Bleacher Report - Articles by Tim Bielik

Living Legend: Bobby Bowden's Departure Leaves Huge Shoes to Fill in Tallahassee

Tim Bielik — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 22:22:38 -0500

According to ESPN, Florida State Seminoles coach Bobby Bowden, one of the all-time legends of the game, is expected to retire after 33 years of coaching in Tallahassee.

With the recent struggles of the Seminoles and the inability to sustain success in recent years, it seems the game had passed Bowden by. But if indeed he does decide to step down, he is doing so maybe a little too late.

The legend is second in the FBS in wins at 388, just behind Penn State legend Joe Paterno.

But even though Bowden has had issues with lack of success, one thing he deserves more credit for than anything else is putting the Florida State football program on the map.

Since he arrived at Tallahassee in 1976, Bowden and the Seminoles have missed the postseason only three times, including a 26-year stretch of consecutive bowls with hopefully a 27th straight appearance on the way this season.

But more than anything else, Bowden will be remembered for how he and the Seminoles ruled the college football world for most of the 1990s.

When FSU joined the ACC in 1992, the 'Noles went through an eight-year stretch where they won the ACC title and never finished with more than two losses.

In that decade, Florida State won two national championships, and had two Heisman Trophy winners in Charlie Ward and Chris Weinke.

Also, not too many coaches have put out the caliber of star NFL prospects than Bowden and the 'Noles. Among those who hailed from Tallahassee were Derrick Brooks, Deion Sanders, Corey Simon, Warrick Dunn, and Sebastian Janikowski.

But lately, Bowden's legacy has been tarnished with mediocrity and an inability to adjust to the current game, something fellow legend Joe Paterno has been able to do in Happy Valley.

Since 2000, Florida State has mustered only one 10-win season and has not won a BCS bowl game in that stretch.

Florida State just hasn't been able to get the type of players they used to have in the 1990s, mostly because of Florida and Miami becoming powerhouses in different parts of the last decade and leaving the 'Noles in the dust.

And Bowden's schematics seem outdated as he no longer has the speed advantages in the older days, which made his man-to-man schemes so effective.

Ultimately, the difficulties in keeping up with their in-state rivals and adjusting to the game caught up with Bowden.

It's a shame, because Bobby Bowden is Florida State football and literally gave them legitimacy the same way Pete Carroll has done in USC this decade.

But he is still one of the greatest coaches of the modern era of college football, and possibly of all time.

As Jimbo Fisher now steps in, he has as big a set of shoes as any man in recent memory to fill in the coaching ranks.

It's tough to tell if the Seminoles can return to past glory and launch another dynasty.

But with a legend stepping aside after 33 years, 12 conference titles and two national championships is quite a stat line for the Hall of Fame coach.

With those 33 years, Bobby Bowden has been one of those coaches such as Woody Hayes and Darrell Royal, who single-handedly put their programs on the map.

The difference is how far Bowden carried the Seminoles, from four wins in the three years before he took the helm, to one of the most dominant decades in the history of college football.

Bobby Bowden may be done in Tallahassee, but his legacy, and the building of the Seminoles' football program, will live forever.

Ohio State Buckeyes: Why 2009 Gives Hope for 2010 BCS Title Shot

Tim Bielik — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 19:10:47 -0500

After debacles in the 2006 and 2007 National Championship games, most college football fans might not want to see Ohio State playing for a BCS title ever again.

But with the maturation the team has developed and a 180 degree shift in mentality, the Buckeyes could end 2009 as high as sixth in the final polls, and primed for a BCS run in 2010.

How can this happen with a quarterback that has passing problems and an inconsistent offensive line?

Most people figured early on that 2009 was more of a growing year for the Buckeyes, who lost a lot of senior leaders including James Laurinaitis and Malcolm Jenkins, and superstar RB Beanie Wells.

There were numerous holes to fill, and the loss of stud junior LB Tyler Moeller for the season, due to a head injury in August, didn't help matters much.

But as the season went on, the Buckeyes began to develop an identity as a hard-hitting, run-stuffing defense that flies to the football and racks up interceptions and turnovers like few teams in the country.

Offensively, the Buckeyes went back to their bread and butter in running the football, though the usually-conservative Jim Tressel did call for some wrinkles, such as some Wildcat runs.

New playmakers emerged on the defensive side of the ball in LB Brian Rolle, surprise freshman DT John Simon, and S Jermale Hines.

When it came to the offense, progress was slow behind an offensive line starting two to three true sophomores and breaking in multiple new starting WRs.

Over time, and heading into the November gauntlet, RBs Brandon Saine and Daniel "Boom" Herron turned the corner and have become solid playmakers. Saine is the big play threat out of the backfield, ripping defenses in both the running and passing games, and Herron has been the running workhorse.

And give credit to the Ohio State coaching staff for trying to make Terrelle Pryor more efficient, and more careful with the football.

After being a turnover machine in the first half of the season, Pryor was reeled in and put in more controlled environments to make him make safer decisions. As a result, Pryor had only two turnovers in the final five games of 2009.

Many felt that 2009 was the year Pryor would be unleashed, but he clearly was not ready to be the guy.

So what happened? Ohio State took pressure off of him and established a running mentality that culminated with three OSU players, Saine, Herron, and Pryor, each running for over 70 yards against Michigan.

And the good news for Ohio State fans: All of these players should be coming back for 2010, a year more experienced and primed for a title shot.

The year will begin with an exciting September test against a very talented Miami Hurricanes squad hungry for revenge after losing the 2002 title game.

The question in 2010 will continue to be if Pryor is truly, finally ready to take the Vince Young-esque final step towards football superstardom.

But as long as the defensive cogs, especially in the line like Thaddeus Gibson and Cameron Heyward, return, there is no reason why the Buckeyes won't have one of the more exciting and fast defenses in the country.

Expect the Buckeyes to have another high preseason ranking in 2010 as usual, and with Tim Tebow and Colt McCoy, among others, graduating, a new crop of stars are ready to shine.

But first things first as Ohio State prepares for the Rose Bowl against the winner of the Civil War in Eugene, Oregon.

How the Buckeyes perform in that game will show whether this group is ready to return to the elites of college football.

A win on the national stage outside of the conference will do wonders not only for perception, but for confidence and maturity.

And as 2006 and 2007 showed, the respect has to be earned with big wins against teams not named Penn State and Michigan.

It has to be earned by beating powerhouses and talented teams in the big games, and there's no bigger bowl stage than in the Granddaddy of Them All.

A win will go a long way, but this young group has to be ready to put in the work to be great.

The talent's there, but now it's time for them to take the next step and win an elusive BCS game. If they do, Buckeye Nation will embrace this season and be ready for what hopes to be a title chase in 2010.

Turkey Time: What CFB Fans and Teams Can Be Thankful for This Thanksgiving

Tim Bielik — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:58:53 -0500

Normally, this is where I do my weekly "Five Things We Learned in College Football" series. But this week, I've decided to take things in a different direction with Thanksgiving around the corner. And with only one more week before the conference championship games, this is what some of the teams in the country and other personalities have to be thankful for before we carve up some turkeys.

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Jim Tressel's Ohio State Legacy Will Be As a Winner, Though It's Rarely Flashy

Tim Bielik — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 18:46:32 -0500

The Ohio State Buckeyes once again beat their arch rivals from Michigan 21-10, in a classic example of how the Buckeyes have played in the Jim Tressel era.

The game was won by the Buckeyes controlling the ground game, special teams, and creating turnovers.

And regardless of what people think about Jim Tressel, one cannot deny his track record with now seven BCS games in nine years as a coach.

In addition, the team has won or shared five straight Big Ten titles, something that has to be recognized regardless of the strength of the conference.

There is no doubt Tresselball is not pretty by any stretch, but it just wins.

He has been able to take teams that have lost a lot of talent and just reload and plug the next guys in without losing too much of a step.

And most importantly to Buckeye fans, he has beaten Michigan.

In his nine years at the helm in Columbus, Tressel has beaten the Wolverines eight times, including the last six in a row, something not even Woody Hayes could ever do.

So where does he rank among the greatest coaches in Big Ten history?

At this point, Tressel belongs in the top five of coaches in the Big Ten and one of the best coaches in the country right now.

He has been the target of a lot of criticism for years for having a bland offensive game, with slug-it-out running and overvaluing punts.

And in an era where offenses are more explosive than ever in recent memory, those cries are becoming much louder by the day.

But Saturday was a perfect example of why Tressel is not planning to change his philosophy anytime soon.

Michigan's spread offense moved the ball at times and played fairly well, but turned it over five times against a ball-hungry Ohio State defense that leads the country in interceptions.

Ohio State's running attack didn't look pretty at first, but over time started to gain big chunks of the field, with three rushers, Dan Herron, Brandon Saine, and Terrelle Pryor, all going over 70 yards rushing.

The sweater-vest might not have the most style points of any coach in the country, but he has clearly developed a winning formula: play smart, minimize mistakes, and win the battle up front.

With the Buckeyes' defensive front in 2009, winning the battles up front have been much easier, not allowing opponents to run wild on the Silver Bullets defense.

And that formula has started to rub off on Pryor, as he only has two turnovers since the loss in Purdue, and has even made better decisions running the football.

While the new blood has gotten better and the game has changed, Tressel's formula has stayed consistent, adding a few wrinkles every now and then.

And with the type of talent Tressel continues to bring in after several straight recruiting classes, expect the Buckeyes' dominance over the Big Ten to continue as long as he is in place.

Clearly no Ohio State coach will have more lore and pageantry about him in the history of the program than the great Woody Hayes.

But don't be surprised if a statue of Jim Tressel is erected near Ohio Stadium after his retirement.

He has done more for this program as a coach and a person than most people around Columbus will realize until he is gone.

Nothing about the man screams flashy, light up the scoreboard football.

But he knows the one true law of football: winning is everything, and nothing else matters.

To Ohio State Buckeyes and Michigan Wolverines, it's More Than Just a Game

Tim Bielik — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:55:23 -0500

Saturday in Ann Arbor, the latest installment of The Game is between Ohio State and Michigan.

Earlier in the decade, The Game was something special, when both teams were among the elites in college football, and when the Big Ten title was usually on the line.

But lately, the decline of Michigan football has taken some of the luster away from one of the greatest rivalries in all of sports.

While the rivalry to the outside world is meaningless, don't try telling that to the people in Ann Arbor and Columbus.

Around Columbus, the university kicked off the week a Beat Michigan Week Pep Rally, featuring talks from the football captains, and former players Eddie George, and Keith Byars.

The Buckeyes are also celebrating the week by debuting their new Nike Pro Combat uniforms as a tribute to the 1954 National Championship squad.

Meanwhile in Ann Arbor, the Wolverines are 5-6 after starting 4-0, and need a win to get into a bowl game after missing the postseason last year for the first time since the 1960s.

So there is plenty to fight for, but even the stakes for Michigan is just adding to the fuel thrown on the fire.

Wolverines' players are not shy about sharing their feelings about Ohio State's, G Justin Boren, who transferred from the program before the 2008 season.

The trasfer seems like "a loss of family values."

The most vocal about these sentiments was star DE Brandon Graham, who said Boren was, "Just somebody who should not have been here in the first place."

QB Tate Forcier also had made a guarantee that the Wolverines would break their five-game losing streak to the Buckeyes.

But to assume Ohio State doesn't share the same feelings about Michigan, just because of their five-game winning streak, would be wrong.

For example, right after the Buckeyes beat Iowa for the Big Ten Championship, fans on the field broke out in a familiar tune called "We Don't Give a Damn for the Whole State of Michigan."

Some people might remember that Ohio State fans had purchased a billboard in Detroit commemorating the 2000th day since Michigan last beat Ohio State.

In his weekly press conference, Ohio State coach Jim Tressel threw out concerns that his team would overlook the embattled Wolverines.

The main sticking point of his tenure, beginning in 2001, was believing that beating Michigan was everything, and he has done a great job of driving that message into his players.

The result: a 7-1 record, including beating Michigan 42-7 in 2008, one of the largest margins of victory in the history of the rivalry.

A quick glimpse into the recent history, no one should believe that Tressel and the Buckeyes would overlook their rivals.

And even though Ohio State technically has nothing to play for with a Rose Bowl ticket already punched, this is the last game they will play, and therefore leaves open the ability to "let it all hang out," as Tressel put it.

Even though the significance of the rivalry has been greatly diminished by Michigan's underachieving and Ohio State's national perception, The Game is still just that, the game that means everything.

It's the game that gives one state bragging rights.

It's the game that creates legends and moments that people on either side will never forget.

It's the game that has been the downfall of multiple coaches on both sides of the ledger.

