This team seems to get overshadow by other talented teams such as the 1996, 1998, or 2005 buckeye squads. But this team was LOADED! With Eddie George, Terry Glenn, Shawn Springs, Mike Vravel, Ricky Dudley, and Orlando Pace, to name a few. I believe they had the toughest schedule in the country and dominated everyone in their way. But all we remember is how Tim Biakabutuka and Michigan coming away with a major upset. I don't even count the Tennessee game in the Citrus Bowl because you can tell Ohio State didn't even want to be there. I'm not saying this is the best buckeye team in recent history, but I think they were the most exciting!

That team was basically the same team as the 96 minus Horying and George and Glenn

You got a point there.

and the reason we lost to Michigan is because Coop tried to treat it like any other game.

darbypitcher22 wrote: and the reason we lost to Michigan is because Coop tried to treat it like any other game.

I was just watching the game on ESPN classic. At halftime, Cooper told the sideline reporter that "Biakabutuka is good, but he isn't that good". LOL way to show class. Timmy had the last laugh though.

1995, 1996 and 1998. AHHHH, how did we not get at least one national title out of those teams? There is no doubt in my mind that '96 and '98 both had the potential and should have been national champs.

1996 had UM at home and was up 9-0 at the half and lost. Would be the only loss of the year and had they won that game, they ended up winning the Rose Bowl and would have been the national champions being the only unbeaten team left in the country.

1998 was #1 and inexcusably lost to MSU at home while being up comfortably at the half. No doubt they would have been the 1st BCS crowned Champions.

Goes to show what kind of in-game coach Cooper was. He could recruit with the best of them, but couldn't call the x's and o's.

Both clubs should have been, undoubtedly. Played a shitty 2nd half against MSU in '98 where we somehow had nobody to cover Plaxico Burress like we did in the first half, and in '96 Shawn Springs slips or we have that one in the bag

I was just watching the game on ESPN classic. At halftime, Cooper told the sideline reporter that "Biakabutuka is good, but he isn't that good". LOL way to show class. Timmy had the last laugh though.

Wasn't classy at all but was probably true. Obviously Biakabutuka probably shouldn't have run for 313 yds against OSU. They had a great team, but Cooper refused to adjust. Biakabutuka should be giving Lloyd Carr residual checks from his days in the NFL. Carr single handedly got him in a position to be drafted where he was

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JebemqUKRwA

Terry Glenn certainly didn't help with his comments before the game

"We should keep Michigan down here where they belong, just like the rest of them teams, and go up there and kick their butts like we did everyone else"

I haven't heard a single word of smack talk from one of Tress's teams since he came to campus...

darbypitcher22 wrote: I haven't heard a single word of smack talk from one of Tress's teams since he came to campus...

Ray Small before the USC game

OSU had a great team in 1995, but they also had great teams in 1996 and 1998....I think that 98 team was better than the 95 team. jmo

If you take the 1995 offense and 1996 defense, I think you've got the best OSU team of all time

Having sat in the stands and watched all three teams, the 1998 team was BY FAR the best of the lot. That game against MSU (the one that never happened ) was one of those freakish things that snowballed because John Cooper was the WORST sideline coach of a major college team in America back then.

The man simply CHOKED when things got tight. He had no sense when it came to adjustments, and apparently didn't hire assistants who were much better.

In the 1996 UM game, about 100,000 of us sat in the stadium stunned while OSU continued to run the ball into an 8 man front, and rarely tried to pass it on early downs. After that loss, Andy Geiger was quoted as saying he was unhappy because he felt OSU had not attempted to use all its weapons -- a stunningly critical remark from an AG, but one that was quite accurate.

AG didn't call people out very often, but he did that night.

I agree, 1998 team was the best. That defense was lights aginst the run. Mich. St came out in the 2nd half and threw to Plexico who was being gaurd by Antoine Winfeld every 3rd to keep the drive alive and the Buckeye O off the feild. It was Halloween. i remember it like it was yesterday, Winfeld didnt have the size to cover Plex or the other tall receiver Mich. St. had that year.

I often wonder how that team would have done vs. Tenn(SEC) in the national championship vs Peyton.

Pescara71 wrote: I agree, 1998 team was the best. That defense was lights aginst the run. Mich. St came out in the 2nd half and threw to Plexico who was being gaurd by Antoine Winfeld every 3rd to keep the drive alive and the Buckeye O off the feild. It was Halloween. i remember it like it was yesterday, Winfeld didnt have the size to cover Plex or the other tall receiver Mich. St. had that year.

I often wonder how that team would have done vs. Tenn(SEC) in the national championship vs Peyton.

Peyton graduated the year before. Tee Martin was the QB.

^^^ooops
I remember that game, I swore Peyton was on that Tennessse team, it sucks gettin old.

John Cooper could recruit like hell, but coached like pooh.

Mr. 300 wrote: John Cooper could recruit like hell, but coached like pooh.

Just like Charlie Weis. Ok, maybe not as bad as Charlie Weis.

dwccrew wrote: 1995, 1996 and 1998. AHHHH, how did we not get at least one national title out of those teams? There is no doubt in my mind that '96 and '98 both had the potential and should have been national champs.

1996 had UM at home and was up 9-0 at the half and lost. Would be the only loss of the year and had they won that game, they ended up winning the Rose Bowl and would have been the national champions being the only unbeaten team left in the country.

OSU absolutely dominated the first half...but settled for 3 field goals. Michigan scored on their first possession in the third...on a five yard slant that went 70 yards to the house. Sean Springs slipped on the play.

After that, Coop's butt hole puckered up...and we played more conservative than Tressel does in a snowstorm.

98 was #1 and inexcusably lost to MSU at home while being up comfortably at the half. No doubt they would have been the 1st BCS crowned Champions.

That was the only bad half Germaine played the whole year. That team was the best we've had since 1968, IMO. (A close second would be 2006).

Goes to show what kind of in-game coach Cooper was. He could recruit with the best of them, but couldn't call the x's and o's.

Yes indeed. Coop put a great product on the field...much better than Earl Bruce. But he could hardly ever win a big game.

Still three of the top teams in OSU history. You've got to have them up there within the Top 25 teams in school history of all time

darbypitcher22 wrote:...and in '96 Shawn Springs slips or we have that one in the bag

I am trying to think of a worse play in all the years of watching this game. I can't.

I was at the Illini game in '95 when Eddie ran for 314. He won the Heisman that day. I was also in that giant pit toilet when Timmy Biacabitchstolemyfisha ran for 313 and beat the Bucks. What a long drive back to the light side that was. IMO, '98 was the best of the Coop years. I had planned to go to the MSU game that year but changed my plans at the last minute. After the first half I left for a 4 hour drive. Bucks made that drive a long one too. Tim B, Springs slips and MSU. What might have been?