Columbus — Jim Tressel has been talking about Ohio State’s 24 seniors all season. Every time the Ohio State coach said the Buckeyes were motivated, it was usually because it was the last time those 24 seniors were getting to do something. Saturday, they’ll play their last home game, and if they beat Michigan and then win their bowl...
View full sizeOhio State defensive end Cameron Heyward is one of 24
seniors on the team who will play his final game at Ohio
Stadium on Saturday, against Michigan.Columbus — Jim Tressel has been talking about Ohio State’s 24 seniors all season. Every time the Ohio State coach said the Buckeyes were motivated, it was usually because it was the last time those 24 seniors were getting to do something.
Saturday, they’ll play their last home game, and if they beat Michigan and then win their bowl game, they’ll end their careers with 44 wins, tied with last year’s seniors for the winningest class in OSU history.
“It’s gone so fast,” said OSU defensive lineman Cameron Heyward, who came back for his senior season when he likely would have been a firstround NFL draft pick as a junior. “You don’t really get a chance to look at what you’ve accomplished.
“The first time I played [in Ohio Stadium] I was definitely nervous. A lot of questions go through your mind. Now, all of those questions are answered. I can leave out on a good note at the Shoe. It’s been an unbelievable experience I’ve had here. You just want to go out on top here and not leave anything behind.”
Some will soak in the emotion of the moment, when each senior is introduced individually and runs out to meet Tressel and their families.
“It’s definitely going to be a bittersweet moment, the last time me and my teammates get to play in the Shoe. It will be a real big moment for me,” senior offensive lineman Bryant Browning said.
Others will try to treat it like any other game.
“A lot of times the coaches talk about playing good for your seniors,” senior cornerback Chimdi Chekwa said, “but to be honest with you, I just want to go out and play and get the next win. After that, I’ll look back on what I’ve done in my career.”
Last year’s Senior Day game was an overtime victory over Iowa that left the Buckeyes storming the field in celebration. Not a bad way to go out. But every other year, when the last home game is the Michigan game, that’s what most seniors hope for.
“Starting when you’re a freshman, you can kind of count off the years and realize that your Senior Day is going to be Michigan,” senior receiver Dane Sanzenbacher said. “You’re going to get to do the tunnel of pride. You’re going to get to do that last walk to the stadium and just everything that goes along with it. There’s going to be a lot of emotion, but its something that I’m pretty excited about.”
To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: dlesmerises@plaind.com, 216-999-4479