In other words, when it comes to Ohio State and Michigan, and those living in either state or alums of both schools, this is everything.

The Dynasty Continues: Barclay, Saine Send Buckeyes Back To Pasadena

Tim Bielik — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 22:24:09 -0500

When the Iowa Hawkeyes came to Columbus, the most unlikely man on either squad, K Devin Barclay, the 26-year-old former MLS player, was the hero that sent Ohio State to Pasadena.

It's a story that has been talked about for days now, but don't forget the other 60 minutes of a game that many people have considered one of the best of 2009, especially the fourth quarter.

In that big fourth quarter, both teams combined for 28 points and one-upped each other.

Everything from Dan Herron's TD run out of what I will call the "Wild Nut" offense to Derrell Johnson-Koulianos' kickoff return after initially bobbling the catch only added to what many have called an instant classic.

But anyone who followed Iowa football thought that even down 24-10 with all the momentum on the side of the Buckeyes, they had a shot.

Sure enough, QB James Vandenburg's TD pass to WR Marvin McNutt validated those hopes and had Buckeye fans thinking, "Here we go again."

But with a big third down sack in OT, all that had to happen was Barclay, who filled in for the injured Aaron Pettrey, to finish off the Big Ten title game.

The former professional soccer player's kick sends Ohio State to the Rose Bowl for the first time since 1996, where they upset Jake Plummer's Arizona State Sun Devils.

With all the controversy that surrounded the program after a shocking loss to Purdue, and a loss to USC that looks worse and worse every passing second, Ohio State has rebounded and looked like a different team in the last four weeks.

And Ohio State has rebounded from all of that negativity and criticism to win their fifth-straight Big Ten title, but they are still making their first trip to the "Granddaddy of Them All" in the Jim Tressel era.

The win makes the matchup in Ann Arbor Saturday meaningless in the case of the standings, but not in the hearts of everyone on that field.

But the win on Saturday under the lights was something special, as it was a classic Big Ten showdown with two heavyweights slugging it out.

It was the matchup we all thought it would be before Ricky Stanzi was injured.

It was Iowa and Ohio State playing with the hearts of champions and truly a game where whoever had the ball last was going to win.

And it is one that people will be talking about for a long time.

Many have compared the win to the "Game of the Century" in 2006, with the Buckeyes beating Michigan 42-39.

This indeed had a similar feel, with the Big Ten title at stake and two talented squads throwing haymakers all night.

Give credit to the Hawkeyes because they did not roll over despite missing Stanzi, and they played one outstanding game that would win so many games.

But at the end, it was Ohio State that had just enough to get the job done.

And with Jim Tressel at the helm, having just enough makes all the difference in the world.

Now the Buckeyes will take the road show to Pasadena, where the most likely opponent would be the high-flying Oregon Ducks who throttled USC 47-20 just a few weeks ago.

If this matchup happens, expect few to give the Buckeyes a chance to break the BCS funk of three straight seasons.

But the title game performance has proven one thing: Ohio State is learning how to win big games.

And even though it is just within the conference, it's a step in the right direction for the Buckeyes.

Punching Some Tickets: Five Things We Learned In Week 11

Tim Bielik — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 14:53:29 -0500

Saturday finally gave us the first BCS lock of 2009, with the Ohio State Buckeyes pulling out the dramatic finish in OT against the Iowa Hawkeyes for the Big Ten title.

It also continued to thin out the BCS picture, as the top four teams in the country, Florida, Alabama, Texas, and TCU, have clearly separated them from the rest of the nation.

With only a handful of important games left, with Heisman and national title campaigns hanging in the balance, every snap is more important than the last.

As the drama builds, here are the five things we learned in Week 11:

1.) Ohio State-Iowa shows why the Big Ten should have a title game

Not too many people gave Iowa a chance against the Buckeyes, but they fought like the top team that they have been all season, riding a talented defense and big plays from the QB position.

They did not finish the comeback, and the magic might be gone in Iowa City, as the Hawkeyes lost 27-24 in overtime on the foot of OSU K Devin Barclay, the former MLS player.

But that game was everything the nation hoped it would be before Iowa lost to Northwestern. And who knows, Iowa QB James Vandenburg could be a superstar soon.

But without a doubt, the unofficial Big Ten Championship Game has been one of the best games of 2009, and should create a bigger push for an official title game in the imminent future.

It took a former soccer player to put the Buckeyes in the Rose Bowl for the first time in 13 years. As history has shown us, the most unlikely person on the field could be the hero at the end.

All we know is that this will be a game that people in Columbus will be talking about for a long time.

2.) If Texas loses, TCU deserves serious national title consideration

Some felt that the Horned Frogs' last true test of the season would be a home showdown against Mountain West rival Utah.

If that was a test, TCU passed with flying colors, ringing up 55 on the Utes and all but assuring themselves the Mountain West title.

With very little challenges in the last two weeks of their season, it's very possible that the Horned Frogs could play for the national title. And if they do, they very much deserve that shot.

TCU is fourth in the nation in scoring offense, and eighth in scoring defense, with an average margin of victory over 26 points per game.

So if Texas does slip up somewhere down the road, it should be the Horned Frogs that are the first mid-major to punch a ticket for the national championship game.

3.) Mark Ingram and Colt McCoy are the slim leaders for the Heisman, but that could change again next week

The Heisman race for 2009 could be the most convoluted in recent memory, but at least for now, the trophy is a two-horse race between Alabama's Mark Ingram and Texas' Colt McCoy.

Ingram has continued his hot pace of running well in the SEC, rushing for 149 yards and two TDs in a 31-3 win over Mississippi State, which included a 70-yard TD run to ice the win.

McCoy led the Longhorns to 40 points in the first half, throwing for 189 yards and two TD passes before being pulled to start the second half.

With the chance that both of their teams could play for the national championship, these two will have to carry the loads to finish out the final few weeks of the season.

If they do matchup, there will be little doubt that the Heisman belongs to one of these two fine players.

4.) Charlie Weis is all but out at Notre Dame, could Stoops be next?

With another loss for the Irish, the whispers calling for Charlie Weis's firing are starting to become shouts.

All along, with a talented offense and a watered-down schedule, the goal for 2009 for the Irish was to make the BCS. And with all the talent the Irish had in the wings, all fingers should be pointed squarely at Weis.

With the BCS being out of the Irish's reach this season, Weis could be let out of his long contract extension with many years left to be paid back.

And it seems the potential firing of Weis could be imminent, as rumors of Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops having interest in the job are starting to fly across message boards.

The job has been vacant multiple times during his tenure at Oklahoma, but the cupboard in South Bend is more filled than in years past, and after the rough year in Norman, anything can happen.

It might not, but now Stoops' name will be thrown in the hat as often as Urban Meyer's name until one or both drops their name from consideration.

5.) USC's 2009 is following Murphy's Law

For the program of the decade, the ending has been something out of a nightmare for the Trojans.

Literally, everything that can go wrong has gone wrong, as they dropped a second straight game by double figures and gave up the most points in school history in the loss to Stanford.

It's a shame what has happened in USC with everything from Stafon Johnson's lifting accident to the collapse of the Trojan defense in the last two weeks.

Pete Carroll's job should not be in question because of one bad season. Everyone has years like this, such as Oklahoma this year and Florida in 2007.

2010 should be a better year for the Trojans, because not much else can go wrong in California.

Now that one ticket has been punched for the BCS, it's time to give BCS bowl projections, something I will be doing at the end of every article in my series for the rest of the season.

Citi BCS National Championship Game: Alabama vs Texas

FedEx Orange Bowl: Georgia Tech vs Penn State

Tostitos Fiesta Bowl: Boise State vs Cincinnati

Allstate Sugar Bowl: Florida vs TCU

Citi Rose Bowl Game: Ohio State vs Oregon

Dreaming Of Roses: Why Ohio State's Skill Players Will Snatch The Title

Tim Bielik — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 14:20:07 -0500

Saturday afternoon, Ohio State and Iowa meet in Columbus for the unofficial Big Ten Championship Game for the right to go to Pasadena.

The biggest story of the game is Iowa backup QB James Vandenburg starting over the injured Ricky Stanzi.

In Vandenburg's first prolonged experience last week against Northwestern, he could not carry Iowa past the Wildcats and eventually ended the miracle season.

Now it's on the Hawkeyes to pick up the pieces and rebound against a fast, stout defense that Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz referred to as an NFL-caliber unit.

But the matchup against Iowa will not just be won on the offensive and defensive line for both teams, but with the skill players and back seven of both teams.

In comparison, Ohio State has an edge in the skill position, especially in the RB department. Brandon Saine and Boom Herron are both back and 100 percent healthy, and both could run the OSU Wildcat offense if Terrelle Pryor's ankle is still a problem.

The WRs are about even as DeVier Posey and Dane Sanzenbacher for the Buckeyes are both talented playmakers along with the Hawkeyes' Derrell Johnson-Koulianos and Trey Stross.

But if the Buckeyes run an offense similar to the past week's game in Happy Valley, expect bubble screens and more passes to Saine to keep defenses off balance.

Defensively, both back sevens are opportunistic, but Iowa's is missing a key cog in S Brett Greenwood.

S Tyler Sash and OSU's S Kurt Coleman are both ball-hawkers and are great at creating turnovers.

What sets this unit of the Buckeyes apart from most teams and just above Iowa is the aggression and overall speed in the back seven.

LBs Brian Rolle and Ross Homan are both talented backers who fly to the ball and disrupt running games, helping to lock down John Clay, Evan Royster, and even slowing down the vaunted USC rushing attack.

Although Ohio State lost both of their starting CBs from a year ago, this current unit with Chimdi Chekwa, Andre Amos, and Devon Torrence are better overall coverage corners, and clogging passing lanes.

Iowa has some talented back seven players as well, in LB Pat Angerer, one of the best tacklers in the conference, and DBs Amari Spievey and Shaun Prater.

However, the overall depth defensively in the Ohio State defense and the amount of pressure the defensive line gives the OSU back seven a clear advantage in allowing them to play more fast and aggressive.

With an inexperienced QB from Iowa going up against an Ohio State defense that will force a passing attack, expect an opportunistic unit to fight for the football all night.

Conversely, Terrelle Pryor has to continue to trust his weapons offensively to keep putting points on the board.

If Ohio State can make all that happen and hit the 24-point plateau again, look at the Buckeyes to return to Pasadena for the first time since 1996.

Prediction:

Ohio State 27 - Iowa 14

Dreams Revived and Crushed: Five Things We Learned in Week Ten

Tim Bielik — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 22:30:27 -0500

As the season winds down, every game is more and more meaningful as the BCS picture gets clearer. Florida and Alabama are on a collision course for Atlanta, and Texas has little competition left to get to the National Title game in Pasadena.

And as we near Thanksgiving and the conference title games, starting this Saturday in Columbus with the unofficial Big Ten title game, it's time to find out who will be playing the big games in January 2010.

With the end of 2009 coming around the corner, here are five things we learned in a tell-tale Week 10 in college football:

1.) Injuries Eventually Killed the Magical Hawkeyes

Northwestern DE Corey Woutton falling on Iowa QB Ricky Stanzi's ankle in the endzone effectively signaled the beginning of the end of Iowa's perfect season.

Injuries to S Brett Greenwood and RB Adam Robinson were just small warning flares before Stanzi got hurt in Saturday's loss.

Even with Iowa's talented defensive unit, they do not have the offense without Stanzi to keep the balance that made Iowa so clutch when it counted.

RB Brandon Wegher will be counted on heavily the rest of the way, and as long as backup QB James Vandenberg can find WR Derrell Johnson-Koulianos and TE Tony Moeaki, Iowa could be fine.

But there are no more championship hopes in Iowa City with the Hawkeyes missing their Captain Clutch in Stanzi.

2.) The Big Ten Still Runs Through Columbus, Literally and Figuratively

Staying in the Big Ten, not too many people thought that Ohio State could beat Penn State with a limited offensive capacity.

Apparently, someone forgot to tell the offensive coaching staff.

Ohio State rode a great offensive line performance and slightly more imaginative play calling job featuring bubble screens and even some Wildcat plays to a 24-7 domination of the rival Nittany Lions.

The Buckeyes defense was as smothering as usual, holding stud RB Evan Royster to just 36 yards rushing on 13 carries and holding WR Derek Moye without a catch.

The win sets the stage for the de facto Big Ten championship game this Saturday in Columbus, with the red-hot Buckeyes facing the suddenly-vulnerable Hawkeyes.

This brings the top defenses in the Big Ten together for the matchup that will send the winner to the Rose Bowl for the first time in this decade.

Entertaining fact: The last time Iowa played a BCS bowl was in January 2003 against USC, the same year Ohio State beat Miami for the national title.

