I always have fond memories of that 2005 OSU team, which lost by an eyelash to National Champion Texas and 11-1 Penn State. They had five first rounders the next year, including AJ Hawk and Santonio Holmes, plus all the guys that returned for 2006 like Troy Smith and Ted Ginn.
I've always felt that the 2005 Ohio State team was better than the 2006 and 2007 versions that played for it all.
Here is one where two teams cost each other:
1973 Michigan and 1973 Ohio State.
The Wolverines that year outscored their opponents 330-68 and the Buckeyes were even better at 413-64.
Heading into The Game the Buckeyes were #1 at 9-0 while the Wolverines were #4 at 10-0. The Game in Ann Arbor produced a 10-10 tie. In the next poll (11/26) the Wolverines held steady at #4 while the Buckeyes fell to #3 behind Bama and Oklahoma.
A week later (12/3) the Irish leap-frogged both the Wolverines and the Buckeyes to move to #3. Then in the bowls:
- #1 Bama lost to #3 Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl, 24-23
- #2 Oklahoma did not play (probation)
- #3 Notre Dame beat #1 Bama in the Sugar Bowl, 24-23
- #4 Ohio State beat #7 USC in the Rose Bowl, 42-21
- #5 Michigan did not play (Big Ten's Rose Bowl only rule was still in effect)
The Trojans finished #8 and that was probably unfair. They finished 9-2-1 but look at the blemishes:
- Tied final #3 Oklahoma 7-7 in SoCal
- Lost to final #1 Notre Dame 23-14 in South Bend
- Lost to final #2 Ohio State 42-21 in SoCal
Their three non-wins were to the teams that finished first, second, and third in the final AP poll. Note also that Ohio State did better against them than either Oklahoma or Notre Dame.
I've said it before, but I believe that either Michigan or Ohio State could have won the NC that year but the two were unfortunate enough to have that good of a year in the same season that their rival had a similarly good year.
