Bleacher Report - Ohio State Football

Ohio State's Terelle Pryor on the Verge of a Breakthrough

Jack Stentwiller — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:18:11 -0500

Does the Terelle Pryor saga have a bit of déjà vu? If not, listen again:

A highly touted quarterback at a university rich in football tradition is up and down early in his career, much to the frustration of his rabid fan base.

As his sophomore season winds down, however, the QB starts to put it together. While he loses the chance to play for a national championship, he rebounds and leads his team to the Rose Bowl.

There, in front of a national audience, he leads his team to victory in dazzling fashion, making his team a national title favorite at the outset of the following season.

If this story sounds too good to be true for Buckeye fans, they should be excited to know it has happened before.

The story I told is actually about former Longhorn QB Vince Young, who parlayed a decent sophomore season into an all-time National Championship season as a junior in 2006.

It is amazing, as the Buckeyes play for a spot in the Rose Bowl, to see the similarities in the two QB's. Not only in their college careers, but in their current situations as well.

Both have been lamented at times. Their play has been inconsistent. Yet, both seem to have taken an upturn recently, with their teams being the beneficiaries.

Both have had off-field controversies. Both have been written off. They both share, however, two characteristics that have made them what they are today: patience and incredible physical ability.

The future is looking brighter for both.

In 2006, Young carried over his Rose Bowl win from the previous season into a fantastic National Championship season. Can Pryor keep his positive momentum going?

It is impossible to know what the future has in store for Pryor at this point. Would it surprise you, however, if his play continued to improve and the Buckeyes won the Rose Bowl? (Remember that they will not have to play USC.)

With a win in Pasadena, the Buckeyes would go into 2010 as a Big Ten favorite and National Title contender.

Don't be surprised. We have seen this story before.

Read more Ohio State Football news on BleacherReport.com

Trent's Touchdown - Six Games to Watch in Week 12

Trent Lane — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:28:00 -0500

With births to conference championship games and outright claims to the top spots in other conferences on the line, Week 12 looks like a winner. So, let’s skip the preamble and get right to the games.

1) No. 10 Ohio State at Michigan —12:00 on ABC

While this one looks like a cakewalk for Ohio State, this one gives me pause. As much as I hate it when people say that records don’t matter in rivalry games, this one transcends the records. Both have something to play for, just one is more important than the other.

Ohio State is playing for the outright championship of the Big Ten and, more importantly, respect. Yes, they are going to the Rose Bowl, but no one thinks they can beat any Pac-10 team. They are a team being carried by their defense. Every Buckeye fan out there, while not admitting it, just hopes that Terrelle Pryor doesn’t do anything stupid when he has his hands on the ball. I mean, look at the series they played in the OT win against Iowa, three straight dives into the heart of the line. Yes, Tressel really trusts Pryor.

Michigan is playing to get out of the cellar of the Big Ten and, most probably, for Rich Rodriguez’s job. After starting 4-0, they have gotten smacked around by all comers, wining only one of their last seven games. I like Tate Forcier and I like the enthusiasm of the team, but Michigan still makes dumb mistakes. I think Rodriguez really needs to take the training wheel’s off here and just let Forcier air it out. They have nothing to lose.

Michigan has played well at home all year, so they can keep it close. I just think the Ohio State defense is too good for Michigan. Ohio State wins this one, while I get deluged with “Ohio State is for real” stories before they douse their drawers against Oregon in the Rose Bowl.

2) No. 11 Oregon at Arizona —8:00 on ABC

Speaking of Oregon, they get to take one more step to securing the Pac-10. Personally, I like Stanford, but the Duchess like Oregon. As any married man knows, the secret to a successful marriage is to always listen to your wife.

Anyhow, the Oregon offense is pretty simple to figure out. It’s run, run, run, and then beat you with the play action pass. It’s just a question of stopping it. I don’t know why they bothered to reinstate LeGarrette Blount, since LaMichael James is one of the better running backs in the nation. Look for the Ducks to keep doing what they do.

Arizona is in a very good spot. They win out and they go to the Rose Bowl. However, they need to stay consistent on offense, something they couldn’t do against Cal last week. The problem is there is a big question mark at running back, as Nic Grigsby has a bit of a shoulder problem.

While Arizona is undefeated at home, they really haven’t had any quality wins (minus Stanford). Oregon knows how to get up for the big games and they know just how important this one is. I think they go into Arizona and win it, but Arizona sticks around for most of the game.

3) No. 25 California at No. 17 Stanford —7:30 on Versus

Talk about two teams on two different sides of the spectrum. Cal has absolutely no quality wins, while Stanford slapped around USC and Oregon in back to back weeks. God I love Stanford right now.

The blue-collar Stanford Cardinals are showing they are not a team to be taken lightly. They also know how to go for the kill when they have the shot, going for a two-point conversion up 27 in the fourth quarter against USC. Andrew Luck keeps plugging along, knowing the offense doesn’t rest on his shoulders. All he needs to do is get the ball to Toby Gerhart and he is all set. They have a competent defense that doesn’t get lit up, so they are all good.

Cal is one team I don’t understand. They can’t beat a good team, yet they keep getting into the top 25. Their best player is on the sideline after nearly killing himself trying to get into the end zone. We’ll be lucky if we Jahvid Best before the opening game next year. Shane Vereen is an admirable back up, but he isn’t Best. Pardon the pun, but Best is Cal’s best shot at winning.

Stanford wins this one, by doing what they always do. I don’t even think Cal keeps it close, but it’s worth watching just to see Stanford dismantle another team and keep their hopes of a Pac-10 Championship alive.

4) Virginia at No. 23 Clemson —3:30 on ABC

I’ll admit it; this is pure and utter homerism (even if I’ve never been to South Carolina or know anyone who has been there). This is the game every Clemson fan has been waiting for since 1991. Well, technically, that would be in 2 weeks against Georgia Tech, but they need to beat Virginia first.

Let’s forget about the Virginia offense completely. They can’t move the ball against a high school team, and Clemson is one of the better defenses in the country, leading the nation in interceptions. This game hinges on the ability of C.J. Spiller making plays and giving Kyle Parker piece of mind that the game isn’t on his shoulders. Throw in a big play by Jacoby Ford and you pretty much have yourself a victory.

It’ll be fun to watch for about two and a half quarters, which is usually where Clemson decides they’ve had enough and decide to just win it and be done with it.

5) No. 8 LSU at Mississippi —3:30 on CBS

Remember when everyone (including me) was saying how Jevan Sneed was for real? That was 14 interceptions ago. However, out of the limelight, Ole Miss has been able to put together a fairly good record.

If I was a LSU fan, I wouldn’t be sure if I was more scared of Jefferson or Lee starting at quarterback. Listen, I could go into some spiel about how LSU needs to work the run, but it’s all a lie. This game will come down to the LSU defense stopping Dexter McCluster. If they do that, they put the game in Sneed’s hands and as scary as that sounded at the beginning of the season, it would make me downright giddy now.

LSU wins this, but the game is ugly in the fact that it turns into a defensive struggle. LSU just needs to pray that if Lee does start, that he doesn’t make too many mistakes.

6) Harvard at Yale —12:00 on Versus

Come on people, this is The Game. The Game! Basically, it’s an excuse for the alumni of two Ivy League schools to drink all weekend, but that’s a whole different story.

Extra Point

7) Let me throw in my two cents about the Mark Mangino debacle at Kansas. I want to preface this by saying that we don’t know all the evidence and I don’t want to come off like an idiot like Obama and the whole Gates incident. Also, I’ve always liked Kansas because of their underdog status.

That being said, if this is true, this is the weirdest thing I’ve heard in a while—but not completely shocking. With the amount of control coaches have over players in college football, something like this was bound to happen. If this was one or two players, you can write it off as sour grapes, but this is a whole host of players with similar stories.

This doesn’t just affect Mangino though. This will affect his assistant coaches and coordinators, not to mention the legacy of Bill Snyder at Kansas State. There is a fine line between hard-nosed disciplinarian and out of control behavior. No matter the outcome, Mangino is toxic after this. No team is going to touch him. If he did cross the line, let’s hope he learned his lesson.

