Colleges

Ginn provides big start, bigger disappointment

He raced 93 yards for a touchdown, his first of the season and second of his career. But he hurt his foot in the celebration and missed most of the game.

By BRIAN LANDMAN
Published January 9, 2007

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GLENDALE, Ariz. - The electrifying Ted Ginn showed just how much he means to his team from the opening kickoff.

He raced 93 yards for a touchdown, his first of the season and second of his career.

Talk about a fast start.

But not so fast.

Ginn limped to the locker room with about four minutes left in the first quarter and did not return. When the second half began, Ginn was on the sideline, standing on crutches with a black boot on his left foot.

Ginn said after the game he was injured in the celebration after his touchdown. Fox reported he sustained a sprained foot.

The junior entered the game as the Buckeyes' leading receiver 59 catches for 781 yards and nine touchdowns as well as leading kickoff and punt returner (11.1 yards on punts with one score).

DEFENSIVE PROBLEMS: The defense had been playing superbly until the season finale against Michigan, when it allowed 39 points and 397 yards. In the regular season, it allowed 10.4 points per game (first among 110 Division I-A teams) and 273 yards (11th).

"We gave up a bunch of points to Michigan, and that hurt our pride a little bit," said sophomore middle linebacker James Laurinaitis, the Bronko Nagurski Award winner, before the game.

He and his teammates had hoped Monday would be more like the defense's first 11 games. It wasn't. The Gators rolled up 220 yards and 34 points in the first half alone. For the game they allowed 370 yards.

LAYOFF WOES: The Buckeyes tried to downplay the possible effects of 50 days off between games, but the offense didn't look as sharp at the start as it did when last seen against Michigan on Nov. 18. In the first quarter, Ohio State mustered 11 yards on nine plays and one first down.

SECOND-GUESSES: Down 10 points and facing fourth and 1 at its 29, Ohio State coach Jim Tressel decided to go for it. But the Gators stopped tailback Chris Wells, and Florida got a field goal on the ensuing drive.

"We thought we could make it," Tressel said. "It ended up being the wrong call, obviously."

BCS ISN'T ALL B.S.: Tressel diplomatically acknowledged the obvious about how the BCS determines the teams to meet for the national title, that it's "complicated" and will "constantly be reviewed." While it's not a playoff, he said he believed the "BCS has done a good job" and "has worked this year without question."

BOWLED OVER: The 34 first-half points were more than Ohio State had allowed in any of its past 25 bowls dating to the 1978 Sugar Bowl, which Alabama won 35-6. The Buckeyes had won their past four bowls, scoring at least 31 in each. ... Among the alumni watching the game was former Bucs tight end Rickey Dudley, who watched with former basketball star Jim Jackson.

Brian Landman can be reached at landman@ sptimes.com or at (813) 226-3347, and Greg Auman can be reached at auman@sptimes.com or (813) 226-3346. View his blog at blogs.tampabay.com/usf/.

[Last modified January 9, 2007, 03:37:05]