Not only did Ohio State defeat Arkansas, 31-26, in the Sugar Bowl, it returned to Columbus with a pocketful of cash.
Ohio State bucked the trend and earned $288,876 from its trip to New Orleans, according to Zack Meisel of the Lantern, the university's student newspaper.
That's a turnaround from the Buckeyes' appearance in the 2010 Rose Bowl, when the university reported a loss of $79,597.
Ohio State spent $702,809 on meals and lodging for the week-long trip to the Big Easy. Transportation costs were $678,924.
The next largest expense resulted from unsold tickets. The university reported 1,064 unsold tickets, which ranged in price from $140-170 apiece. The university also incurred the cost of 609 tickets that the conference failed to sell, all of which cost $120. Together, the total was $222,410.
The Buckeyes' victory over the Razorbacks ended a skid of nine consecutive postseason losses to teams from the Southeastern Conference.
Officials in the business office of Arkansas' athletic department did not return calls or emails to the Lantern.
Update: Arkansas reported a profit of $5,525, according to Whole Hog Sports.
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