Read more Ohio State Football news on BleacherReport.com

Ohio State Football: Why Chris Spielman Is My All-Time Favorite Buckeye

Chip Minnich — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 09:47:12 -0500

Ohio State football fans admire and respect players for various reasons. Attend any Ohio State game and you will see fans wearing the jersey numbers of current players such as Terrelle Pryor and Dane Sanzenbacher, as well as former players such as Archie Griffin or James Laurinaitis.

My favorite Ohio State player, past or present, is Chris Spielman. Spielman played linebacker for Ohio State from 1984-1987, and is arguably the best linebacker in the history of Ohio State football.

Chris Spielman's passion and intensity on the football field were something to behold. Even though Spielman was not the biggest or fastest linebacker, few had Spielman's natural football instincts to find the ball and make the play.

While Chris Spielman's football talents are something to continue to admire, my respect for Chris Spielman has nothing to do with football whatsoever. The reason why Chris Spielman is the Buckeye I admire the most is because of his devotion to his wife and family.

In 1998, Chris Spielman took the year off from playing for the NFL's Buffalo Bills to care for his wife Stefanie and his young children. To show his support for his wife Stefanie, who was undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer, Chris Spielman shaved his own head.

Following his retirement from the NFL in 1999, Chris Spielman became a radio talk show host for 97.1 The Fan FM in Columbus, Ohio. Spielman also is a college football analyst for ESPN, and has become one of my favorite analysts due to his insightful commentary.

Stefanie Spielman lost her battle with cancer on November 19, 2009, dying at the age of 42. My sincere condolences go out to Chris Spielman and his family on the loss of his wife.

While I have immense respect for Chris Spielman's athletic accomplishments, my admiration for Chris Spielman for what he did for his wife and family is somewhere beyond the stratosphere. Chris Spielman is truly an athlete that I consider a role model for myself as a husband and father, by virtue of what he did for his wife and family.

Read more Ohio State Football news on BleacherReport.com

10 Sure Fire Ways to Know You Are a Fan of the Michigan Wolverines

Phil Harrison — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 23:55:05 -0500

It is time for installment No. 3 of knowing when you are a fan of this week's opposition to Ohio State. This week, we turn our attention to the best rivalry in all of sports: Ohio State vs. Michigan.

Again, this is just for fun, Michigan fans. You can tune in next week for the final list of reasons to know you are a fan. The last list will make fun of ourselves: THE Ohio State University.

Without further delay, here are 10 ways to get a fairly good idea that you just might be rooting for Michigan this weekend:

10. Your team has switched to the spread for its football health, which has resulted in the team no longer having any bread and butter.

9. You've switched to Tupperware because you can't find a Bowl any longer.

8. You are thinking about changing the fight song lyrics from "Leader's and Best," to "We cannot beat the Sweater and Vest."

7. People from Canada actually travel north to get to your state, and dress in layers when they come to visit.

6. A trip to the beach happens only in the throes of summer, and even then the water is barely warm enough to dip your toes in. The beach...is a lake or reservoir.

5. You have partied with Kid Rock and have embarrassing photos of yourself as a result somewhere lingering on the Internet.

4. 8 Mile is a great movie and how far you had to walk from your parking spot to get to the game at the "Big House."

3. You have several "jackets": A light jacket, an all-season jacket, a winter jacket, a blizzard jacket, and a "break the glass in case of emergency" jacket. You don't need one in the summer because it is sweater weather.

2. Both your stadium and team are going through renovations. There are signs on both that state: "Pardon the Mess."

1. You have three kids and none of them have been alive for a victory against the your fiercest rival.

Come back next Thursday for Ohio State to wrap up these lists. Next week, you can throw tomatoes....

Go Bucks!

Read more Ohio State Football news on BleacherReport.com

The Top 10 Winningest College Football Programs of All Time

HD Handshoe - Block-O-Nation — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:44:12 -0500

Teams such as Florida and LSU may have found recent success in the BCS Era, but neither of those programs has had the prestige and historical significance of the teams that comprise the all-time Top 10.

In the "what have you done or me lately?" world of college football, we sometimes forget the great teams, players, coaches, and programs that came before our time—but to the LSU's and the Florida's of the world, I say: You have a long way to go to try to catch up with these Top 10 schools.

(Team Win/Loss/Tie records are current through November 19, 2009. )

No. 10—USC Trojans (772-306-54)

38 Pac-10 Conference Titles

7 Heisman Trophy winners

11 National Championships

A few names you know: OJ Simpson, Reggie Bush, Matt Leinart, Carson Palmer

===================================

No. 9—Tennessee Volunteers (781-332-55)

16 SEC Titles

0 Heisman Trophy winners

6 National Championships

A few names you know: Peyton Manning, Reggie White

===================================

No. 8—Oklahoma Sooners (794-304-53)

42 Big 12 Conference Titles

5 Heisman Trophy winners

7 National Championships

A few names you know: Billy Sims, Adrian Peterson, Sam Bradford

===================================

No. 7—Alabama Crimson Tide (809-316-43)

22 SEC Titles

0 Heisman Trophy winners

12 National Championships

A few names you know: Joe Namath, Derrick Thomas, Shaun Alexander

===================================

No. 6—Penn State Nittany Lions (810-351-43)

3 Big Ten Conference Titles

1 Heisman Trophy winner

2 National Championships

A few names you know: Kerry Collins, LaVar Arrington, Larry Johnson

===================================

No. 5—Ohio State Buckeyes (817-308-53)

34 Big 10 Conference Titles

7 Heisman Trophy winners

7 National Championships

A few names you know: Archie Griffin, Eddie George, Santonio Holmes, Troy Smith

===================================

No. 4—Notre Dame Fighting Irish (833-289-42)

0 Conference Titles (Independent)

7 Heisman Trophy winners

11 National Championships

A few names you know: Joe Theismann, Joe Montana, Tim Brown, Brady Quinn

===================================

No. 3—Nebraska Cornhuskers (834-340-41)

46 Big 12 Conference Titles

3 Heisman Trophy winners

5 National Championships

A few names you know: Trev Alberts, Tommie Frazier, Ahman Green

===================================

No. 2—Texas Longhorns (842-320-34)

29 Big 12 Conference Titles

2 Heisman Trophy winners

5 National Championships

A few names you know: Earl Campbell, Ricky Williams, Cedric Benson, Vince Young

===================================

No. 1—Michigan Wolverines (877-303-38)

42 Big 10 Conference Titles

3 Heisman Trophy winners

11 National Championships

A few names you know: Jim Harbaugh, Desmond Howard, Charles Woodson, Tom Brady

Click For Block Nation Front Page

Read more Ohio State Football news on BleacherReport.com

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.

Read more Ohio State Football news on BleacherReport.com

College Football Games To Watch In Week 12

Bryan Flynn — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 21:17:28 -0500

Week twelve of college football features some very important games concerning the bowl hopes of several teams. Cincinnati is guaranteed to make it to week thirteen undefeated but the other four undefeated teams will be in action.

There are 14 teams that must win this week to keep their bowl hopes alive. If some of these teams cannot win their conferences might not be able to fill all their bowl slots.

The ACC has nine bowl slots but only six bowl teams heading in to this week. Only two more teams can become bowl eligible.

The Big East has six bowl slots but only four bowl teams certain to make a bowl. There are three teams left that can get to six wins.

Conference USA can pick up an extra bowl slot if Army does not win out to become bowl eligible. The Mid-American Conference can pick up another bowl slot if the ACC cannot fill all their slots.

The Big-12 is also in danger of losing one bowl slot if one of the four teams with a chance to become bowl eligible cannot get the required number of wins. The SEC could pick up two bowl slots if Tennessee and Mississippi State can get to six wins.

The Big Ten can also pick up an extra bowl slot. The Mountain West could lose a bowl slot if the two remaining teams that can reach six wins fail to do so.

The Western Athletic Conference would also pick up an extra spot if Boise State is able to make it to a BCS game. Week twelve in college football could make or break nearly every conference and here is a look at the games to watch.

