Tempe, Ariz. ? They lost the game. Finally, they lost a game.

But first they won the game.

Isn’t this how it had to end — with controversy, chaos and question marks?

Wouldn’t you know that this is how the Miami Hurricanes would lose their first game in nearly three seasons — by first winning it?

You see, the game was over. Miami had won another national title — its sixth in 20 years. The players were jumping around on the field and hugging and high-fiving. They were getting ready to drench coach Larry Coker with Gatorade. The fireworks were going off over the stadium.

But wait.

Huh?

You mean, the game’s not really over?

The referee, who I believe was the great grandson of Woody Hayes, threw a late flag and called Miami’s Glenn Sharpe for a controversial pass-interference penalty. Order was restored. The field was cleared. Ohio State would go on to win the game, 31-24, in two overtimes.

And how fitting that Ohio State’s Maurice Clarett should score the game-winning touchdown? All week Clarett didn’t fear anything or anybody. First he took a stand against his own university and then he took a stand against the undisputed national champion Hurricanes. OSU’s freshman phenom ran through the gut of the UM defense for a 5-yard touchdown that ended this manic marathon of a game on a frantic Friday night in the desert.

Pressure? Clarett thrives on it. Which is why his teammates weren’t concerned about his ongoing controversy with Ohio State’s administration during the week.

“He’s kind of a guy in which drama kind of follows him around,” Ohio State tight end Ben Hartsock said. “If that’s what he needs to get ready, so be it.”

Yes, the Miami Hurricanes finally lost. But don’t you dare call the Miami Hurricanes losers.

Not after what they’ve done. Not after the joyride they’ve given the college football world over the last three seasons. They won 34 consecutive games, for crying out loud. They have been the most dominant, dynastic program of our generation.

They were down by 10 in the second half with a stadium full of fans yelling against them. Any other team folds up and goes home. Miami still managed to win the game.

Before losing it.

I would have never believed it until I saw it. Miami, the big, bad Hurricanes, actually lost to a team that completed five passes in regulation Friday night. That’s right, five passes. Somewhere in That Big Coaching Box in the Sky, Hayes and Bear Bryant were high-fiving each other.

The ‘Canes, with all their pentium-powered offensive gadgetry, just aren’t supposed to lose to a caveman team that is a throwback to college football’s stone ages. I’m not sure, but I think Ohio State’s quarterback was named Og. After the game, you half expected his postgame comments to consist of, “Fire good. Pass bad.”

I swear I’m not making this up: Ohio State’s most effective play of the game was the quarterback sneak. Really. But I guess you dance with the one who brung ya — even if she is ugly. When you have a smothering defense like the Buckeyes have, you can obviously get by on quarterback sneaks.

Not only did Ohio State force Miami into mistake upon mistake, they knocked Miami’s two Heisman candidates — Ken Dorsey and Willis McGahee — out of the game.

Dorsey returned, but McGahee was seriously injured.

The only thing missing from this game was the battle fatigues. This was eerily like Miami’s last national championship game in the Fiesta Bowl 16 years ago against Penn State. The undefeated and heavily favored Hurricanes showed up wearing camouflage fatigues and were upended by the Nittany Lions in the final seconds.

Ironically, Penn State only completed five passes in that game 16 years ago and took advantage of five Miami interceptions. Sixteen years later, Ohio State forced Miami into five turnovers.

“I don’t think they’re as talented as we are,” Miami tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. said. “But talent only takes you so far. They were a very disciplined team. Give them credit. They did the things they had to do to win.”

Give the Hurricanes credit, too. They did everything but win.

Actually, they even did that.

If only for a few seconds.