Embattled Buckeyes give OSU the sweet sendoff it wanted for 2010. Now what for 2011?

Sugar Bowl: Ohio State 31, Arkansas 26. You have to give Ohio State this: As badly as the school and the Sugar Bowl itself wanted offensive stars Terrelle Pryor, Dan Herron, DeVier Posey and Mike Adams to play in this game, they certainly got their money's worth (uh, no pun intended). To a man, all five Buckeyes who somehow managed to elude suspensions for this game after being found guilty last month of selling championship rings, jerseys and other memorabilia played a central role in OSU carrying the night.

Begin with the obvious: Pryor had arguably the game of his career, on par with last year's MVP performance in the Rose Bowl, accounting for 336 total yards, two touchdown passes, no turnovers and a series of clutch scrambles that kept the clock moving – and Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett on the bench – as the Razorbacks' comeback effort picked up momentum in the fourth quarter. Herron churned out 87 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Posey brought down three catches for 70 yards, including an acrobatic touchdown grab from Pryor to extend OSU's early lead to 28-7 before the half. Adams played every down at left tackle. Even the most obscure member of the "Buckeye Five," backup defensive lineman Solomon Thomas, came up with the play of the night, a game-clinching interception of Mallett in the final minute that bailed out the punt team for allowing a crucial block only seconds before.

All five played their roles, and Ohio State – along with the Big Ten and the Sugar Bowl – got the night they wanted: The longstanding SEC jinx in bowl games is broken, the conference's dismal performance on Jan. 1 is partially absolved, and the tense final quarter played great on television. In the end, the Buckeyes also got the season they wanted: They win 12 games for only the third time in school history, guarantee another top-five finish in the polls and go out with a marquee win to carry them into the offseason.

Under normal circumstances, in fact, with Pryor, Herron, Posey and Adams all allegedly planning to return next year, the win would propel Ohio State back into the position it was in to start this season, as the seasoned frontrunner with all the veteran pieces in place. If the result was anything like tonight's first half barrage, it would be hard to imagine the Buckeyes not challenging to open the season atop the polls.

Instead, in exchange for having their starting quarterback, leading rusher, top deep threat, starting left tackle and key defensive line eserve on hand tonight, the Buckeyes will be without all five for the first five games in the fall, including a trip to Miami and visits from Colorado and Michigan State in consecutive weeks. The starting quarterback in Pryor's stead could be a true freshman If a stumble in any of those games derails OSU's chances at a Big Ten or BCS championship run before the headliners return, the bargaining that kept them in the NCAA's good graces for the Sugar Bowl may not seem like such a sweet tradeoff, after all.

But the first part of the equation is off to a good start: With all that was invested in tonight – financially, competitively and otherwise – at least they came away with a win in return.

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Matt Hinton is on Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.

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