3.) The BCS is So Convoluted With Multiple Teams Either Being Undefeated or Having Two Losses

There have been many problems with the BCS in recent seasons, but nothing quite like this since the poll came out over a decade ago.

The only one-loss teams in the top ten left are Georgia Tech and Iowa. After that, only Pitt, Houston, and Utah have one loss, while only one, Pitt, can feasibly make a BCS berth.

Three teams, Texas, Florida, and Alabama, control the destinies of the next three teams in line, two of whom, TCU and Boise State, could be the first mid-majors to play for a national title.

After those six teams and seventh-ranked Georgia Tech, there is a .14 percentage differential between the Jackets and the next team down on the list: eighth-ranked LSU.

So for teams fighting for at-large bids, the two-loss teams will need to rank up style points, especially teams like USC, Miami, and the loser of Ohio State-Iowa.

4.) Josh Nesbitt and CJ Spiller Are Bringing Stability to the ACC, One Run at a Time

In the ACC where picking a winner has been as random as the lottery, Georgia Tech and Clemson have emerged as the teams to beat in the ACC.

The Tigers have reeled off four straight wins, including a 40-24 win against Florida State. Meanwhile, the Jackets are riding seven straight wins and only one more ACC game to go before the ACC Championship Game.

Clemson has turned their season around thanks to Heisman dark-horse CJ Spiller who has 12 touchdowns, including four big return touchdowns. Spiller has quickly become one of the deadliest offensive weapons in the country.

For the Jackets, it has been about QB Josh Nesbitt, another Heisman sleeper with 21 touchdowns and the potential to run and throw for 1000 yards in Paul Johnson's triple option offense.

These two teams should clash in Tampa for the ACC title and a shot at the Orange Bowl, and it will be a rushing matter when these teams clash. Last time they met, in Week Two, it was a prime time classic with the Jackets escaping 30-27.

A win for Clemson over NC State should clinch them a rematch with the tricky Jackets in December.

5.) TCU or Boise State Have Something Cincinnati Needs in Order to Have a Shot at the Title Game This Year

Saturday night, the college world got their first national look at the Cincinnati Bearcats, as they put on a show with over 700 yards of offense against Connecticut.

However, they were only able to win the game by two points.

This has created a lot of concern that the Bearcats do not have enough defense to play with the top teams in the country even though they have the offense to do so.

Everyone knows how good TCU is defensively and that Boise State has improved as well. But both those teams have amazing quality wins with TCU beating BYU and Clemson on the road, and Boise State shutting down Oregon's high-powered offense.

If Cincinnati wants to have a legitimate claim at the BCS title game should two of the top three teams fall, they will need to beat West Virginia and Pitt convincingly to do so.

Turning the Corner: Terrelle Pryor Becoming Who We All Hoped He Could Be

Tim Bielik — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 12:39:55 -0500

Returning to the school he looked past in high school and with Penn State fans sporting insulting T-shirts, Terrelle Pryor made sure he would silence his critics, at least for one night.

Ohio State was a media underdog against favored Penn State, but put forth a dominant second half and three Pryor touchdowns to score a stunning win in Happy Valley, 24-7.

With all the spotlight on Pryor, Ohio State played more of a managing-type of offense, where they made an emphasis on running the football. The only difference in the old run-run-pass offense is how they ran the football.

The way they did it on Saturday was not the usual halfback dives that Ohio State fans have seen for years.

The offense ran bubble screens to WRs DeVier Posey and Dane Sanzenbacher, reverses, and even Wildcat sets with both Dan Herron and Brandon Saine.

It's safe to say that Saturday was probably a preview of Tresselball 2.0. What made it work so well was WR Ray Small had an excellent day of returning punts, with over 130 yards, including a return that set up the opening score.

But the night in Happy Valley was all about Terrelle Pryor.

The embattled QB has dealt with enormous criticism and endless comparisons to former Texas QB Vince Young.

Like Young, Pryor had struggled early on in his career, making many mistakes and not letting the game come to him.

But Young did find a way to turn it on and he eventually became the legend that everyone remembers with back-to-back stunning wins in the Rose Bowl against Michigan in 2005 and USC in 2006.

Pryor has been criticized for trying to do too much and looking so tense on the field.

But in the last few weeks, Pryor has looked like a different player, granted the previous two teams have not been quality teams.

Pryor has improved dramatically at managing games and trusting his playmakers to make the big plays, especially Saine and Posey.

It's tough to tell how long the new Pryor will last, but Buckeye fans have been waiting for this for a long time.

Since the recruitment of a player many felt to be the best QB out of high school since Tim Tebow, Pryor has had to deal with dozens of enormous expectations.

Pryor had been handed the keys to a young offense to start the season, and they showed flashes of brilliance along with inconsistencies.

Now with November here, Ohio State's offensive progression has been dramatic as the consistency has improved, with fewer turnovers and punts in the last few weeks.

Coaching has something to do with it as well, as the playcalling in the second half of the game showed with reverses, deep passes, and some Wildcat play.

Saturday brings forth the unofficial Big Ten title game between Ohio State and the suddenly vulnerable Iowa Hawkeyes, who might be playing without QB Ricky Stanzi after suffering a major ankle injury in the loss to Northwestern.

If Pryor continues to make these incredible leaps in confidence and performance, along with the type of preparations he made for Penn State, there is no reason to think the Buckeyes will not make the Rose Bowl for the first time since 1997.

With all of the frustration the inconsistencies and the loss to Purdue gave the Buckeyes this season, it might have been for the best if Ohio State can do the unprecedented and win a fifth-straight Big Ten title.

And Pryor, the true sophomore who has probably been one of the most criticized players in the country, has a chance to take his team there.

Creature Vs Creature: How Ohio State Can Exact Revenge On Nittany Lions

Tim Bielik — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:34:01 -0500

As part of the famous Creature vs Creature series, it's time to take things into State College, Pennsylvania as Ohio State faces off against Penn State in a Big Ten game with title implications.

Many believed that this matchup would be the de facto Big Ten title game at the start of this season. But Iowa and Purdue had other plans, beating Penn State and Ohio State respectively and taking away a perfect conference record in stunning fashions.

Now these teams meet up in Happy Valley after Penn State stunned the Buckeyes in a hard-fought defensive classic in the 'Shoe, 13-6.

Terrelle Pryor had his best passing game of his career to that point, but he will be remembered most for the fumble that led to the only touchdown of the game on QB Pat Devlin's QB sneak.

Since then, Penn State has been praising Pryor for making his choice to come to Ohio State and even created t-shirts to commemorate last year's win.

However, the shirts were recalled after the student marketing association of Penn State dealt with a media firestorm. They later stated that it was not meant to be an attack on Pryor.

Conversely, Buckeyes' fans who thought Pryor would not play in Saturday's big showdown had to get chills from what he said to the media on Wednesday.

"You're gonna have to kill me not to play," Pryor joked to the media on Wednesday.

Clearly, there is no lack of hype in this matchup.

But the Buckeyes need to step and rebound from a crippling loss last season, and here are four keys that will help them do just that:

1.) Embrace the hate

Since the loss last season, Penn State fans have reveled in images of Pryor crying on the sidelines and celebrating in the Horseshoe.

Ohio State has had to hear this for a whole year, along with the criticism (mostly warranted) of Pryor needing to perform better in pressure situations.

They have heard all of this, and many feel this year's team has the attitude of "enough is enough." This has been what the team has heard for years, and a win in Happy Valley would go a long way towards gaining a small amount of respect.

But it will have to be earned, and though they are underdogs, they have all the motivation in the world to get the revenge.

2.) Loosen up the Penn State defense with play action

It's no secret that every defense is not giving the Buckeyes' offense much respect in the deep passing game, bringing basically all 11 defenders within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage.

Pryor can throw those passes, but he needs a little help from the playcalling, and it would help if the offense could run more play action passing.

Those types of plays are known to loosen defenses up, and that can help if Pryor wants to run the ball to the outside.

Ohio State has the horses in the receiving corps in Dane Sanzenbacher, DeVier Posey, and Ray Small. If he can get them the ball, Penn State could have a tough time containing the offense.

3.) Get to Daryll Clark early and often

Daryll Clark took the Big Ten by storm last season, leading the Spread HD to the Rose Bowl.

But like most quarterbacks, he is susceptible to pressure from the blitz, and the Buckeyes' front four is more than capable of doing that.

If Ohio State can crank up the blitz in the first few series and slow down RB Evan Royster in the running game, they could force turnovers with an opportunistic back seven anchored by MLB Brian Rolle and S Kurt Coleman.

A one-dimensional Penn State offense could play very well in the Buckeyes' favor.

4.) Special teams must create opportunities

With K Aaron Pettrey out for the season, former MLS kicker Devin Barclay will be in charge of the kicking duties along with P Jon Thoma.

And especially with Jim Tressel's focus on special teams, they will need to take advantage of field position from the early moments.

Talented returners Ray Small, Brandon Saine, and Lamaar Thomas will be critical to taking the field away from Penn State.

Plus it is much easier to score when the offense is 60 yards from the end zone than from 80 yards out. A more aggressive variant of Tresselball where getting touchdowns off of great field position would be very ideal for a matchup of such good defenses.

In addition, here is a look at some important matchups in the game.

Matchup that could haunt the Buckeyes

Ohio State interior offensive linemen vs Penn State DT Jared Odrick

Ohio State has not had much success on the offensive line this season with numerous injuries and chemistry issues.

The unit will get no respite this Saturday, as interior linemen Justin Boren, Mike Brewster, and Bryant Browning will have their hands full with stud DT Jared Odrick.

The big powerful DT will look to cause some disruption and open up the field for LB Navorro Bowman, Sean Lee, and Josh Hull.

If they do, Penn State will have their way with Ohio State's running game.

Matchup that Ohio State can take advantage of

Ohio State's DEs Thaddeus Gibson, Cameron Heyward, and Nathan Williams vs Penn State T Dennis Landolt and Ako Poti

Penn State's offensive line has been a target for early criticism, but they have improved so much throughout the season.

But Ohio State has one of the best defensive lines in America anchored by two potential early draft picks in Thaddeus Gibson and Cameron Heyward, both very active in the pass rush.

And the first man off the bench for the Buckeyes at DE, sophomore Nathan Williams, has an excellent motor, and he could start for many teams in the country.

With the type of talent the Buckeyes bring off the sidelines on the defensive line, Penn State will have a tough time keeping them from getting into the backfield.

Final Predictions

Ohio State comes into a Whiteout at Happy Valley with a ton of emotion, and Pryor will be back in Pennsylvania for the first time in his collegiate career.

Both teams will be playing for their Rose Bowl lives, but Buckeye motivation propels the team to a hard-fought win.

Ohio State 24 - Penn State 20

For the Penn State perspective on CvC, here's Penn State Featured Columnist Brandon Seitz's post .

Ohio State Buckeyes Prepare For November Gauntlet

Tim Bielik — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:38:46 -0500

It's hard to believe that the 2009 college football season is nearing its ending so soon. We've seen so many exciting moments this season.

But for the Ohio State Buckeyes, the end means the hardest part of the schedule by far.

The month of November begins with a trip up to Happy Valley to play No. 11 Penn State, then a home game the next week against No. 4 Iowa (using BCS standings). The end isn't much easier, as they play in Ann Arbor against an improved Michigan team bent to end a five-game losing streak to their archrivals from the state of Ohio.

Many pundits felt that October would be a quiet month for the Buckeyes, thinking that they would run the table and have a shot to win the Big Ten.

As we hit November, the latter is still possible despite the former not happening, as Purdue shocked the Buckeyes in West Lafayette, 26-18.

Ohio State still controls their own destiny, as they can win out and get to the Rose Bowl in a surprising scenario.

But they will have to do it regardless of what state the offense is in.

They are still as inconsistent as they were at the start of the year, but the last two games where the Buckeyes scored 83 points has to give the unit some confidence.

Terrelle Pryor seems more relaxed on the field, and Brandon Saine is looking more like the player Buckeye fans have waited for since he came to Columbus in 2007.

And the Buckeyes may have found their backup QB in WR DeVier Posey, who threw a pretty decent TD pass off a reverse to WR Dane Sanzenbacher on a trick play in Ohio State's 45-0 win over lowly New Mexico State.

Another positive sign should be the return of a healthy Justin Boren at G, who with C Mike Brewster form a solid corps of interior linemen for the Buckeyes.

And the defense has stepped up as well, as the Silver Bullets have become turnover magnets this season. The unit ranks third in the country behind Iowa and Texas with 15 interceptions and three defensive touchdowns, all in October.

The defense also has 24 sacks on the season, 12th in the country in that department.

