situation where Dorsey completed a 7 yard pass to Winslow for a 1st down. A facemask penalty was called on Ohio State during the play to make it 1st and 5 for Miami from the Buckeye 6 yard line. Dorsey then threw an incomplete pass to Andre Johnson but a pass interference call on the Buckeye defender gave Miami a 1st and goal from the 2 yard line. The Buckeye defense held Miami to only one yard in the next 3 plays to bring up a big 4th and goal on the 1 yard line. Ken Dorsey threw a pass as he was being hit by linebacker
Cie Grant
; it was incomplete, ending the game with Ohio State winning 31–24.
2nd Quarter
3rd Quarter
4th Quarter
1st Overtime
2nd Overtime
's 1968 squad. They were also the first college football team to ever win 14 games in an undefeated season. Krenzel and Doss were named Co-MVP's of the game. It was particularly emotional for Doss, because he had come back to Ohio State for his senior year when he would most likely have been taken in the first round of the 2002 NFL Draft
. But the dedicated senior would eventually win the coveted crystal trophy, and would also go on to win a Super Bowl
trophy with the Indianapolis Colts
. Miami's successful program enjoyed three more years of successful football but the program went downhill for the rest of the decade. Ohio State has had mostly 10+ win seasons, and has dominated the Big Ten. The two teams would not meet until almost a decade later; once in 2010 and once in 2011, with Ohio State winning the first meeting 36-24 on a strong performance by the defense and Heisman trophy
candidate Terrelle Pryor
and with Miami winning the next 24-6.
The amount of future NFL talent that played in the game is considered highly exceptional. Of the 43 players who started in the game (OSU's Chris Gamble
started on both offense and defense), 37 of them were eventually NFL draft picks (including 18 first-rounders). Of the 100 players who played in the game, 58 went on to play in the NFL.
"The Call" has since been defended by two sportswriters as a good one, however some sportswriter have denounced the call, including Sports Illustrated
's Rick Reilly
, and CBS Sports
Dennis Dodd, who wrote:
It should also be noted that Dodd later changed his opinion and wrote the following:
In the age before coaches' challenges and referee reviews were included within the NCAA rules, the call was subsequently validated by the National Association of Sports Officials, and was also selected by Referee Magazine as one of the "Best 18 Calls of All Time."
"The Call" was also discussed on the ESPN Classic
show, The Top 5 Reasons You Can't Blame...
, in an episode titled, "The Top 5 Reasons You Can't Blame the Referees for Miami losing the 2003 Fiesta Bowl."
Tostitos
Tostitos is a brand of tortilla chips and dips produced by Frito-Lay and introduced in 1979, with national distribution in the United States reached in 1981. They are made from all-white corn. Traditionally, Tostitos chips contain no extra flavoring or preservatives, and thus are advertised to be...
Fiesta Bowl
Fiesta Bowl
The Fiesta Bowl, now sponsored by Frito-Lay and named with their Tostitos brand, is a United States college football bowl game played annually at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. Between its origination in 1971 and 2006, the game was hosted in Tempe, Arizona at Sun Devil...
took place on January 3,2003 in Tempe, Arizona
Tempe, Arizona
Tempe is a city in Maricopa County, Arizona, USA, with the Census Bureau reporting a 2010 population of 161,719. The city is named after the Vale of Tempe in Greece. Tempe is located in the East Valley section of metropolitan Phoenix; it is bordered by Phoenix and Guadalupe on the west, Scottsdale...
at Sun Devil Stadium
Sun Devil Stadium
Sun Devil Stadium is an outdoor football stadium, located on the campus of Arizona State University, in Tempe, Arizona, United States. The stadium's current seating capacity is 71,706 and the playing surface is natural grass...
. The Ohio State Buckeyes
2002 Ohio State Buckeyes football team
The 2002 Ohio State Buckeyes football team was the national champion of the 2002 college football season. The team was the first in Division I-A history to finish its season at 14–0, and the second to win 14 games, following BYU's 14–1 season in 1996...
defeated the Miami Hurricanes
2002 Miami Hurricanes football team
The 2002 Miami Hurricanes football team sought to defend the school's 1-A national championship. They were coached by second year head coach Larry Coker, and competed in the Big East Conference- Pre Season :...
by a score of 31–24 in double overtime. It also served as the BCS National Championship Game
BCS National Championship Game
The BCS National Championship Game, or BCS National Championship, is the final bowl game of the annual Bowl Championship Series and is intended by the organizers of the BCS to determine the U.S. national champion of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision...
for the 2002 NCAA Division I-A football season
2002 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 2002 NCAA Division I-A football season ended the season with what most consider an exciting double overtime national championship game. Ohio State and Miami both came into the Fiesta Bowl undefeated. The underdog Buckeyes defeated the Hurricanes 31–24, ending Miami's 34 game winning...