Wednesday Night

Central Michigan Chippewas vs. Ball State Cardinals

Central Michigan had little trouble getting past Toledo last week. The win kept the Chippewas in first place in the MAC West division.

The Cardinals lost a close game to Northern Illinois last week. At 1-9 Ball State cannot become bowl eligible this season.

Who needs the win more: Central Michigan

A win in this game for the Chippewas would setup a winner take all game in the final game of the season against Northern Illinois. A loss would not end any title hopes for Central Michigan but it would be a bad time for their first conference loss.

Thursday Night

Colorado Buffaloes vs. Oklahoma State Cowboys

Colorado’s disappointing season continued last week in a loss to Iowa State. The loss ended the Buffaloes bowl hopes and might have cost Dan Hawkins his job.

The Cowboys beat a tough Texas Tech team in a close game last week. Oklahoma State now must win to have any chance to catch Texas in the Big-12 South.

Who needs the win more: Oklahoma State

A loss gives the South division in the Big-12 to the Longhorns. A win keeps the Cowboys hopes alive. Oklahoma State still would help to have any chance of winning the division but a loss makes that help pointless.

Friday Night

Eastern Michigan Eagles vs. Toledo Rockets

The Eagles were blown out by Western Michigan in their last game. Eastern Michigan has not won a game the entire season. The Eagles only have two more chances to win a game this season.

Toledo’s loss in their last game means they have to win out to become bowl eligible. The Rockets will be home for the holidays if they lose this game.

Who needs the win more: Toledo

The Rockets need two wins in their next two games to reach the wins necessary wins to make the postseason. A loss against the Eagles ends any chance Toledo would have in their final game against Bowling Green.

Boise State Broncos vs. Utah State Aggies

The Broncos lambasted in-state rival Idaho in their last game. Boise State is trying to bust into the BCS for the second time in program history.

Utah State lost any chance of a bowl bid after their loss to Hawaii last week. The Aggies can now play spoiler for the final two games of the season.

Who needs the win more: Boise State

The Broncos have to avoid a letdown after spanking their rival Idaho last week. Boise State should have a chance at BCS game. That is as long as all the other teams from the automatic qualifying conferences keep losing.

Saturday and Saturday Night

Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Michigan Wolverines

The Buckeyes needed overtime last week to beat Iowa and win the Big Ten. Ohio State earned the conference’s automatic BCS bid with the win. A loss would give Iowa a share of the Big Ten title.

Michigan keeps sliding after their fast start. The heat is getting turned up on Rich Rodriguez after the Wolverines have lost six of their last seven games. A loss in this game ends any hope of a bowl for Michigan.

Who needs the win more: Michigan

Nothing could be better to Buckeye fans. They beat Michigan and the Wolverines are staying home come the postseason. Last season Jim Tressel proved it did not matter who coached the Wolverines. He would still take them behind the wood shed.

Rich Rodriguez thought before the season began that anything short of a bowl game would be a disappointment. He and freshman Tate Forcier will have to beat arch-rival Ohio State for that bowl game.

Nothing could be better unless this game was for the Big Ten title. Still it should be a good game with Ohio State looking to win the conference title outright and the Wolverines fighting for their bowl lives in the “Big House”.

Minnesota Golden Gophers vs. Iowa Hawkeyes

The Gopher became bowl eligible with a win in their last game against North Dakota State. Minnesota can clinch a winning season with a win in this game.

The Hawkeyes have lost two straight after a 9-0 start and look to avoid a three game losing streak in this game. Iowa has to bounce back from a heartbreaking overtime loss to Ohio State that ended their conference title hopes.

Who needs the win more: Iowa

The Hawkeyes have a chance to share the Big Ten title if Ohio State loses to Michigan. Iowa would also like to have a win heading in to the bowl season. A win would also keep the Hawkeyes slim hopes of a BCS at-large spot alive with a win. A loss should eliminate them from BCS contention.

Duke Blue Devils vs. Miami Hurricanes

The Blue Devils were drummed last week against Georgia Tech. Duke has gone from a chance to win the ACC Coastal division to fighting for its postseason hopes. This team has to win its last two games to become bowl eligible.

Miami was upset on the road in their last game against North Carolina. The Hurricanes are 5-0 in ACC play against Duke and can end their bowl hopes with a win.

Who needs the win more: Duke

If the Blue Devils win this game they will need a win next week against Wake Forest to get bowl eligible. Duke has to win this game to even make the game next week matter. A win would make football matter in basketball crazy Durham, for at least one more week.

Maryland Terrapins vs. Florida State Seminoles

Maryland was taken behind the wood shed by Virginia Tech last week. The Terrapins have lost five straight games. Overall Maryland is 2-8 and is just hoping a bad season will end soon.

Florida State with a win over Wake Forest in their last game kept their postseason hopes alive. The Seminoles only need to win one of their final two games to become bowl eligible.

Who needs the win more: Florida State

Florida State needs to win this game to become bowl eligible. The Seminoles might not make it if they wait till their final game to become bowl eligible. Florida State plays in-state rival Florida in their final game and it would be best if the Seminole did not need to upset the top ranked Gators to get in to the post season.

Louisville Cardinals vs. South Florida Bulls

The Cardinals kept their bowl hopes alive and ended the hopes of Syracuse with their win. Louisville has to win out to become bowl eligible.

South Florida did not look like a ranked team in the nationally televised game against Rutgers getting spanked 31-0. A Bulls in one win in their final three games to have enough wins to make the postseason.

Who needs the win more: Both

The Cardinals have to win this game to have any chance to make the postseason. A Louisville win and bowl bid might save Steve Kragthorpe’s job as well.

South Florida will have two more chances make the postseason. The Bulls best chance to get the win they need to get bowl eligible is this game. South Florida final two games after this one are against Miami (FL) and Connecticut.

North Carolina Tar Heels vs. Boston College Eagles

The Tar Heels won their second game over a top 15 opponent this season after besting Miami. North Carolina can win their eighth game of the season with a win in this game.

This game would only mean more for Boston College if Clemson loses to Virginia later in the day. The Eagles would still have a chance at an ACC Atlantic title win a win and a Tigers loss.

Who needs the win more: Boston College

Only with a win can the Eagles have a chance to keep pace with Clemson in the division. A loss would make the Clemson game later in the day meaningless. Boston College has to win this game and hope for a Virginia upset.

Mississippi State Bulldogs vs. Arkansas Razorbacks

The Bulldogs were man-handled by second ranked Alabama in their last game. Mississippi State can still become bowl eligible with wins in their final two games.

The Razorbacks took Troy behind the woodshed last week. Arkansas is already eligible for the postseason and wants to keep winning to help their bowl position.

Who needs the win more: Mississippi State

Mississippi State needs to win to keep their bowl hopes alive. A loss in this game and the Bulldogs will be spending the holidays at home.

Kent State Golden Flashes vs. Temple Owls

The Golden Flashes missed a chance to become eligible for the postseason with a loss against Akron two weeks ago. Kent State must win one of their final two games if they hope to get enough wins to make a bowl.

Temple on the other hand whipped Akron last week to stay undefeated in the MAC West division. The Owls win or lose set up a big showdown with Ohio in the final game of the season for the division.

Who needs the win more: Both

A win by Kent State gives them enough wins to go bowling. A loss would still give them a chance next week at Buffalo but a 6-6 team from the MAC would have little chance to go bowling.

A Temple loss and an Ohio win would make next week must win for the Owls to play for a conference title. A win in this game and an Ohio loss clinches the division for Temple.

TCU Horned Frogs vs. Wyoming Cowboys

TCU continued its march through the Mountain West Conference by spanking a ranked Utah team last week. The Horned Frogs need to keep winning for a chance to play in a BCS game. A loss would end TCU chance to be a BCS buster for the first time in school history.

Wyoming must win one of its final two games to become bowl eligible. A loss in this game would make next week against Colorado State must win for the Cowboys.

