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BCS Championship: Stream of consciousness
Pete Fiutak
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CollegeFootballNews.com
178 days ago
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Welcome again to my pretentious, goofy and self-serving stream-of-consciousness thoughts and notes on the big games, the broadcasts, the ads and the teams for the attention deficit disordered. Feel free to coment with your own thoughts and notes and what you'd like to see.
Fourth quarterLSU seems shell-shocked after the pick. On third down, Flynn runs and get stopped. Considering the roughing the punter penalty, the OSU D has come up with a stop on three straight drives.
Brennaman just says the same thing.
BOOM. Patrick Fisher blasts the bejeebers out of a punt into the end zone.
Ohio State on its own 20 Hmmmmmm, let's take a guess on this one. Beanie.
Yup, Beanie for two.
That's a play that'll work. The LSU corners are still all over the OSU receivers, but a quick slant pattern off the line will work if Boeckman makes the throw. Boeckman makes the throw.
Again, the LSU D line isn't getting much in the way of pressure.
Wells just made Chevis Jackson grasp at air.
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| LSU's pressure got to Todd Boeckman all night. (Charlie Riedel / Associated Press) |
Dorsey has spent the last three downs slap-fighting with various Buckeye linemen, but he isn't doing much.
Why is OSU picking on Jackson?
Pelini just runs in from out of the locker room after boarding a plane for Lincoln at halftime.
How is that not a personal foul on Ali Highsmith? Boeckman started to slide and got popped. That gets flagged every time in the NFL.
LSU is going to have to blitz. It has to start generating pressure from somewhere. Before, the corners were getting the job done and the line got time to get into the backfield. It's not happening now.
After a great drive, Boeckman turns indecisive. He actually has an extra half-tick to look for a second receiver, but he's looking at his one, if its not there, he's giving up and waiting for LSU to get to him.
Fourth and seven on the 35. Yeah, you have to go for it. It sucks, but you have to.
A second straight awful, AWFUL play by Boeckman, He has time, has time, has time, rolls out, doesn't have time and inexplicably tries to wind up and fire. Highsmith stuffs the play, forces a fumble, and SS Harry Coleman, who's in for an injured Craig Steltz, picks it up. Crisis averted for the Tigers.
Pregnant women have it so made. If I asked for something crunchy, chewy, cheesy and melty, my wife would hand me my daughter's diaper.LSU on the OSU 45 The clock is still not moving. There's still more than ten minutes.
Third and five. LSU has swallowed its playbook.
OSU's D comes through again. OSU is coming up with the stops, but LSU is doing its part. There's nowhere near the bounce in the offensive step there was in the first half.
Of course you punt it. Of course you do.
OOOOOH. Fisher put it in the end zone by an eyelash.Ohio State on its own 20 After the way the last drive ended, you have to take the ball out of Boeckman's hands for a few plays. Go with the fastball. Run Beanie, and then run him again.
Outside of the way hot mom, the despicable family in the ad for the Dodge Caravan minivan should be thrown in a sack and steamrollered over by Herman Johnson.
Beanie for three. Run it again.
There's Boeckman back again. He throws a nice ball quickly for a third and short.
OSU is way, way too deliberate. It needs to pick up the pace.
There's the LSU defensive line. Great push up front to stuff Wells facing fourth and one.
Fourth and done. I'm thinking Michael Jenkins Purdue. I'm also thinking Arby's.
Beanie for the first down.
Under seven minutes.
LSU DE Kirston Pittman has been an eyelash away from getting to Boeckman over the last few plays.
Again, Jim Cordle stops Glenn Dorsey on roughly 30 plays in a row, but on the 31st, Dorsey gets a sack and forces a fumble.
A misfire, and now it's 3rd and 15.
Slooooowwwwwww. Under six minutes to play.
Boeckman is going to have nightmares for the next eight months about that one. He did a nice of stepping up in the pocket to avoid the rush, and then he air mails a wide open receiver for a pick. He had a first down.
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| Early Doucet proved to be too much to handle for Ohio State's secondary. (Nam Y. Huh / Associated Press) |
LSU on its own 47LSU is throwing?! Doucet gets out of bounds?! Doucet will get blamed for going out, but that's the coaches' fault for throwing in the first place.
Yup. You knew that was coming. Conservative run to crank out time.
OSU comes with the world's slowest blitz. Fourth and one on the 41.
