TWTW Bowling: tOSU Breaks SEC Losing Streak In Sugar Bowl

The HQ placed a phone call to New Orleans early in the first quarter as the Buckeyes took a 7-nothing lead against the Arkansas Razorbacks in the Sugar Bowl.

We knew Brother Martin was in attendance ((pictured with HIS brother Mon-tee, thanks to Marty his own self)) and he actually got to see a good one. A game that tOSU seemed to win despite itself- and Ryan Mallett's poor fundamentals driving for the winning score in a 31-26 loss to Ohio State.

Solomon Thomas dropped into coverage and picked Mallett with under a minute remaining to seal the win.

At times, the Buckeyes had to play defense with freshmen out on the field since their depth was tested with injuries- both temporary and permanent...

Like Chimdi Chekwa's broken wrist...
((HT: ESPN/Youtube))


And here's coverage from New Orleans, thanks to our friends at KTHV in Little Rock...


Going into the game, Ohio State had lost its last nine games against the SEC dating back to the Sugar Bowl loss against Alabama in the year 1728...

You know...??? There was a Hall of Fame bowl loss to Auburn in there, too...???

It was a big game for the "Tattoo 5..."

Four of those Buckeyes made huge plays during the contest. DeVier Posey caught a touchdown pass and Dan Herron ran for a score as Ohio State built a 31-13 lead. Arkansas (now 10-3) raced back and had a chance for the win after a blocked punt turned over the ball at the Buckeyes 18 with 1:09 remaining.

The Mallett pick was the next play...

And we figured we'd only post one other photo of Marty spelling "O-H-I-O..." You know, all he really needed to do was one "O" and just copy the work from the first time... congratulations to the Vest and to the Flying Dzurenko Brothers...

Tressel: Suspended Juniors will be back next year

Jim Tressel//Courtesy: midwestsportsfans.com

Yeah, right. Ohio State coach Jim Tressel said today at the Sugar Bowl coaches press conference that all five juniors who were suspended for the 1st five games of next season will be back.

According to Tressel, it was a condition of them getting to play in the Sugar Bowl game against Arkansas. He says each player pledged that they will not leave and turn pro. He also said "It wouldn't be fair if someone was able to participate" and then leave. Yeah. Sure.

Read more from Dispatch.com's Buckeye Extra RIGHT HERE

While this gesture would be applauded if it actually happens, we are (surprise) taking the cynical view here. We don't doubt that what coach Sweater Vest says isn't true. They probably did tell him that. But, what we question is that if faced with the possibility of losing NFL money and potentially draft position by staying in school for a 6 or 7 game season, the answer will always follow the money. We aren't saying they all will renege on the pledge, but they all won't honor it either.

We have found the outcry over what happened with these players somewhat laughable. From Sugar Bowl director Paul Hoolahan saying that "We asked Ohio State to allow these guys to play" to the NCAA coming out and saying "We don't play favorites, it's been interesting to watch unfold.

We aren't saying that anyone played favorites with Ohio State or that anyone played favorites. As for Hoolihan, we don't doubt him saying what he did, sober or not. It comes off sounding incredibly self-serving on his and the Sugar Bowls part, but that shouldn't surprise anyone.

We'll be very interested in following this story as it continues.

Here's video of Tressel and his Buckeye's arriving in New Orleans. Thanks WBNS-TV:

BREAKING: Terrelle Pryor Just Screwed His Heisman Trophy Chances For 2011

If Terrelle Pryor wants to win the Heisman Trophy next year, then his last seven games better be off the charts. That's all Pryor gets to play next season.

The heavy hand of the NCAA come down on Pryor and four other Ohio State football players, Mike Adams, Dan Herron, DeVier Posey,and Solomon Thomas for their involvement in trading signed memorabilia for tattoos from the owner of a Columbus, Ohio tattoo parlor.

For violating the NCAA’s preferential treatment bylaws Pryor, Adams, Herron Posey and Thomas must sit out the first five games of the 2011 season. They also must repay money and benefits ranging in value from $1,000 to $2,500. The repayments must be made to a charity.

Another Buckeye, Jordan Whiting, received a slap on the wrist. Whiting must sit out the first game next year and pay $150 to a charity.

All six of those Buckeye players will be eligible to play in the Sugar Bowl against Arkansas.

Terrelle Pryor tweeted yesterday, "I paid for my tattoos. GoBucks."

Here's more from WCMH-TV, Columbus,Ohio



Photo Courtesy: AP

TWTW: Bearcats Season Ends With Resounding Thud In New Orleans

((HT: WCPO-TV Cincinnati))

Brother Phil gets to see things from the Northern Bureau these days, so he gets the perspective on how teams are screwed in the BCS standings and should regularly get the chance to prove their worth against the beeg boys...

