Buckeye Rosters

Recap

Orlando, FL — The first-ever meeting between Ohio State and Tennessee resulted in a 20-14 Vols’ victory and kept the 11-2 Buckeyes from becoming the first team in school history to win 12 games in a season. Playing in a driving rainstorm that reduced the field to a quagmire, OSU jumped off to a 7-0 lead in the first quarter on a two-yard dive by Eddie George. The TD followed a blocked punt by OSU’s Central McClellion that gave the Buckeyes the ball on the Tennessee 23-yard line. OSU was in control most of the first half, but Jay Graham’s 69-yard scoring run with 23 seconds left in the half tied the score and gave UT some much-needed momentum heading into the locker room. The Vols maintained that momentum by taking a 14-7 lead on their first possession of the second half on a 47-yard pass from Peyton Manning to Joey Kent that followed a roughing-the-kicker penalty against the Buckeyes. OSU battled back to tie the score at 14-all on a 32-yard pass from Bobby Hoying to Rickey Dudley with 14:40 to play in the fourth quarter. But Tennessee responded by marching 59 yards in 13 plays on its next possession to take a 17-14 lead on a 29-yard field goal by Jeff Hall, and when Hall added another three pointer with 2:06 to play, the Vols were on top 20-14. OSU mounted one last drive, but a fumble at the Tennessee 38 ended the threat and the Vols ran out the remaining 57 ticks on the clock for their 11th win of the season against just one defeat. Dudley was OSU’s offensive MVP, while defensive end Matt Finkes was the defensive MVP for the second straight year. The Buckeyes played most of the game without cornerback Shawn Springs, who suffered a shoulder injury on Tennessee’s first possession of the game.