. The game was the second overtime result in either the Bowl Championship Series, or its predecessors, the Bowl Alliance
Bowl Alliance
The Bowl Alliance was an agreement among college football bowl games for the purpose of trying to match the top two teams in a national championship bowl game and to provide quality bowl game matchups for the champions of its member conferences...
or the Bowl Coalition
Bowl Coalition
The Bowl Coalition was a predecessor of the Bowl Championship Series that was formed through an agreement among college football bowl games and conferences for the purpose of forcing a national championship game between the top two teams and to provide quality bowl game matchups for the champions...
, the first being the January 1, 2000 Orange Bowl
2000 Orange Bowl
The 2000 FedEx Orange Bowl game was a post-season college football bowl game between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Michigan Wolverines on January 1, 2000, at Pro Player Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. Michigan defeated Alabama 35-34 in an overtime battle...
between Alabama
1999 Alabama Crimson Tide football team
The 1999 Alabama Crimson Tide football team represented the University of Alabama in the 1999 college football season. The team was led by head coach Mike DuBose, who was in his third season with the program...
and Michigan
1999 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1999 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1999 college football season. The team's head coach was Lloyd Carr. The Wolverines played their home games at Michigan Stadium. That year Michigan Wolverines football competed in the Big Ten Conference in...
.
The Buildup
Throughout the season the defending national champion Miami Hurricanes continued a historic winning streak. The regular season ended with a perfect record extending the streak to 34 games. Their roster included future NFL players on both offense and defense including Willis McGaheeWillis McGahee
Willis Andrew McGahee III is an American football running back for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the first round of the 2003 NFL Draft...
, Ken Dorsey
Ken Dorsey
Kenneth Simon "Ken" Dorsey is a former football quarterback. He was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the seventh round of the 2003 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Miami. A two-time Heisman Trophy finalist at Miami, Dorsey played for the Cleveland Browns from 2006–2008...
, Andre Johnson
Andre Johnson
Andre Lamont Johnson is an American football wide receiver currently playing for the Houston Texans of the National Football League. Through the 2010–11 NFL season, Johnson currently ranks first all-time in NFL history in receiving yards per game for a career...
, Kellen Winslow Jr., Jonathan Vilma, D.J. Williams, William Joseph
William Joseph (American football)
William Joseph is a free agent American football defensive tackle who last played for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New York Giants in the first round of the 2003 NFL Draft...
, Jerome McDougle
Jerome McDougle
Jerome McDougle is an American football defensive end who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles 15th overall in the 2003 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Miami.McDougle has also played for the New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles...
, Antrel Rolle
Antrel Rolle
Antrel Rocelious Rolle is an American football safety for the New York Giants of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Miami...
, Kelly Jennings
Kelly Jennings
Kelly Jarrod Jennings is an American football cornerback for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Miami.-Early years:Jennings graduated from Suwannee...
, and the late Sean Taylor
Sean Taylor
Sean Michael Maurice Taylor was an American football free safety who played for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League. Taylor was drafted in the first round of the 2004 NFL Draft by the Redskins...
. Their offensive line had also produced 3 straight 1,000 yard seasons by 3 different running backs, and were leading the nation in fewest sacks allowed. They were an overwhelming favorite to win their 2nd consecutive national title.
Ohio State had started the season ranked #13 after losing to South Carolina in the Outback Bowl the previous year. It was head coach Jim Tressel
Jim Tressel
James Patrick Tressel is a gameday consultant for the Indianapolis Colts, and former collegiate football head coach at both The Ohio State University from 2001 to 2011 and at Youngstown State University from 1986 to 2000. Tressel is most notable for his time at Ohio State. He was hired by the...
