| 1998 Ohio State Buckeyes football | |
Sugar Bowl Champions Big Ten Co-Champions | |
|---|---|
Sugar Bowl, W 24–14 vs. Texas A&M | |
| Conference | Big Ten Conference |
| Ranking | |
| Coaches | No. 2 |
| AP | No. 2 |
| 1998 record | 11–1 (7–1 Big Ten) |
| Head coach | John Cooper |
| Offensive coordinator | Mike Jacobs |
| Defensive coordinator | Fred Pagac |
| MVP | Joe Germaine |
| Captain | Joe Germaine |
| Captain | Jerry Rudzinski |
| Captain | Antoine Winfield |
| Home stadium | Ohio Stadium (Capacity: 89,841) |
Seasons | |
| 1998 Big Ten football standings | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Team | W | L | W | L | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| #2/2 Ohio State ठ| 7 | Р| 1 | 11 | Р| 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| #6/5 Wisconsin †§ | 7 | – | 1 | 11 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| #12/12 Michigan § | 7 | – | 1 | 10 | – | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| #24/23 Purdue | 6 | – | 2 | 9 | – | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| #17/15 Penn State* | 0 | – | 3* | 0 | – | 3* | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Michigan State | 4 | – | 4 | 6 | – | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Minnesota | 2 | – | 6 | 5 | – | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Indiana | 2 | – | 6 | 4 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Illinois | 2 | – | 6 | 3 | – | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Iowa | 2 | – | 6 | 3 | – | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Northwestern | 0 | – | 8 | 3 | – | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| † – BCS representative as champion ‡ – BCS at-large representative § – Conference co-champions
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The 1998 Ohio State Buckeyes football team represented the Ohio State University in the college football season of 1998–1999. The team's head football coach was John Cooper. The Buckeyes played their home games in Ohio Stadium. The team finished the season with a win-loss record of 11–1, and a Big Ten Conference record of 7–1. They finished tri-champions in the Big Ten Conference with the Wisconsin Badgers and the Michigan Wolverines and played in one of the premiere Bowl Championship Series bowl games in the 1999 Sugar Bowl.
Led by senior quarterback Joe Germaine, the Buckeyes were the preseason number one throughout the majority of the season. The Buckeyes only loss came late in the season to the Michigan State Spartans. The team blew a late 15 point lead late in the game to fall short 28–24.
Because of the late loss, Ohio State was kept out of the National Championship Game, the 1999 Fiesta Bowl. Their regular season "miss" of not playing fellow tri-champion Wisconsin also cost the Bucks a trip to the 1999 Rose Bowl because Ohio State was the last to play in the Rose Bowl in 1997, Wisconsin last played in 1994.[1]
The Buckeyes beat Texas A&M in the Sugar Bowl to finish second in both polls behind the Tennessee Volunteers after their victory over Florida State in the Fiesta Bowl.[2]
Schedule[]
| Date | Time | Opponent# | Rank# | Site | TV | Result | Attendance | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 5* | 8:00 PM | at #11 West Virginia | #1 | Mountaineer Field • Morgantown, WV | CBS | W 34–17 | 68,409[3] | |
| September 12* | 12:30 PM | Toledo | #1 | Ohio Stadium • Columbus, OH | ESPN | W 49–0 | 93,149[3] | |
| September 19* | 3:30 PM | #21 Missouri | #1 | Ohio Stadium • Columbus, Ohio | ABC | W 35–14 | 93,269[3] | |
| October 3 | 12:00 PM | #7 Penn State | #1 | Ohio Stadium • Columbus, Ohio | ABC | W 28–9 | 93,479[3] | |
| October 10 | 12:00 PM | at Illinois | #1 | Memorial Stadium • Champaign, IL | ESPN | W 41–0 | 46,390[3] | |
| October 17† | 12:00 PM | Minnesota | #1 | Ohio Stadium • Columbus, OH | ESPN | W 45–15 | 93,138[3] | |
| October 24 | 12:00 PM | at Northwestern | #1 | Ryan Field • Evanston, IL | ESPN2 | W 36–10 | 47,130[3] | |
| October 31 | 3:30 PM | at Indiana | #1 | Memorial Stadium • Bloomington, IN | ABC | W 38–7 | 52,049[3] | |
| November 7 | 3:30 PM | Michigan State | #1 | Ohio Stadium • Columbus, OH | ABC | L 24–28 | 93,595[3] | |
| November 14 | 3:30 PM | at Iowa | #7 | Kinnick Stadium • Iowa City, IA | ABC | W 45–14 | 69,473[3] | |
| November 21 | 12:00 PM | #11 Michigan | #7 | Ohio Stadium • Columbus, OH (The Game) | ABC | W 31–16 | 94,339[3] | |
