For three quarters, the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl was a perfectly good, if not memorable, college football championship game. By the end of the fourth quarter, with Ohio State and Miami tied at 17, it was a classic. After two overtimes, and the Buckeyes' 31-24 victory, it was one of the greatest ever.

No one wanted to be No. 2.

"It was just like two great heavyweights slugging it out," winning coach Jim Tressel said Jan. 3.

In a shocking, thrilling season-ender, Ohio State ripped the national title from the confident 'Canes -- who, at one point, rushed onto the field thinking they had won. That's the kind of game it was. It changed minute by minute, down by down.

In the end, Maurice Clarett ran 5 yards for the winning touchdown, and Ohio State's defense turned back one final bid by No. 1 Miami to tie it. With that, the Buckeyes completed an unlikely, unbeaten run to their first national title in 34 years.

The second-ranked Buckeyes, 11½-point underdogs, ended the Hurricanes' try for a second straight title and their winning streak at 34.

"It's no different than what we've done all year," Ohio State quarterback Craig Krenzel said. "We make plays in the big games when we have to."

	Glenn Sharpe was called for pass interference against Chris Gamble in OT in the Fiesta Bowl.

But it would have never happened if not for a late pass interference call at the end of the first overtime. Instead, the fourth-down call gave Ohio State the chance it needed to tie the game and send it into the second overtime.

By then, it already was an all-timer -- the first national championship game to go into overtime, in a matchup of the nation's last two undefeated teams, both fighting staying to stay perfect. The greatest game ever?

"It's got to be right up there if it's not," Krenzel said.

Miami's Todd Sievers sent the game into overtime with his 40-yard field goal on the final play of the fourth quarter.

The Buckeyes' punishing defense had rattled and pounded Miami quarterback Ken Dorsey all night.

And on the last play of the game, on fourth-and-goal at the 1, Cie Grant blitzed and forced Dorsey to heave a desperation pass that linebacker Matt Wilhelm batted to the ground.

"It feels unreal," Miami fullback Quadtrine Hill said. "After the game was over, it felt like we had one play left. It can't be over. It's something I never want to feel again."