's second year with the team, and he had the experienced Buckeyes looking to win the Big Ten title. After gaining national respect by beating a top 10 Washington State team, Ohio State would go on to ride their strong defense and surprising offense to a 13-0 regular season. Freshman star Maurice Clarett
Maurice Clarett
Maurice Edward Clarett is an American football running back for the Omaha Nighthawks of the United Football League. During his freshman year at Ohio State University in 2002, he helped lead the Buckeyes to a national championship...
highlighted their elite rushing attack, while quarterback Craig Krenzel
Craig Krenzel
Craig Krenzel is a former college and professional American football quarterback. He is currently a radio commentator for WBNS 97.1 The FAN in Columbus, which broadcasts the Ohio State Buckeyes football games.-High school career:...
managed the games well by throwing to talented wideouts Michael Jenkins and Chris Gamble
Chris Gamble
Chris Lee Gamble is an American football player with the Carolina Panthers. During his NFL career Gamble has only played cornerback, but was briefly a wide receiver at the Ohio State University. He was converted into a cornerback during his sophomore year...
. They had won 6 games by 7 points or fewer.
The Buckeyes took advantage and finished their season with a close win against their hated rival Michigan Wolverines
Michigan Wolverines
The Michigan Wolverines comprise 27 varsity sports teams at the University of Michigan. These teams compete in the NCAA's Division I and in the Big Ten Conference in all sports except men's ice hockey which competes in the NCAA D1 Central Collegiate Hockey Association, and women's water polo, which...
, who were ranked 9th nationally. They held on to a 14-9 lead with an interception in the endzone by safety Will Allen
Will Allen (safety)
Will Allen is an American football safety for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the fourth round of the 2004 NFL Draft...
in the final seconds. Even though they were undefeated, the Buckeyes were heading into the Fiesta Bowl as -2 touchdown underdogs. But they had a lot of motivation from strong leaders like 3x All-American safety Mike Doss
Mike Doss
Michael Allen Doss is an American football safety who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the second round of the 2003 NFL Draft...
.
1st Quarter
The Miami Hurricanes won the coin toss for first possession options and elected to defer their choice until the 2nd half kickoff. The Buckeyes chose to receive the kickoff and Miami decided to defend the north goal. The kickoff resulted in a touchbackTouchback
In American football, a touchback is a ruling which is made and signaled by an official when the ball becomes dead behind or above a goal line and the team who is attacking that goal line is responsible for the ball being there. Responsibility is determined by which team gave the ball the impetus...
but the Buckeyes were flagged for having 12 men on the field, moving the spot of the ball back to the Buckeye 15-yard line. The Buckeyes' first series resulted in a three-and-out, and Buckeye punter Andy Groom
Andy Groom
Andy Charles Groom is a former American football punter who played in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins in 2005. He played college football at Ohio State University.-See also:...
's 56-yard punt resulted in Miami beginning their first possession on their own 20.
During the first down, the Hurricanes' quarterback Ken Dorsey
Ken Dorsey
Kenneth Simon "Ken" Dorsey is a former football quarterback. He was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the seventh round of the 2003 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Miami. A two-time Heisman Trophy finalist at Miami, Dorsey played for the Cleveland Browns from 2006–2008...
was sacked for a loss of 3 yards. Running back Willis McGahee
Willis McGahee
Willis Andrew McGahee III is an American football running back for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the first round of the 2003 NFL Draft...
was tackled on the second down in the backfield for a loss of 2 yards. On third and 15, Dorsey completed a 20-yard pass to Andre Johnson
Andre Johnson
Andre Lamont Johnson is an American football wide receiver currently playing for the Houston Texans of the National Football League. Through the 2010–11 NFL season, Johnson currently ranks first all-time in NFL history in receiving yards per game for a career...
for a 1st down. A couple of plays later, Dorsey again completed a pass to Andre Johnson for 11 yards. The next play saw Dorsey sacked again, this time for a 5-yard loss. The Miami offense failed to gain a first down and punter Freddie Capshaw punted the ball 43 yards. Ohio State received the ball on its one yard line.