But this Saturday, the Buckeyes bring their high-powered squad into Happy Valley against the top offense in the Big Ten and top scoring defense in the nation at 9.3 points per game.

A win on Saturday would not only quench the Buckeyes' thirst for revenge, but would set up a Big Ten title game in all but name against the Hawkeyes if Iowa takes care of business against Northwestern.

And Ohio State cannot afford to sleep on the Wolverines either.

Sure, Michigan is struggling, but they are vastly improved from a year ago and Tate Forcier and the Wolverines will be licking their chops to end their losing streak to the Buckeyes which has gone on since 2003.

Jim Tressel has only lost once to the Wolverines, and past history says he has no reason to overlook Michigan either.

They should be favored, but the outcome will be closer than in 2008.

Is Ohio State still smelling roses? Maybe, but it will take a perfect November to get it done, along with consecutive upsets as well.

They are capable, but the execution will tell the story. And Ohio State will have to execute at a high level on both sides of the ball to reach Pasadena on New Years' Day.

Unchallenged Elites: Five Things We Learned In Week Nine

Tim Bielik — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:40:04 -0500

As we flip the calendar over to November, a few things are becoming clear:

-Texas should win the Big XII title unchallenged

-The SEC and Big XII have become top-heavy, and the disparity between the top and middle-tier teams is staggering.

-Teams four through seven need a lot of prayers to crash the title game party.

But this time around, the picture is finally starting to become clear.

We're almost assured of at least one SEC squad in the National Championship Game in Pasadena. And the other spot could very well be filled by a mid-major team.

With all that said, here's five lessons from Week Nine in college football.

1.) Oregon is not who we thought they were, and that's a good thing for them

Primetime in Eugene Saturday night proved to be the exorcism of the negativity surrounding the Ducks' program from the debacle in Boise.

A 47-20 blowout of the powerhouse USC Trojans all but gave the Ducks the inside track to the Rose Bowl.

The breakout of LaMichael James at RB has made everyone forget about Heisman hopeful LeGarrette Blount, who could still possibly be reinstated.

Since that opening loss 19-8 to the Boise State Broncos, Oregon ran off seven straight wins, the closest being a narrow two-point win over Purdue. Then the Ducks have blown away everyone in the Pac-10 in the past few weeks.

A road game against Arizona, the place where Oregon's national title hopes were crushed in 2007, could be the toughest obstacle on the way to Pasadena.

2.) Saturday's week in the Big Ten could pave the way for a de facto Big Ten title game in Columbus

Iowa, Penn State, and Ohio State are the only teams left in the Big Ten that still have a shot at the title and a trip to Pasadena.

With the Buckeyes and Nittany Lions facing off in Happy Valley, a Buckeyes and Hawkeyes win will set up a match which should determine the Big Ten title.

All three teams are in the top-15 of the Coaches' Poll, and the Hawkeyes are still dreaming of a national title this year.

They all have exciting, shutdown defenses, which means the next two weeks could potentially be all low-scoring affairs with the cold Midwestern weather being a huge factor. Whoever emerges as the top dog from these next two weeks could be looking forward to a warm matchup in sunny Pasadena against most likely Oregon.

3.) Anyone who plays QB at Cincinnati is in a great position for success

Tony Pike hurt? No problem for the Bearcats, who seem to be plugging guys in at the QB position and seeing no dropoff.

Zach Collaros has thrown for nine TDs to only one interception since filling in for the Heisman sleeper QB in Pike.

The Bearcats do have a tough road ahead of them to reach a second straight Big East title, as they face UConn and West Virginia at home in consecutive weeks, then finish the year at No. 13 ranked Pitt.

Cincinnati has not lost a regular season game in over a year, and Pike, a fifth-stringer at the start of 2008 has been the main reason why.

4.) Georgia Tech is bringing consistency to the topsy-turvy ACC

After the Virginia Tech Hokies were upset once again, one would believe that the ACC is once again in a jumbled mess.

But along come Paul Johnson's Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, who are 8-1 and have the inside track to the ACC title game.

After being tied with Vanderbilt at the half Saturday, GT turned on the jets and outscored the Commodores 28-3 and raced off to a big win keeping their status as top dog in the ACC.

Georgia Tech has two ACC games left in the season, and one more win will put them in the ACC title game.

The old triple option has taken the ACC by storm in just two years, and the Yellow Jackets could very well be smelling oranges by months' end.

5.) Case Keenum is the best mid-major QB since Colt Brennan

Houston's Junior QB Case Keenum had himself an amazing game Saturday against Southern Miss, throwing for 559 yards and five touchdowns en route to a 50-43 win.

And with his name being thrown around in small Heisman circles, Keenum could be the best mid-major QB in college football since Hawaii's Colt Brennan just two years ago.

Both players have put up amazing stats, and Keenum, like Brennan, could garner serious Heisman Trophy consideration.

The only difference is Brennan did lead his team to a BCS game his senior year and Keenum will probably not do so. But one could make the argument that Keenum has beaten much better competition in 2009 than Brennan did in his senior year while putting up comparable stats.

Most offensive fans would love to see a matchup between these two teams, 2009 Houston and 2007 Hawaii, because anyone would enjoy a show between those two amazing QBs.

Block In The Road: Ohio State Final Obstacle To Iowa's Quest For Roses

Tim Bielik — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 14:22:43 -0400

The Iowa Hawkeyes are off to the best start in the long history of their football program, beating Penn State and Michigan along the way.

All signs point to the Hawkeyes running the table and playing in Pasadena either in the Rose Bowl or for the National Title. But in the words of Lee Corso, not so fast my friend.

Iowa's last major obstacle in the quest for a perfect season comes in the form of Big Ten powerhouse Ohio State. The Hawkeyes' final road game comes in the volatile Horseshoe where the Buckeyes could still be playing for a Big Ten title.

This matchup presents the two most talented defensive lines in the conference, anchored by Iowa's Adrian Clayborn and Ohio State's Thaddeus Gibson and Cameron Heyward.

Ricky Stanzi will be making his first trip back to his home state as a starting QB and Terrelle Pryor will get his first look at Iowa.

We know from Iowa's clutch performances in the last year that they are capable of taking any game from the jaws of defeat regardless of the opponent.

The defense is very opportunistic and aggressive, and with safeties Tyler Sash and Brett Greenwood playing center field, they create alot of problems for opposing offenses.

And the offense has alot of balance to it, led by RB Brandon Wegher who will get most of the carries for the injured Adam Robinson. When the running game is in sync, look for Stanzi to hit his favorite targets in TE Tony Moeaki and WR Derrell Johnson-Koulianos in the passing attack.

But Iowa has not played against a team with the defensive speed that the Buckeyes bring to the table, especially in the front seven.

Plus the Buckeyes have a defense that forces turnovers frequently and puts the offense in good position.

Offensively, the Buckeyes still have a long way to go to get to the level of the defense. But the talent is with Pryor and a stable of solid RBs led by Brandon Saine and Jordan Hall.

And the Buckeye WRs also have plenty of talent to bring to the table, with DeVier Posey and Dane Sanzenbacher getting a majority of the touches. The only problem for the offense is getting the ball to those playmakers and letting them put pressure on defenses.

It's tough to say where both teams will be in two weeks, but Ohio State is clearly going to be a tough test for the Hawkeyes, if not the toughest of the year.

But if Iowa does in fact take down the perennial powerhouse, then they are without a doubt worthy of taking the Big Ten title and the trip to Pasadena.

It will not be an easy game for either team, as both have a lot to prove.

Iowa has to prove they belong with the best in the nation, and the Buckeyes are out to prove that they still own the Big Ten conference.

Bragging rights and bowl destinies will be on the line November 14, along with possibly the Big Ten title provided the Buckeyes beat Penn State on November 7.

Oh So Clutch: Five Things We Learned in College Football's Week Eight

Tim Bielik — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 11:53:57 -0400

Now this is getting interesting in college football.

At this point, six of the top 10 teams in the BCS standings are undefeated, including two mid-major schools that ironically played each other a year ago (Boise State and TCU).

As we head into the month of November with all types of big matchups on the horizon, including the Florida-Georgia game and USC-Oregon, fortunes should begin to reveal themselves.

The time has finally come to separate the contenders from the pretenders.

That said, here are five more lessons taken from the eighth week of college football.

1. Iowa is just that clutch

With slim national title hopes on the line, Iowa QB Ricky Stanzi hit WR Marvin McNutt with no time left to stay unbeaten against Michigan State.

The Hawkeyes have now won a dozen in a row, dating back to last season, including two wins over Penn State, one over South Carolina, and one over Michigan.

But it's the way that they win that is really turning a lot of heads. Anytime the clock goes under two minutes, it seems that the Hawkeyes get every small break imaginable, from two blocked field goals to a final play touchdown pass.

The only thing that stands between the Hawkeyes and a possible shot at a national title is Big Ten powerhouse Ohio State in Columbus on Nov. 14. If they can beat the Buckeyes, Iowa truly deserves to finish the season undefeated.

2. TCU leapfrogging Boise State is not a fluke

One of the other discrepancies of the recent BCS standings is the Horned Frogs of TCU jumping over Boise State. But with what TCU did against a BYU team that puts up a lot of points, the rankings should come as no surprise.

The Horned Frogs blew away BYU in Provo 38-7 behind a fantastic defensive effort and a great day from QB Andy Dalton.

This TCU defense could be just as good as any in the country, and they have a good enough offense to create separation, something important in the eyes of the BCS computers.

DE Jerry Hughes might be the best defensive player that no one has heard of, and he anchors a defense which has given up fewer points per game than teams such as Ohio State, LSU, and Texas.

The last tough game separating TCU from the BCS is at home against last year's MWC champ Utah. If they get the job done, the Frogs could make some big noise in January.

3. Tim Tebow is just not himself since the concussion

Not everything seems well in Gainesville, as Tim Tebow's return has not brought the big points that we're used to seeing from the Gators.

In the past three games, Florida has not hit the 30-point mark at any point, and Tebow has as many turnovers as touchdowns from his position.

One has to wonder if Tebow is just not himself, if Dan Mullen made that much of a difference, or if they do miss Percy Harvin.

This has to be a cause for concern for the Gators, but their defense is plenty good enough to win games by itself.

Tebow has plenty of time to work out the cobwebs in the final leg of his finale tour through the SEC. They still have as good a chance as anyone left undefeated to run the table, but their play offensively is not quite where it could be.

4. At this point, no one deserves the Heisman Trophy

The college season is two-thirds of the way through, and honestly, there is no one that looks like he deserves the Heisman Trophy at this point of the year.

There have been some good players and good performances, but nothing that has truly made people stop in awe. We haven't had that one special performance that clinches a trophy, like Troy Smith against Michigan and Sam Bradford in the last month of 2008.

This year, there is a long list of candidates, but none that consistently stands out and gets the job done week in and week out.

If I had to pick a favorite right now, I would have to go with Colt McCoy of Texas. The way the Longhorns started the Missouri game on Saturday just ended the notion within 20 minutes that the Tigers had a shot.

But next week, we could have a new favorite, or McCoy could slip up.

This is probably the most difficult year to make any picks for title games or trophies at this point. But that's why there is another month to make things easier for us all.

5. The ACC continues to be the enigma of college football

It seems like the ACC this year is like the iPod Shuffle: You never know what you will get from one day to the next.

But quickly, Georgia Tech is starting to bring some more clarity to the big picture of the ACC title. A win over Virginia gives the Jackets a comfortable lead in the ACC Coastal Division.

The norm continues to be a mystery, as Miami fell in overtime to Clemson in a stunning final play, and Florida State rallied to their first ACC win of 2009 over North Carolina, still looking for their first conference win.

The ACC could once again see a lot of bowl-eligible teams in 2009.

But outside of Miami, Georgia Tech, and Virginia Tech, there's not much to be sure of in the ACC other than to be prepared for the unexpected.

Ohio State's Terrelle Pryor Returns to Form for One Game, Gives Buckeyes Hope

Tim Bielik — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 23:18:29 -0400

After dealing with a long week of criticism from almost everyone in college football, Terrelle Pryor took out his frustrations against the overmatched Minnesota Golden Gophers. And he looked pretty good in doing so as well.

Pryor threw for 239 yards, ran for 104, and accounted for three of Ohio State's five touchdowns.

Granted it was against a Minnesota team that was clearly overmatched from the second quarter on, but there are still promising signs.

One thing that people have to like about yesterday's game was Pryor's sudden realization to step into his throws and throw it off of the front foot.

As a result, his throws had more velocity and he was able to deliver the ball in good spots, especially on two long touchdown passes to WR DeVier Posey.

In addition, Pryor seemed to run with more of a purpose, running at full speed more often than before.

