History could be on Buckeyes' side; favorites have won only three of nine games

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It pays to be the underdog

History could be on Buckeyes' side; favorites have won only three of nine games

Sunday, January 6, 2008
By Tim May

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH


NEW ORLEANS -- For Ohio State fans anxious about their team's chances of beating Louisiana State in the national championship game Monday night, never fear.

Underdog is here.

Of the previous nine title games of the Bowl Championship Series, six were won by the underdog. Two memorable examples involved the Buckeyes, when they beat the University of Miami as a 12-point underdog in 2002, and when they lost last year to Florida by 27 points despite being favored by 7 1/2 .

This year, although the Buckeyes were No. 1 in the final BCS standings, the No. 2 Tigers are four-point favorites.

It doesn't make sense to LSU coach Les Miles, who said, "I can tell you this, in a game like this one, you tell me who the underdog is, the No. 1-ranked team in the nation or the No. 2-ranked team in the nation?"

Jim Tressel coached Ohio State in its two previous BCS title game appearances.

"Both teams are good when you're in this game," Tressel said. "And whichever team does the things that are needed is going to win.

"Outside of that, I don't know that there is any magical reason for (the underdog's winning record). But I know when we won and we were the underdog, we did what you needed to do to win that game."

When the Buckeyes were favored a year ago, not much went right. Being No. 1 all season long and having beaten No. 2 Michigan in the season finale dulled their edge, as did a 51-day layoff before the game.

This time, most analysts are picking against them. Some have even questioned their credentials, even though they won the Big Ten championship.

"I don't know who is telling them that," Miles said. "Maybe they need to hear that."

He might be right. The Buckeyes seem to like it this way. Cornerback Malcolm Jenkins said it's easier to prepare being the underdog.

"Definitely, because last year, when you're in that position where you are No. 1 throughout the year, and everyone is telling you how unstoppable you are, it's hard to block out all of the good things people say about you," Jenkins said. "Everybody wants to hear praise, people saying good things about you.

"But you've got to keep it in perspective. We thought we did a good job with it, but as it turned out, we didn't."

This time, they haven't had to worry about motivation. The arrows of doubt have been fired at them since when they learned Dec. 1 that they were returning to the title game and again playing the Southeastern Conference champion.

The Buckeyes are 0-8 against SEC teams in bowl games.

"It's easier to focus when you have the whole world telling you that you not only aren't going to win, you're not even worthy to be in the game," Jenkins said. "It's more motivation."

Former LSU and Indiana coach Gerry DiNardo, now a commentator for the Big Ten Network, understands the underdog dynamic, but it comes with a caveat.

"First of all, to make it work, the underdog has to be a good team," DiNardo said. "And a good team from a traditionally strong football program gets more motivated by all the negativity."

The teams that have pulled upsets have that background: Tennessee, Oklahoma, Ohio State, LSU, Texas and Florida.

"You're taking about all traditional powers who have been told for a month that they're not any good," DiNardo said. "Well, they know better, and they proved it."

As a coach, though, what's best way to channel that noise?

"It think it can be as simple as telling the players, 'We know better,' " DiNardo said. "When people hear negative things said about them, I think most people take it to heart. Most people take it personally.

"And as a coach, if your players don't take it personally, I think it's a good lesson to teach them that they should take it personally."

Tressel and his coaches have played that card, commissioning a 10-minute DVD that contains all manner of televised putdowns during the past month, including the rants of LSU backer and political strategist James Carville. The players watched it during Christmas break.

Miles might not be aware of the noise, but it's there. He said he has told his players, "Respect your opponent. Understand that this opponent is very dangerous. And hopefully we'll play as quality a game as we can."

That's what it always comes down to, LSU defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey said, because, "It doesn't matter who is No. 2, who is No. 1 or who is the favorite and who is the underdog, because when it comes down to the game, you have to come out and play hard."

Yet history shows the underdog has won six BCS title games.

"I don't take too much from that," Dorsey said. "Because six of nine? That's not 100 percent."