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Ohio State Football: A look back at the 2003 Fiesta Bowl

By Ian O’Brien

TEMPE, AZ - JANUARY 3: The Ohio State Buckeyes fans cheer in victory over the Miami Hurricanes in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl on January 3, 2003 at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona. Ohio State won the game 31-24 in double-overtime, winning the NCAA National Championship. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
TEMPE, AZ - JANUARY 3: The Ohio State Buckeyes fans cheer in victory over the Miami Hurricanes in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl on January 3, 2003 at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona. Ohio State won the game 31-24 in double-overtime, winning the NCAA National Championship. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /
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WEST LAFAYETTE, IN – NOVEMBER 9: Tailback Maurice Clarett #13 of the Ohio State University Buckeyes carries the ball against the Purdue University Boilermakers during the game at Ross-Ade Stadium at Purdue University on November 9, 2002 in West Lafayette, Indiana. Ohio State defeated Purdue 10-6. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
WEST LAFAYETTE, IN – NOVEMBER 9: Tailback Maurice Clarett #13 of the Ohio State University Buckeyes carries the ball against the Purdue University Boilermakers during the game at Ross-Ade Stadium at Purdue University on November 9, 2002 in West Lafayette, Indiana. Ohio State defeated Purdue 10-6. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /

Well, it has been a skewed start to 2020 for the Ohio State football team and all of college sports. So let’s have some fun by looking back to the past.

To get everyone ready for the 2020 Ohio State football season, let’s go all the way back to the Fiesta Bowl January 3, 2003. That was when the No. 2 ranked Buckeyes led by Jim Tressel, faced the top ranked Miami Hurricanes for the BCS National Championship.

That game featured Ohio native Maurice Clarett who shocked the college football world with his running skills as a true freshman, as well as several other players who later played in the NFL.  The Hurricanes had plenty of players who went on to play on Sunday’s as well including the likes of Ken Dorsey, Ed Reed and Sean Taylor.

1st Quarter

For the first 11 minutes, it was a defensive battle as neither offense could do anything.  That is until with 4:16 to go when quarterback Ken Dorsey found Roscoe Parish who just got the ball across the line for a 25-yard touchdown giving the Hurricanes the early 7-0 lead.

It looked as though the Buckeyes would answer back behind Clarett and quarterback Craig Krenzel.  However, Krenzel was picked off by Sean Taylor.

Fortunately the Ohio State defense finished strong not letting Willie McGahee go anywhere and Miami was forced to punt at the end of the first.

2nd Quarter

Miami looked to expand the lead to two touchdowns at the start of the second, but Dorsey felt pressure and threw the ball right into the hands of cornerback Dustin Fox and then another to Mike Doss.  Seven plays later, Krenzel did a quarterback sneak on a fourth and goal, making the game tied at seven.

Ohio State got the ball back immediately after forcing a fumble with Darrion Scott recovering it. Now the Buckeyes would get their first lead of the night with just over two minutes before halftime thanks to Clarett who took it in for a seven-yard touchdown making it 14-7.

Mike Nugent would hit a 44-yard field goal making it a 10 point game going into halftime and now Miami had to figure out how to come back.

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