Apologies to those who read this before it went to Blog Heaven.
Ohio State has played two games on 12-29. This article will focus on the 2004 game.
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma State | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
| No. 24 Ohio State | 13 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 33 |
BACKGROUND
The Buckeyes entered this game with a 7-4 record and were coming off of a 37-21 victory over No. 7 That Team in Columbus.
Ohio State had a three game losing streak in 2004. From October 2 through October 16 Ohio State lost to Northwestern (OT), No. 15 Wisconsin and Iowa. The week before playing Our Rival the Buckeyes lost at Purdue.
The highest ranking attained by the Buckeyes was No. 7 before the three games of hell happened.
Oklahoma State Quarterback Donovan Woods led the Cowboys into this game with a 7-4 record. Oklahoma State had just lost to Indiana (29-32) and Penn State (31-34). The Badgers finished 8th in the Big Ten (2-6) and 8-6 overall.
AlamoBowl.com GAME RECAP
“With its second-string quarterback running the show, the Ohio State Buckeyes made winning look easy in the 2004 MasterCard Alamo Bowl beating Oklahoma State 33-7 in front of a sold out crowd of 65,265. Sophomore quarterback Justin Zwick, who replaced suspended Troy Smith, threw for 189 yards and a touchdown in the one-sided matchup.
True freshman wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr. put on an offensive show, catching six passes for 78 yards including a 42-yard pickup on a screen pass from Zwick. Ginn, the Offensive MVP, also rushed for another 51 yards and a touchdown in the victory.
Mike Nugent, the senior kicker who received the Lou Groza award, made his own contribution in the win. Nugent kicked four field goals and became the all-time leading scorer for Ohio State.”
Nugent used the Alamo Bowl to break more Ohio State records. PUNTERS AND KICKERS ARE THE BEST.
OHIO STATE PLAYERS
- Justin Zwick comleted 17/27 passes for 189 yards and a touchdown.
- Lydell Ross ran for 99 yards (8.3 ypc) and a touchdown.
- Ted Ginn Jr. caught a game-high 6 passes for 78 yards (13.0 ypr) and a touchdown. Ginn also took snaps at quarterback in the “Shot-Ginn” formation and ran for 40 yards (5.0 ypc) and a touchdown.
- Mike Nugent set his 20th Ohio State record by making 4 field goals in a bowl game. Nugent also finished the game as Ohio State's all-time leading scorer.
OKLAHOMA STATE PLAYERS
- Donovan Woods completed 15/34 passes for 137 yards and an interception. Woods also led the team with 12 carries and 72 yards rushing (6.0 ypc).
- D'Juan Woods led the Cowboys with 4 receptions for 40 yards (10.0 ypr).
KEY PLAY
From usatoday30.com:
After a 37-yard field goal by Nugent, the Cowboys were driving when Woods lost his grip on the ball near midfield while trying to run up the middle. Defensive lineman Joel Penton recovered and Nugent capped the drive with a 35-yard field goal to give Ohio State a 13-0 lead with nearly six minutes remaining in the first quarter.
``We were slugging along _ it wasn't like we were moving the ball,'' Cowboys coach Les Miles said of his team's early performance. ``And when you give away the ball on a short field, it becomes 13-0.''
THE REST OF THE STORY
Jim Tressel would win three more bowl games (2005 Fiesta Bowl, 2010 Rose Bowl and 2011 Sugar Bowl. After the Alamo Bowl Tressel went 66-11 (.857) in his last six seasons at Ohio State.
Jim Tressel would win three more bowl games (2005 Fiesta Bowl, 2010 Rose Bowl and 2011 Sugar Bowl. After the Alamo Bowl Tressel went 66-11 (.857) in his last six seasons at Ohio State.
Troy Smith grew as a player and person after the Alamo Bowl suspension. Smith would lead Ohio State to an undefeated regular season record and win Heisman Trophy his senior season. Troy Smith also finished his Ohio State career with a 4-0 record against That Team.
Donovan Woods would finish his Oklahoma State career as a linebacker. He played in the NFL from 2008-2010 as a linebacker and won a Super Bowl with the Steelers in 2008.
The 2004 Alamo Bowl Les Miles' last game as Oklahoma State's head coach. Miles left the Cowboys for LSU replacing Nick Saban as head coach. Miles got another shot at Ohio State in the 2008 BCS Championship Game and defeated the Buckeyes 38-24.
| Year | Location | Score | Ohio State's Rank | Opponent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | Gator Bowl | 15-17 | No. 20 | No. 6 Clemson |
| 2004 | Alamo Bowl | 33-7 | No. 24 | Oklahoma State |
| Record | 1-1 (.500) | 48-24 | Average Score 24-12 |
| Opponent | Location | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati | H | 27-6 |
| Marshall | H | 24-21 |
| N.C. State | A | 22-14 |
| Northwestern | A | 27-33 (OT) |
| Iowa | A | 7-33 |
| Indiana | H | 30-7 |
| Penn State | H | 21-10 |
| Michigan State | A | 32-19 |
| Purdue | A | 17-24 |
| No. 7 That Team | H | 37-21 |
| Oklahoma State | Alamo Bowl | 33-7 |
| Totals | 8-4 | 267-219 (22-18) |
Sources
alamobowl.com
Ohio State Media Guide
usatoday30.com
Wikipedia Dovovan Woods
Wikipedia Les Miles
