Some observations as we enter the final few days of college football's bowl season:

THE STORY LINE: Is Monday night's Fiesta Bowl supposed to be another shot at redemption for an Ohio State team that has lost the last two BCS title games in convincing fashion, or Texas' chance to show it deserves national title consideration?

We've been down the Buckeyes-are-playing-for-redemption road before. After being humiliated by Florida two years ago in Glendale, Ariz., Ohio State pledged to attack its preparation for LSU a year ago in New Orleans.

The result, however, was pretty much the same - another blowout and New Year's hangover for Buckeyes fans.

Oddsmakers aren't giving Ohio State much of a chance to get it right this time, perhaps because Texas has so much to prove. The Longhorns feel they, and not the Oklahoma Sooners, should be playing the Florida Gators with the BCS title on the line.

After what has happened to the Buckeyes the last two years, most Ohio State fans would be happy if the game isn't over by halftime.

SHOULD HE STAY OR GO: Chris "Beanie" Wells has a decision to make in the coming days. He can return to Ohio State for his senior season or declare for the NFL draft.

Tressel has told Wells the decision should be easy. The Buckeyes coach sees his junior tailback as one of the top players on most NFL teams' draft boards should decide to leave college early.

Tressel usually encourages his players to turn pro if they're sure to be first-round picks.

RIPPLE EFFECT: If Wells leaves, Warren native and Warren G. Harding High School graduate Daniel "Boom" Herron might just be Ohio State's next featured tailback.

Herron filled in capably for Wells, who suffered a foot injury in the Buckeyes' season opener against Youngstown State. Herron also played well later in the season, after missing some time with a concussion he suffered in a victory at Wisconsin.

LOCAL TIES: It has been fun to watch some of the bowl games in large part because of all the teams with Trumbull County players suiting up for them.

Ohio State will have Herron and backup cornerback and special teams ace Shaun Lane on the field against Texas on Monday night at University of Phoenix Stadium. But the area already has been well-represented to this point.

Liberty's Marty Bowman (Boston College) and Bradley Fletcher (Iowa) , Harding's Rocco Cironi (Michigan State) and Sidney Glover (West Virginia) and Howland's Tony Davis (Penn State) played in bowl games in recent weeks. In addition, the area was represented by Mahoning County natives Daryll Clark (Penn State) and Kyle McCarthy (Notre Dame), who played at Ursuline and Cardinal Mooney, respectively.

This area remains a hotbed for football talent, so I'm sure I'm leaving some players out.

STOP WHINING: Everyone loves Southern California coach Pete Carroll, it seems, except for a select few of us. We are the people who want to tell Carroll to stop crying for a playoff system because the Trojans didn't get into the BCS title game.

It's annoying, and this is coming from someone who wouldn't mind a playoff system.

Remember, all Southern Cal had to do was beat Oregon State, and Carroll would be in Miami right now preparing to face Urban Meyer's Florida Gators.

The Trojans couldn't get it done. Give it a rest, Pete.

epuskas@tribtoday.com