| January 1* | 8:30 PM | vs. #8 Texas A&M | #3 | Louisiana Superdome • New Orleans, LA (Sugar Bowl) | ABC | W 24–14 | 76,503[3] | |
| *Non-Conference Game. †Homecoming. #Rankings from AP Poll. All times are in Eastern Time. | ||||||||
Game notes[]
West Virginia[]
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buckeyes | 10 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 34 |
| Mountaineers | 3 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 17 |
Toledo[]
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rockets | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Buckeyes | 21 | 21 | 7 | 0 | 49 |
Missouri[]
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tigers | 0 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 14 |
| Buckeyes | 7 | 6 | 8 | 14 | 35 |
Penn State[]
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Illinois[]
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buckeyes | 10 | 14 | 0 | 17 | 41 |
| Fighting Illini | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Minnesota[]
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Golden Gophers | 3 | 10 | 0 | 2 | 15 |
| Buckeyes | 14 | 17 | 7 | 7 | 45 |
Northwestern[]
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buckeyes | 17 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 36 |
| Wildcats | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
Indiana[]
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buckeyes | 14 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 38 |
| Hooisers | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
Michigan State[]
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spartans | 3 | 6 | 9 | 10 | 28 |
| Buckeyes | 17 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 24 |
Iowa[]
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buckeyes | 14 | 14 | 7 | 10 | 45 |
| Hawkeyes | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 14 |
Michigan[]
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Ohio State secured a share of its 28th Big Ten title as the fans stormed the field with less than 30 seconds to play. Joe Germaine completed 19-of-24 passes for 330 yards, his seventh career 300-yard game, and his favorite target was David Boston, who finished with 10 receptions for 217 yards, most ever by a Michigan opponent. Boston also broke his own single-season reception mark and moved pass Cris Carter on the school's all-time yardage list.[4]
Texas A&M[]
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aggies | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 14 |
| Buckeyes | 21 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 24 |
Coaching staff[]
- John Cooper - Head Coach - 11th year
- Bill Conley - Recruiting Coordinator (11th year)
- Jim Heacock - Defensive Line (4th year)
- Mike Jacobs - Offensive Coordinator (4th year)
- Fred Pagac - Defensive Coordinator (17th year)
- Tim Salem - (2nd year)
- Shawn Simms - Defensive Ends (2nd year)
- Tim Spencer - Running Backs (5th year)
- Chuck Strobart - Offensive Coordinator (4th year)
- Jon Tenuta - Defensive Backs (3rd year)
1999 NFL draftees[]
| Player | Round | Pick | Position | NFL Club |
| David Boston | 1 | 8 | Wide Receiver | Arizona Cardinals |
| Antoine Winfield | 1 | 23 | Defensive Back | Buffalo Bills |
| Andy Katzenmoyer | 1 | 28 | Linebacker | New England Patriots |
| Joe Montgomery | 2 | 49 | Running Back | New York Giants |
| Joe Germaine | 4 | 101 | Quarterback | St. Louis Rams |
| Damon Moore | 4 | 128 | Defensive Back | Philadelphia Eagles |
| Brent Bartholomew | 6 | 192 | Punter | Miami Dolphins |
| Dee Miller | 6 | 196 | Wide Receiver | Green Bay Packers |
References[]
- ↑ Thomaselli, Rich (1998). "Big Ten". The Sporting News. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1208/is_1998_Nov_16/ai_53256099. Retrieved June 12, 2008.
- ↑ "A Case for No. 1". CNN. January 9, 1999. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/college/1998/bowls/sugar/news/1999/01/01/sugar_bowl/. Retrieved June 12, 2008.
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 Park, Jack (2003). The Official Ohio State Football Encyclopedia. Champaign, IL: Sports Publishing LLC. ISBN 1-58261-695-7.
- ↑ http://www.usatoday.com/sports/scores98/98325/98325493.htm
Dee Miller's Official Lost Lettermen Blog
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