After three downs, the Buckeyes punted. Groom kicked the ball 44 yards where Roscoe Parrish
Roscoe Parrish
Roscoe Parrish is an American football wide receiver and punt returner who currently plays for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Bills in the second round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
made a fair catch
Fair catch
A fair catch is a feature of American football and several other codes of football, in which a player attempting to catch a ball kicked by the opposing team – either on a kickoff or punt – is entitled to catch the ball without interference from any member of the kicking team...
at the Miami 48 yard line. Miami's drive started out slowly with a 1-yard loss on a run by McGahee, but the next play saw Dorsey throw a 28-yard first down pass to Kellen Winslow, Jr.
Kellen Winslow II
Kellen Boswell Winslow, II is an American football tight end for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Cleveland Browns sixth overall in the 2004 NFL Draft...
. Three plays later, Dorsey sidestepped blitzing
Blitz (American football)
In American football or Canadian football, a blitz or red dog is when players on or behind the line of scrimmage during a play, are sent across the scrimmage line to the offensive side to try to tackle the quarterback or disrupt his pass attempt...
safety Donnie Nickey
Donnie Nickey
Donnie Orvin Nickey is an American football safety for the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the Titans in the fifth round of the 2003 NFL Draft. He played college football at Ohio State....
and threw to Parrish for a 25-yard touchdown to put Miami up 7 - 0 (after Todd Sievers’s extra point) with 4:09 left in the first quarter.
Ohio State's Maurice Hall returned the ensuing kickoff for 15 yards. On the first play from scrimmage, Buckeye quarterback Craig Krenzel
Craig Krenzel
Craig Krenzel is a former college and professional American football quarterback. He is currently a radio commentator for WBNS 97.1 The FAN in Columbus, which broadcasts the Ohio State Buckeyes football games.-High school career:...
threw an interception to Miami safety Sean Taylor. On its first play after this, the Miami quarterback completed a 14-yard pass to Andre Johnson for another first down. McGahee was tackled twice for a net loss of 4 yards, and Dorsey's pass on third-and-15 was 2 yards short of a first down. On fourth down Miami's Capshaw punted 44 yards for a touchback. The Buckeyes took over at their 20 yard line, but got a false start penalty, moving them to their 15 yard line. The Buckeyes did not get a touchdown before the quarter ended.
2nd Quarter
After a quick first down at the end of the 1st quarter the Ohio State drive stalled as Maurice ClarettMaurice Clarett
Maurice Edward Clarett is an American football running back for the Omaha Nighthawks of the United Football League. During his freshman year at Ohio State University in 2002, he helped lead the Buckeyes to a national championship...
was tackled for no gain, and then a 7 yard loss, on the next two plays. Groom punted for 63 yards to the Miami 7 yard line where Parrish returned it 6 yards.
The Hurricanes moved the ball after a 10 yard holding penalty for another first down. Ohio State responded after the mental error when cornerback
Cornerback
A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
Dustin Fox
Dustin Fox
Dustin Erik Fox is an American football cornerback who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the third round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
intercepted Ken Dorsey’s pass, which was intended for Parrish, at the Miami 49 and returned it 12 yards.
Ohio State picked up a first down in 2 plays but come up short on a long 3rd and 12 to make it 4th and 1. The Buckeyes uncharacteristically decided to fake the field goal attempt and have kick holder Andy Groom (otherwise a punter) carry the ball on an option, but the Buckeyes were stopped for no gain on the play and turned the ball over on downs.
Miami began their next possession with another penalty. The Hurricanes were called for an illegal formation penalty for 5 yards, but Dorsey quickly rebounded as he completed a 14 yard pass to Ethenic Sands for a Miami 1st down. Dorsey again completed a pass on the next play to Jason Geathers for a 4 yard gain. The Hurricanes tried to pass two more times, but the first pass was incomplete and the second was intercepted on a deflection by Buckeye safety Mike Doss
Mike Doss
Michael Allen Doss is an American football safety who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the second round of the 2003 NFL Draft...
, who returned the ball 35 yards to the Miami 17 yard line.
A few plays later Krenzel threw 8 yards for a first down to Chris Vance. Ohio State proceeded to move the ball to the 2 yard line, with the help of a Miami offsides penalty. Krenzel carried the ball into the endzone on 4th and 1 from the 2 for a touchdown. Mike Nugent
Mike Nugent
Mike Nugent is an American football placekicker for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New York Jets in the second round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
kicked the PAT to tie the score at 7 - 7 with a little over 2 minutes to go in the first half.
