Originally Published: Jan. 18, 2020 Free Sample C Subscribe Today! Details Inside M Vol. 39, No. 14 “For The Buckeye Fan Who Needs To Know More” Jan. 18, 2020 Y K ANDREW LIND SAME OLD STORY – Ohio State fifth-year senior offensive guard Jonah Jackson walks off the field following Ohio State’s 29-23 loss to Clemson in the College Football Playoff semifinals, moving the Buckeyes to 0-4 all-time against the Tigers. Controversial Calls Go Against Ohio State In College Football Playoff Loss To Clemson a self-admitted mistake by wide receiver Chris game that was easy for the defending national By ANDREW LIND Olave to break off his route led to an intercep- champions to overcome. Buckeye Sports Bulletin Staff Writer tion in the end zone that sent the Tigers to the While Dobbins was an early spark for the national championship game instead. Buckeyes’ offense, adding a 64-yard run at the There’s no doubt fans will debate the con- “I thought our guys left it all on the field,” end of the first quarter to break Eddie George’s troversial calls in Ohio State’s 29-23 College head coach Ryan Day said after the game. “We school single-season rushing record of 1,927 Football Playoff semifinal loss to Clemson for played hard and played bold. But certainly, yards, set in 1995, he also dropped a pair of years to come, much the same way Miami there were a lot of plays in that game that didn’t potential touchdowns. (Fla.) fans still argue about the defensive pass go our way. It’s very hard to swallow right now. The first was a diving attempt that was ini- interference that helped the Buckeyes knock We’re going to have to really take a look at the tially ruled a score but overturned after replay off the top-ranked Hurricanes in the 2003 Fiesta film and figure out what really happened on showed he did not possess the ball all the way Bowl to win the national title. some of those plays, because in a game like this to the ground. The second was on a perfectly But even with cornerback Shaun Wade where the margin for error is so tiny, one play devised screen pass with a clear path to the ejected for targeting, a questionable rough- can alter the game. It didn’t seem like we got end zone. ing-the-kicker penalty that allowed a 99-yard any of those plays.” “That was tough,” Day said. “You score scoring drive and safety Jordan Fuller’s fumble Ohio State was dominant early in the game, touchdowns there, then it’s huge. When you’re Call (614) 486-2202 (614) Call Today To Subscribe To Today return for a touchdown overturned by replay, driving deep into Clemson territory on four of playing against a good defense, things like that Ohio State still had a chance to win the game its first five possessions – including a 68-yard happen. I thought we made some good calls. late. touchdown run by running back J.K. Dobbins We were just a little bit off.” After surrendering the go-ahead touch- – while holding the Tigers scoreless. But the The turning point in the game came on Buckeyes settled for field goals on three of Clemson’s second possession of the second Your Mailing Label Goes Here Goes Label Mailing Your down with 1:49 left in the fourth quarter, the Buckeyes quickly drove down the field under those possessions, turning what could have the direction of quarterback Justin Fields. But been a commanding 28-0 lead into a two-score Continued On Page 8 Originally Published: Jan. 18, 2020 OPINION Buckeyes Fall Just Short Of Greatness ... Again To be a fan of the Ohio State football team Still, the entire game could likely be dis- really recovered. is to bask in a rich history that includes leg- tilled down to just two plays. Officials on the field and in the replay booth Vol. 39, No. 14 endary players and coaches as well as a host of On the final play of the first quarter, had access to the same replay that I watched, Jan. 18, 2020 thrilling victories, nearly 40 Big Ten champion- Dobbins broke loose on a 64-yard burst but and while Wade’s helmet indeed made contact www.BuckeyeSports.com ships and six national titles. was tripped up just short of the goal line by with Lawrence’s helmet, the Clemson quar- To be a fan of the Buckeyes, however, Clemson safety Tanner Muse. The Buckeyes terback contorted his 6-6 frame into almost is also to travel a landscape littered with the then proceeded to squander a first-and-goal a sitting position to absorb the blow. When Buckeye Sports Bulletin (USPS 705- situation at the 8-yard line and had to settle for he