Skip to main content
ohio-state logo

Scarlet Sunrise: Mike Doss will be Ohio State's honorary Peach Bowl captain

IMG_7408by:Andy Backstrom•12/27/22•

andybackstrom

On3 image
Former Ohio State star safety Mike Doss became the 27th Buckeyes player to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame this year. (Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

Good morning, Ohio State fans, and welcome to the Scarlet Sunrise. Football will always be our focus, but every day we’ll cover news, notes and analysis from across Buckeyes sports. Join us each morning to get caught up on everything you missed in the world of Buckeyes football, recruiting, basketball and more in Scarlet Sunrise.

Mike Doss will be Ohio State’s honorary Peach Bowl captain

Former Ohio State safety Mike Doss, who played for the Buckeyes from 1999-2002, will be the program’s honorary captain for the Peach Bowl.

Earlier this month, Doss became the 27th player in program history to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. Doss is one of just eight Ohio State players to be a three-time first-team All-American.

The star safety had a storybook final season in Columbus. He helped Ohio State win its first national title since 1970 while registering a career-high 107 tackles. Doss was a team captain and a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award — given annually to the top defensive back in college football — as the Buckeyes completed their first 14-0 season in school history. Doss capped the remarkable year with a stellar performance in the Fiesta Bowl (for the BCS National Championship): In addition to making nine tackles, he recorded an interception and 35-yard return that set up the Buckeyes’ first touchdown of the 31-24, double overtime win over Miami. Doss, also the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year in 2002, was named the game’s defensive MVP.

After playing in 50 games and starting in 40 of them while totaling the most career tackles (331) by a defensive back in Ohio State history, Doss started his NFL career. He was a second-round pick by the Indianapolis Colts, who he played for the next six years. That included the 2006 season, during which the Colts won Super Bowl XLI.

Doss spent the final two years of his NFL career with the Minnesota Vikings (2007) and Cincinnati Bengals (2008).

Reenergized Ohio State preparing for Georgia with urgency, physicality

Ohio State has no choice but to put up its best fight at the line of scrimmage against a Georgia team that ranks seventh in yards per carry and first in rushing defense. The top-ranked and undefeated Bulldogs are powerful up front, and the Buckeyes are well aware that they’ll need to ramp up the physicality.

That’s been an emphasis throughout the month of preparation, which started after Ohio State fell short of their rebranded “toughness” in The Game.

The Buckeyes will get another crack at it on New Year’s Eve, this time against an even more stout opponent. Ohio State head coach Ryan Day discussed how his team has been practicing with urgency for Saturday’s Peach Bowl College Football Playoff semifinal.

“I think, as we finished our work in Columbus, you could see there was just an energy as we headed off down here to Atlanta,” Day said Monday.

“That continued today.”

Read more about the reenergized Buckeyes here.

Kirby Smart says C.J. Stroud has ‘become a complete quarterback’ at Ohio State

Ohio State and Georgia, two of college football’s titans, often go after the same prospects on the recruiting trail. One of those shared targets three years ago was Buckeyes quarterback C.J. Stroud.

Stroud ultimately chose Ohio State over Georgia, but only after he had official and in-home visits with the Bulldogs, who finished runner-up in his recruitment.

Now, Stroud is just four days away from playing Georgia in the biggest game of his life.

Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart was asked Monday about recruiting Stroud. Here’s what he had to say.

Buckeyes have gotten the ball rolling in Atlanta…

Ohio State arrived in Atlanta, Georgia, on Christmas and started their week of practice Monday in Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the site of Saturday’s Peach Bowl.

Counting down

Peach Bowl: 4 days

Buckeyes vs. Michigan: 333 days

Are you subscribed yet?

Are you ready to get all your latest Ohio State news in one place? Become a member of Lettermen Row today. With your Lettermen Row/On3+ membership, you’ll not only have access to the everything that’s happening with the Buckeyes, but you’ll also be able to peruse other fan sites within the network to hear just how rivals are feeling about Ohio State, as well. Make sure to follow along on Twitter, Instagram and on Youtube for all the latest Buckeyes news you need to know.

Already signed up? Don’t forget to join us in the Lettermen Lounge to talk about the latest Ohio State sports news.

You may also like