OSU 0-8 vs SEC: A bit of Balance and perspective please?

by Rob
(Columbus)

It absolutely amazes me how people will toss out stats like that to support a view they have without a close examination of said "facts."

Yes Ohio State is 0-8 vs the SEC in bowl games.

In 1977 a 9-2 OSU team faced a 10-1 Alabama team who's only loss was AT Nebraska 24-31. This was probably the best match up of the 8 games OSU has played in bowls. The buckeyes got blown out 35-6

1989 A 8-3 OSU took on Auburn a 9-2 auburn team who had just beaten both Georgia and Alabma... 31-14 was the lop sided result of this match up.

1992 8-2-1 OSU took on 9-2 Georgia team who's 3 point loss to Tennessee and 2 point loss to Florida kept them from the SEC championship. In the Citrus bowl the buckeyes late turn over kept them from tying the game late in the fourth losing this one 21-14

1994 a 9-3 OSU took on 11-1 Alabama again in the Citrus bowl. Alabama's 1 point loss to Florida prevented Alabama from playing for a national championship. Dispite being over matched agaisnt Alabama OSU made a game of it coming up short in a 24-17 loss.

1996 11-1 Ohio State vs 10-1 Tennessee This was a game in which Tennessee was guilty of cheating by using illegal cleats. Payton Manning played well enough to win this game. Bobby Hoying of Ohio State was driving the buckeye offense for a late, late 4th quarter drive for what would have been the game winner before throwing an ill advised interception. Tennessee would run out the clock escaping with a 20-14 win.

2000 8-3 Ohio State vs 8-3 South Carolina. John Cooper was immediately fired after this game. OSU was an embarassment to its fans and university not for losing this game but for how the team behaved both during the bowl trip and the bowl game itself. 24-7 blow out loss.

2001 7-4 Ohio State vs 8-3 South Carolina. South Carolina jumped out to a 28-0 half time lead before Steve Bellisari led Ohio State on a blitz of scoring in the second half tying the game 28-28 before tossing a late 4th quarter intercption. South Carolina couldnt move the ball kicked a 40+ yard FG as time expired to win 31-28

2007 12-0 OSU vs 12-1 Florida. Flordia hammered Ohio State 41-14 in the title game. Of note, 7 of 9 BCS championships have been won by the under dog in the title game.

Those are the facts behind the 0-8 Number that people are spouting. 2007 is the only match up where OSU was a clear favorite to win the bowl game. Half of the games went right down to the wire.

I see no more significance in the 0-8 record as it pertains than you as an SEC fan would see in an 0-1-1 that LSU has when facing Ohio State.