It only took sixteen seconds for the world to think they knew how this was going to go. Ted Ginn Jr. caught the opening kickoff, found a seam, and scorched 93 yards down the sideline. Ohio State fans were screaming. Florida fans were silent. The Buckeyes were the number one team in the country, undefeated, and led by a Heisman winner. Everything felt like it was following the script.
But as Ginn fell into the end zone, a teammate jumped on him to celebrate. It was an accident, a freak moment of high-fiving gone wrong. Ginn's foot twisted. He went to the sideline, put on a walking boot, and never came back. Just like that, the most explosive player in college football was out of the Ohio State Florida national championship showdown before the Gators had even touched the ball.
Honestly, that was the last thing that went right for Columbus.
The Night the SEC Speed Myth Became Reality
People forget how much of a heavy favorite Ohio State was heading into Glendale. They were a seven-point favorite, but it felt like more. They had Troy Smith, who had just won the Heisman Trophy by one of the largest margins in history. They had a veteran coach in Jim Tressel who didn't lose big games. Florida, on the other hand, was the "lucky" team that many thought shouldn't have even been there over Michigan or USC.
🔗 Read more: How Much Does Michael Jordan Make From Nike? Why His Payday Is Still Growing
Urban Meyer didn't care about the chatter. He had a defensive line led by Derrick Harvey and Jarvis Moss that looked like they were shot out of a cannon.
The game basically turned into a 60-minute nightmare for Troy Smith. Florida’s defensive ends were in the backfield before Smith could even finish his drop. It wasn’t just that they were fast; they were relentless. By the time the final whistle blew, the Buckeyes had managed only 82 total yards of offense. Eighty-two. For a team that averaged over 400 yards a game during the season, that’s not just a bad night—it’s a total systemic collapse.
Why Troy Smith Struggled
It's easy to blame the layoff. The Buckeyes had 51 days between their win over Michigan and the national title game. That’s nearly two months of sitting around, eating steak dinners, and listening to everyone tell you how great you are. Smith looked rusty. He completed only 4 of 14 passes. He was sacked five times.
Florida’s game plan was simple: don’t let him breathe. They used "SEC speed" as a literal weapon. Every time Smith looked up, a Gator jersey was in his face.
The Chris Leak and Tim Tebow Two-Step
While the defense was terrorizing Ohio State, the Florida offense was doing something weirdly effective. Urban Meyer was using a two-quarterback system that shouldn't have worked. Chris Leak was the senior, the traditional pocket passer who had been through the ringer. Tim Tebow was the freshman phenom, a human bulldozer who came in for short-yardage situations.
Usually, rotating quarterbacks kills your rhythm. In this Ohio State Florida national championship game, it broke the Buckeyes' spirit.
Leak was efficient, going 25-for-36 for 213 yards. He was the "boring" steady hand. Then, just when Ohio State thought they had a handle on the speed, Tebow would sub in and run over a linebacker. Tebow even threw a touchdown pass to Andre Caldwell right before halftime to make it 34-14. It was a clinic in versatility.
- Chris Leak: 213 yards, 1 TD
- Tim Tebow: 1 rushing TD, 1 passing TD
- Percy Harvin: 9 catches, 60 yards, 1 rushing TD
Basically, Florida had too many athletes for Ohio State to track. Percy Harvin was a blur. DeShawn Wynn was hitting holes hard. And the Buckeyes were still trying to figure out where Ted Ginn Jr. went.
The Aftermath and the SEC Dynasty
This game changed everything. Seriously. Before January 8, 2007, the Big Ten was the undisputed king of the hill. After Florida thrashed Ohio State 41-14, the power dynamic shifted south and stayed there for a decade.
It was the start of seven straight national titles for the SEC.
People still argue about the "what-ifs." What if Ginn hadn't been injured during the celebration? What if the Buckeyes hadn't had such a long layoff? The truth is, Florida was better prepared. Urban Meyer knew exactly how to attack Tressel's "Tresselball" style. He used a spread offense that the Big Ten wasn't ready to defend, and a defensive front that was too twitchy for the Buckeyes' massive offensive line.
Key Lessons from the Blowout
You've got to look at the coaching disparity. Meyer was at the cutting edge. Tressel was playing the hits. When you're facing a team with that much raw athleticism, you can't rely on "playing it safe."
Also, momentum is a fickle thing. Ohio State had all of it for 16 seconds. Florida took it back and didn't let go for the next three hours.
If you're looking to understand why college football looks the way it does now—high-speed, spread offenses, and SEC dominance—this is the game where the fuse was lit. It wasn't just a loss for Ohio State; it was a reality check for the entire northern half of the college football map.
How to Apply This Knowledge
If you’re a coach or a player, there are a few things to take away from this specific piece of history:
- Never underestimate speed: Bulk is great, but if you can't touch the guy across from you, it doesn't matter how much you bench.
- Beware of the "Heisman Hangover": Winning individual awards is a distraction. Smith found that out the hard way.
- Schematic innovation wins: Doing what you've always done works until you run into someone doing something you've never seen.
The Ohio State Florida national championship remains one of the most significant upsets in BCS history because of how thoroughly the favorite was dismantled. It wasn't a close game won on a fluke play. It was a 41-14 statement that the old way of playing football was officially over. For Buckeye fans, it’s a sore spot that will likely never fully heal, especially since they had to watch Florida do the same thing to them in the basketball national championship just a few months later.
To dig deeper into this era of football, watch the full game highlights or read Urban Meyer's accounts of how he prepared his team for the speed gap. Understanding the shift in recruiting that followed this game provides the clearest picture of why the current landscape looks the way it does.