Nugent's kickoff after the score went to the back of the endzone for a touchback. On the Hurricane's first play from scrimmage Ken Dorsey was sacked and fumbled the ball. The Buckeye's Darrion Scott
Darrion Scott
Darrion Scott is an American football defensive end who is currently a member of the Washington Redskins. He was originally drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the third round of the 2004 NFL Draft...
recovered the fumble on the Miami 14 yard line. 2 plays later, and again with the help of a Miami offsides penalty, Maurice Clarett ran for a 7 yard touchdown. After another successful PAT by Nugent the Buckeyes were up 14-7.
Nugent kicked off for another touchback, and Miami chose to run out the clock. The Buckeyes led at half time, 14–7.
3rd Quarter
On the first play of the second half, Ohio State kickerPlacekicker
Placekicker, or simply kicker , is the title of the player in American and Canadian football who is responsible for the kicking duties of field goals, extra points...
Mike Nugent sent the ball into the endzone for yet another touchback. Miami began with the ball on the 20 yard line but fell short on a 3rd and 3 to make it 4th and 1 and elected to punt. Freddie Capshaw punted the ball 43 yards and the ball was downed at the Ohio State 28 yard line.
The Buckeyes began the drive with good momemtum as they handed off to Clarett twice, resulting in a 4 and 10 yard gain respectively and a Buckeye first down. Ohio State was flagged for a 5 yard offsides penalty on the next play. The Buckeyes were stopped twice in a row to bring up a 3rd and 15.
On third down, Krenzel threw a deep ball to Chris Gamble
Chris Gamble
Chris Lee Gamble is an American football player with the Carolina Panthers. During his NFL career Gamble has only played cornerback, but was briefly a wide receiver at the Ohio State University. He was converted into a cornerback during his sophomore year...
for a 57 yard reception to the Miami 6 yard line and an Ohio State first down. Krenzel then threw an interception to Sean Taylor who returned it 28 yards. However, the ball was stripped by Maurice Clarett causing a fumble which was recovered by Clarett. The turnover resulted in 3 points for OSU when Nugent converted a field goal that put the Buckeyes up 17–7.
On the following kickoff the Hurricanes' Andre Johnson returned the ball 39 yards before getting tackled. Again, the Buckeyes defense held Miami to a 3 and out and forced a punt. Capshaw had a 43 yard punt down to the Ohio State 10 yard line where Chris Gamble fielded the ball for a 1 yard gain. Antrel Rolle
Antrel Rolle
Antrel Rocelious Rolle is an American football safety for the New York Giants of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Miami...
was called for a kick catch interference penalty of 10 yards on the punt.
Ohio State began their next drive at their own 21 yard line, and only moved the ball 4 yards before calling in Groom to punt the ball 30 yards out of bounds. Miami's next possession consisted of a couple big plays including a 23 yard reception and a 7 yard reception by Winslow from Dorsey. Miami then faced 1st and goal from the Ohio State 9 yard line. Willis McGahee ran 9 yards for a Miami touchdown. Sievers PAT kick was good and the score became 17–14, Buckeyes.
Sievers kickoff resulted in a touchback and gave the ball to Ohio State at their own 20 yard line with 2:11 left in the 3rd quarter. Clarett got the ball on 1st and 10 and was tackled for no gain. Krenzel ran for 4 yards making it 3rd and 6, and then took the ball himself once more for a 3 yard gain on the final play of the 3rd quarter with the score 17–14 in favor of the Buckeyes.
4th Quarter
The 4th Quarter started out with a 49 yard punt out of bounds by Andy Groom giving Miami the ball at their own 24 yard line. Miami once again put a drive together earning 3 first downs including a 9 yard rush by McGahee who was injured and out for the rest of the game after the play. McGahee's injury was caused by a shoulder leading hit by safety Will Allen. The tackle ruptured all three ligaments in McGahee's knee, putting his career in doubt. (McGahee subsequently recovered from his injury and has gone on to a successful professional football career.)The next plays were a Dorsey completion to Ethenic Sands for 9 yards, and a Dorsey completion to Winslow for a gain of 11 yards. The Canes were then held forced to bring out kicker Todd Sievers to attempt a 54 yard field goal. Sievers’s attempt was wide right and the Buckeyes took over on downs.