Four minutes to play on the OSU 41, YOU PUNT IT. The play is going to work, it's who Les Miles is and OSU hasn't shown any hope of stopping it so far, but you ask Fisher to get it inside the ten.
Of course LSU gets it.
The clock starts to bleed badly for OSU.
One time out left for OSU and it's 2nd and 6. You have two plays to make a stop or it's over.
Flynn dances up a huge hole in the middle for a first down. Again, Herman Johnson is having a game against the Buckeye DTs.
And now it's really over. Richard Murphy gets down to the five with under three to play.
Laurinaitis has 18 tackles. How many actually made a stop for little or no gain and how many times was he making a play just as the back was by him?
OSU sells out to stop the run and Richard Dickson is wide open for his second touchdown of the game.
LSU is the national champion. Sorry USC and Georgia, but it's hard not to be sold that the college football world got it right.LSU 38, Ohio State 17 Ohio State on its own 46 Charles Davis: "(Ohio State) could very well be in this game again next year." America: "If it's against the SEC .... Nooooooooooooooooo!"
Two plays, a nice catch and a pass interference to get down to the LSU 23.
Brian Robiskie catches it in the end zone but is out of bounds.
OSU picks up the blitz, Boeckman finds Brian Hartline on the slant, touchdown. This matters. It might be garbage time, but the final score will be repeated all off-season. The Buckeyes had their chances, but LSU came through on the key plays when it really, really mattered.LSU 38, Ohio State 24 Good, high onside kick, but it's too far. Charles Scott gets it and LSU now has it locked up. LSU on the OSU 43 Not bad. It was a blowout in its own way, but it was an entertaining blowout.
Somewhere, a bunch of Pitt players are smiling, and a bunch of LSU fans are ordering balloon bouquets for Dave Wannstedt.FINAL SCORE: LSU 38, Ohio State 24 Third quarter It's only 14. Getting a stop here could make this interesting. Yeah, right.LSU on its own 20 OSU has nothing to lose and is going to be ultra-aggressive. A reverse could come up huge.
Fantastic down-field block by Doucet on Laurinaitis to spring a first down run.
Don't like it ... don't like it ... don't like it ... don't like it ... don't like it ... don't like it ... don't like it ... don't like it ... don't like it ... don't like it ... don't like it ... don't like it ... don't like it ... don't like it ... You're roaring with Flynn. Perrilloux should be studying the playbook for next year.
The OSU tackles are getting shoved around way too much.
Does LSU have a penalty yet?
Everything is working, and LSU isn't even taking any shots downfield.
Another third and one. Here comes Mariano Rivera.
Actually, it's Flynn for yet another third down.
OSU really isn't playing poorly. It's simply not getting the one big stop it needs to get LSU off the field.
And then it gets its first huge break of the game. Flynn gets nailed for intentional grounding.
3rd and 23. If OSU can't stop this ...
That was the first penalty on the Tigers.
OSU gets out of it. There's the stop. Now we see of the OSU coaching staff has any new ideas.
DUMB DUMB DUMB DUMB DUMB DUMB DUMB. We're not five minutes into the second half, and that's the nail in the coffin. OSU is getting the ball back, all the momentum is on its size, and backup linebacker Austin Spitler gets nailed for a roughing the punter. That wasn't a cheapy. It was a dumb play, but I blame the coaches. What are you doing rushing the punter in that situation? Spitler almost got it.
Tressel has a look on his face like, We just blew it, we just blew it, we just blew it.
And there's the fifth personal foul of the game.
Enough freakin' shots of the freakin' band.
LSU is taking full advantage of the mistakes and is rolling again.
Early Doucet touchdown breaking two tackles to get in. LSU 31, Ohio State 10 Ohio State on its own 28 On replay, that was a bad personal foul call on OSU.
Still dreaming of an interesting game, it's still not a total and complete blowout just yet IF OSU gets a touchdown on this drive.
Big run by Boeckman for a first down.
Ricky-Jean Francois just ate Beanie. Wells is 235 pounds and disappeared in the sophomore's belly.
Boeckman has to make the throw faster. He had a wide open receiver in the flat, spent all his time rolling out, and allowed the Tiger defensive backs to close. Instead of his guy getting the ball in space to work, it was stopped for a minimal gain.
