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In case you hadn’t heard, there’s a pretty big football game tonight. A football game so big it’s been on everyone’s mind since, I don’t know, the first week of January...

Ohio State Will Beat USC: And Here's How It Will Happen

by Scott Miles (Columnist)

18

1466 reads

Preview/Prediction

September 13, 2008


In case you hadn’t heard, there’s a pretty big football game tonight. A football game so big it’s been on everyone’s mind since, I don’t know, the first week of January. A football game so big that it requires me to pull on a pair of lucky boxers that I haven’t worn in those eight months.

Yes, I’m talking about Wisconsin at Fresno State, and I got my Bulldog boxers out and ready…

(What, I can’t have a little humor on a Saturday morning?)

All right, it’s Ohio State-USC. The Collision in the Coliseum. The Game of the Century. Whatever moniker you want to insert here. And all we’ve been hearing about for weeks, months really, is every analyst in the country’s thoughts on this game.

Well, I have nothing new to add to everything that’s already been said by every media outlet in the free world. But obviously, I wanted to preview this showdown. So what’s a columnist to do?

Simple: I played the game. And you’re about to get a blow-by-blow account of it here, courtesy of my roommate Tyler’s XBOX 360 and our copy of “NCAA Football 2009”.

I set the game up (five-minute quarters, on my “Super-Heisman” mode with jacked-up computer AI levels) and we’re underway…

“Ohio State needs good play out of its defense, especially this LB [James Laurinaitis] to slow down this offense,” Kirk Herbstriet says before kickoff. I win the toss and elect to receive, and Ray Small takes the kick to my 35.

On my first play, I try a fake to Brandon Saine (yes, I took Beanie Wells to make it realistic) and look downfield for Brian Robiskie, but Todd Boeckman’s sacked immediately. Then there’s a holding penalty to make it 2 & 29—just the start I’m looking for.

(Where’s that damn reset button…)

I spread the field with five wide and hit Dane Sanzenbacher for 18 yards, then get Brian Hartline dragging across the middle to convert on 3 & 11. “Great throw by the quarterback there,” Lee Corso says. Thanks, Lee. But I only pick up two yards on the next three plays and have to punt.

My defense comes out and sets the tone, nearly picking off a screen pass, and Laurinaitis drops Trojan tailback Stafon Johnson for loss of four as we force a three and out.

I decide to go for the punt block, and USC has to keep everyone in to protect. This leaves a HUGE open field for Small, who fields it at my 25 and crosses midfield, going all the way to the USC five before the punter knocks him out. Two runs by Saine gets me to the one, but Boeckman gets stuffed on a sneak to make it four and GL.

Decision time. Well, more just a matter of deciding what play to actually call, because anyone who kicks a field goal from the one foot line in a video game should have his or her hands cut off. I spread the field with four wide and send Saine up the middle, who breaks a tackle in the backfield and squeezes in to make it 7-0 Bucks with 45 seconds left in the first quarter.

Defense takes over after Joe McKnight takes the kick back to the 41. USC gains nine yards on the first three plays, and Pete Carroll tries to go for it on 4 & 1. Bad call. Laurainaits and Austin Spiller stuff Johnson for a loss, and I take over in Trojan territory.

(I don&

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18 comments Last one added 9 months ago — Leave a Comment

  1. Lisa Horne 9 months ago

    Good Luck to your Bucks, and woof Bulldawgs! Beat Wisky!

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  2. jon horn 9 months ago

    the buckeyes are overrated. i have faithfully watched them get destroyed in three straight big games. they are garbage

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  3. Joe G 9 months ago

    Not to defend the Bucks, but to play a little devil's advocate.

    People always point to immediate history to say that Jim Tressel's team is incapable of winning the big one. Have we already forgotten how many big games he has won in the past few years?

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  4. L.J. Burgess 9 months ago

    This isn't working...what's plan B?

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  5. john brewer 9 months ago

    well it's the 3rd quarter. want to retract before the game is over?

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  6. Patterson 9 months ago

    I'm thinking things don't go down the way you said, but maybe.

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  7. Evan Wiley 9 months ago

    Not quite...

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  8. Ronald Weathersby 9 months ago

    Well it sounded good didn't it? But as the old saying goes, 'that why they play the game.' OSU was never a serious threat to beat USC tonight and it just may be that no team in the nation can match up with the Trojans. However, we are just opening the College Football season. However as of today there is NO question who is NUMBER 1!

    FIGHT ON!

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  9. Brian Smith 9 months ago

    I can't wait to see how many USC opponents from their pee wee schedule actually make it to bowl games. Putting an intriguing game with Ohio State on there will make them look much better than they really are (for now). USC looked really good, but where's the real scale until they face a fast and ferocious defense? That won't happen until they face an SEC team in the title game (if they don't self destruct against a cookie Pac-10 team). Buckeyes are garbage and will continue to lose the big games.

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  10. Holden S 9 months ago

    Dude USC owned in that game, Brian you can say whatever you want, we will gladly play an SEC team

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  11. Tim Seeman 9 months ago

    well, at least the wisconsin-fresno state game was more interesting than the disembowlment at the coliseum. the officials were lucky the badgers won, because we'd be talking all week about these referees overturning an obvious fumble to an incomplete pass

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  12. RT 9 months ago

    All this means is that USC will now lose to an SEC team in the championship game. No big deal. Pac-10 still blows.......

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    • Brendan Majev 9 months ago

      lol are you serious?

      Unless I miss my guess, USC is WAY better than any team the SEC could put out there.

      And don't give me that "you're a Pac-10 guy" crap because I'm a Maryland fan. Sure, the rest of the Pac-10 might not be so good, but the best program in the country counts for a lot...

      They are the best until proven otherwise.

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  13. Joe Ohman 9 months ago

    True that... USC is the best until proven otherwise. I'm with Kirk Herbstriet who predicts it will be USC and Florida in the big game. Since I know Mark Sanchez personally, I am routing for him -although I am not a USC fan... (well, I guess I am as long as # 6 is the QB.) Florida did not look that great against Miami for 3 quarters, but I expect them to get it right in the SEC opener against Tenn (just like they did last year.)

    Funny article, and well written with the play-by-play on your X-Box!

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    • Scott Miles 9 months ago

      Thanks for the comment...I think it will be USC versus whatever team survives the SEC in the championship game. But I have to give the edge on USC based on what I've seen so far - their game against OSU, Georgia and South Carolina, and Florida-Miami. USC is the faster and more physical of those teams, in my opinion, but it should be a fantastic game. Now if only the Trojans don't choke in Pac-10 play...

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  14. Francesco Borromini 9 months ago

    You SEC boys are in for a surprise this January. :-)

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  15. Quantumt 9 months ago

    Scott should work for Miss Cleo, they would make an awesome duo. Great prediction buddy!

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    • Scott Miles 9 months ago

      Thanks! In my defense, I was pretty close with Ohio State's total yards (207 actual, 182 in my game); Boeckman's completions (14 actual, 13 in game - though I don't know what button to hit to attempt left-handed throws); and the game-changing performance, if Malcolm Jenkins was actually a 260-pound linebacker wearing a USC jersey.

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