Making it count

Clarett helps strip Miami of another national title

Maurice Clarett gained only 47 yards on the day, but his 5-yard score in double overtime won the game. AP

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) -- Miami could only hold down Maurice Clarett for so long.

The freshman knifed his way through the Hurricanes' defense for a 5-yard touchdown run in the second overtime Friday night to give Ohio State a 31-24 victory in the Fiesta Bowl and the Buckeyes' first national championship in 34 years.

Up until that run, Clarett's biggest play might have come without the ball, when he ripped the ball out of Sean Taylor's hands to wipe out a Miami interception.

"That was a huge play. A huge, huge play," said Archie Griffin, Ohio State's two-time Heisman Trophy winner. "That's the type of player he is. He's been doing that all year."

Clarett was the most prominent figure all week for his public feud with university officials over the reasons why they refused to allow him to go home to attend a friend's funeral.

CNNSI.com's Stewart Mandel The fact that Ohio State won may have been surprising, but the way they pulled off another close call certainly wasn't. As the disappointed Hurricanes found out, it was the exact same way the Buckeyes have been doing it all year. FULL STORY Closer Look The pass fell incomplete. The 'Canes stormed the field in celebration. But a few seconds later, a flag fell on the floor as well. It was a pass interference call that kept Ohio State alive and will be talked about for years to come. FULL STORY Up in Smoke There would be no wide lefts to save Miami this time. For the first time in 34 games, the Hurricanes were besieged with bad luck in a stunning loss. FULL STORY Tough Enough All of the pregame talk centered on Ken Dorsey, but it was Craig Krenzel who lifted his team to victory with an array of clutch scrambles and key passes. FULL STORY Multimedia Photo Gallery: Fiesta Bowl Tressel: A 'fitting' title game Talent not enough for 'Canes Clarke: A truly testing finale Most Outstanding Players Ohio State Miami Craig Krenzel The junior signal-caller led the Buckeyes with 84 yards rushing, scoring on 1- and 7-yard runs. Kellen Winslow The stud tight end was unstoppable, catching 11 passes for 122 yards and a huge touchdown in overtime. More Stories SI Flashback: Fiesta Bowl Game draws record TV ratings McGahee needs knee surgery Ohio St. looks to repeat 'Canes take Fiesta loss hard Buckeyes top final AP poll Krenzel's crazy runs carry OSU Dorsey struggles in last start Clarett's strip stuns 'Canes Notebook: Flier fires up OSU Columbus hopes to avoid riots Complete Bowl Coverage

There were questions about how focused he would be in a sea of controversy, but the 19-year-old Clarett stepped up when his team needed him most.

With the focus of the Miami defense and many of the fans on the talented tailback, Clarett couldn't generate much on the ground all day.

He encountered defenders in the backfield on many of his runs and wasn't able to break a long run like he did most of the year. He ended up with only 47 yards on 23 carries, but scored two touchdowns.

"He didn't get a lot of yards, but he got what we needed," Griffin said. "When he sees the goal line, he finds a way to get into the end zone."

That's just what he did on the game-winning score. He took a handoff from Craig Krenzel, froze Maurice Sikes with a wicked cutback and stumbled his way into the end zone for the go-ahead score.

"He's an outstanding competitor," Krenzel said. "He's been doing that all year. He does whatever it takes."

After Ohio State's defense made a valiant goal-line stand, Clarett and his teammates ran onto the field in celebration.

Clarett's only contribution in the first half came on a 7-yard scamper that gave the Buckeyes a 14-7 lead with 1:10 to play. He raised the ball to the red-clad crowd full of Buckeyes' fans as he hopped his way to the Ohio State sideline.

Clarett broke free for a few runs in the second half, but it was his tackling that proved almost as important.

With the Buckeyes leading 14-7 and driving for another score, Krenzel was intercepted in the end zone by Taylor.

As Taylor ran up the sideline, Clarett sprinted toward him and wrestled the ball away for a turnover.

"Coach [Tim Spencer] is always talking about once someone else has the ball, you've got to turn into a defender," Clarett said.

Four plays later, Mike Nugent kicked a 44-yard field goal to make it 17-7.

"That was an outstanding play," Krenzel said. "I was trying to make the tackle and I got blocked so I didn't see what happened. He showed what kind of player he was. That gave us a crucial three points."

Again, Clarett held the ball aloft to the screaming Buckeyes fans. It was one of five turnovers caused by swarming Buckeyes, but this one might have been the most surprising.

One of the top recruits in the country a year ago, Clarett wanted to make an immediate impact at Ohio State. He finished high school a semester early, coming to Columbus to get a head start on his college career.

He participated in spring practice and quickly won the starting job in August.

Clarett makes the Buckeyes go -- he ran for 1,190 yards and 14 touchdowns.

But he also caused quite a bit of controversy -- stomping on the sideline when he was unhappy with play calls, contemplating leaving school after one year for the NFL and this week when he said school officials lied about why he couldn't go home for his lifelong friend Juan Bell's funeral.

 

Related information

Stories

Fiesta Bowl: Ohio State shocks Miami in double OT McGahee injures left knee in fourth quarter Krenzel carries Buckeyes with feet, arm

Multimedia

Visit Video Plus for the latest audio and video