toledoblade.com --

COLUMBUS - The fans, all 52,000 of them bundled in their scarlet and gray regalia, were on their feet cheering as if they already knew what the outcome of the football game was going to be.

They did.

Ohio Stadium erupted into even louder revelry yesterday when Miami quarterback Ken Dorsey's desperation pass into the end zone ended up on the ground and the Buckeyes had won the college football national championship ... again.

This wasn't Tempe. And this certainly wasn't temperate.

The temperature was 10 degrees, and the wind chill checked in at minus 3, but the celebration of the Buckeyes' first national championship in 34 years had all the trappings of a regular Saturday afternoon football game.

Fans, instead, watched the replay of the Fiesta Bowl on the Jumbotron located on the scoreboard.

That was followed by a 52-minute commemoration in the middle of the snow-covered field complete with dignitaries, the OSU marching band and, of course, Ohio State coach Jim Tressel and the players, who had walked onto the field as the Victory Bell rang in the background.

There were Buckeye necklaces, commemorative T-shirts, and other souvenirs on sale around the stadium.

The only thing missing was the usual ticket scalpers, who are already drooling over next season's prospects.

Chris Brambly, his wife, and two daughters, drove down from their home in Ann Arbor. Yes, THAT Ann Arbor, to join in the celebration. Mr. Brambly is a native of the Dayton area.

"Hopefully there's going to be a lot more of these in the future, but just in case there's not, we want to make sure we capture it all," he said.

"We have an OSU flag flying on the porch all year around. It's good-natured fun. We took a lot of razzing in the '90s, but now it's our turn."

It was two years to the day that coach Tressel, recently named national coach of the year, was introduced as OSU's head coach, replacing the fired John Cooper.

"We shouldn't be surprised that so many fans would show up today," Mr. Tressel said. "What's amazing to me is that while the program was going on the sun shone on that bunch [of players]. We had good fortune all year and we had one more moment in the sun, if you will."

Buckeye fans weather the cold as they relive Ohio State's victory over Miami during a video replay at Ohio Stadium.
( THE BLADE/DAVE ZAPOTOSKY )

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Speakers included Ohio Gov. Bob Taft, Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman, and new OSU President Karen Holbrook. Ohio State athletic director Andy Geiger served as master of ceremonies.

Mr. Coleman announced that Lane Avenue, which runs perpendicular to the main entrance of Ohio Stadium, will now be called Champions Lane. He held up the new street sign, painted in red lettering with the OSU logo.

Governor Taft declared yesterday "Ohio State Champions Day throughout the state of Ohio."

The Ohio State band, which marched out of the tunnel at the start of the festivities at Mr. Tressel's request so his players could see what they miss at every game, performed "Script Ohio" toward the end of the celebration.

The 12 Buckeye seniors dotted the "i" en masse.

The ceremony ended with OSU senior linebacker Cie Grant singing the alma mater, "Carmen Ohio," followed by a second rendition that included everyone.

The seniors said later that their accomplishments, including an undefeated season, didn't really sink in until this day.

Punter Andy Groom said that while everyone was singing the Ohio State alma mater, he looked up into the stands and spotted his father, who was crying.

"I've never seen my dad cry before," he said later at a post-celebration news conference. "I lost it too. It all was the greatest thing in my life, and it's hard to say bye."

All-American strong safety Michael Doss and free safety Donnie Nickey said they have discussed writing a book, recounting their experiences at OSU.

Mr. Grant said he was nervous before his singing performance and was getting over a cold that was hard on his vocal cords, but the emotion of the entire situation quickly swept that all aside.

"It was cold down there [on the field], and to see 50,000 people, it was like that was the last page of our book," he said. "Everyone got emotional. We went out on the highest of highs."

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