Boeckman can't be afraid to make mistakes at this point. It's almost like Tressel Ball is so deeply ingrained in his head that he just can't make himself force a throw.
Midfield down 21 with your defense doing absolutely nothing to come up with a stop ... how is this not four down territory?
In the "It's the mirrors" TV ad with the guys playing basketball, you'd think they'd have gotten a better take for the final dunk. The guy just barely rattles it down.LSU on its own 11 Right now, the only thing that matters is not turning the ball over. Punting it is fine, the defense is doing the job, but you can't give the ball to the Buckeyes in the red zone.
Herman Johnson is having himself a whale of a game at left guard.
I'll continue on my Laurinitis is overrated rant. He has lived off being the Buckeye star LB who came in after A.J. Hawk, but he's average in pass coverage and makes way, way, way too many stops seven yards down the field.
Why, why, WHY?! LSU is killing the Buckeyes with the running game, it has a miscommunication with the passing game, and Malcolm Jenkins picks off a pass to get down to the 12. That's the one thing it couldn't do.Ohio State on the LSU 12 Now THIS is four down territory.
Wells isn't being stopped. He's doing a great job of being patient.
Barton has had a fantastic game when locked up on Dorsey.
And then Ricky-Jean Francois flattens center Jim Cordle and stuffs Wells on third and one.
Right now, of course you go for it on fourth and four from the five. Of course.
Boeckman's been getting more time to throw than the announcers are making it sound. He gets a few seconds and he gets it to Brian Robiskie, who makes a fantastic catch.
It's only 14 now, but this is usually when LSU comes up with a big drive.LSU 31, Ohio State 17 Alright, Ohio State. I'm thinking about the onside kick. You're thinking about the onside kick, The entire stadium is thinking about the onside kick. You've got a little momentum. Let Ryan Pretorius put another boot into the end zone, let LSU start from the 20, and see if you really do have a national championship-level defense.
They kick it away. Trindon Holliday gets to the 29.LSU on its own 30 Now the OSU defense is hopping. Big stick on Flynn by Malcolm Jenkins.
LSU all of a sudden has gone Pat Buchanon. Third and six with the fourth quarter starting. OSU hasn't come up with a key third down stop all night outside of the third and forever. This is it. This is the chance to really make this a fun fourth quarter.Third Quarter: LSU 31, Ohio State 17 Second quarterLSU converts another third and short on the ground. The Tiger offensive line is more physical than the OSU defensive front.
Don't like it ... don't like it ... don't like it ... don't like it ... don't like it ... don't like it ... don't like it ... don't like it ... don't like it ... don't like it ... don't like it ... the offense is moving. You just got a first down. Keep Matt Flynn in.
OSU was all over Ryan Perrilloux as soon as he started to run the option.
You don't call that. OSU got tagged with a questionable (at very, very best) late hit call.
OSU is every bit as fast as LSU, but it can't let the receivers run free. The corners have to get more of a jam.
Terrific call to catch OSU napping. The Buckeyes were on their heels and Flynn quick-pitched with a throw to Richard Dickson for a touchdown. That was way, way, way too easy for LSU.
The scary part for Ohio State is that it got pressure on the drive. Flynn was getting hit a bit and he still made plays.LSU 10, Ohio State 10 If you remember, there was a point in the Florida debacle when the Gators answered the big early OSU punch and then it was like, Uh oh; this could quickly get ugly. The Buckeyes had better score right here, right now. Ohio State at its own 23 What a stiff-arm by Beanie Wells on Chevis Jackson. That was an NFL back beeatch slapping an NFL corner for a huge gain.
The LSU line has been non-existent in the pass rush.
Wrong, Charles Davis, wrong. Blood is not thicker than school when it comes to the really, really big games. Ask the Bowdens.
The OSU line is manhandling the LSU defensive front. That's what sucks about being an offensive lineman. You can block the All-America defensive tackle 19 times in a row, but get beat the 20th time and you get called out.
I want to see the review on that. Interesting dynamics. LSU star safety Craig Steltz was hurt on the play before, OSU sees it, picks on him, and it looked like Brian Robiskie beat Chevis Jackson for a touchdown with Steltz not able to get over, but it was knocked loose. Steltz is still hurt and being attended to allowing Fox to go to a TV timeout that's lasting at least three minutes, and it's giving OSU time to review the play over and over again.