Who needs the win more: TCU

TCU in a BCS game would help the whole conference by opening up an extra bowl slot. Wyoming could still go bowling at 6-6 even if they lose this game. That is because the Horned Frogs would open up a spot for them to make the postseason.

Northern Illinois Huskies vs. Ohio Bobcats

The Huskies kept pace in the MAC West with a win over Ball State last week. Northern Illinois is on four game winning streak after they lost to Toledo.

The Bobcats survived by a field goal over Buffalo in their last game to keep their East title hopes alive. Ohio has won their last two games after a loss to Kent State.

Who needs the win more: Both

A loss by either team ends their hopes of a conference title unless one of the teams they are chasing loses as well. Northern Illinois has a little advantage since Central Michigan plays Wednesday night.

If Ball State can pull the upset and the Huskies lose this game, then their meeting with the Chippewas would still have meaning. Ohio has to hope Temple loses if they lose this game to make their game important.

Connecticut Huskies vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish

The Huskies need to win two of their final three games to become bowl eligible. Connecticut has had two week to prepare for this game after their loss to Cincinnati.

The Irish were beaten by Pittsburgh last week and it could have spelled the end Charlie Weis at Notre Dame. Still the Irish have a chance to win their last two games and finish 8-4. A loss in this game would leave no question that Weis is gone.

Who needs the win more: Notre Dame

The Irish have to win this game if they hope to have any chance of saving their coaches job in the final game against Stanford. Notre Dame will get a chance to get a very big win for Weis if they can win this game and beat the Cardinal next week.

Jimmy Clausen will also be considering his future at the university as well. He could base his future on whether Weis is in South Bend or not.

Virginia Cavaliers vs. Clemson Tigers

Virginia nearly upset Boston College in a close game that ended in a loss. The loss also ended the Cavaliers chance to make the postseason and could cost Al Groh his job.

Clemson ended NC State’s post season hopes with their win last week. A win against Virginia gives the Tigers the ACC Atlantic title.

Who needs the win more: Clemson

A loss in this game opens the door for Boston College to win the division title. This game becomes meaningless if Boston College loses earlier in the day. The Tigers can clinch a spot in the ACC title game and have a six game winning streak heading in to their final game against South Carolina.

UAB Blazers vs. East Carolina Pirates

UAB kept their postseason hopes alive with a win over hapless Memphis last week. The win was the third in a row for the Blazers. A win in this game keeps their C-USA East title hopes alive.

The Pirates had little problems with Tulsa last week to get a win. East Carolina used the win to bounce back from their loss to Virginia Tech. The Pirates lead the division by one game over several teams.

Who needs the win more: East Carolina

East Carolina has to keep winning if it wants to play in the C-USA title game. A loss would drag them back to the pack.

UAB, UCF, and Southern Mississippi all have shot at winning this division with a loss by the Pirates. East Carolina meets Southern Miss in the final game of the season that could decide this division.

Baylor Bears vs. Texas A&M Aggies

Baylor’s loss to Texas last week means they have to win out to have any chance of getting eligible for a bowl. A loss in this game ends their postseason hopes.

The Aggies were crushed last week by Oklahoma. They need one more one to become bowl eligible.

Who needs the win more: Both

The Aggies best shot at getting a chance at a bowl game is with a win here. Their final game is against Texas and they would be big underdogs. A loss in this game would pretty much end their bowl hopes.

Any loss at all would end Baylor’s bowl hopes. They have to beat the Aggies and then win their final game against Texas Tech to have a chance to even make a bowl game.

Arizona State Sun Devils vs. UCLA Bruins

Arizona State was taken behind the woodshed by Oregon last week. The Sun Devils have lost their last four games. Arizona State has to win out to become bowl eligible.

UCLA is on a two game winning streak. The Bruins have been helped by playing both Washington schools the past two weeks. This team only has to win one of its final two games to become eligible for the postseason.

Who needs the win more: Both

The Sun Devils have to win this game to keep their bowl hopes alive. A loss would mean no matter what they are staying home for the bowl season.

UCLA needs to win this game to get the wins they need to play in a bowl game. Their final game is against UCS and that game might not be winnable for the Bruins. This game is must win for both teams.

Army Black Knights vs. North Texas Mean Green

Army broke a three game losing streak against VMI last week. The Black Knights have to win out to reach a bowl game. A win in this game means Army has to beat Navy to make a bowl game.

North Texas is 2-8 and on a two game losing streak. The Mean Green would love to win this game for the Sun Belt. No matter what happens North Texas cannot make the postseason.

Who needs the win more: Army

The Army game against Navy will mean something to this team even if they had not won a game all year. For the game to mean more the Black Knights need to win this game. Otherwise Army would be playing for pride and a chance to beat Navy.

Tulsa Golden Hurricane vs. Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles

The Eagles became bowl eligible with their win over Marshall last week. Southern Miss still has a chance to play in the conference title game if they keep winning.

Tulsa had their bowl hopes take a serious blow after their loss to East Carolina. The Hurricanes are on five game losing streak. A loss in this game ends their bowl hopes.

Who needs the win more: Both

Tulsa has to win this game to keep any bowl hopes alive. A loss means they cannot go bowling. The Eagles need to win this game to keep pace with East Carolina in the division. A loss would mean Southern Miss would need a lot of help to win the division title.

Kansas State Wildcats vs. Nebraska Cornhuskers

This game means so much for both teams. Kansas State has a lot to lose if they cannot win this game.

A win by Kansas State means they win the Big-12 North and will play in the conference title game. A loss means the Wildcats not only lose the division but cannot even play in a bowl game.

Nebraska just needs to win this game to win the Big-12 North. The Cornhuskers are already bowl eligible.

Who needs the win more: Both

Kansas State is playing for their season and a loss means they get nothing for one of the biggest turnarounds in college football. Bill Snyder would love to have his Wildcats playing in the Big-12 title game in his first season back at his old job.

Nebraska wants their national exposure back and winning the Big-12 North and a possible chance at ending Texas’ title hopes would go a long way to making that happen.

Oregon Ducks vs. Arizona Wildcats

The Ducks still control their destiny in the Pac-10 and only have to keep winning to play in the Rose Bowl. A loss by Oregon opens the door for other teams to steal their spot in the Rose Bowl.

Arizona also can control their destiny with a win in this game. A loss would mean they will not get a chance to smell the roses.

Who needs the win more: Both

A loss by either team means they might miss their chance at a BCS game. A win means they only have to win out to play in the Rose Bowl.

This is a must win for both teams. The loser would need help and open the door for a very hot Stanford team to come in and get the BCS game for the Pac10.

California Golden Bears vs. Stanford Cardinal

The Bears will not have Jahvid Best for this game. He is still recovering from his concussion he suffered in the loss to Oregon State.

Stanford spanked USC and handed the Trojans their worst loss at home since 1966. The Cardinal has an outside chance at the Rose bowl if they keep winning and get some help.

Other games to keep an eye on:

Chattanooga Mocs vs. Alabama Crimson Tide

The Tide plays the Mocs in a tune-up game before they play Auburn. Alabama should have little trouble against Chattanooga.

Florida International Golden Panthers vs. Florida Gators

Tim Tebow and the Gators get a chance to beat up on FIU before they play Florida State. Florida gets a chance to play a team Alabama played in the first game of the season to compare themselves to the Tide.

Memphis Tigers vs. Houston Cougars

The Cougars loss to UCF not only hurt their chances to play in the C-USA title game but also hurt quarterback Case Keenum’s Heisman chances as well. Houston has to win this game and hope for SMU to lose one of their final two games.

Iowa State Cyclones vs. Missouri Tigers

The Cyclones play for a chance at a seven win season. The Tigers are also playing for seven wins and a chance to win eight in their final game against Kansas.

Tulane Green Wave vs. UCF Knights

The Knights are one of four teams that have a chance at winning the C-USA East division. They have to keep winning and hope for some help to play in the conference title game.

LSU Tigers vs. Mississippi (Ole Miss) Rebels

The Rebels fans might not be able to say “The South Will Rise Again” but their football team can rise again. That is if they can beat a ranked LSU team and in-state rival Mississippi State to finish the season. The Tigers are just hoping to make it to the end of the season to try to get healthy in time for their bowl game.