The combination of more determined running and better footwork was a good combination for the Buckeyes, along with the usual great contributions by the defense and special teams.

Pryor will still need to work on his decision-making, as he did throw an interception early in the game.

But if he can maintain his overall improvement on throwing the ball, decision-making will come as the next step.

Pryor had been the target of enormous criticism after a shocking loss to Purdue in which he looked utterly awful for many parts of the game.

He told the media last Wednesday that he had been humbled by the experience and vowed that he would emerge as a better and more relaxed QB because of the loss.

All week, he had received advice from Cavaliers F LeBron James and C Shaquille O'Neal, and Miami Hurricanes QB Jacory Harris to try to encourage the highly-touted sophomore who has been in the center of a firestorm since the start of this season.

Pryor has been embattled all year long from the eye black incident to questions about his mental makeup and being the focal point of one of the most talented teams in the country as a true sophomore.

He has played extremely tense in recent weeks and tried to force a lot of things to try to make plays. With all that came questions about the offense, what the identity was and if backup Joe Bauserman should be starting instead.

After the Purdue loss, the firestorm intensified and the entire team came to Pryor's defense.

But as they say in sports, winning cures everything. And at least for one day, Pryor played very well, granted the opponent was overmatched.

The real test to find out if he is legit will be if he can sustain it for the November gauntlet starting in Happy Valley Nov. 7.

With another overmatched opponent in New Mexico State coming to the 'Shoe, Pryor and the offense will have another opportunity to improve their overall execution and generate momentum for the stretch run.

Pryor's maturity and newly-found humbleness will be put to the test and we will find out if it is genuine.

But for now, he is still learning what it takes to play at such a high level for so long. If Saturday was any indication of what to expect in the future, Pryor could be on his way.

Keeping the Faith: Terrelle Pryor and Buckeyes Believe Season Can Turn Around

Tim Bielik — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 16:24:13 -0400

After a rough day in West Lafayette, Buckeye Nation has been morally crippled and is questioning why the team faltered and even doubted Jim Tressel's statements of the team overlooking Purdue.

But in the past few days, no player in the country has come under more scrutiny than Terrelle Pryor, either warranted or unwarranted.

His poor performance against the Boilermakers brought questions of his competition level, his demeanor—which may border on arrogance—and even his mental makeup.

But this time around, his comments to the press on Wednesday seem to be reflective of someone who's been humbled.

We all do still have to remember that Pryor is only 19 and still coming into his own as a person.

When he talked to the press, he said that the loss humbled him and that he has come back a more focused, relaxed person, at least on the practice field.

In addition, several personalities, such as LeBron James, Miami QB Jacory Harris, and reportedly Florida QB Tim Tebow have reached out to the sophomore and given him words of encouragement.

Fans will probably have to remember that in high school, Pryor was clearly the best athlete in his level, only AA in a state where AAAA is the top level of football.

It does seem an adjustment would take longer to play well against top competition week after week. And against a lot of defensive-minded Big Ten teams, that adjustment period could take a little more time.

Probably the best lesson he can learn is that it's perfectly fine to take four or five-yard plays if they are open.

Often times, when he rolled out and had space in front of him, he threw the unnecessary pass instead of taking the short yards and using his physique to help him get extra yards.

But he still believes, along with other players on the team, that they can make it to the Rose Bowl. Despite having one loss in-conference, they still control their own destiny, as they still have unbeaten Iowa at home.

Winning out should land the Buckeyes in the Rose Bowl for the first time since 1996 against Arizona State.

Two games against Minnesota and New Mexico State should help Pryor build his confidence back up. But he has the support of everyone in the Buckeyes locker room.

And hopefully he has their faith, as well, because this team will live and die by Pryor, regardless of how unfair the responsibility is to a true sophomore.

The running back situation doesn't seem to be getting any better, though.

Boom Herron is still out for this Saturday's game and Jaamal Berry is getting one day closer to a redshirt after re-aggravating a hamstring injury suffered in the fall camps.

Luckily for the Buckeyes, Brandon Saine has emerged as a capable back this year, having 524 total yards (381 rushing, 143 passing) on 70 rushes and 10 catches. On average, Saine gets 6.6 yards every time he touches the ball.

On a team that lacks much proven talent, having a multi-threat back like Saine could be Pryor's best option.

Whatever happens with the offense, Pryor playing with less pressure on himself could be the best thing for the Buckeyes.

He puts so much pressure on himself and just needs to relax and let the game come to him. When he does, a whole new kind of football player will emerge out of Columbus.

We all knew this was not Ohio State's championship year. But a six-game winning streak would go a long way to building momentum for 2010 as only WR Ray Small and TE Jake Ballard graduate as far as skill positions are concerned.

Others, like Saine and WR Dane Sanzenbacher, could declare, but will probably stay for their senior seasons.

But if Buckeye fans want to have faith in the future, they must put faith in their team for 2009.

The season is not lost, and the Rose Bowl is still possible. The team believes it can happen, but it's up to everyone else to keep the faith.

Who's Really No. 1?: Five Things We Learned from College Football's Week Seven

Tim Bielik — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 14:30:11 -0400

After another entertaining week of college football, the BCS standings made their grand debut of 2009. And I doubt that very many people would've put Boise State and Cincinnati in the top five when the season started.

But what have we made sense of in this crazy football season? All we know is that the last two BCS title game losers, Ohio State and Oklahoma, will not be in the game this time around.

In addition, USC has found a way back into the title game picture with a freshman at QB, and Iowa remains undefeated with only one tough game left against the Buckeyes.

This week, we cut through the craziness and find five things we learned after this past week of football:

1.) Jim Tressel is not who we thought he was, not lately at least

Ohio State's last loss, a shocking 26-18 defeat at 1-5 Purdue, was the combination of all the fears that Ohio State fans had about their team into one game.

Fans see this as a simple Buckeyes choke, but clearly something is wrong with Jim Tressel. He has not been the same since Urban Meyer outcoached him in the 2007 BCS National Championship Game.

Since then, Tressel has had the "deer in the headlights" look much more often, and his timing of aggressive or conservative play calling has been repeatedly off lately. Two years after the blowout, Meyer has just not gotten out of Tressel's head, and now the once-strong big game coach now looks rattled on the sidelines.

At this point, the Vest could use some help, whether it be on the sidelines or from his own teammates.

If anyone needs to do soul searching before the November gauntlet that suddenly looks much more daunting, it's Tressel. Whatever he does, he needs to do it fast to pull Buckeye Nation away from the edge of the cliff.

2.) It's hard to find a clear-cut No. 1 team

Quickly, anyone can tell that the three best teams in the nation are Florida, Alabama, and Texas. But other than that, determining who belongs where has become a challenge.

Florida and Texas needed late-game dramatics to escape from upset bids, and Alabama has been inconsistent offensively and missing one of their best defensive players in ILB Donta Hightower.

Each of these teams is capable of running the table, though only two can because Florida and Alabama will have to compete for the SEC title.

But this looks like one year when there is no absolutely dominant team that is just simply better than everyone else.

That's what parity does for college football.

3.) Alabama RB Mark Ingram just put his name in the Heisman race

While we're on the topic of no clear-cut favorites, one player seized an opportunity to put his name in the Heisman Trophy race. And it wasn't Colt McCoy, but sophomore RB Mark Ingram of the Crimson Tide.

Ingram had 24 carries against South Carolina for a career-high 246 yards and one touchdown and ran the Alabama version of the Wildcat on the way to a 20-6 win over the Gamecocks.

He has established himself as the feature in the Alabama stable of backs, including stud freshman Trent Richardson and Roy Upchurch. The running game of Alabama is what makes them so tough to beat and a reason we could see them in Pasadena come January.

But if Ingram continues to churn yards at this rate, don't be surprised to see him in New York City after the regular season ends. The third sophomore to win the Heisman Trophy could possibly be a player that was never a household name to start the season.

4.) The ACC is still extremely convoluted and puzzling

The 2009 season for the ACC is starting to look like a Twilight Zone episode: Duke has a better record than Florida State; North Carolina is undefeated outside of the conference, but can't win in-conference; and the Virginia Cavaliers, who lost to William & Mary, are 2-0 in the ACC this season.

Clearly, there is no way to predict what is going on in the ACC, which has rapidly become jumbled up. But the Coastal Division still looks pretty tough, with Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech, and Miami all in the top 15.

With all this mess, it's hard to predict where the conference stands as a whole.

The ACC is one of the deepest conferences in the country, but who comes out of there and into the BCS is anyone's guess at this point.

5.) TCU could still crash the BCS party

While everyone talks about Boise State's undefeated season, the TCU Horned Frogs have been staying very quiet, and can begin to make noise against BYU this Saturday night.

How big is this game? College Gameday is heading to Provo despite the fact that the game is only on Versus that night.

BYU saw their BCS hopes dashed at the hands of the Seminoles at Provo, but they have a chance to keep their rivals TCU out with a win.

But the Horned Frogs defense, anchored by sack machine Jerry Hughes, and a balanced offense should give the Cougars their hands full at Lavell Edwards Stadium.

One small thing:

I do realize that this is my 100th article here on B/R. So I might as well use this opportunity to give my thanks to everyone who has been a huge help on this website.

Thanks to all those in the college football community who helped me find a place here.

Thanks to senior writers like BabyTate and Trey Bradley, who have been here from the beginning to help me improve way beyond what I could be.

Thanks to the Editors and the Ohio State community for all their support and especially in my latest endeavors as an OSU Featured Columnist.

Thanks to HD Handshoe for hooking me up with linkups to his blogging website, which has helped get my articles on Dr. Saturday's Yahoo blog and multiple entries on cleveland.com.

Thanks to KG for making me a part of the Big Ten roundtable.

And thanks to everyone who has read my articles and commented on them. 100 articles, and just a shade under 75,000 hits and 1400+ comments has made me humble and I thank everyone of you for your support.

And I promise to all of you my next 100 articles will be just as good if not better than the previous 100.

Keep on writing because you never know what will happen. I'm a perfect example.

I started here in February, and now I'm an OSU Featured Columnist, a top-50 CFB writer frequently, and I am a contributor to Fanhuddle.com for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

I have had an article posted on the front of sportsline.com and have been linked to on cleveland.com.

And I know I would not have gotten all of that without the support and encouragement from everyone who has been a part of my B/R experience.

And to that, I say, I salute you.

Ohio State Shocked: Coaching Changes Required For Future Success

Tim Bielik — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 15:58:17 -0400

The Ohio State Buckeyes were upset by Purdue 26-18 earlier today. Buckeye fans saw everything they were afraid could happen did happen, all in three hours.

The offense sputtered, the defense played prevent all day, and even the special teams were terrible.

But an offense that committed four turnovers is inexcusable against a 1-5 team at any time, especially from a supposed running QB in Terrelle Pryor. Most of the time he made bad decisions, but the offensive line did Pryor no favors.

Sound familiar? This is the same thing Buckeye fans have heard about their offense for the last nine seasons; only this time, there is no Beanie Wells to cover their mistakes.

The loss has been a microcosm of nine years of offensive futility and a passive defense

It's all out in the open, and clearly changes have to be made.

Jim Tressel has been great for the program as a person and a philosophical figure, but as a coach he has become a joke offensively. Regardless of the personnel at any positions, the offense looks the exact same as it did in 2003, 2004, 2007, and so on.

The definition of insanity is doing something over and over again and expecting different results. This time, something has to change.

I'm not calling for Tressel's head entirely, but I am saying that there needs to be huge staff shakeups in the off-season if Buckeye fans want to contend with the likes of Florida, Alabama, and Texas.

When the Longhorns struggled in 2007, Mack Brown shook up his staff and brought in new personnel on both sides of the ball. Texas saw dramatic improvement as they went on to finish the year eight seconds away from a National Championship appearance.

If the Buckeyes want to avoid a freefall and get back to top-tier status, OSU must hire proven offensive assistants and possibly a defensive mind who can turn up the pressure.

With the type of defense Ohio State has almost every season, a barely solid offense would serve the Buckeyes well against anyone they play.

But the offense has quickly become a joke. It also has become apparent that Tressel's schemes are outdated and outside of Darrell Hazell, the offensive staff has not been very good whatsoever.

For the sake of Buckeye fans everywhere, it's time to change something. If Tressel doesn't want to make changes after this debacle, Brian Kelly should be the next man at the helm in Columbus.

Flexing Muscles: Five Things We Learned In Week Six

Tim Bielik — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 12:09:06 -0400

Saturday saw the return to the field of the previous Heisman Trophy winners in Tim Tebow and Sam Bradford. Both won their latest games, and each has another crucial conference game as the push for the BCS heats up.

After about half a season, we also now have a small list of BCS contenders. And as we go on further, the gap of separation only will get larger.