The Buckeyes put a drive together, also earning 3 first downs including a 10 yard completion from Krenzel to Michael Jenkins, a 12 yard completion from Krenzel to Gamble, and a 6 yard rush by Clarett. However the Miami defense held and forced Ohio State to try a field goal. Nugent's attempt at a 42 yard field goal missed the uprights wide right. Miami then took over the ball at its own 25 with 6:36 left in the game.
On the first play of the Miami drive, Dorsey hooked up with Kellen Winslow for an 11 yard gain and a first down. Jarrett Payton
Jarrett Payton
Jarrett Walter Payton is a professional American and Canadian football running back. He is the son of Walter Payton. Payton was previously signed as an undrafted free agent by the NFL Tennessee Titans....
then rushed for 5 yards, right before Dorsey and Winslow hooked up yet again for a 10 yard gain and another Miami 1st down. Miami was stopped two plays in a row bringing up 3rd and 8 when Dorsey passed to Parrish for a 34 yard completion, but Parrish fumbled the ball at the hands of cornerback Dustin Fox. Nickelback
Nickel defense
In American football, a nickel defense is a defensive alignment that uses five defensive backs, of whom the fifth is known as a nickelback. Although the modern definition of the term encompasses all formations featuring five defensive backs, the original and still most common form of the nickel...
Will Allen recovered the fumble for the Buckeyes.
Krenzel then rushed for one more 1st down on a 4 yard gain until they were held by the Miami D and were forced to punt once again. On third down a catch by Chris Gamble was ruled incomplete due to his being out of bounds. Replays of the third down showed Gamble's catch to have been incorrectly ruled out of bounds. The Buckeyes were forced to punt and Groom punted the ball 44 yards.
Miami's returner, Parrish, ran the ball back 50 yards before being tackled by Groom and Doss. An Ohio State defender was blocked in the back as he attempted to tackle Parish just short of the Miami 40 yard line. The officials did not see the penalty, and the return was allowed to stand. Miami started their drive at the Buckeye 26 yard line with 2:02 left in the game. They ran 3 plays for a total of 3 yards and decide to take a timeout on 4th and 7 with 3 seconds left in the game. Miami elected to have Sievers attempt a 40 yard field goal. Tressel called a timeout to try to ice the kicker. Ohio State then used its last timeout in a further attempt to rattle Sievers. The 40 yard attempt was successful, however, and tied the score at 17 with no time remaining in regulation play, forcing the game into overtime.
First overtime
Ohio State won the toss at the start of overtime and chose to be on defense first. Miami started their OT drive out slow, but on 2nd and 10, Dorsey completed a 9 yard pass to Andre Johnson to make it 3rd and 1 from the 16 yard line. Jarrett Payton then rushed for 8 yards to give Miami another 1st down and a 1st and goal from the OSU 8 yard line. Two plays later, Dorsey hooked up with Kellen Winslow in the endzone for a 7 yard touchdown pass. Pass interference was called on the defense, but the penalty was declined. Miami lead 24–17 at this point, forcing the Buckeyes to score a touchdown on their next possession to keep the game alive.On the Buckeyes' turn to try to score from the Miami 25 yard line, Krenzel came up with a 5 yard rush on the first play. Ohio State had a 2nd and 5 on the Miami 20 yard line and a false start penalty was called against the Buckeyes bringing them back 5 yards to the 25. On 2nd and 10 Krenzel got sacked for a 4 yard loss bringing up 3rd and 14. Krenzel then threw an incomplete pass to Clarett to make it 4th and 14 and their last chance to get a 1st down. Krenzel came through and completed a 17 yard pass to Jenkins for a 1st down on the Miami 12 yard line. Krenzel then threw another incomplete pass to Jenkins which brought up 2nd and 10 where Krenzel took the ball himself and rushed for 7 yards down to the Miami 5 yard line. The third down was an incomplete pass by Krenzel, which brought up 4th down and 3. Krenzel attempted a pass to Gamble, but the ball bounced off Gamble's hands and was called an incomplete pass by the line judge. The Miami fans and team, believing the game to be over, began to rush the field. However, a field judge had thrown a late flag in the endzone. The penalty was defensive pass interference, called on Miami defender Glen Sharpe. Due to the controversial penalty, Ohio State received the ball on the 2 yard line with an automatic first down. With a fresh set of downs, Krenzel rushed for a 1 yard touchdown on 3rd down. Nugent's kick was good and tied the score at 24 sending the game into a double overtime.
