Florida loss motivates OSU

• By JOSEPH SCHIEFELBEIN
• Advocate sportswriter
• Published: Jan 3, 2008

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COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State’s 2007 season began with a noon kickoff against Youngstown State on Sept. 1.

Officially, that is.

Emotionally, the Buckeyes could just as well count the debacle against Florida in the BCS title game on Jan. 8, 2007, as the starting point.

Ohio State, ranked No. 1 all season, returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown, but then Florida romped 41-14.

That was the veteran team, with a Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback, with two NFL first-round picks at wide receiver among eight drafted.

“That has really been the driving force for us all season,” said fifth-year senior right tackle Kirk Barton, an All-Big 10 selection.

The Buckeyes began this season seemingly more set for a transitional year than a championship run, having to replace 13 starters and with 12 returning.

Even so, Ohio State went 11-1. The Buckeyes began ranked No. 11 — and were No. 12 after the first week of the season — and now are ranked No. 1 for the second time.

“We had faith in ourselves we could get back,” All-Big 10 junior cornerback Malcolm Jenkins said. “As far-fetched as that sounded last January, it was very real to us.

“Now that we’re back here, it’s the last step to proving everybody wrong and proving to ourselves we are a national-championship-caliber team.”

The Buckeyes are back in the BCS title game, drawing second-ranked LSU (11-2), on Monday in New Orleans.

“We really felt going into the year we had a good group of kids,” coach Jim Tressel said. “We had a lot of work to do, a lot of experience to gain, but we felt good about our talent level.

“We’re proud of what our kids have done. They’ve kind of learned on the job.”