Fiesta Bowl Capsule
Jan 3, 2003
By PAUL MONTELLA
AP Sports Writer
Fiesta Bowl
At Tempe, Ariz.
ABC
Miami (12-0) vs. Ohio State (13-0), 8 p.m.
Series Record
Tied 1-1.
Last Meeting
1999, Miami 23-12.
Bowl Records
Miami 16-12; Ohio State 14-19.
Last Bowl Appearance
Miami beat Nebraska 37-14 in the 2002 Rose Bowl; Ohio State lost to South Carolina 31-28 in the 2002 Outback Bowl.
Common Opponents This Season
None.
Coaches
Larry Coker, second season at Miami (24-0); Jim Tressel, second season at Ohio State (20-5); overall (155-62-2).
What To Look For
Miami’s No. 3 offense vs. Ohio State’s No. 2 defense. The Hurricanes put 41.9 points per game on the board, the Buckeyes allowed just 12.23. Miami’s defense is also stingy allowing just 18.1 points per game.
Streaks, Stats and Notes
Miami, the defending national champions, has a 10-3 bowl record since 1987. … The No. 1-ranked Hurricanes have won 34 straight games and is trying to become the first team since the 1994-95 Nebraska Cornhuskers to win back-to-back national titles. … Miami is led by senior QB Ken Dorsey and sophomore RB Willis McGahee, who shared the Big East Offensive Player of the Year award. … Dorsey (3,073 yards, 26 TDs, 10 INTs) led the conference in passing (256.1 ypg) and total offense (254.4). … McGahee (1,686 yards) has rushed for 100 yards or more in 10 of 12 games and leads the nation in rushing TDs (27). … Dorsey’s top targets are WR Andre Johnson (48 rec., 1,038 yds., 9 TDs) and TE Kellen Winslow II (46 rec., 604 yds., 7 TDs). … Johnson averages 21.6 ypc. … Miami has outscored its opponents by an average of 23.8 points (503-217), with only two opponents (Florida State, Pittsburgh) coming within 10 points. … Ohio State 13-0 and co-champs of the Big Ten. … The Buckeyes have won six games by a touchdown or less. … OSU allowed 78.7 yards rushing per game, the fourth best in the country. … The Buckeyes featured one of the best running backs in the country in freshman Maurice Clarett. … Clarett fought off injuries during the season and still rushed for 1,190 yards (6.0 avg.) and 14 TDs. … RB Lydell Ross added 607 yards and 6 TDs. … QB Craig Krenzel completed 61.8 percent (141-of-228) of his passes for 1,988 yards, 12 TDs and 5 INTs. … WR Michael Jenkins led the Buckeyes with 57 receptions (18.1 ypc) for 1,031 yards and 6 TDs. … PK Mike Nugent set seven kicking records this season, including most points by a kicker (113), most field goals in a season (24), and most field goals of 40 yards or longer in a season (9). … WR-CB Chris Gamble is the playmaker for the Buckeyes and the first two-way player in 40 years.