With all that said, here are five things we can take away from another exciting week in college football:

1. Florida can win even with a ball control offense

With a quarterback dealing with post-concussion symptoms in Tim Tebow at the helm, the Gators offense played a more slow tempo offense in their 13-3 win over LSU on Saturday night.

The Gators held a 13-minute advantage in time of possession, and they ran the ball 48 times offensively.

They weren't their usual electric selves offensively, but given the circumstances of Tebow's concussion, conservative was a good way to go.

The motive was to be deliberate and keep Tebow from taking hits while still having the ball in his hands throughout the game. And by that standard, the gameplan was a success.

The defense did the rest, locking down LSU and not letting the Tigers get anything going offensively.

2. Alabama, Florida, and Ohio State might have the most electrifying defenses in college football

And speaking of defense, it's no surprise that the three biggest games of the weekend, UF-LSU, 'Bama-Ole Miss, and Ohio State-Wisconsin, were all about what could be three of the best, if not the best, defenses in the nation.

Combined, the three defenses gave up a grand total of 19 points (seven off a fake FG by Wisconsin). And all three units got the job done in different ways.

Florida has talent everywhere and they look like an NFL defense. Alabama has a stout run defense and they get after people so well in both phases of the offense.

The Buckeyes are more opportunistic, controlling games with probably the deepest defensive line unit in the country. And the depth showed as even though the defense was on the field for 42 minutes, the line never lost a step and kept up the pressure all game long.

It's no surprise that all three teams are on top of their conferences right now, though Ohio State has to find an offense to be considered one of the elites like Florida and Alabama.

3. Jimmy Clausen's Heisman campaign is all about Saturday night against USC

What could be argued as the best game of Week Seven should be the rekindling of the rivalry in South Bend with Notre Dame welcoming USC.

Both teams come in with identical 4-1 records, and both are also coming off of bye weeks.

But all Irish eyes will be on QB Jimmy Clausen, who could put a stamp on a Heisman campaign if his Irish can beat USC for the first time under Charlie Weis.

He will have to do it against a USC defense that once again is among the best in the country, and didn't allow a first down until late in the second half the last time the two teams met.

Right now, USC has given up at most 16 points in any game, and double figures in only one other game against the Buckeyes.

All that said, if Clausen wants to be the Heisman winner, he will need to carve up the Trojans defense to do so, with or without WR Michael Floyd.

4. Oklahoma is almost fully healthy for the first time all season

There is an old adage in sports that the best teams peak at the right time. If Oklahoma still wants to win the Big 12, they will have to beat No. 3 Texas in the Red River Rivalry.

The good news for the Sooners is that Sam Bradford is finally back and he has had a game to get back into the groove of the offense.

The even better news is that top receiver Ryan Broyles could be back in the lineup this Saturday, as well. And if the Sooners want revenge, they will need all of their weapons to pull out all the stops against the Longhorns.

Oklahoma has a defense capable of containing the high-powered Longhorns, but they will need the offense in high gear to really have a shot at pulling the upset.

If they do get the upset, there will be total chaos at the top of the polls.

5. Iowa is still very clutch, Michigan is still very feisty

Anyone who saw Iowa hold on and beat an upset-minded Michigan team had to be impressed on both ends.

Ricky Stanzi might just be the most clutch quarterback in the Big Ten, coming up with big play after big play despite an early pick-six.

The Hawkeyes defense was just as impressive, forcing five Michigan turnovers, much to the ire of Wolverines coach Rich Rodriguez.

But one has to admire the heart of Michigan, as they would not quit. Backup QB Denard Robinson led a gutsy comeback effort after Rodriguez benched QB Tate Forcier, who is now reportedly suffering concussion symptoms.

Robinson's final drive ended in an interception, giving the Hawkeyes the win, and showing that they might be the most clutch team in the country right now. But don't sleep on the Wolverines, because they always find ways to have a shot at winning every game they play.

Is Ohio State's Jim Tressel or Terrelle Pryor More at Fault for Sad Offense?

Tim Bielik — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 23:12:52 -0400

Yesterday, the Ohio State Buckeyes took care of the formerly unbeaten Wisconsin Badgers 31-13 with the help of 21 points from returns. What makes Buckeye fans uneasy about the win is the continuing saga of offensive ineptitude.

The offense looked dreadful in the first half and failed to sustain drives; don't forget QB Terrelle Pryor looked horrible once again.

Now the message board chatter has flared up again as to who is at fault: the coach, Jim Tressel or the triggerman, Terrelle Pryor.

Regardless of who is at fault, something clearly needs to be done, as the Buckeyes had only one successful offensive drive all game: the final drive of the first half.

So who is really to blame for the struggles infuriating Buckeye Nation?

Here's a look at both sides of the issue.

Reason to blame the coach: The scheme and playcalling lacks flow

Ever since Jim Tressel has been the coach at Ohio State, the Buckeyes have never had quite the offensive dominance that some of the powers like Florida and Texas have nowadays.

The offensive unit in 2006 was the best by far, but most of the stats could have been inflated from a weak conference schedule.

With all of the weapons at wide receiver Tressel has had at his disposal, he has had problems making them as effective as they could have been.

Part of that falls on the lack of a good QB, but that goes back to recruiting. Tressel has not been a good recruiter of solid QBs in his decade long tenure in Columbus.

Pundits have never felt Tressel has adopted an offensive game that can be successful in the modern game where the I-formation is an afterthought in most circles.

Other arguments are that the problem lies in the offensive line, but that can also be a coaching issue. Tressel controls the offense, and must know that he must call plays to help take pressure off an offensive line.

Playcalling involves a delicate balance, but some feel that there's no attempt to balance, and that the play calling borders on insanity.

Many experts feel that the offense would improve if Tressel gives up the play calling duties and hires outside help. But after nine years, he's done nothing.

Clearly at this point, something about the coaching needs to change.

Reason to blame the quarterback: The plays must be properly executed

When it comes to play calling, there is a flipside to the formula: it doesn't matter how good the plays are if they are not executed.

And lately, Terrelle Pryor has been part of a firestorm where he has been unable to read defenses and throw properly, showing poor mechanics. Some have even gone on to say that he was better as a freshman.

Now in all honesty, Pryor is still a good player, but his inconsistency is what is driving fans crazy. He makes amazing plays at a good rate, but he makes boneheaded plays just as often.

He has not been able to read defenses, and looks slow and indecisive when running out of the pocket.

One other thing that has become very apparent is he is afraid of contact and does not run through the middle of the defense when the hole is there.

His runs are all to the outside, which make it much easier to defend if the defense strings the play out, which is more and more common from opponents.

Even if Pryor never becomes the passer that everyone hoped he would be out of high school, he at least needs to improve his decision-making and run the plays that are called.

Great execution oftentimes makes play calling look great, and the onus of that falls squarely on the QB.

Regardless of who is at fault, Ohio State needs to get their act together offensively and fast.

They have no choice because if their offense plays this way against Penn State and Iowa, they may not be in the top ten much longer, regardless of how great the defense is.

Ohio State Hit by the Flu Bug, Jaamal Berry's Debut May Cure What Ails Them

Tim Bielik — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 14:57:30 -0400

Just as it has at most college campuses this year, the flu bug has arrived at Ohio State. LT Mike Adams and Andy Miller are among "five or six" players reportedly sick according to coach Jim Tressel.

At this point, there is a good possibility that these players, most of whom haven't been publicly named, will miss Saturday's big game against undefeated Wisconsin.

Tressel said they they are keeping the sick players isolated from the rest of the team and keeping them hydrated and rested.

Ironically, their opponent, the Wisconsin Badgers, are not too far off of their own flu epidemic, where 15-20 players were unable to play in Week two against Fresno State.

C Mike Brewster was reported to have the flu last week but his symptoms seemed to clear up which allowed him to play against the Hoosiers last Saturday.

This news comes to a team which has sustained several lineup changes already in the season, such as Jermale Hines replacing Anderson Russell at S, and JB Shugarts filling in at RT for the injured Jim Cordle.

With the way the flu has gone around so far this season, it was only a matter of time before Columbus had to deal with the flu to some extent. At least at this point, the Buckeyes seem to be only slightly affected.

And the Buckeyes don't have time to relax with the physical Badgers coming to Columbus, sporting the Big Ten's highest scoring offense. Headlining this group is RB John Clay and one of the bigger surprises in the conference, QB Scott Tolzien.

One piece of good news for the Buckeyes could be the debut of blue-chip recruit RB Jaamal Berry from Miami.

Berry came into Columbus as the prize of the stellar 2009 recruiting class, but has been held back by a drug arrest and a hamstring injury.

Tressel said after the Indiana game that Berry could have played if he was needed, but that he is very close to 100 percent healthy. If that is the case, look for No. 4 to line up next to Terrelle Pryor and use his speed as another weapon for an improving Buckeyes offense.

The only thing that might keep Berry out of the game is Dan Herron returning from an injury that kept him out of the Indiana game.

But Tressel has been impressed with what Berry had done in the fall camps, and would like to see him get some playing time.

It will take time to see if the freshman from Miami is worth the hype.

Tressel and the Buckeyes hope to see as soon as Saturday if the youngster with 4.3 speed is the real deal.

Building in Progress: Ohio State's Offense Better But Seasoning Needed

Tim Bielik — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 18:20:57 -0400

At the start of the season, few people had any idea what to expect out of the Ohio State offense with few established playmakers. Five games in, the mystery seems to be clearing up.

The Buckeyes seem to thrive most on offense when they have the perfect balance between running and throwing.

Ohio State has plenty of talented receivers in Dane Sanzenbacher and DeVier Posey, both of whom have shown great versatility in the short game and deep passing attack.

And RB Brandon Saine has also started to show some flashes of brilliance, with great running out of the backfield as well as being a capable receiver.

However, most of the focus offensively is still around sophomore QB Terrelle Pryor and how much more confident he is as a passer.

Much was made of his improved passing and decision-making, which we have seen flashes of at times. At other times, he falls into his old habits of poor mechanics and a poor job of reading defenses.

What is more head-scratching to Buckeye fans is that he shows so much promise and yet, has not demonstrated the consistency that most were hoping for.

But after a sluggish effort against USC where the offense was awful for all but one quarter, the talents of the offense are slowly starting to emerge.

Part of the change was an obvious need to alter coaching philosophies, not necessarily the scheme. In other words, there are hardly anymore I-formation dives on predictable running plays.

The offense has seemed to find a groove in the passing game and letting Pryor establish a rhythm and running to soften up defenses.

The end result: a rushing offense ranked 38th and averaging just under 30 points per game. Those aren't very impressive numbers, but compared to a year ago, they are much different.

After just five games, Ohio State has half as many pass yards as they did all last season, while rushing for just a few yards less per game than a year ago.

In hindsight, however, the Buckeyes have not truly played against opponents with great defenses outside of the Trojans.

But all things considered, OSU has broken 30 points already in four of their first five games. Last year, the Buckeyes hit the plateau only six times, and that was with Beanie Wells at RB.

The offense seems to be getting better with each series, and the staff is improving in getting the ball to their large amount of playmakers.

As Pryor improves, so does the offense and so does the confidence of the unit and coaches as a whole.

Unfortunately, each passing week makes it seem less likely that Pryor will become a great passer. But if he can run, there will be little need for him to be the type of passer that Troy Smith eventually became.

One guy that Jim Tressel wants to see in the offense is freshman RB Jaamal Berry, who is close to be fully recovered from a hamstring injury sustained towards the end of fall camp.

The injury has given fellow freshman RB Jordan Hall, Pryor's old high school teammate, an opportunity to play. And Hall has done fairly well in limited duty, showing vision and burst through the hall.

Rumors out of Columbus are that Berry could play as soon as this Saturday against Wisconsin. No doubt, Tressel would love to see his most highly-regarded recruit offensively on the field at some point in the near future.

As this month of football continues, look for the offense to improve even more as these young players continue to be seasoned.

Most Buckeye fans are hoping that the offense becomes a machine heading towards their big showdown in Happy Valley, leading the big three-game stretch with matchups against Iowa and at Michigan right afterwards.

If the offense puts up bigger numbers, with the lockdown defense that the Buckeyes have, it's hard to imagine too many teams in the Big Ten staying with this version of the team. But the offense is still very much a work-in-progress, as it should be with these youngsters.

Snatching Away Victory: Five Things We Learned in Week Five

Tim Bielik — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 12:58:32 -0400

The calendar has turned into the October grind, when big conference games pick up and the old rivalries kick into action.

And while we had a few fun games this past weekend, next weekend will have just as many interesting matchups, such as unbeaten Wisconsin at Ohio State, Alabama at Ole Miss, and of course, Florida at LSU.