Oklahoma Sooners vs. Texas Tech Red Raiders

Oklahoma hopes it can win seven games and more importantly not get anyone else injured before the end of the season. Texas Tech wants to get to seven wins as well and go for eight in their final game of the season.

SMU Mustangs vs. Marshall Thundering Herd

SMU only has to win out to win the C-USA West division. A loss opens the door back up for Houston. Marshall needs to win one of the two final games on their schedule to be bowl eligible.

Vanderbilt Commodores vs. Tennessee Volunteers

A win in this game means Lane Kiffin and the Vols can go bowling. A loss means they have to beat Kentucky to have any shot at a bowl game.

Kansas Jayhawks vs. Texas Longhorns

Texas only has to win every game they have left and they play for a BCS title. Kansas needs a win in one of their final two games to become bowl eligible.

There are some games that feature bowl eligible teams playing each other here is the run down:

Georgia Bulldogs vs. Kentucky Wildcats

Penn State Nittany Lions vs. Michigan State Spartans

Wisconsin Badgers vs. Northwestern Wildcats

Enjoy all the games of week 12 and watch as the season comes closer in to focus. The week also features a full slate of NFL games and the MLS championship game.

Read more Ohio State Football news on BleacherReport.com

Ohio State vs. Michigan: THE Game Always Matters

Michael Periatt — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:46:18 -0500

The Game this year, like last year, really shouldn't be close. But unlike last year, the Bucks have already clinched a trip to a BCS bowl. The outcome to The Game literally has zero effect on the postseason.

Michigan on the other hand, is fighting for their bowl lives. They NEED a win to become bowl eligible. Otherwise, their season is over.

Sounds like a trap game right?

Not even close.

Go ahead and rip on Jim Tressel. Call him too conservative. Curse "Tressel Ball." Say he doesn't use his players effectively.

No really, go ahead and do it. You might be right, but ever since Jim Tressel has set foot on campus, he's made it blatantly clear to everyone that priority (and enemy) number one is Michigan.

In one of his first appearances as head coach, Jim Tressel walked into "The Schott" and provided Buckeye fans with probably his most memorable speech ever (maybe his only one).

He clutched the microphone firmly, but awkwardly with both hands saying, "I promise you'll be proud of our young people in the classroom, in the community,..." He lumped these two things together almost rushing through them. The crowd seemed to be tuning him out at this point. Just another politically correct coach. Now, he had been spinning, almost waddling around in a circle the whole time.

"And most especially.." He did one final 180 before standing firm in his spot seeming to look an entire section of the arena square in the eye.

"In three hundred and ten days..." He let the words reverberate through the building for a few seconds. A few people started going crazy near the rafters, but most of the crowd stood clueless.

Then he muttered the words that set the crowd on fire. He didn't raise his voice, just let the phrase flow like all the others before them, "In Ann Arbor Michigan on the football field."

The crowd went absolutely nuts. There wasn't a Buckeye fan in the entire place that wasn't won over then and there.

And Tressel's troops delivered not just 310 days later, but seven times in the next eight years. Through thick and then, through championship glory and big game embarrassment, Tressel has always gotten his players ready for Michigan.

So go inside the OSU lockerroom and tell them The Game doesn't matter. Their response they give won't be political BS. They'll tell you from the bottom of their soul that this game transcends records. It transcends post season aspirations.

The third Saturday in November is always first in their minds.

Read more Ohio State Football news on BleacherReport.com

Further Debunking Jim Tressel's Undeserved Rap

Joe Schmoe — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 23:21:14 -0500

“Hey, Dad! Can I take the Lexus out on the road and cut some wheelies in the snow drifts?”

That was a proposal made to Ohio State coach Jim Tressel last Saturday by his star quarterback, Terrelle Pryor.

Oh, I don’t think those were his exact words. But you get the meaning. Maybe you’ve been there yourself on one side or the other of that equation.

What brought on this family discussion, into which some of Coach Tressel’s next-door neighbors in the ‘Shoe stuck their noses, was a decision whether to attempt a first down conversion on fourth down and short against a powerful Iowa team.

But you have to back up one play to appreciate the fatherly decision.

On third and short, the Buckeye ball carrier fumbled. He didn’t fumble for long. In fact he recovered his own miscue. But in doing so he took a step backwards, and now it was fourth and short.

Pryor ran toward the sideline to no doubt express his genuine belief that either he could sneak the ball over the line, or let his 6-foot, 6-inch frame fall forward to accomplish same, or maybe let one of the backs do the job.

The Delphic oracles in the bleachers grabbed their crystal balls and immediately saw that Pryor was right. Not only would the Bucks, who incidentally were mired in their own part of the field at the time, succeed. They predicted that the very act would change the game’s momentum.

“Heck, let’s even fake out the nation’s 10th best passing defense with an aerial play!”

“Our team will head on down the field to score. There will be no stopping us. We’ll run up the score and then in the fourth quarter Grandma and Uncle Larry can come in and have some fun, too.”

Meanwhile, Dad Tressel was quickly running the scenario through his analytical mind, and responding to Pryor:

“Let’s see. We’re on our side of mid-field, the game is close, and our opponent is one of the top teams in the nation.”

“There is plenty of time left. Our defense is outstanding. We don’t have a lengthy history of punts being blocked. The risks in this particular case exceed the benefits.”

“Oh, and did I mention that YOU GUYS JUST FUMBLED ON THE LAST PLAY?”

“Ah, but gee-whiz Dad. It won’t happen again. Promise.”

Pryor accepted the Tressel’s rational decision the same way I did when my old man told me I wasn’t getting the car keys that night. He snapped off his toboggan … er, helmet, and headed for his room … er, bench.

“Show me you can drive in a snowstorm, and next week you’ll get the keys back”, Dad yelled in parting.

But leave it to the all-seeing boo birds and the Nostradamus wannabes to stir up the rest of the neighborhood about that stodgy, “conservative” old Tressel household.

If you’re anything like me, Coach, you’ll ignore them and keep winning.

Read more Ohio State Football news on BleacherReport.com

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.

Read more Ohio State Football news on BleacherReport.com

"Tressel-Ball" Under Fire: Ohio State's Bad Coaching Equals Bad Offense

Tom Hammer — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 17:58:41 -0500

As a football enthusiast and Ohio State Buckeye critic I believe it is my right and responsibility to call out what I see as "BAD" offensive football coaching without coming off as a spoiled fan with a bias towards exciting football.

And up front I want to say this isn't about Jim Tressel and whether or not he is the right guy for this football program.

Jim Tressel is a hell of a football coach, end of story. And anybody calling for his head really needs to take a breath and gain some perspective.

However, I feel like I am 100% justified to say he has been a poor offensive coach this year.

"Tressel-ball" to many Ohio State fans means coaching in a conservative manner that relies on a stout defense and good special teams while minimizing offensive mistakes to win football games.

This formula has been extremely successful for coach Jim Tressel and nobody can argue the resume. Once again, the right HEAD coach is in place at THE Ohio State University.

But the offensive scheming, the play calling and general management of the offensive side of the ball has been head scratching on one end and infuriating on the other. And that goes beyond "Tressel-ball".

This goes beyond "conservative" or "low risk" or "cautious" or even "defensive" play calling.

If avoiding turn overs and allowing your defense and special teams to win the game is your strategy (eg. Tresselball) that doesn't mean that you have to forfeit your offensive possessions.

Doesn't an offensive coordinator have the responsibility to at least attempt to maximize the possessions they get during the game in order to be called successful??

Isn't getting first downs and controlling the ball a key piece to a conservative strategy?

There are ways to scheme and to execute offensively even within the constraints of a conservative game plan.

But week in and week out I watch this offense and I truly believe there is no scheming going on here it is just plain ol' stubborn play calling where you line up in the same formation(s) and run the exact same play.

I'm not saying you have to be deceptive to run a good offense but when these division one defensive coordinators have all week to game plan against you and they see you run the same set of 3 or 4 plays over 85% of the time, believe me their guys will be in position to stop those same plays.

