Redemption time for Tressel, Ohio State

Jan 5, 2009 - 10:13 PM By Jim Ralabate PA SportsTicker College Football Editor

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Jim Tressel does not want his players to feel burdened by Ohio State's past failures in big games.

But like it or not, Monday's Fiesta Bowl is more than just another bowl game for Tressel and the Buckeyes.

When they take the field against third-ranked Texas, the Buckeyes will attempt to exorcise the demons of their recent past and to dispel the notion that the Big Ten is an inferior conference.

Ohio State has been utterly outclassed in each of the last two national championship games, losing to SEC powerhouses Florida and LSU by a combined score of 79-38.

The Buckeyes also flopped in their two biggest games this season, suffering a blowout September loss at USC before squandering a late lead at home in losing to eventual Big Ten champion Penn State.

That's 0-for-4 in the last four high-profile games for Ohio State, whose seniors should be salivating for one more shot at redemption on the national stage.

"It would be nice to win that big game," senior linebacker James Laurinaitis said. "We know we can win these games. It is just the fact that we haven't won for different reasons. Whether it is not being mature enough to handle when things go wrong or a penalty or just lack of preparation."

"We have gone to a lot of games, been in a lot of tough games," wide receiver Brian Robiskie added. "I think we understand now that (the Fiesta Bowl) is it for a lot of us."

After looking overwhelmed and overmatched in their inter-conference showdowns with Florida, LSU and USC, the Buckeyes will have a chance to reclaim some Big Ten pride against Texas.

Tressel, however, hopes his players do not focus too much on their past failures.

"If it's something that an individual is thinking about and it distracts them from thinking about what they should be, perhaps (the past is a burden)," he said. "But each play is independent of another and our focus has got to be an Ohio State 2008 team playing in the 2009 Fiesta Bowl against a great Texas team.

"If we're thinking about anything other than that, it is going to distract you from having the ability to handle a very difficult task."

Taking down Texas certainly will be a difficult task for the Buckeyes, who will have to deal with a talented Longhorns team that is feeling snubbed from national championship contention.

Yet in spite of that Texas-sized challenge coupled with Ohio State's forgettable recent bowl history, Tressel has taken an extremely laid-back approach.

"I'm loose," he said. "I think more than loose. I'm just appreciative to be out here and you think about the opportunity, especially for our 28 seniors, that you do want to let it all hang out."

RANDOM OBSERVATIONS FROM THE BOWL SEASON:

1. After what many considered a down regular season, the SEC has regained some of its swagger. Just ask Texas Tech genius Mike Leach, whose Red Raiders looked like they were playing in quicksand against an 8-4 Ole Miss team in the Cotton Bowl.

LSU and Georgia also made up for disappointing regular seasons with double-digit bowl victories, and Vanderbilt stunned ACC runner-up Boston College in the Music City Bowl.

South Carolina was embarrassed by Iowa in the Outback Bowl, but Kentucky rallied from a 16-point deficit to defeat East Carolina - the Conference USA champion - in the Liberty Bowl.

Yes, yes ... Alabama flopped in the Sugar Bowl against Utah. But that was a consolation game for the Crimson Tide, whereas it represented the Super Bowl for the Utes.

The true test for the SEC will come Thursday when Florida takes on Oklahoma for the national title. If the Gators blow out Sam Bradford and the high-powered Sooners, the SEC will finish with a 6-2 record in the bowls.

That will send the SEC bashers crawling back into their holes.

2. The ACC will feature some exciting quarterbacks over the next few years. Tyrod Taylor's electric runs in Virginia Tech's Orange Bowl win capped a promising bowl season for ACC quarterbacks.

North Carolina's T.J. Yates punctuated his surprisingly successful sophomore season with a 211-yard, two-TD performance in a one-point loss to West Virginia in the Meineke Car Care Bowl.

Later that day, redshirt sophomore Christian Ponder starred in Florida State's Champs Sports Bowl romp over Wisconsin. Miami true freshman Jacory Harris, a big-time recruit, showed flashes of his ability and versatility in the Hurricanes' Emerald Bowl loss to Cal.

NC State's future also is in good hands with redshirt freshman Russell Wilson, who ripped up Rutgers before a knee injury knocked him out of the Papajohn's.com Bowl.

Boston College true freshman Dominique Davis also has a chance to be a star, but the best of the bunch could ultimately be Taylor, who Virginia Tech was planning on redshirting at the beginning of this season.

After winning a BCS bowl for the first time in over a decade, Frank Beamer must be happy he kept Taylor around.

3. The WAC and Mid-American Conference embarrassed themselves in the bowls. Fresno State, Nevada and Hawaii all got romped in their bowls while Boise State suffered its first loss of the season to TCU.

The only WAC team to win its bowl was Louisiana Tech, which squeaked by Northern Illinois in the Independence Bowl to give the league a 1-4 postseason record.

The MAC has been even worse, losing its first four bowl games. The league's last chance is champion Ball State, which will face Tulsa in the GMAC Bowl on Tuesday.

4. UConn running back Donald Brown made the right choice by going pro. Although he likely will miss out on a star senior season in Storrs, Brown was pounded into the ground as a junior this year.

The FBS' leading rusher, Brown ran for 2,083 yards on a whopping 367 carries this season, capped by his 261-yard performance in the International Bowl.

Brown will be hard-pressed to duplicate those numbers next year, especially since the Huskies will be breaking in a new quarterback. UConn also will have to replace star left tackle William Beatty, a senior.

Also factor in the beating that running backs typically take, and it's no surprise that Brown wants to cash in on his NFL opportunity right away.

Question or comment? E-mail james.ralabate@pa-sportsticker.com.