The Brian Kelly-less UC Bearcats got their chance in the Sugar Bowl against the University of Florida and Corch Urban Meyers...

Go Gator...

But the HQ hates to break it to the Big East Conference on a few different fronts:

1) The Mountain West should get your slot as an automatic qualifier...
2) Losing Kelly did more for your psyche than you'll ever care to admit...
3) Yes, you have some good players on your roster. That we'll allow... But Florida has more good players on your roster than you have as a roster.

The end result was that the Sugar Bowl was over when Pedro Cerrano flipped the coin at the beginning. We think that the Tebow's quarterback rating was 472.

WCPO-TV's Scott Kyser got to break the news on this one...


The HQ also thinks that incoming recruit RB Mack Brown ((Atlanta-ML King)) is, probably, right in his assessment as to when Corch Meyers is coming back. Meyers told Brown he'd be back in August, so Corch Meyers will be back in August.

The one event that would have made the whole night complete was if Cerrano addressed Tim Tebow like he recognized his presence once before ((at the 59 second mark)).

Because, as we all know, spending 15 minutes with Tim Tebow will make you a better person and make your life a better life...
((HT: Paramount Pictures))

Insufficient Evidence Ends Hawai'i FB Probe

((HT: CBSSports))

A review of expenses rung up by the University of Hawaii when the Warriors traveled to New Orleans to play in the 2008 Sugar Bowl has ended with officials saying there is insufficient evidence the school violated the state's ethics code.

Daniel Mollway, executive director of the state Ethics Commission, had said the panel wanted to determine if people with no official function traveled at the state's expense to watch the Warriors play Georgia.

"The commission concluded that the Sugar Bowl presented unique circumstances for the University of Hawaii, and that organizing the trip to New Orleans for a large contingency from Hawaii under extreme time constraints was a significant undertaking for the university," the commission said in a letter to Chancellor Virginia S. Hinshaw.

"Because the invitation to the Sugar Bowl was a 'first' for the university, the university did not have a written policy in place that applied specifically to a postseason football event of this magnitude, which required travel to the mainland for a great number of individuals.

"The commission found no evidence of bad faith on the part of the University of Hawaii in terms of the decisions that were made by the university concerning travel to the Sugar Bowl," the panel said.

The commission decided to require the university to create a formal policy concerning participation in future postseason events.

The cost of sending 550 people has been estimated as high as $2 million. The university initially refused to identify 75 of them.

Bowl Lineup In Tact Through 2013

The Fiesta, Orange, Rose and Sugar bowls extended their agreements with the Bowl Championship Series, deals that will keep the national championship game at the sites of those games through the 2013 college football season.

The BCS was not expected to change its bowl partners, so the new four-year deals come as no surprise.

The current contracts with those four games run out after the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif., hosts the BCS national championship game in 2010.

The new deal starts with the January 2011 bowl games, and the championship game rotation will start in Glendale, Arizona, with the Fiesta Bowl hosting two games about a week apart.

New Orleans will host the Sugar Bowl and BCS national championship game in 2012. Miami will be the site of the 2013 title game, a week after the Orange Bowl. The championship game returns to the Rose Bowl in 2014.

The deals between the BCS and its bowl partners run concurrent to its TV deal.

The BCS is in its final season of a four-year deal with Fox. Its new four-year deal with ESPN, worth $125 million per year, begins with the 2011 bowl games.

It's Ute-opia In Utah. Utes Roll Over The Tide In Sugar Bowl

Let's see, the Alabama Crimson Tide race out to 12 straight wins and top the college football polls. Then the Tide run out gas losing to Florida in the SEC Championship Game and a month later, are stunned by the Utah Utes 31-17 in the Sugar Bowl.

"We didn't finish the season like we wanted, and I'm sorry for that for them." Alabama head coach Nick Saban said. "I think they deserved better. We wanted better for them. And we failed them in not being able to help them get where they needed to get so they could have a chance to be successful in this game. That's to take nothing away from Utah. They played great. Their quarterback was great. We didn't match up with them very well in the secondary, didn't get him covered like we needed to, didn't get enough pressure, got off to a horrible start and just didn't overcome it very well."

For Utah, this is their biggest win ever. Head coach Kyle Whittingham said on the podium to Fox Sports' Chris Myers that he was voting the Utes #1 in the polls. Will the other polls follow remains to be seen but the Utes have staked a claim going 13 - 0 and the only undefeated team in the FBS. Just to enhance Utah's 2008 resume, they have wins over the Big 10 (Michigan), the Pac 10 (Oregon State) and now the SEC (Alabama), all BCS schools.

You can check out Fox 13 coverage out of Salt Lake City right here.

KSL-TV's coverage of Utah's Sugar Bowl win can be viewed by clicking right here.

Photo Courtesy: AP