Buckeyes, Big Ten outplayed again

GLENDALE, Ariz. - A year ago, Ohio State's football team got off its buses, walked through a hallway deep underneath the Louisiana Superdome on its way to the locker room before the BCS national championship game, staring straight ahead without a trace of emotion on a single face, from coach Jim Tressel on down to the 105th player on the roster.

It was as solemn as a graduation procession. But instead of graduating, the Buckeyes were schooled 38-24 by LSU and sent back for remedial work after losing a one-sided BCS title game for the second straight year.

Losing to LSU after being flattened 41-14 by Florida two years ago left Ohio State and the Big Ten with a reputation of not being able to compete in the big games.

The big question going into Monday night's Fiesta Bowl game against Texas was if the Buckeyes could do something to silence their doubters and critics and restore their reputation.

Unfortunately for the Buckeyes, they couldn't find the sweet sound of silence in their 24-21 loss to Texas.

While the outcome was similar to the last two bowls, the way the Buckeyes played probably did not produce the stunning, deep depression of the LSU and Florida losses in its huge fan base.

Part of that might be that a certain immunity has been built up after the last two years.

But, also, OSU came within three points of a team many thought should be playing for the national championship. And the massive breakdowns on the offensive line, in the secondary and nearly everywhere of the last two bowls were not present this year.

Still, it wasn't enough. Ohio State stepped onto the big stage and didn't deliver again.

The Buckeyes will face another winter of questions, quips and derision from some around the country.

And it's not just Ohio State. The reputation of the Big Ten has taken some super-sized hits in bowl games the last few years.

The Big Ten was 1-6 in bowls this season, with only Iowa's Outback Bowl win preventing a shutout.

Southern California's 38-24 win over Penn State in the Rose Bowl, which wasn't as close as the score indicates, dropped the Big Ten to 0-6 in that bowl since 2001. And Big Ten teams have been outscored 219-121 in those half-dozen Rose Bowls.

The Big Ten has lost its last six BCS games by a lopsided combined score and has won only 4 of 15 BCS games this decade. Utah, with a Fiesta Bowl victory and this year's Sugar Bowl victory, has won as many BCS games as the 11 Big Ten schools combined since 2004.

Overall, the Big Ten is 24-38 in bowl games since 2001.

Ohio State's season began with huge hopes and talk of a national championship. But it lost to the three best teams it played and finished the season with a loss for the third straight year.

Clearly, if Ohio State is going to compete with the best teams in college football, it needs to get better. And so does the rest of the Big Ten.

The numbers don't lie. And the numbers on the scoreboard weren't good for Ohio State and the Big Ten again.

It was a good effort. At times a stirring effort. It was a gutty effort. But it wasn't quite enough.