This week has also presented something unusual: only one top-10 team fell on Saturday. In a day of few upsets, here are the lessons we learned after the fifth week of college football:

1) LSU will have to beat Florida with the defense

Despite how well LSU played to get back in the final minutes to win a huge road game against Georgia, one has to note that the Tigers scored more in the final few minutes than in the first 55.

That's a troubling sight to an LSU team that goes up against one of the best defenses in the country against Florida. Of the top five teams, LSU has the worst of those offenses, and it's not even close either.

Luckily, the Tigers defense has kept them in these games and the running of Charles Scott has done just enough to keep them undefeated up til this point.

Saturday might be the day that the Tigers fall, but their defense could keep them in the game, along with the homefield advantage of Death Valley.

But for those expecting a breakout offensive explosion, it probably isn't going to happen this Saturday night.

2) Michigan still has some maturing to do

The Wolverines first road game of 2009 did not turn out as well as they hoped, losing to rival Michigan State in consecutive years for the first time since the 1960s.

The offense was very sluggish all day until the final minutes and the defense could not get it done when the offense gave the ball away.

Still, Michigan fans have hope that Tate Forcier looks more like the real deal every day. That last drive on the Spartans showed again that he has ice water in his veins.

He needs some help around him in those situations because he appeared gassed after the drive, and had nothing left for overtime.

They need to come out and start better on the road if they want to be a better road team because they have not shown that consistency that you look for. They are probably a year away from BCS contention, but the Wolverines are well on their way.

3) The Pac 10 once again runs through USC

Two weeks ago, the Cal Bears looked like the sexy pick in the Pac 10 after USC fell to Washington. Two weeks later, the Berkeley self-destruction continues after being routed at home by the Trojans 30-3.

The Trojans who are still finding an offensive identity have started to rely on a stingy defense that held Jahvid Best to 47 yards on the ground.

Other than the surprising Stanford Cardinal, few teams have any chance to beat the Trojans this season.

While Stanford and the Oregon Ducks both look good this year, it really is hard to put either team past the Trojans at this point.

Although both of those teams are unbeaten in conference play and USC has lost once, there's a good chance USC might be the lone wolf standing when the Pac-10 gauntlet runs its course.

4) Miami continues their road back to glory

After looking abysmal in Blacksburg against Virginia Tech, the Canes came back and showed great resiliency against a talented, aggressive Oklahoma squad, pulling out a 21-20 win at home.

Jacory Harris bounced back after a terrible start with two interceptions and became the efficient Jacory Harris once again.

Mark Whipple's offense is the talk around Coral Gables and the defense is nothing to shake a stick at either.

Last month, everybody felt that this early four-game stretch would tell us about the Hurricanes. Now that it's over and Miami is 3-1, no one can help but be impressed at this young squad.

They've come together in a hurry and should make some more noise in the ACC and could find a spot in the BCS.

5) The injury bug is the biggest story of the first month of football

It seems like some years, players out with injury are more of a story than the guys replacing them. This year, both the injured and the replacement are equally big factors.

The earliest big injury was Virginia Tech RB Darren Evans tearing an ACL before the game with Alabama. Insert Josh Oglesby and Ryan Williams, and the Hokies haven't lost a step in the running department.

Then came the most famous shoulder in college football, Sam Bradford's which he injured in their loss to BYU.

All Landry Jones has done since that game is throw for six touchdowns against Tulsa. Jones didn't lose that Miami game for the Sooners, but he could not win it either.

Either way, Sooner fans have to feel good that they have a capable replacement for when Bradford turns pro.

Then there is the biggest story heading into week six, the health of Tim Tebow. His status is unknown against LSU next Saturday, but there is no doubt that it will be the main focus all week.

Tiger Nation will be relentless, and it's unclear if Tebow can resume football activity this week. Concussions are tough to gauge, and Florida has to maintain the balance of not being too cautious but not too careful.

If they don't, Florida could be prime for an upset. With the Tigers licking their chops after getting humiliated a year ago, be prepared for the unexpected.

Red Out: Eight Quarters Of Shutout Football Propels Buckeyes Forward

Tim Bielik — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 19:06:03 -0400

Saturday in the Horseshoe, something happened that has not happened ever: Juice Williams and the Illini were shut out since Williams started at QB.

A 30-0 blanking in the middle of a rainstorm was the second straight shutout for the Buckeyes, invoking memories of the famed Silver Bullets of the 2002 season.

One thing is for sure, as QB Terrelle Pryor put it: the Buckeyes have gotten their swagger back. With two excellent bookends in Thaddeus Gibson and Cameron Heyward, OSU boasts one of the best defensive lines in the country.

Another change in personnel was the decision to start S Jermale Hines over Anderson Russell from the USC game forward.

Since then, Ohio State has allowed only 213 rushing yards in the last three games. In the last two, they allowed only 10 third-down conversions and forced five turnovers.

Opponents are rushing for less than 100 yards per game against the Buckeyes defense that many felt would be in rebuilding mode after losing James Laurinaitis and Malcolm Jenkins.

In total, 11 different players have registered at least a half-sack on the defense, and surprisingly, Gibson is not one of them. Gibson has forced two fumbles to go with S Kurt Coleman's three forced fumbles.

Additionally, MLB Brian Rolle has filled in admirably for the departed Laurinaitis, and has showed great big-play ability. He has showcased great speed along with strong recognition of plays.

The Buckeyes secondary has also been a great surprise. Chimdi Chekwa, Andre Amos, and Devon Torrence have all played very well in giving OSU solid depth at the corner position.

It seems that this season, Ohio State's defense is simply playing faster than in years past and they seem to get better every week.

Many pundits felt that the offense led by Terrelle Pryor would have to carry the team this season to give the defense time to gel.

Actually, the defense has been able to take all the pressure off the Buckeye offense and allowing them to develop and grow.

Obviously, the shutout streak will end. But at this point, Ohio State is looking very strong defensively and they are looking to carry that momentum forward into the deep parts of the Big Ten season.

If the defense continues to improve and the offense develops an identity, come November, this Buckeye team could be very tough to beat on either end of the field.

The only question facing this is can they continue to play at this level as the grind of the physical Big Ten season rolls along?

One thing is for sure: the swagger is back in Columbus, and the Silver Bullets have officially returned to college football.

Lost in a Downpour: Five Things We Learned in Week 4

Tim Bielik — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 15:22:22 -0400

As rain fell throughout many games in the country, so did many teams' championship chances as four top-10 teams fell. Now, teams like USC, Oklahoma, and Ohio State are all back in the top-10 after crushing blows early in the season.

Outside of the top three in Florida, Texas, and Alabama, it's hard to gauge who's really next in line. LSU and Boise State are next in line to join the top 5, and at least one of those teams will not be there after October 10th when LSU hosts the Gators.

With all this turnover and turmoil raging across the country, here's a look at the five things we learned in college football after a stunning week 4:

1.) 2009 is starting to look alot like 2007

This might just be the craziest season in recent memory, with top-10 teams dropping like flies all over the place.

We have not seen anything like this, except in 2007 when there was even more turnover, especially at the top. We saw so many unpredictable upsets and amazing moments, from Appalachian State to Stanford.

It's starting to look like deja vu, with Iowa beating a Penn State team out for revenge, and Oregon blowing the doors off of Cal. Miami got blown out by Virginia Tech, and Ole Miss did not live up to their ranking.

Is this another year where we have a two-loss team playing for the title? Maybe. It won't be too clear what happens since the top three is still the same.

2.) The Big Ten will go through Ohio State and Iowa

Penn State showed that they were not worthy of their preseason billing, and Michigan struggled to hold off a feisty Indiana team.

This means that once again, the Big Ten is centralized around the Ohio State Buckeyes, but the Hawkeyes might have a say in the matter.

Ohio State has played over 120 minutes of shutout football, blanking Illinois 30-0, the first shutout of the Illini since Juice Williams arrived.

The Buckeyes' defensive line has been very impressive, and the offense is slowly improving week-to-week.

Iowa's defense showed a lot of promise, locking down Penn State, and a meticulous running game helped them finish off the Nittany Lions in Happy Valley.

These two teams match-up November 14th in Columbus, when Iowa faces Terrelle Pryor for the first time. The match-up will rest right in between Ohio State's road trips to Penn State and Michigan.

3.) Alabama's Greg McElroy is the real deal

Larry Burton told us months ago to beware of QB Greg McElroy, and all he has done is show us that he is worth all the hype.

McElroy notched up 291 passing yards and three TD passes in a 35-7 win over Arkansas. Among those yards were an 80-yarder to Marquis Maze and Julio Jones' 50-yard catch and run.

In four short games, McElroy has shown that he has the ability to take advantage of opponents overplaying the Tide's rushing game with his strong arm.

He has been very impressive in his short time as a starter, and he is quickly becoming one of the better QBs in the SEC.

With the great defense of the Tide, there is almost no pressure on McElroy, and he is taking full advantage of it.

4.) Jahvid Best's Heisman campaign is over

Cal looked like a team that could win the Pac-10 after Jahvid Best ran for five TDs against Minnesota.

Then they traveled to Autzen, and were pasted by the Oregon Ducks 42-3, in a poor effort that nobody saw coming. Best was held to 55 yards on 16 carries, and it might have just ended his Heisman chances.

Best had been electric in the first few games of the season, with eight total TDs and running through everyone the Bears have played.

After this effort against Oregon, Best may still be the best back in the country, but he probably won't be winning the Heisman.

5.) Tim Tebow's injury won't hurt the Gators as much as many people think

Most of the college football world cringed when Tim Tebow got hit hard last night against Kentucky and left the game in an ambulance.

He had shown flu-like symptoms and managed to play very well in the first quarter. But he left the field and is heading back to Gainesville today according to reports.

Those Gators fans that think Tebow's absence, if there is any, will hurt their shot at a repeat might want to relax. Florida still has their great defense intact, and Chris Rainey and Jeff Demps are still available.

John Brantley, Tebow's back-up and heir apparent, does not need to be Superman, but just manage the game and get the ball to their playmakers in space.

He may be called upon again against LSU in two weeks, but if so he has time to get ready for Florida's biggest game of the season.

A Red October: How a Soft Month's Schedule Will Help The Buckeyes

Tim Bielik — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 15:14:52 -0400

Many people still aren't sure what to make of the Ohio State Buckeyes in 2009, after falling just short of beating USC, then shutting out Toledo. What confuses so many others is that Ohio State actually dropped after a shutout win in the AP poll.

Then I was approached by FC Coordinator Trey Bradley who gave me a great thought and theme for the next few weeks: "If you don't hear from the Buckeyes for awhile, it's a good thing."

Then I looked at the upcoming schedule for the Buckeyes, and anything less than a 5-0 October would be disastrous in Columbus.

When the toughest game in the next few weeks is at home against Wisconsin, that is something the Buckeyes can build off of.

And this young team still needs to get some seasoning. The defense is one of the better units in the nation, but the offense still needs work.

And only one thing can fix what ails this offense: reps. For these next six weeks, that will be exactly what the OSU offense will get.

Terrelle Pryor has shown great improvements as a passer, though his decision-making needs some serious work.

Running back has become a serious problem, as Dan Herron has struggled to be effective, and Brandon Saine has inconsistencies of his own as a runner.

If the Buckeyes offense wants to be successful this season, it will have to become an air attack squad, anchored by stud wideouts Dane Sanzenbacher and DeVier Posey. Both receivers have shown tremendous big play ability and separation speed.

Saine and true freshman Duron Carter have also become solid targets in the passing attack. Not to mention that this type of attack will play towards the strength of the offensive line, which is better as a pass blocking unit.

Defensively, this might be the most athletic group in recent years, anchored by a great defensive line with Thaddeus Gibson and Cameron Heyward as superstar bookends. One surprise this season, freshman DT John Simon, has played tremendously and been a force in his short time.

As for the schedule, Ohio State has two road games in October, both against Indiana and Purdue, which on paper should be big wins for the Buckeyes.

The two conference home games might be closer, with the Badgers and Minnesota Gophers coming to town. They end the month with a home OOC game against New Mexico State, a team considered by most to be one of the worst teams in the country.

A perfect 5-0 in the month of October is easily attainable, but Buckeye fans will want more in the coming weeks. They will want to see a more efficient offense and the defense continuing to play outstandingly.

They want to see these improvements happen because November is not a kind month for the Buckeyes, with road games at Penn State and Michigan, and their only home game that month against the Hawkeyes.

If Ohio State looks great and shows more improvement throughout October, people will be looking at them as potentially running the table in the Big Ten and possibly a trip to Pasadena.

