Wednesday January 5, 2011 year: 131 No. 3 the student voice of
The Ohio State University
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2011 Allstate Sugar Bowl Champs
Hog roast: Bucks hold on to first-half lead, win ZACK MEISEL Editor-in-chief meisel.14@osu.edu NEW ORLEANS — Off-the-field distractions. A depleted secondary. No momentum. Ohio State had its back against the wall, clinging to a late, fourthquarter lead. But the Buckeyes quieted the hog-heavy crowd and silenced critics, placing tattoo drama on the back burner and roasting the Arkansas Razorbacks, 31-26, in the Sugar Bowl on Tuesday night at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans. The win snaps OSU’s string of nine losses against the SEC. One of five Buckeyes facing a five-game suspension to start the 2011 season, defensive end Solomon Thomas made the play of his career: an interception with less than a minute remaining and Arkansas threatening to score a go-ahead touchdown. “It’s weird to have such adversity and such a blessing; it’s so drastic,” Thomas said. “It’s been rough. But again, adversity, at the end of it lies a blessing. In my mind, this was supposed to happen.” OSU quarterback Terrelle Pryor, who was named the game’s Most Outstanding Player, ran for 115 yards and threw for 221 yards and two touchdowns, nearly mirroring the marks he set last January when he took home Rose Bowl MVP honors. In that game — a 26-17 victory over Oregon — Pryor threw for 266 yards and two scores and rushed for 72 yards. After trailing 28-7 in the first half, Arkansas clawed to within 31-23 with 12 minutes remaining. Razorback punter Dylan Breeding pinned the Buckeyes at their own 4-yard line, and Arkansas defensive end
continued as Champions on 2A
What’s inside...
3A
Sanzenbacher wows with great hands
Photo by ANDY GOTTESMAN / Multimedia editor
5A
Solomon Thomas makes amends
5A
Pryor selected most outstanding
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