2003 Fiesta Bowl Article Index for
2003
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2003
 

Information About

2003 Fiesta Bowl





THE SET-UP

After taking a 7-0 lead on a Ken Dorsey strike to Roscoe Parrish , it appeared that Miami was on its way to an easy win as the Buckeyes didn't get a first down until late in the first quarter. The Buckeyes finally got moving midway through the second quarter. After OSU quarterback Craig Krenzel was stuffed on third down on the goal line, head coach Jim Tressel had his first really big decision of the game. He went for it and Krenzel was barely able to get in to tie it at seven. The Buckeyes kept the Canes on their heels in the second half, but after a 57-yard pass play to Chris Gamble , disaster almost struck.

Miami's Sean Taylor made a big play preventing an Ohio State touchdown with an interception, but OSU RB Maurice Clarett was able to catch up and rip the ball away from behind to give the Buckeyes the ball back leading to a 44-yard Mike Nugent field goal for a 17-7 lead. Miami star RB Willis McGahee was getting warmed up blowing past the tiring Buckeye front seven, but just as it looked like he'd take the game over, he suffered a blown out knee and was lost for the game.

Miami couldn't seem to catch a break as Todd Sievers just missed a 54-yard field goal that would've tied things. However, Ohio State's offense couldn't find a way to run out the clock giving Dorsey had one last drive for a national title set up by a long punt return by Roscoe Parrish. Dorsey got his Canes into position and Sievers came through putting the game into overtime with a 40-yard field goal.


THE ENDING


The Canes scored on a seven-yard touchdown pass to TE Kellen Winslow on their first overtime possession. Miami appeared to have the national championship won when Glenn Sharpe broke up a Krenzel pass in the end zone on fourth down, but he was nailed with a controversial pass interference call to keep the game alive. Krenzel punched it in for a one-yard TD run to force a second overtime. Maurice Clarett scored on a five-yard touchdown run on OSU's possession in the second overtime for a 31-24 lead. On Miami's turn, Dorsey got his bell rung and had to come out on the biggest drive of the year.

After a few time outs to try and clear the star quarterback's head, Dorsey was able to come back in and completed a perfect fourth down pass to Winslow to keep the season alive. With first and goal on the six, the Buckeyes got nailed with a pass interference call on Chris Gamble to give the Canes first and goal from the one. Jarrett Payton was stopped. Second and goal. Dorsey couldn't connect with a wide-open Eric Winston . Third and goal. Stopped. Fourth and the national title from the one. Ohio State got pressure on Dorsey forcing a prayer that went nowhere, and the Buckeyes had the national title.


NOTES

  • Miami's 34 game winning streak was the 6th longest in College Football History.

  • As of 2006, Ohio State has won 3 of the last 4 Fiesta Bowls

  • The 2 teams have combined for 12 National Championships(Ohio State 7, Miami 5)

  • This was the first Fiesta Bowl to go to Double Overtime

  • No team has held the number 1 ranking longer than the Miami Hurricanes. They were ranked number 1 prior to their loss to Ohio State.



STATISTICS

OSU MIAMI
  • FIRST DOWNS................... 14 19

  • RUSHES-YARDS (NET)............ 52-145 33-65

  • PASSING YDS (NET)............. 122 304

  • Passes Att-Comp-Int........... 21-7-2 44-29-2

  • TOTAL OFFENSE PLAYS-YARDS..... 73-267 77-369

  • Fumble Returns-Yards.......... 0-0 0-0

  • Punt Returns-Yards............ 1-1 2-56

  • Kickoff Returns-Yards......... 1-15 1-39

  • Interception Returns-Yards.... 2-47 2-28

  • Punts (Number-Avg)............ 6-47.7 4-43.2

  • Fumbles-Lost.................. 0-0 3-3

  • Penalties-Yards............... 9-49 6-30

  • Possession Time............... 46:27 28:33

  • Third-Down Conversions........ 6 of 18 6 of 18

  • Fourth-Down Conversions....... 2 of 3 1 of 2

  • Red-Zone Scores-Chances....... 2-4 2-2

  • Sacks By: Number-Yards........ 4-18 1-4



Information

  • Stadium-Sun Devil Stadium

  • Attendance-77,502

  • Kickoff time-6:21

  • End of game-10:17

  • Total elapsed time-3:56

  • Referee-Randy Christal

  • Umpire-Steve Storie

  • Linesman-Don Kapral

  • Line Judge-Derick Bowers

  • Back Judge-John Robinson

  • Field Judge-Terry Porter

  • Side Judge-Brad van Vark

  • Temperature-70



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