Second overtime
On the second overtime the teams switched possession order, giving the ball first to Ohio State. The Buckeyes started strong with Lydell Ross rushing for a 9 yard gain on 1st down. 3rd and 1 came up and Krenzel rushed for 5 yards and an Ohio State 1st down. For 1st and 10 on the Miami 11, Krenzel completed a 6 yard pass to Jenkins which brought up 2nd and 4 on the Miami 5 yard line. Krenzel then handed off the ball to Maurice Clarett for a 5 yard rushing touchdown putting Ohio State up 31–24 after a successful Nugent PAT.Miami had to score a touchdown to tie the game and send it to a 3rd overtime. The Hurricanes drew a couple of blanks to put them in a 4th and 3 situation where Dorsey completed a 7 yard pass to Winslow for a 1st down. A facemask penalty was called on Ohio State during the play to make it 1st and 5 for Miami from the Buckeye 6 yard line. Dorsey then threw an incomplete pass to Andre Johnson but a pass interference call on the Buckeye defender gave Miami a 1st and goal from the 2 yard line. The Buckeye defense held Miami to only one yard in the next 3 plays to bring up a big 4th and goal on the 1 yard line. Ken Dorsey threw a pass as he was being hit by linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
Cie Grant
Cie Grant
Willie "Cie" Grant is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League for the New Orleans Saints and is currently a free agent. He played college football at Ohio State University...
; it was incomplete, ending the game with Ohio State winning 31–24.
Scoring summary
1st Quarter- Miami – Roscoe ParrishRoscoe ParrishRoscoe Parrish is an American football wide receiver and punt returner who currently plays for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Bills in the second round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
25 yard pass from Ken DorseyKen DorseyKenneth Simon "Ken" Dorsey is a former football quarterback. He was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the seventh round of the 2003 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Miami. A two-time Heisman Trophy finalist at Miami, Dorsey played for the Cleveland Browns from 2006–2008...
(Todd SieversTodd SieversTodd Michael Sievers is a former American football placekicker who played college football for the Miami Hurricanes from 1998 to 2002, being part of the 2001 Division 1-A National Championship team....
kick) – UM 7, OSU 0
2nd Quarter
- Ohio State – Craig KrenzelCraig KrenzelCraig Krenzel is a former college and professional American football quarterback. He is currently a radio commentator for WBNS 97.1 The FAN in Columbus, which broadcasts the Ohio State Buckeyes football games.-High school career:...
1 yard run (Mike NugentMike NugentMike Nugent is an American football placekicker for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New York Jets in the second round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
kick) – OSU 7, UM 7 - Ohio State – Maurice ClarettMaurice ClarettMaurice Edward Clarett is an American football running back for the Omaha Nighthawks of the United Football League. During his freshman year at Ohio State University in 2002, he helped lead the Buckeyes to a national championship...
7 yard run (Nugent kick) – OSU 14, UM 7
3rd Quarter
- Ohio State – Nugent 44 yard field goal – OSU 17, UM 7
- Miami – Willis McGaheeWillis McGaheeWillis Andrew McGahee III is an American football running back for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the first round of the 2003 NFL Draft...
9 yard run (Sievers kick) – OSU 17, UM 14
4th Quarter
- Miami – Sievers 40 yard field goal – UM 17, OSU 17
1st Overtime
- Miami – Kellen Winslow, Jr. 7 yard pass from Dorsey (Sievers kick) – UM 24, OSU 17
- Ohio State – Krenzel 1 yard run (Nugent kick) – OSU 24, UM 24
2nd Overtime
- Ohio State – Clarett 5 yard run (Nugent kick) – OSU 31, UM 24
The Aftermath
The double-overtime national championship was considered by many to be arguably the greatest college football game ever played. It had featured good defense, very physical battles among the offensive and defensive linemen, and strong performances by the teams' star players. It was the first national championship game to go into overtime, and the back-and-forth battle continued all the way to the 1-yard line on the final play. OSU had leaned on their defense all season, and the unit came through when they were needed most. The goal-line stand in the 2nd overtime is considered a defining moment of the Ohio St. season and cemented that group as one of the best in Buckeye history. Ohio State came to the desert as underdogs, but Jim Tressel won his 1st Division 1-FBS national championship as a head coach, and it was the storied program's first national title since Woody HayesWoody Hayes
Wayne Woodrow "Woody" Hayes was an American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at Denison University , Miami University , and Ohio State University , compiling a career college football record of 238–72–10.During his 28 seasons as the head coach of the Ohio...