I have a friend in the coaching profession and he heard through the grapevine from a Big 10 coach that Ohio State is the easiest team to defensively scheme against in the conference and probably the nation.

I believe that 100%. I sit on my couch and broadcast the play as soon as I see the formation. It is that easy.

Let me use an example. When they line up in the shotgun formation and the running back is on the left or right side of TP, or even if there are two backs on both sides, they run the zone blocking off tackle run to the halfback every time.

Now, that in of itself, is not a bad play BUT the whole key to that play being successful is for the QB to play out the fake because the QB has a zone read on that play where he can read the end, pull the ball out and run the ball the opposite way. OSU never lets Pryor actually keep the zone read.

A guy with TP's running ability should be keeping the ball on the zone read more the 70% of the time on that play. OSU does it 2%. I've seen him keep the zone read maybe 3 times the whole year. Half the time he doesn't even carry out the fake.

TP's technique in even carrying out the fake is really hard to watch. A guy with 4.3 speed, and the scheme doesn't call for the defense to respect him in a shot-gun zone read play? That is poor coaching.

Further, there are ways to emphasize the run through aggressive and smart scheming. Tressel prefers to line up exactly how the other team expects and run the exact play that they run over 80% out of that formation.

Against teams with lesser talent, you can still move the ball and win playing this way which is why the Buckeyes will win the Big 10 this year.

Look, I'm not saying he has to be tricky or innovative even for heavens sake, but give your athletes a chance to succeed and make plays that lead to first downs and points.

Isn't the goal on offense to score points? I think that goal gets lost in the frame of game management often times and what it does is it limits your ability to "finish" opponents and in return the other team always has a fighting chance.

I realize these are basic arguments against "Tressel-ball" but again this is less against conservatism and more towards just plain bad offense.

I understand Tressel doesn't want turnovers but there are ways to avoid turnovers other then running THE SAME TWO RUNNING PLAYS OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER.

An offensive coach should be evaluated and judged by how the offensive unit is playing and the key metrics should be A.) Points and B.) Execution.

Nobody that has watched the Buckeyes play offense this year can say they've been effective in either case.

It's hard to execute when the other team knows what's coming. And it's hard to score points when you can't execute.

I equate it to my basketball days when you were running plays in practice that you called out and your teammates knew what was coming so they just "played the play"

I can count over a dozen times last Saturday where Iowa just played the play.

Tressel's wins and losses and big 10 titles and national championship appearances speak loudly enough where anyone suggesting that he be fired should be mocked and labeled a bad fan or critic.

But that doesn't mean fans can't be critical of bad offensive coaching because trust me, eventually it will catch up in the form of a bad loss. Heck, it has several times in his career and two times this year.

It mystifies me as to why he had so much success running an offense with Troy Smith, an athletic QB, in the past but can't seem to grasp how to use Pryor. Yea, I understand Smith was an extremely accurate thrower but that doesn't mean the whole playbook goes away.

In this instance, I really feel like one player, Pryor, has crippled Tressel to the point where he just flat out doesn't trust him on the field running the offense and he refuses to scheme for this kid to be successful.

I do see improvement with Pryor in the passing game and that is encouraging but I still maintain there are ways to scheme for him with his current skill set and still have an explosive offense.

And I believe this could be done without totally reconstructing your offensive philosophy. It could be accomplished with some smart play calling that utilizes Pryor's feet and keeps the defense off-balance.

In the end, I'm sure this will be read as somebody venting because they are a Tressel-ball hater and that is fine and dandy.

Or, the "fire Tressel" crowd will speak up and be heard with some irrational ideas and demands.

All I'm interested in seeing is better offensive coaching on many levels because in the end there are two sides to the ball. Why not coach well on both ends?

I guess I have to include some suggestions on how to improve and at the macro-level my first thought is that Tressel needs to find an offensive coordinator he trusts who is familiar with scheming with the tools they have in place this year and for the foreseeable future.

I also always feel that the play calling should be left to folks in the booth who have a good view of what the defense is doing on the field. I'm sure somebody who saw Iowa full fledged selling out to stop the run on any of those drives in the fourth quarter would have suggested play action vs. continuing to run the I-right dive right.

In summary, it's not "Tressel-ball" that should be blamed for the offensive futility it is just plan and simple B-A-D offensive football coaching and execution.

Read more Ohio State Football news on BleacherReport.com

Ohio State-TTUN: Preview, Free History Lesson, And Prediction Included

HD Handshoe - Block-O-Nation — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 11:37:29 -0500

Preface

For those who may not know, we Buckeye fans do not speak "their name" during HATE WEEK, so whenever you see TTUN, it refers to M*c*g*n. TTUN stands for The Team Up North, and TSUN stands for The State Up North.

Outsiders might not see this as a big game when No. 8 Ohio State (9-2, 6-1) visits Ann Arbor this weekend to take on TTUN (5-6, 1-6).

Astute college fans nationwide know that's not the case. The records don't matter—the rankings don't matter—the hype doesn't matter when the Buckeyes and TTUN meet.

Even with TTUN rebuilding, the hate and utter disdain between these two programs, fan bases, and neighboring states absolutely matters.

That is why this rivalry has always, and will always, rank as the best rivalry in all of sports, period.

HBO's Ohio State TTUN The Rivalry Documentary

Ohio State already has a share of the Big Ten title and a trip to the the Rose Bowl (their first since 1997) locked up, but they want to win the title outright with a win over their hated rival from TSUN (that state up North).

TTUN, under then-first year coach Rich Rodriguez, missed going to a bowl game in 2008 for the first time in over 30 years, and are in danger of missing out on the post season yet again in 2009.

The hot seat is getting hotter and hotter for Rodriguez , and it might just explode with another bowl season absence and embarrassing loss to the Buckeyes, a la 2008.

You can bet when toe meets leather at Noon this Saturday, that both teams will be ramped-up and ready for this one—The 106th edition of THE GAME.

TTUN—By The Numbers

Tate Forcier has 1,824 passing yards, 230 rushing yards, three rushing touchdowns, 12 passing touchdowns, six interceptions, and a QB Rating of 133.

Denard Robinson has 185 passing yards, 320 rushing yards, five rushing touchdowns, two passing touchdowns, four interceptions, and a QB Rating of 97.

Forcier, Robinson, Brandon Minor, Carlos Brown, Vincent Smith, Michael Shaw, Michael Cox, and Kevin Grady have combined for 2,147 yards on the ground and 26 rushing touchdowns. That's an average of 195 yards and 2.4 touchdowns per game.

TTUN's top receivers are Roy Roundtree (23 receptions, 318 yards, three touchdowns), Greg Mathews (23 receptions, 285 yards, one touchdown), Martavious Odoms (22 receptions, 272 yards, one touchdown), Junior Hemingway (15 receptions, 263 yards, two touchdowns, and Kevin Koger (16 receptions, 220 yards, two touchdowns).

Ohio State—By The Numbers

Terrelle Pryor has 1,761 passing yards, 633 rushing yards, seven rushing touchdowns, 15 passing touchdowns, nine interceptions, and a QB Rating of 131.

Pryor, Brandon Saine, Boom Herron, Jordan Hall, and Jermil Martin have combined for 2,037 yards on the ground and 19 rushing touchdowns. That's an average of 185 yards and 1.7 touchdowns per game.

Ohio State's top receivers are DeVier Posey (47 receptions, 689 yards, seven touchdowns plus one passing touchdown), Dane Sanzenbacher (26 receptions, 495 yards, six touchdowns), Duron Carter (13 receptions, 176 yards, one touchdown), and Ray Small (15 receptions, 175 yards). Small is also a solid contributor as a punt returner.

11/21/2009—Game 12—Noon Kickoff
TV: ABC

VS.

Ohio State—TTUN History and Tidbits

• This will be the 106th meeting between Ohio State and TTUN.

• Ohio State trails in the all-time series, 42-57-6.

• From 1897-1918 OSU played TTUN 15 times, losing 14 times and playing to a 3-3 tie in 1910.

