First of all, I want to start by saying that I don't care to enter the debate over whether the 5 Ohio State players should have been eligible to play. I don't think they should have played, but then again, I have no interest in the position of NCAA czar on player punishment.
Before anyone accuses me of being partial to either Ohio State or Arkansas, you should know that I dislike both teams. Due to the particularly unruly behavior of Buckeye "fans" when my beloved Irish have visited Columbus, I don't care for Ohio State. Conversely, I have never liked the Razorbacks, and I consider their head coach a weasel. Just ask any University of Louisville or Atlanta Falcons fan how they feel about him.
As anyone who watched the Sugar Bowl knows, the Buckeyes jumped out to a commanding lead. In the second half, the Razorbacks attempted a frenzied comeback that fell short. Finally the big bowl games were upon us, and the game was exciting to the finish.
As for my analysis, the game came down to one simple fact. With the possible exception of portions of the second half, Ohio State's receivers consistently made plays. The same could not be said of Arkansas' receivers. They looked jittery in the first half, only growing comfortable on the big stage after their team fell behind.
Otherwise, I think the game was a wash. Both quarterbacks played well, both defenses made plays. While Ohio State got more from its running game than did Arkansas, I don't think that was a deciding factor in the game.
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