I got into a drunken bar argument over whether or not Serena is hot. I point to the hp ad that just aired and I walk out of the room holding the number one sign in the air like Larry Bird with the final ball still in the air in the 1988 three-point contest.
Um, has anyone bothered to at least attempted to ask a little Mitchell Report-like question when it comes to the Williams sisters?
Ohio State field goal attempt ... blocked.
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| Pete Fiutak thinks LSU must keep Matt Flynn in the game. (Chris Graythen / Getty Images) |
LSU on its own 34 LSU is mixing things up extremely well, but I need a second here ...
There wasn't a replay on it, but it looked to me like LSU TE Keith Zinger never touched the ground on a third and two catch as he rolled over the OSU defender and fumbled. There wasn't a replay, but yeah, his knee touched the ground. Just wanted to check on those two.
Love the DVR.
Yet ANOTHER third and short that LSU converts. The emotion swing has completely and totally gone to LSU's side. It's not like the Tigers are doing anything fancy; they're just blowing the Buckeyes off the ball and getting three yards a crack.
As I've said all week, LSU plays like an old school Big Ten team. Line 'em up, pound it, and keep pounding it.
Another third and five. OSU is getting killed on these plays. A field goal here would mean everything to OSU. But ...
Flynn is fantastic. He gets on the move away from pressure and hits an open Brandon LaFell for a score.
17 unanswered points. LSU 17, Ohio State 10 Ohio State on its own 31 Time to swing things back the other way. If OSU goes on a scoring drive, the crisis will have been temporarily averted. However, outside of one big run and one big pass, the offense hasn't really worked.
And there's Glenn Dorsey. LSU is frothing at the mouth and appears to be a heartbeat away from making a big play happen. The D is jumping around and appears to be in a groove.
As I write that, Chevis Jackson just boosted his draft stock even more. I'm not 100% sold on him at the next level, but he made a fantastic play on a pickoff and return down to the 24. Again, like the Florida game, the OSU receivers aren't even close to getting open.
I fully expect Jackson to go back to the LSU coaches, sit down, look over, and say, "It was Dentyne."LSU on its own 24 I always wonder why football teams don't take timeouts like they do in basketball to slow down a run. LSU is marching with easy and is in a great rhythm. OSU is hitting Flynn, but it has to do something, anything to slow things down.
On the one, you run Hester four straight times and end the game.
The Tigers are getting a little too cute around the goal line. Hester vs. Laurinaitis ... 33 makes the stop, but Hester falls into the end zone.
It's happening again ... LSU 24, Ohio State 10 Ohio State on its own 20With over four minutes to play, OSU has more than enough time to do something. It doesn't have to score, but it has to show it can at least string together a few first downs.
Someone has to work on Boeckman's release. I takes longer for him to get the ball out of his hands on a deep out than it does for Emmitt Smith to get out a sentence.
Third- and-eight and still 3:30 to play. LSU is pinning its ears back. Now it knows the corners have the receivers down cold. It's time to release the hounds.
Nice throw by Boeckman to get the first down. The OSU receivers aren't doing anything deep, but they're getting off the line well.
Yeah, end arounds aren't going to work on a defense with this kind of speed and athleticism.
About my offensive line comment before. Boeckman got ten days to throw, Kirk Barton did a great job on Tyson Jackson, but the receivers were covered, the ball was held on to way, wayyyy to long, and it's a sack and fumble.
1:27 to play. Now is when you're glad to have A.J. Trapasso punting the ball.
Fantastic kick. Should've been down at the one.LSU on its own 20 Under a minute, get out. You're up 24-10 and OSU doesn't have anything left in the bag. Just get to the locker room and don't allow any free points.
Now THAT'S the LSU of early in the year. Second Quarter Score: LSU 24, Ohio State 10 First QuarterThe Buckeyes get the ball first. If only they can get a big kickoff return for a touchdown just like ... oh yeah.Ohio State on its own 22
Uh, OSU. Let's hope you came to the dance with a better blocking scheme than what you showed on the opening play.
Play Two: Glenn Dorsey 1, Alex Boone 0
June Jones, take note of what you do to get the ball out of the hands of your quarterback right away. Todd Boeckman 1-2-fire. First down.
Obviously the Big Ten can't run with the SEC. It's not nearly athletic enough to handle the speed and athleticism of the top end teams. Oh by the way, Beanie Wells ran for a 65-yard touchdown.
