Bucks come out on top in Posey Bowl
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COLUMBUS, Ohio - Ohio State junior wide receiver DeVier Posey caught a pass from Terrelle Pryor in the first quarter of the Buckeyes' 43-7 win over Ohio Saturday in the Horseshoe.
After the catch, Posey bolted across the field and down the sideline, hoping to avoid his older brother, Julian Posey, who happens to be the No. 1 cornerback for the Bobcats.
In what was truly emblematic of his childhood playing and even fighting with his older sibling, Julian Posey grabbed DeVier's right arm and starting spinning him around as if he was trying to throw him to the ground in the family home's backyard.
"I was definitely trying to throw him down like the old days," Julian recalled. "I tried to do the big brother thing a little bit when he caught the ball and toss him around a little bit."
Julian's attempt to end the play was successful, knocking DeVier out of bounds, but the junior Buckeye receiver was able to keep his feet despite being shoved out of the field of play by his brother.
And just like the old days, DeVier found his opening to instigate. With Julian already halfway back to Ohio's huddle, DeVier ran up behind Julian to give him a little message.
"I told him he needed to hit the weight room," DeVier said.
Added Julian: "He tried to tell me I needed to get in the weight room now. I was like, 'DP, I can out-bench you and out-squat you. Qe can go to the weight room right now.' But that kind of talk is just stuff that happens throughout the course of the game."
In just the first quarter, a week of anticipation between the brothers was off and running, and though DeVier got the first action of the game, it looked like it was Julian who was going to make the biggest play early.
Coming off a field goal for Ohio State on the Buckeyes' first possession, the team kicked it deep to the Bobcats. With Julian on the return, the elder Posey returned it 99 yards all the way for a touchdown.
The return would have given Ohio the 7-3 first quarter lead and the elder Posey the biggest play but it was reversed, as Julian turned around just moments after his scamper to the end zone and saw a yellow flag on the field for illegal block in the back.
Julian would add a few pass breakups and DeVier would finish the game with five receptions for 62 yards.
DeVier spoke earlier in the week about trying to get the best of his brother so he could look across the dinner table later in the evening and have it clear that he won. That answer, at least for Julian, isn't quite as clear as DeVier would probably prefer.
"I feel I preformed well. I cant right now without looking at the film say who won," Julian said. "I got in the end zone, though, but they called it back. But I did get in the end zone. He wasn't on the field, but it is hard to say who got the best of one another."
For DeVier, deciding who had the better day was a little easier.
"You saw the scoreboard," DeVier joked.
Julie Posey, the mother of the brothers, was in the stands creatively wearing a jersey that was split down the middle with her two son's numbers on both sides. On the right ear lobe she wore an Ohio State earring and on the left there was an Ohio earring.
With countless family members wearing white t-shirts that read "Posey Bowl" on them in the stands, and even more at home watching it on TV, Julie Posey was just pleased her sons could bring the family together on the big stage.
"It was absolutely incredible to see them on the national stage playing against each other and to watch their incredible sportsmanship, their demeanor on the field and their ability to stay focused on what they needed to do," Julie said. "They had an opportunity to have fun and it was nice to see both have big plays.
"I was nervous at first but I relaxed as the game went on," she continued. "We can cherish it for a while. There aren't a lot of family's that can say they did what we did."
Ari Wasserman is a staff writer for BuckeyeGrove.com. He can be reached at Ari@BuckeyeGrove.com.
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