Regardless of how they are ranked, they are still in a position to make some noise in the BCS and hopefully end their three-game bowl losing streak.

If they win in October, OSU can quietly sneak up on teams in the polls as other teams should get knocked off in a similar pattern to the previous three weeks.

If that happens, don't be surprised to see the Buckeyes playing in a big bowl game once again in January. For this young brand of Buckeyes, a "Red October" could be the start of turning fortunes around in Columbus.

As The Teams Tumble: Five Things We Learned in Week Three

Tim Bielik — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 22:10:51 -0400

Every college football week seems more unpredictable than the one before. This time around, we saw two top 10 teams fall and other players have standout performances.

At this point, the top contenders might not start to separate themselves until conference play picks up very shortly.

But after three weeks, some of the best teams are flexing their muscles and making an early BCS case. So here's a look at five more things we learned about the FBS in Week Three:

1.) Ronald Johnson's injury has made the USC offense appear pedestrian

After USC's stunning loss to Washington, one trend is becoming very clear: the Trojans aren't intimidating anyone with the passing game.

One can point that to the inexperience at QB between Matt Barkley and Aaron Corp, but one other reason might be the absence of burner WR Ronald Johnson.

Johnson has something superstar WR Damian Williams doesn't have in superstar speed, which keeps safeties honest.

Often times, the Huskies stacked the box not fearful of a deep threat who can blow by the secondary as Johnson often has done. USC can run the football, but they need that deep threat that will keep defenses honest.

Ohio State often brought eight in the box and USC was able to exploit it with passes to Joe McKnight. Washington was not quite as successful at stopping the run, but USC could not get the ball to McKnight in the air, eliminating a speed threat.

When Johnson returns, expect USC to pick up the pace offensively. Until then, the Trojans defense will have to carry them for the next few weeks.

2.) Boise State and TCU are the most trendy mid-major BCS hopefuls left

Last Saturday, two BCS busters in BYU and Utah both suffered upsets to teams who lost in week one in Florida State and Oregon respectively.

If the trend of a mid-major team in the BCS is to continue, it will be left up to Boise State and TCU, both ranked in the top 15. History says that the Broncos have the easier road to the BCS, but many crazier things have happened in college football.

Houston still has an outside shot to crash the party and they have a quality win, beating Oklahoma State on the road.

It could be safe to say that if head coach Chris Petersen leads the Broncos to another BCS win that he will be fielding a lot of calls from big programs ala Urban Meyer.

3.) Miami looks more and more legit, and Jacory Harris is the reason why

The U has not been the same as it was in the early part of this decade when they had two of the greatest teams ever in 2001 and 2002.

But head coach Randy Shannon seems to have turned the program around, and they are riding the arm of sophomore star Jacory Harris to a comeback win over Florida State and a blowout over Georgia Tech.

They have an extremely difficult road ahead of them with games at Virginia Tech and against Oklahoma, both top 10 teams.

It's tough to imagine that they will win both considering the type of level the 'Canes would have to sustain for a few more weeks. A stretch like this was what spelled the end for Texas last season playing four ranked teams in a row.

If Miami can go 3-1 to start the season heading into their fifth game against Florida A&M, they will be in great shape to make a run at the ACC Championship.

4.) Tennessee's defense should keep them in more games than expected

Many out there expected Florida to run away from Tennessee on Saturday in the Swamp, but an unexpected strong showing defensively by the Volunteers should have raised some eyebrows.

Monte Kiffin's defense forced QB Tim Tebow into an INT and had multiple sacks on the superstar.

Tebow also was held without a passing TD for the first time in 30 games at Florida.

Lane Kiffin's bunch played well enough to win, though they made mistakes that did not help them get it done. When Kiffin does get more talent to Knoxville, they could easily become a force to be reckoned with in the SEC.

5.) If Cal wins the Pac-10, Jahvid Best will be the reason why

Cal looked to be having their hands full in Minneapolis against the Golden Gophers, except for when they gave the ball to No. 4 Jahvid Best, who has to be a Heisman candidate at this point.

Best had five rushing TDs against a Gopher defense that did not have an answer for him when he got to the second level.

The Bears are still in the top 10 heading into Pac-10 play, and suddenly they have the upper hand on the maligned Trojans.

Cal has shown a stingy defense, allowing less than 14 points per game, and Best already has eight rushing TDs to his credit.

Best is one of the most electrifying playmakers in the game, and if Cal is dreaming of the Rose Bowl, he will need to continue to be superhuman to get it done.

Stepping into the Mixer: What Saturday's Loss Means for the Buckeyes

Tim Bielik — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 13:46:27 -0400

Saturday night, Buckeye fans went through the gauntlet as far as emotional turnover is concerned, from fear to excitement, then anxiety back down to a depression present in Buckeye land since 2006.

But this loss had a different feel to it. The Ohio State Buckeyes seemed to have outplayed their opponent for the first time in a long time in a big game.

Even Pete Carroll admitted such in one of his recent press conferences.

So clearly talent, especially defensively, is not as much an issue as it was in recent years. Now coach Jim Tressel is feeling the heat, speaking in agitated tones in yesterday's press conferences, staying defiant in his system despite cries for a change.

Now, many fans are calling for Tressel's head if he doesn't conform to what Buckeye fans want. In addition, some feel that Terrelle Pryor is not mature and intelligent enough to be the Buckeyes' starting QB.

Panic has officially set in around Columbus—some of it brought on by Michigan's great start to the 2009 season. But is all of this panic truly justified? In a word, no.

In hindsight, few people even expected Saturday's encounter to be anything less than a USC blowout win. But the Buckeyes defense that was under scrutiny after almost losing to Navy stepped up to the plate, holding USC under 20 points.

That same OSU offense that seemed pedestrian for so many years under Jim Tressel was explosive in the first quarter.

So in essence, it was the same thing I said last week: This Buckeyes team is a young team learning how to win.

Some people want to spin it as an excuse, but it is a young team looking for some leadership on both sides of the ball.

Two weeks into the season, young MLB Brian Rolle has been counted on for his leadership, and he has stepped up tremendously in the early part of the season.

On the other side of the ball, the young offensive line seems to be very solid on the left side, with LT Andy Miller and LG Justin Boren playing pretty well.

Most importantly, that vaunted Buckeye defensive line showed Saturday that it is worth all the preseason hype. They rotated a plethora of defenders including freshman DT John Simon and still created pressure effectively.

So where do they go from here? It's up to Pryor's maturity and how he handles the criticism that has come his way.

But it's not as bad as it looks for Buckeye fans. One or two plays go differently and we're talking about a 2-0 OSU team with national title hopes.

After rewatching the game on ESPN, it's clear that the passion was back in Columbus, and Ohio State is ready to answer for the wrongs those that are gone committed.

It will take some time for this young team to mature and develop leadership, but the talent is clearly in place.

So I urge the Ohio State nation to take their finger off the panic button. It's only week two of the season, so the season is not over yet.

This 2009 team is probably too young to compete for a title this season anyway with the top teams being so strong.

But there is another important game this week against Toledo, a MAC team licking their chops hoping to catch the Buckeyes in an emotional hangover.

A convincing win should have the Buckeyes back on track, as they have a soft next few games to help get their confidence back up.

If nothing else, Saturday's game showed that Ohio State can still play with the big boys. The only difference between now and a year ago is that the Buckeyes haven't proven they can close the deal.

That's been the case in countless games since the Florida loss. They lack the killer instinct to put teams away and pack up the bus with a 21-point lead rather than a 10-point lead.

Coaching is to blame in some cases for not instilling confidence in their players. But on the other hand, the players need to earn their confidence by their play.

It seems like a double-edged sword because the right amount of balance leads to great success. If it's off kilter by even a slight amount, moments like Saturday night will happen again.

But as mentioned earlier, this team is a work in progress, made great by the sky-high potential of the past two recruiting classes.

At times, they will dazzle; at others, they will leave us scratching our heads in disbelief.

There is very little doubt that this team can play in the spotlight, but now they have to learn to finish.

They have to learn to finish plays, finish drives, finish quarters, and finish games the way champions should: fast and physical. Never let up until the final whistle blows. That's what they teach in pee-wee football.

It's a philosophy that takes a minute to learn but a lifetime to master. But the ones that do are the ones that are holding up the Coaches' Trophy every season.

If Ohio State wants to do that in the future, this season will be all about finishing, regardless of how cliché that is. They did not do so well in their first two games in finishing, but they must learn if they want a championship in their future.

The talent is there; now it comes down to how hard you play until the whistle blows. That right now is the mission of the 2009 Ohio State Buckeyes.

Settling Things Out: Five Lessons Learned in College Football's Week Two

Tim Bielik — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 12:04:12 -0400

After a pretty wild week in college football, some of the contenders for the national title are starting to show why they belong.

Last season's breakout teams in Ole Miss and Penn State, despite some weak schedules, are among the big four teams in Florida, Texas, USC, and Alabama atop the polls.

Meanwhile, some of the top teams at the start of the year, Oklahoma State and Ohio State, have fallen out of the top ten after crushing home defeats. And hail, Michigan has made its return to the top 25 for the first time since 2007 (note: only AP poll).

All that said, here are five things that fans have learned after a second week of college football:

1.) Offensive inconsistencies will hamper the Buckeyes

In an instant classic in Columbus, the Ohio State defense made a spectacular showing against the Trojans. USC had over 300 yards rushing against San Jose State, but struggled to get over 100 against the Buckeyes.

The Buckeye offense, however, made a disappearing act after a high-powered first quarter, when they moved down the field on their second series.

Terrelle Pryor looked timid and tried to beat USC by throwing, which he did not do a great job of in the second half. Predictable playcalling and a lack of reading the defense forced OSU into Tresselball, which shockingly controlled a good portion of the game.

Buckeye fans are demanding that Jim Tressel must give up the playcalling to put OSU among the best, because the defense looks so much better at this point. Luckily for the Buckeyes, the defensive line looks like the real deal.

Credit does go to USC QB Matt Barkley, who managed the game and led them on a long final drive despite a bad shoulder. If these teams should meet again, the third rematch in two years could be very interesting.

2.) Oklahoma State was not who we thought they were

Many people thought that Oklahoma State was ready to contend for the Big XII title, and they looked justified after beating Georgia the week before.

After giving up 45 to Houston and QB Case Keenum at home, the Cowboys suffered a setback that they might not recover from.

Ok State fell behind early and had to play catchup, and when they could take the game, they had nothing left.

If nothing else, this game proved that the Cowboys still have a long way to go before being considered one of the best in the Southwest.

3.) Michigan should be the wild card in the Big Ten

Rich Rodriguez's second year in Michigan seems like something out of a movie, with two high-scoring performances led by freshman QBs Tate Forcier and Denard Robinson.

A last-minute win over Notre Dame put the Wolverines back in the AP Top 25, and they should have very few challenges until welcoming Penn State to the Big House on October 24th.

Forcier doesn't look like a freshman, as he has played very well in his first two games, using his legs to open the field for his arm. Greg Robinson's 3-4 defense has already been much improved over the Michigan defense a year ago.

Ohio State and Penn State are the class of the Big Ten at this point. But by October 24, the Wolverines might have something to say about that.

What gives them a darkhorse chance at winning the Big Ten? They host both Penn State and Ohio State and they only have four road games all season.

4.) The flu could be the biggest x-factor this season

This week, we saw two teams, Wisconsin and Ole Miss, deal with the flu bug which affected their teams dramatically.

In Oxford, both WR Dexter McCluster and QB Jevan Snead were among over a dozen Rebels bedridden with the flu. Luckily for the Rebels, they were on an early bye week so they didn't have a game to play.

The Badgers, however, were not so lucky. They reportedly had close to 40 players sick and had a solid Fresno State team coming in to Camp Randall.

Wisconsin did win in a double-overtime game where they showed a lot of heart.

At the rate the flu seems to be affecting college teams, it might only be a matter of time before it becomes the factor in a big top-ten matchup.

5.) The cupcakes make it hard to judge much of the top ten

Florida and Texas have remained the top two teams because they really haven't had much competition in the first two weeks. The same can be said for Penn State, who has not allowed a first half point all season.

With some of the top teams not having been challenged, it's hard to see how they really stand. USC and Alabama have both aced difficult tests in Ohio State and Virginia Tech respectively.

Florida does not play a tough game until October 10 when they travel into Death Valley to play LSU, while the Horns have a decent opponent this week when they open conference play against Texas Tech.

Those two teams could be on a collision course to Pasadena, but how they respond to adversity playing a tough opponent will tell us more about these teams than any blowout can do.

Lower down in the top ten, BYU has a decent challenge against Florida State to prove they really belong among the best in the nation. If they win and run the table, they could be a very trendy pick for the National Championship Game.