- Undefeated Matchup was First Overtime CFB National Championship; Game Remembered in Part for Controversial Penalty Call
- Seven Participating Players Join Telecast Including Buckeyes’ Mike Doss and Hurricanes’ Jonathan Vilma
The 2003 Fiesta Bowl National Championship between No. 2 Ohio State and No. 1 Miami is this week’s Throwback Thursday: College Football Classics Presented by Allstate, as the encore presentation will air Thursday, May 28, on ESPN (8 p.m. ET). The 2002 college football season finale, in which both teams entered the game undefeated, featured a game-tying field goal with seconds remaining in regulation to force the sport’s first ever national championship overtime contest. Adding to the encore presentation, seven players from that game will be part of the telecast, including Ohio State’s three-time All-American Mike Doss and Miami’s All-American Jonathan Vilma.
The Hurricanes came into the Fiesta Bowl riding a 34-game winning streak and looking to capture back-to-back national championships. While also boasting a perfect record on the season (13-0), many considered the Buckeyes a longshot against the uber talented Hurricanes. Despite the pregame prognosis, the Buckeyes would take a 14-7 lead into halftime and extend their lead to 17-7 in the third quarter. In addition to a third quarter touchdown, Miami hit a 40-yard field goal with mere seconds remaining in the fourth quarter to force the first of two overtime sessions. In that overtime, a controversial pass interference call cemented the historic nature of the game.
Keith Jackson and Dan Fouts were on the call with Lynn Swann and Todd Harris working the sidelines.
Participating Buckeyes and Hurricanes Reminisce about the Classic Game
As with past Throwback Thursday: College Football Classics, fans will hear from participating players during the encore presentation. This week, Ohio State’s Dustin Fox, Cie Grant, and Michael Jenkins along with Doss, join ESPN’s Matt Barrie, an Arizona native, to reminisce. On the Miami side, Brett Romberg and DJ Williams will join Vilma and Barrie.
Special Elements around CFP Encore Presentation
All on Thursday, May 28
- Leading into the game, Fox and Vilma will join Chris “The Bear” Fallica and Allison Williams for a special 30 minute social pregame show via the ESPN App and @ESPN Twitter handle.
- Now on ESPN.com: Inside the latest chapter of former Ohio State star Maurice Clarett’s life turnaround; plus Bill Connelly and Mark Schlabach debate controversial finishes
- ESPN’s College Football and the Fiesta Bowl’s Twitter handle will also amplify the presentation; ESPN’s Stats and Info Twitter handle will conduct trivia
- ESPN’s BottomLine will add provide historical context and supplemental information all day.
- Leading into the game, ESPN CFB 150 – The American Game: Bowls, Polls, and Champions dives into the sport’s history of crowning national champions (7 p.m.)
- ESPNU will lead into the ESPN presentation with airings of 30 for 30s: “The U” (8 a.m.), “The U Part 2” (10 a.m.), and “Youngstown Boys” (2 p.m.). The network will also show re-airs of the 2002 Rose Bowl National Championship featuring the Hurricanes vs. Nebraska (noon) and the 2002 Ohio State at Purdue matchup, containing the “Holy Buckeye” play (4 p.m.).
-30-
Media contact: Derek Volner at 860-384-9986; Derek.Volner@ESPN.com and @DerekVolner
-
-
-
-
-