• Since 1919, Ohio State is 42-43-5 head to head against TTUN.

• In what is widely considered the modern era of college football (1950-present day), Ohio State is 30-27-2 vs. TTUN.

• Ohio State is 3-7 in the last 10 road meetings vs. TTUN ( six of those losses were by John Cooper pre-2001).

• Ohio State is 9-10-1 in the last 20 meetings overall vs. TTUN, dating back to 1989.

• Ohio State's last road loss to TTUN was in 2003 by a score of 35-21 (that year, OSU was 11-2, TTUN was 10-3).

• Ohio State's last road win at TTUN was a 14-3 victory in 2007.

• Jim Tressel is 7-1 overall (4-0 at home, 3-1 on the road) vs. TTUN.

• Ohio State will play in their eighth BCS bowl game this postseason, the most BCS appearances by any school.

• Ohio State has won 34 Big Ten titles—having now won or shared five in a row, including 2009.

• Ohio State claims seven national championships and has had six Heisman winners (seven trophies).

• The Ohio State football program began in 1890 and all-time, they currently have an overall record of 817-308-53.

• This is Head Coach Rich Rodriguez's second season at TTUN (8-15).

• The TTUN football program is the all-time leader in wins, currently with 877.

• TTUN claims 11 national titles, the last being a split title in 1997. Prior to that, TTUN's last title was in 1948.

• TTUN has won 42 Big Ten titles, the last being a co-championship in 2004 (Iowa).

• The TTUN football program began play in 1879 and currently has an overall record of 877-300-36.

Game Notes

As you may already know, Ohio State will wear throwback uniforms this week to pay tribute to the 1954 national championship team. Here's the full uniform:

The Bottom Line

On paper, TTUN appears to be able to move the ball and score, but when I look at their schedule, I can't ignore the weak out-of-conference opponents that a lot of their stats came against, plus their poor showing in-conference.

They have a horrendous defense, while the Buckeyes have one of the best in the Big Ten, and the nation.

I don't expect a 42-7 blowout like last season's game in Columbus (I won't be upset if I'm wrong though), but a comfortable win is in order, even though a bowl bid is riding on this one for TTUN, and in spite of "Tressel-ball."

Sorry, but you're just not my boy Blue...

Final Score Prediction

Ohio State 34, TTUN 16

Click For Block Nation Front Page

Read more Ohio State Football news on BleacherReport.com

Buckeye Monday: Iowa Review and Michigan Week

Big House Bob — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 09:59:00 -0500

Buckeyes Win Fifth Consecutive Big Ten Title—Headed to Rose Bowl

What an interesting year this has been. Buckeye fans have gone from calling for Jim Tressel’s head, questioning the competency of the quarterback, and planning on a bowl game in Tampa all the way back to the Big Ten title and a trip to Pasadena in January.

Iowa was without starting quarterback Ricky Stanzi, and everyone expected a comfortable win for the Buckeyes. With 10 minutes to go in the game, Ohio State was up by 14 points, and visions of Pasadena on Jan. 1 danced in my mind.

Two quick scores by Iowa replaced visions of the Rose Bowl with the possibility of having to play an SEC team in the Capital One Bowl. Not a pleasant thought for Buckeye fans.

Overtime ensued, and Devin Barclay kicked the game winner from 39 yards away, bringing out the roses in Columbus.

What worked?

The Buckeye running game is really starting to click late in the year. I can’t say that it’s because teams have to respect the passing game because that still isn’t true. I hope Dan Herron and Brandon Saine came out of the game healthy and ready to play in Ann Arbor next week. Both runners played well.

The offensive line played well again. Like Terrelle Pryor, they have played with better intensity since the Purdue game. Fewer false start and holding penalties, better pass protection, and they are also opening up more holes for the running backs.

This is still a very young unit. I think the struggles early in the year have been corrected, and I look for big things from them on Saturday and next season.

Pryor has rebounded well since the disaster against Purdue. He hasn’t been asked to do much in the four games since that loss, but I think he’s doing a much better job of playing within the system and his abilities. He finished the day 14-of-17 for a modest 93 yards. More importantly, he didn’t force any throws and didn’t take any huge sacks.

His play isn’t flashy, but he’s winning games. I guess that’s a trade I’m comfortable with.

What didn’t work?

Chimdi Chekwa might not be the shutdown cornerback he’s been billed as all year. He was burned several times during the game, including two scores and several long passes. I wonder what coach Rich Rodriguez might dial up against him next week.

I was not very happy with the play calling during the game. I believe Pryor has earned the right to make more plays with his arm, and I think this game was a wasted opportunity for him to do that. It has to be that the coaches still don’t trust him to make all the throws. He was 12-of-12 on throws under 10 yards and 2-of-5 on anything longer. FIVE throws over 10 yards...come on.

Iowa’s last score came with over two minutes left on the clock. I was very disappointed with the conservative nature of the play calling by the Buckeyes at the end of the game. Playing for overtime was not what I wanted or expected.

The defense played a little flat. Not having to face Stanzi probably took away some of their focus and intensity. Obviously, they regained their mojo in overtime. That was a dominant series and a great way to set the table for the offense.

What’s next?

The semi-annual trip to Ann Arbor. I predicted Michigan was looking at 8-4 or 7-5 this year. I’ve been just as surprised and disappointed in their progress as Big House Bob and the rest of the UM fanbase.

I also predicted Ohio State would end up 9-3 with losses to USC, Penn State, and one other team. After the Purdue game I thought the third loss would come in State College. When that didn’t happen, I looked to Iowa. That didn’t happen either.

That leaves the Wolverines as the last team with the ability to make my prediction come true. I think I’d rather win on Saturday than be correct on a preseason prediction. I haven’t seen the line on the game, but I’m guessing it’s double digits.

I think the Ohio State defense will play more like they did against Penn State as compared to Iowa. I think we will see more creativity and surprises in the play calling on offense...after the running game has been suitably established.

Michigan hasn’t had major difficulties putting points on the board this year, and that will continue on Saturday. I think they will even score the first points of the game. I think the game will be close for the first half, but the Buckeyes will blow things open in the second half—much like last year.

I have it 35-13...Buckeyes.

Buckeye John

Read more Ohio State Football news on BleacherReport.com

Give Jim Tressel That Iowa-Ohio State Game Ball

Joe Schmoe — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 22:01:44 -0500

Thanks, Coach Tressel, for your rational methodology. The type of thinking that engineered the latest Ohio State victory and allowed thousands like me to start planning a Pasadena vacation.

Oh, I know. Your detractors don’t call it “rational methodology.” To them you’re Mr. Conservative, a title formerly reserved for another Buckeye...the late Senator Robert A. Taft. They deride you for allegedly uninspiring play calling.

Obviously they don’t know the difference between rationality, the state of having good sense and sound judgment, and conservatism, the opposition to innovation or change. Woody Hayes was conservative. You, Jim Tressel, are no Woody Hayes clone.

Let’s turn the calendar back a few days and take a look inside your rational mind as you prepare for the most important game of the Buckeyes’ season, the one in which a victory will put your squad into a BCS bowl.

You analyze the street gossip. Vegas pundits place the Bucks as a three touchdown favorite over Iowa.

The press, bloggers and fans accordingly foresee a blowout. The game as pictured by some dreamers has Terrelle Pryor passing for 200 yards and running for 100 more.

After all, Iowa’s starting quarterback is injured. Some think the freshman backup will be in tears the minute he takes the field before 105,000 fanatics. Your Bucks are coming off the sound beating of a similar team, Penn State.

Such fortunate circumstances might merit turning Terrelle Pryor loose, they whisper in your ear. Their flawed logic shrills that times like this call for someone they perceive to be Rush Limbaugh to become Al Franken.

But the cool, rational, unemotional man I picture you to be is reminding staff that an untested Southern Cal freshman led his team to victory at the ‘Shoe earlier this year.

As a part-time college professor who knows the importance of doing one’s homework, you’ve been busy studying statistics. You note that the FBS sub-division team with the most pass interceptions coming into the game is…ta da…the Iowa Hawkeyes.