Glenn Dorsey 1, Alex Boone 1
LSU LB Ali Highsmith took the absolute wrong path and got blown out of the play.
Game (bleep)ing on.Ohio State 7, LSU 0 How can the ball blow off the kicking tee in the Superdome? (callous, snarky Katrina comment kept to myself)? LSU on its own 20Settle things down, LSU. Just pound with Jacob Hester early on to get your feet wet.
First play, Hester three-yard run.
Early Doucet drops a pass. Is LSU going to start feeling nerves? Remember, it's supposed to win this thing.
Speaking of nerves, C Brett Helms air mails a snap to Matt Flynn. Flynn has to pounce on it deep in his own end.
GREAT punt by Patrick Fisher. That might not be recognized as the game goes on, but he just bailed the Tigers out of a huge jam.Ohio State on its own 41
Boeckman get time, has a wide open Brandon Seine, and it's down to the LSU 15. Obviously it's still ridiculously early, but Miles and his staff are getting the tails handed to them.
Highsmith is guessing way, way wrong so far.
Overreaction alert, overreaction alert. I hear the message boards buzzing as we speak. Is OSU alum Bo Pelini wearing Nebraska underwear under the LSU garb?
Times the distance from Baton Rouge to the Superdome has been mentioned so far (apparently it's 80 miles): 4. Times it's been mentioned in some way that Jim Tressel is more intense than he looks: 4
I got a chance to sit down with Tressel this offseason. As always, he was polite to a fault, and then I started asking him about the Florida game. I thought he was going to punch me in the brain, only it wasn't a steam-coming-out-of-the-ears anger like most coaches would show. It was a creepy, I'm-going-to-wait-until-you-least-expect-it-and-then-I'll-poison-you-in-your-sleep seethe.
OSU sort of screws up, but it also doesn't take any chances in the red zone. There needed to be at least one play in the end zone, but the field goal and a 10-0 start isn't going to be sneezed at.Ohio State 10, LSU 0 LSU has to take the attitude that everything bad has happened so far and it's "just" 10-0. 14-0 would've been a killer. LSU on its own 20
Again, don't panic. Get the O line moving and start pounding on the nasty run OSU run D . Establish a little attitude.
Alright, scrap that. OSU isn't respecting the pass even a little bit. Everyone and Jay Burson is up against the run.
College football isn't that hard. It's all about time. Give a veteran passer three seconds of free time and he'll complete passes. Flynn got time, allowed Early Doucet to run across the field, and it was an easy game of pitch and catch for a first down.
Helms made up for his bad snap with a crushing block on Cameron Heyward to spring Hester for another big first down.
NICE throw from Flynn floating it over Anderson Russell for another first down.
Note to Ohio State: He's No. 9. He's good. You might want to think about covering him.
Nothing kills a great defense's confidence like third down conversions, especially when they come on the ground. LSU is 3-for-3.
LSU is mixing things up, but it's also starting to screw up a bit. This has been a nice march, but it's not going to convert on third downs all night against this group. The O line is playing well; let Flynn throw it a bit.
The guy in the Allstate college football fan ads will always be the guy showing the "O' face.
OSU holds on third down. The secondary does a fantastic job of clamping down on Doucet and no one else was open. Flynn had time, but nothing was there.
Each team will be more than happy with the three at this point.Ohio State 10, LSU 3 Ohio State on its own 27OSU started off with the same play and the same blocking that sprung Wells for the long score, and it almost worked again. Beanie got five and seemed to be one arm tackle away from breaking it.
The right side of the line, Ben Person and Kirk Barton, are killing the Tyson Jackson.
Charles and Thom, I let it go once. The Buckeyes are trying to exorcise their demons, not exercise them.
Flashbacks to the Florida game. Ohio State's receivers aren't remotely close to getting open. Troy Smith was awful last year, but he didn't have anyone to throw to. Boeckman is getting time, but NO ONE is open. Outside of one big busted coverage early, the LSU defensive backs are dominating.
LSU PR Chad Jones never seemed to have it on the punt return. Huge break for the Tigers. LSU on its own 12OSU has gone on two scoring drives, but it hasn't exactly marched. LSU gets a good play on first down. OSU needs a stop here to get its offense in prime field position.
Yaaaayyyyy. This doesn't suck.First Quarter Score: Ohio State 10, LSU 3
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Highlights: BCS Championship
