As I sit down to write this afternoon, I find myself physically drained, my voice abandoned me somewhere in the middle of the second quarter and I am still struggling to mentally organize the events of the last two days. In my 25 years or so of attending Ohio State football games, I have never seen, nor will I see again, a day like I did yesterday.
Over those 25 years, there are a games that stand out: the 1984 win over Michigan to secure a Rose Bowl berth (my freshman year at Ohio State), the 1985 win over a number #1 ranked Iowa, and most of all, the double over-time BCS National Championship win over Miami.
Today, I add another game to that list. However, this game was different. The entire weekend, the death of Bo Schemblecher, the mass of humanity, the hype, the excitement, the third quarter frustration as Michigan came on from behind, the relief of seeing the on-side kick fall safely into Ohio State arms until finally, the post game celebration.
We stood there in Ohio Stadium, long after Coach Tressel had lead the team in the singing of the Alma Mater, long after both teams had returned their dressing rooms. We just stood and watched, trying to absorb every moment, to record the feelings of this incredible day deep into the schism of our memory so that one day, I can tell others what it was like to be there for one of the greatest games of that great tradition that is Ohio State football.
The Columbus Dispatch quoted a Michigan fan who probably said it best when he said that this was not a #1 team beating a #2 team. This was a #1 team beating a #1 team.
For today, I will step back and soak it all in. I return home tomorrow and will post observations from the weekend (I could fill a book), photos of the day and maybe even try make some sort of prediction of who we will play in Glendale.
While the BCS Championship game is a mere 55 days away, any game after yesterday seems like an afterthought.
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Gives me chills just thinking about that game…
Something tells me Florida isn’t and never will be an afterthought. (lols!)