did that, Lawrence lowered his head right 690, ISSN 0883-6833.) is published 24 memories of national championship trophies times a year (weekly September through that somehow managed to slip through the a field goal. before impact, making it level with the oncom- November, biweekly mid-March through fingers of talented teams that seemed destined ing Wade, who is five inches shorter than the May and January through early March to wear the crown only to fall short in excruci- Clemson QB. and monthly June through August and December) by: ating fashion. At the very most, it could have been called Eight times now over the storied history EDITOR’S roughing the passer, and I’m not convinced it Columbus Sports Publications of its football program, Ohio State has lost for even rose to that level since no flag was thrown 1350 W. Fifth Ave., Suite 30 NOTEBOOK on the play. Only when the replay officials took P.O. Box 12453 the only time in the final game of the season, Columbus, Ohio 43212 robbing the program of who knows how many Mark Rea a second (and maybe third and fourth) look (614) 486-2202 more national championships for its trophy at the hit was the targeting call levied against [email protected] case. It first happened in 1919, and then history Wade. Periodical class postage paid at repeated itself in 1920, 1969, 1970, 1975, 1979 Then, late in the second quarter, Lawrence If targeting is going to continue to be a Columbus, Ohio, and additional mailing and 2006. broke free on a long run of his own, but he part of college football, then college football is offices. POSTMASTER: Send address chang- Such will be the fate of the 2019 team, a somehow eluded a couple of (supposedly) going to have to have some kind of uniformity es to: Buckeye Sports Bulletin, P.O. Box speedy OSU defenders on his way to a 67-yard in the way it is called. If there is malicious 12453, Columbus, Ohio 43212. Subscription squad that rattled off 13 consecutive victories rates: $99.95/year. before myriad missed opportunities conspired touchdown. intent involved, then by all means level a with a handful of questionable officiating calls One play a near-touchdown; the other a real 15-yard penalty and eject the offending player PUBLISHER to deal the Buckeyes a 29-23 loss to defending touchdown. Dobbins gets tripped up short of from the game. Frank Moskowitz national champion Clemson in the Fiesta Bowl the end zone and Lawrence does not. But when there is no apparent intent – such ASSISTANT PUBLISHER serving as one of the College Football Playoff Those two plays might be an oversimplifica- as with the Wade hit on Lawrence – there Becky Roberts semifinals. tion of what happened in a game that otherwise should be no ejection. And as long as we’re featured 145 other offensive snaps, but not on the subject of making the game safer, why MANAGING EDITOR EMERITUS For a team that scarcely made a misstep Mark Rea throughout the regular season, Ohio State much of one. Clemson converted when it had does Clemson defensive tackle Tyler Davis, suddenly couldn’t get out of its own way a chance, and Ohio State often did not. the guy who twisted Dobbins’ ankle at the PRINT PRODUCT COORDINATOR despite outplaying the Tigers for much of bottom of a pile late in the second quarter, get Andrew Lind the game. Three early trips to the red zone About That Officiating to keep playing but Wade doesn’t? ASSISTANT PUBLISHER EMERITUS resulted in field goals rather than touchdowns, Football officiating – or at least what passes I learned a long time ago never to blame the Karen Wachsman 1944-1999 missed opportunities that came back to bite for football officiating these days – will ultimate- officiating for a loss. Your team ought to play well enough that one or two calls should never PHOTOGRAPHY the Buckeyes and bite them hard. ly cause the demise of the sport. I understand Sonny Brockway Terry Gilliam A second-quarter targeting call (we’ll discuss that those who run the game want to make it make the difference between winning and los- Kevin Dye Josh Winslow that in a moment) created a sudden change safer, but the truth is that football is a violent, ing. The cold, hard fact is that Ohio State made Andrew Lind in the momentum of the game, but even after contact sport, and unless tackling is eliminated too many mistakes to dethrone the defending CONTRIBUTORS that controversial penalty, Ohio State still held altogether, football will never be “safe.” national champions.