Buckeyes win, earn Rose Bowl berth
Barclay’s field goal in OT lifts Ohio State past Iowa
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The oldest of the Buckeyes sent Ohio State back to the Granddaddy of all bowls.
Devin Barclay, a 26-year-old former pro soccer player, kicked a 39-yard field goal in overtime to give No. 10 Ohio State a 27-24 victory Saturday over No. 15 Iowa and send the Buckeyes to the Rose Bowl for the first time in 13 years.
“None of our kids have gone to the Rose Bowl. I haven’t been there in 25 years (since) I was an assistant coach in the 1985 Rose Bowl,” coach Jim Tressel said. “There’s nothing like it. It’s a great feeling.”
The Buckeyes (9-2, 6-1) clinched at least a share of their fifth consecutive Big Ten title and the conference’s automatic BCS bid.
“It means everything to us,” linebacker Austin Spitler said. “Senior day, we’re going to remember this for the rest of our lives. This is a special moment.”
Iowa (9-2, 5-2), which overcame a 24-10 deficit with just over 11 minutes left, lost its second in a row. Redshirt freshman quarterback James Vandenberg was solid for the Hawkeyes in his first college start. But filling in for the injured Ricky Stanzi – who hurt his ankle in last week’s upset loss to Northwestern – Vandenberg was intercepted three times, the final time to end Iowa’s only possession in overtime.
Brandon Saine rushed for 103 yards and two touchdowns and Dan Herron added another score for the Buckeyes.
Iowa started overtime with an incompletion. Then freshman Adam Robinson was thrown for a 6-yard loss by Spitler, and Doug Worthington sacked Vandenberg for a 10-yard loss. Out of field goal range on fourth-and-26, Vandenberg then lofted a long pass into the end zone that was picked off by Anderson Russell.
The Buckeyes handled the ball with extra care – just the way Tressel wanted. Three runs up the middle netted two yards. On came Barclay, the Buckeyes’ front-line kicker since taking over after starter Aaron Pettrey injured a knee three games ago.
“We had so much confidence in Devin that we were going backwards to make his kick longer,” Tressel cracked.
Still, Tressel admitted, he was on the headphones as Barclay made contact with the ball, telling the offensive coaches in the press box to have a play ready for the next possession in overtime in case Barclay missed.
Instead, his kick split the uprights, touching off a wild scene as thousands rushed the field.
“It’s unbelievable. I’m speechless,” said Barclay, a former Major League Soccer player who walked on for the Buckeyes. “The fourth quarter definitely made it interesting. I’m just glad we came out on top – and now we’re going to the Rose Bowl.”
OSU hasn’t been to Pasadena since the 1996 team finished No. 2 in the nation, scoring in the final minute to beat Arizona State 20-17 in the Rose Bowl.