Ohio State's ninth BCS game in 13 years will be in New Orleans, its sixth straight BCS trip.
View full sizeArkansas' prodigious quarterback, Ryan Mallett, will be a familiar face to Ohio State defenders, as he was a freshman at Michigan in 2007 before transferring to Fayetteville.COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Michigan State sent a video to the Sugar Bowl extolling the virtues of Spartan football, making a case for the school's first BCS bowl trip in the 13-year history of the current college football postseason system.
Ohio State just had to be Ohio State.
That was enough, and on Sunday night, the No. 6 Buckeyes (11-1) were picked to face No. 8 Arkansas (10-2) in the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans on Jan. 4, Ohio State's ninth BCS game in those 13 years and the sixth straight BCS trip. It will be the first meeting between the two schools.
Ohio State coach Jim Tressel, at the suggestion of athletic director Gene Smith and OSU president Gordon Gee, did make a call to the Sugar Bowl bosses during the week.
"I think it was important that they knew we were fired up about the thought of playing in the Sugar Bowl," Tressel said. "Our people are fired up."
The Spartans, who tied with Wisconsin and Ohio State for the Big Ten title and were ranked No. 9 in the final BCS standings, had to do a little more.
Wisconsin went to the Rose Bowl because the Badgers had the highest BCS ranking among the Big Ten co-champs, while Michigan State is headed to the Capital One Bowl to play Alabama.
But the Spartans took their shot at the Sugar. Sugar Bowl CEO Paul Hoolahan called Michigan State's video "an extraordinary effort" and said he found it "compelling."
"We brought it to the executive board of our organization. We really gave it, I think, very careful consideration," Hoolahan said. "It was a difficult decision, but in the final analysis, when we looked at the higher-ranked Ohio State, we did have some background and experience as you well know with Ohio State having been in our championship game and games prior to that. So there was a little more familiarity, and of course that made the decision a little bit easier."
So the Buckeyes are off to the fourth Sugar Bowl in school history. The current seniors were there as freshmen after the 2007 season to play in the BCS National Championship in New Orleans, but that wasn't actually the Sugar Bowl. Arkansas is playing in the first BCS game in school history, though the Razorbacks are led by a face familiar to Ohio State fans.
Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallet is 1 for 3 passing for 8 yards in his brief career against the Buckeyes. He came into the 2007 Ohio State-Michigan game in relief of the ailing Chad Henne. He was a highly-touted freshman then, but he transferred to Arkansas when new coach Rich Rodriguez arrived with a spread offense that didn't fit Mallet's skills.
"He had great size with a lightning-quick release," Tressel said. "His arm strength back when he was a freshman was extraordinary. When he left, I'm not going to lie to you, I was happy. I thought I was through with Ryan Mallet. ... Now here we are getting him at the height of his career."
"I'm sure that will mean something to him," Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino said of Mallet revisiting his Michigan roots.
The Buckeyes also will be confronting their 0-9 bowl record against the SEC, three of the losses coming under Tressel. Arkansas is 0-3 against the Big Ten in bowl games.
"When you hear about matching up with an SEC team, you know you're playing a great team," Tressel said. "It just so happens the record is what it is, but it doesn't have a bearing on this game."
It didn't have a bearing on the Buckeyes getting there. Though Ohio State didn't sell all its tickets for the Fiesta Bowl two years ago, Hoolahan said he expects Ohio State to sell out its ticket allotment of 17,500.
"I think every bowl knows about Ohio State," Tressel said. "Our fans could go to 50 bowls in a row and still be excited about going to a bowl game."
Buckeye leaves: Receiver Dane Sanzenbacher was announced at the team's banquet Sunday as both Ohio State's MVP and the most inspirational senior in a vote by his teammates. Tressel said in 25 years of coaching he never had the same player win both awards, and Sanzenbacher was the clear winner in both. Quarterback Terrelle Pryor was named the outstanding offensive player, while defensive lineman Cameron Heyward was outstanding defensive player.
Other award winners were: Academics: Long snapper Jake McQuaide; Freshman offensive player: WR Corey Brown; Freshman defensive player: Johnathan Hankins; Special teams: K Devin Barclay; Defensive lineman: Dexter Larimore; Linebackers: Brian Rolle and Ross Homan; Defensive backs: Chimdi Chekwa and Jermale Hines; Offensive back: Dan Herron; Offensive lineman: Justin Boren and Bryant Browning; Best player on homecoming: Andrew Sweat; Best player in Michigan game: Jermale Hines; Warrior Award: Brandon Saine and Aaron Gant. ...
Tressel said Pryor is one of the three finalists for the Chicago Tribune's Silver Football, awarded to the Big Ten's best player. The other two finalists are Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson and Purdue defensive end Ryan Kerrigan. ...
The Buckeyes have final exams this week and will start practice again Thursday. The team will practice through Dec. 21, then the players will go home from Dec. 22-25, then practice again in Columbus starting Dec. 26 before flying to New Orleans on Dec. 29.