Skip navigation

You can call Buckeyes The Buffalo Bills


< Prev | 1 | 2
Video: Football from NBC Sports
Chargers dropped against Vols player
Nov. 23: The attorney for Tennessee’s Jansen Jackson is pleased the armed robbery charges were dropped.

Special feature
Predictions 101
Get picks to week's key games

NBCSports.com

Slideshow
LSU v Alabama
  College cheer
Check out some of the college football cheerleaders from across the country.

Tressel’s words were similar last season.

Things didn’t go their way. It didn’t make the pain go down easier.

Welcome to the Things-Didn’t-Go-Our-Way-Bowl — The Sequel.

Story continues below ↓
advertisement | your ad here

The Buffalo Bills can look back at those four Super Bowl appearances, maybe point out a play here, a play there. Maybe things would’ve been different.

Ohio State can do the same thing — if its players can stand that kind of torture.

“I’m proud of what our players did in 2007,’’ Tressel said.

Remember this: Ohio State wasn’t supposed to be in the BCS Championship Game. Truth be told, the Buckeyes weren’t even supposed to win the Big Ten. That was Michigan’s preseason distinction — until we learned about that phenomenon known as Appalachian State.

The Buckeyes mowed through their schedule, rebounded from an inexplicable home loss against Illinois, then defeated Michigan for the fourth consecutive time. It looked like a wait until their official call from the Rose Bowl.

Not so fast.

Missouri fell.

So did West Virginia.

Suddenly, the Buckeyes, home watching from the couch, were back in the national-championship game. They were presented with the type of opportunity that rarely comes around once, let alone twice.

That shouldn’t be forgotten.

At least Ohio State made the Big Game. What was West Virginia’s excuse?

Slide show
Image: Ding Jianjun
  Week in Sports Pictures
Pain on the skating rink, flying high on the hardwood, upsets on the football field, and more.

more photos

“People somehow need to remember about the days when Ohio State wasn’t beating Michigan every year,’’ Buckeyes offensive tackle Kirk Barton said before the game. “We’ve done some things around here.’’

Just not enough, not for a program with the pedigree of the Buckeyes.

Ohio State was a very, very good team.

Not a great one.

Sort of like the other program that kept coming close.

You know.

The Buffalo Bills.

Joey Johnston writes regularly for msnbc.com and is a columnist for the Tampa (Fla.) Tribune.


< Prev | 1 | 2

Sponsored links