Finally made it to the championship game of this little tournament. Simming through group play provided quite a few surprises. Actually getting involved with the Semifinals & Championship was a blast as well. I was shocked by all the different types of games I had and this title game was no different.
Ohio State got up early and had a 9-0 (missed PAT) lead at the end of the first quarter. Pitt would eventually get on the scoreboard with a 35-yard field goal. However, Ohio State kept answering each Pitt score up to halftime where the teams would head to the lockerroom with the score 23-13 in favor of Ohio State.
Ohio State owed a lot of their good fortune in the first half to the right arm of Troy Smith who really had a connection going with WR Cris Carter. Carter snagged a first half TD and had 140 receiving yards in the game.
Pitt seemed to keep shooting themselves in the foot with costly mistakes. Most notably, 3 first half interceptions by HOFer Dan Marino. LeSean McCoy got the start over Curtis Martin and was able to work the ball between the tackles, but, he could not get to the edge against the Ohio State defense to make any big plays.
Pitt seems to be a second half team as their defense stepped up with several big stops throughout the second half giving their offense plenty of opportunities to get back in the game. In fact, Pitt held Ohio State scoreless in the second half to force OVERTIME in this game.
As OT began, Pitt took possession first and on the second play, LeSean McCoy scampered for a 25-yard touchdown run to put Pitt up 30-23. Ohio State QB Troy Smith went for the kill-shot on the first play of Ohio State's possession, but, overthrew a pass intended for Terry Glenn through the back of the end-zone. On 2nd and 10, Smith dropped back again and fired a pass intended for David Boston in the slot. However, Pitt LB Clint Session stepped right in front of the pass and picked it off to seal the win, and tournament championship, for the Pitt Panthers.
Final Score:
Pittsburgh 30
Ohio State 23
POTG: WR Jonathan Baldwin 5 rec, 121 yds, 1 TD
Pitt CB Darrelle Revis swats down a Troy Smith pass intended for Cris Carter in the 1st quarter of the game