I'm on record as saying Kiffin is an excellent offensive coach even though I detest him, but he called a very dumb game. Ohio State couldn't stop Alabama's ground game, but Alabama did a great job of stopping themselves. Kept putting Sims in impossible situations and he was not having a good game. Dumbest play of the game came when Alabama took over at the Ohio State 23-yard-line after a bad punt in the 4th quarter, down six. First play? Kiffin decoys Cooper on the left side, runs a little cutesy play with Sims throwing right, and it gets picked at the goal line.
The only thing that exceeded Kiffin's stupidity was Ohio State's boneheaded play calling on the final series.
This.
I couldn't believe that o$u was even in the game after the mistakes they made (not jumping on the opening kick for an easy six points, dropping the snap on first and goal costing them 4pts, fielding a punt inside the five, not putting in a punt returner, turning the ball over twice deep in their own territory - 14pts for the bad guys, and as you pointed out, the pass on first down on o$u's final possession was one of the more stupid things I've seen out of a coach with so much experience and success). I just hope that o$u makes the same number of mistakes against the Ducks.