's 1968 squad. They were also the first college football team to ever win 14 games in an undefeated season. Krenzel and Doss were named Co-MVP's of the game. It was particularly emotional for Doss, because he had come back to Ohio State for his senior year when he would most likely have been taken in the first round of the 2002 NFL Draft
2002 NFL Draft
The 2002 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. The draft is known officially as the "NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting" and has been conducted annually since 1936. The draft took place April 20–21, 2002 at the theater at...
. But the dedicated senior would eventually win the coveted crystal trophy, and would also go on to win a Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
trophy with the Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
. Miami's successful program enjoyed three more years of successful football but the program went downhill for the rest of the decade. Ohio State has had mostly 10+ win seasons, and has dominated the Big Ten. The two teams would not meet until almost a decade later; once in 2010 and once in 2011, with Ohio State winning the first meeting 36-24 on a strong performance by the defense and Heisman trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
candidate Terrelle Pryor
Terrelle Pryor
Terrelle Pryor is an American football quarterback for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League. He was the starting quarterback for the Ohio State Buckeyes from 2008−2010...
and with Miami winning the next 24-6.
The amount of future NFL talent that played in the game is considered highly exceptional. Of the 43 players who started in the game (OSU's Chris Gamble
Chris Gamble
Chris Lee Gamble is an American football player with the Carolina Panthers. During his NFL career Gamble has only played cornerback, but was briefly a wide receiver at the Ohio State University. He was converted into a cornerback during his sophomore year...
started on both offense and defense), 37 of them were eventually NFL draft picks (including 18 first-rounders). Of the 100 players who played in the game, 58 went on to play in the NFL.
The Call
The pass was ruled incomplete by the side judge. A few seconds later, another official threw a flag, calling for pass interference against Miami. When asked why it took him so long to make the call, official Terry Porter said he wanted to make sure that the call was correct. When reviewed in frames 2, 3 and 4, where Glenn Sharpe is seen holding Chris Gamble, the ball is already in flight, which is why Porter changed the hold to pass interference."The Call" has since been defended by two sportswriters as a good one, however some sportswriter have denounced the call, including Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
's Rick Reilly
Rick Reilly
Richard "Rick" Paul Reilly is an American sportswriter. Long known for being the "back page" columnist for Sports Illustrated, Reilly moved to ESPN on June 1, 2008 where he is a featured columnist for ESPN.com and wrote the back page column for ESPN the Magazine...
, and CBS Sports
CBS Sports
CBS Sports is a division of CBS Broadcasting which airs sporting events on the American television network. Its headquarters are in the CBS Building on West 52nd Street in midtown Manhattan, New York City, with programs produced out of Studio 43 at the CBS Broadcast Center on West 57th Street.CBS...
Dennis Dodd, who wrote:
It should also be noted that Dodd later changed his opinion and wrote the following:
In the age before coaches' challenges and referee reviews were included within the NCAA rules, the call was subsequently validated by the National Association of Sports Officials, and was also selected by Referee Magazine as one of the "Best 18 Calls of All Time."
"The Call" was also discussed on the ESPN Classic
ESPN Classic
ESPN Classic is a sports channel that features reruns of famous sporting events, sports documentaries, and sports themed movies. Such programs includes biographies of famous sports figures or a rerun of a famous World Series or Super Bowl, often with added commentary on the event...
show, The Top 5 Reasons You Can't Blame...
The Top 5 Reasons You Can't Blame...
The Top 5 Reasons You Can't Blame... is a sports series that debuted in 2005 and aired on ESPN2 and ESPN Classic. The show ran from April 2005 to April 2007. The show was canceled when ESPN Classic phased out the production of original programs. Some episodes were planned but never completed...
, in an episode titled, "The Top 5 Reasons You Can't Blame the Referees for Miami losing the 2003 Fiesta Bowl."