You look back at recent history and recall how many times TP was picked off at Purdue, a team half as volatile as Iowa. And speaking of mistakes, you worry that Iowa doesn’t make many. It’s fifth among FBS teams in fewest penalties per game.

Then you start drafting a game plan. We’re not going to beat them passing, you muse. They’re 48th in the nation in passing offense, more than twice as proficient as we.

And even if we do go by air, they’re 10^th in the nation in passing defense. You recall that Toledo, a team OSU trounced, has one of the highest ranked passing offenses in the nation. A rare smile forms as you proclaim, “let the Hawks have the skies.”

The punting and kicking games for both teams are about even, but you fret about whether Devin Barclay will be up to the caliber of starter Aaron Pettrey, who has connected from as far away as 54 yards.

You and your assistants huddle to review team strengths and weaknesses. We’re great at rushing you’re reminded. Ranked 22nd in the nation compared to Iowa’s 98th. And both Brandon Saine and Dan Herron are healthy.

The discussion gets further into gear when you stress that more importantly, we are really, really good at defense.

Against the rush we’re No. 4. Sure, Iowa is good on pass defense. But when you consider total defense, we’re fifth behind some pretty good teams: Texas, Florida, Alabama and TCU.

What is your worst fear? Turnovers. So you put an arm around a young quarterback whom you love like a son and explain how your game plan is going to avoid miscues and stress defense and the rushing game. That’s why they call you Coach “Stressel.”

You remind him of the reason you were hired as head football coach of The Ohio State University.

It wasn’t to be an entertainer who ignores the basics and goes for the catch-as-catch-can thrill of the pass, or sates the crowd’s demands for the suspense of fourth and one. Your job is to continue a winning tradition.

***********************

Now let’s get back to the present. The other reason you were hired was to beat Michigan, our next opponent.

Right now you’re reviewing tapes and preparing game-day strategy. You notice that both teams have good rushing offenses (Michigan 21st and OSU 22nd), and that Michigan has a respectable edge in the passing category.

You’re not too worried about their field goal kicker, but you respect their punter, Zoltan Mesko, sixth best in the FBS and averaging 44.65 yards. Field position might well go to Michigan. And aggravating that advantage will be the presence of kick return specialist Darryl Stonum, averaging 26.06 returns yards.

You discount the disadvantage of playing before the large Michigan crowd since your guys did just fine before a whiteout at Happy Valley.

But you worry that you and your Buckeyes will face a team with absolutely nothing to lose, and bragging rights and probably a bowl bid if they win.

You consider the advantages that the Wolverines have going for them, and wonder if you can motivate your own team against a six-loss squad.

Finally you spot a chink in their armor. They allow almost 165 yards a game rushing.

In the end, you and your staff come down to this: Establish the running game. Run down the clock. And by all means do not turn over the ball. If fate is kind and we run up the score via conventional means by halftime, then maybe we can have a little fun.

Some would call it a conservative plan. I think it is the product of an intelligent, rational thinker...Jim Tressel, winner.

Read more Ohio State Football news on BleacherReport.com

Ohio State-Michigan: It Will Definitely Be A "Boren" Week

Chip Minnich — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 17:54:39 -0500

There are going to be so many interesting storylines leading up to the Ohio State/Michigan game this week. Ohio State has clinched a berth in The Rose Bowl, but has an opportunity to become outright Big Ten conference champions with a defeat of Michigan. Or maybe people will want to talk about how Jim Tressel has defeated Michigan seven times in eight attempts, and will be trying to make it eight out of nine.

Another storyline to keep an eye on could be how Ohio State has defeated Michigan five straight times, and will be trying to make it six. Michigan is now 5-6 on the season, needing a victory to become bowl eligible.

All of these are worthwhile storylines. For what it is worth, I believe all of them will pale in comparison to Justin Boren returning to play against Michigan.

It happened so early on in the spring of 2008 that it is possible people may have dismissed it from memory. Boren, an Ohio born player with a love of Michigan football from his parents, cited an erosion in "family values" in his reasoning for leaving Michigan during spring football of that year.

While many Michigan fans and players were quick to label Justin Boren a malcontent and quitter, among other derogatory terms, the fallout was exacerbated when Boren decided to become a walk-on at Ohio State , taking the intense rivalry between the two schools to another level.

Younger brother Zach Boren , who like his brother grew up a Michigan fan, became an Ohio State commit and signed with Ohio State last February. Zach Boren starts at fullback, while Justin starts at left offensive guard.

One of Justin Boren's quotes regarding this whole incident is something to keep in mind for this game: "I think about (that game) almost every day. It will be the happiest day of my life. It's going to be crazy. That's what I'm looking forward to, and it's all the better it's in Ann Arbor."

I have a feeling cameras are going to be watching the line of scrimmage with a little more attention than usual this coming Saturday. I know I will be curious to see how Ohio State's # 65 is handling this unusual homecoming.

Read more Ohio State Football news on BleacherReport.com

College Football's Most Boring Weekend: No One Wants to Lose

Asher Feldman — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:07:42 -0500

To call this season of college football boring would be a terrible mistake.

To call this past weekend’s serving of college football boring might be a pretty good assessment.

Another weekend goes by, and nothing seems to change in college football. In fact, this weekend, only one top ten team lost to an unranked opponent—No. 9 USC’s shocking home loss to Stanford.

Other than the Trojan egg-laying at the LA Coliseum, favorites won out.

The most interesting storyline to come out of the weekend was probably that Ohio State claimed the first BCS bowl bid with their 27-24 overtime victory against Iowa.

In clinching at least a share of the Big 10 conference title, the Buckeyes also hold the BCS bid tiebreaker, and will likely head to the Rose Bowl.

The weekend was supposed to be about a threat to TCU’s ascension to BCS glory. That didn’t exactly pan out.

Instead, what we got was a really entertaining show from the Horned Frogs, enough that many might call for TCU to at least jump Texas in the next BCS standings. Will it happen?

Likely not, but expect the Horned Frogs to inch closer to the Longhorns in tomorrow's BCS poll.

We’re inching closer to other BCS bowl bids filling up, especially in the ACC where Georgia Tech clinched the ACC Coastal Division and a chance to win the conference’s likely bid for an Orange Bowl berth.

Clemson is a step away from that game as well after CJ Spiller helped the Tigers win on Saturday.

In the Big East, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh both won, setting up an ultimate showdown on the regular season’s final weekend for the conference’s BCS bowl bid—if the two teams can make it there without a conference loss.

Texas, Alabama, and Florida all continued their respective marches to their conference title games as well.

The entire top eight won on Saturday, so tomorrow’s BCS will look mighty familiar to us all. Except probably at the eighth spot, where Ohio State is likely to take over for an LSU team who was pretty darn close to losing to Louisiana Tech on Saturday. LSU won’t find any help from the human or computer element for narrowly escaping what looked like an easy win .

The Buckeyes on the other hand will get help in both areas for beating a previously adored Hawkeye team, especially in the computers.

Without any polling information, here is a quick stab at what the BCS top eight might look like when released after the end of NFL action on FOX Sunday evening:

Projected BCS Standings (Nov. 15)

Rank	Team
1	Florida
2	Alabama
3	Texas
4	TCU
5	Cincinnati
6	Boise State
7	Georgia Tech
8	Ohio State

Read more Ohio State Football news on BleacherReport.com

Columbus, Ohio: Where Football Isn't a Sport, It's a Religion

Aaron Tom — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 22:37:15 -0500

It's not easy living in Columbus and not being a Buckeyes fan, but I'm not. I don't know why, but I never have been, despite having Buckeye football emblazoned in my psyche ever since the day I came into this world.

I was born in Columbus, I've lived in or near the city all my life, but I have never been and will never be, a Buckeye.

I think part of the problem is the fact that I am also not a religious person, despite being raised as one, and the two go hand-in-hand rather uncomfortably: Just as religion is passed through generations, forced upon impressionable youngsters far too early before they can decide the truth for themselves, so too is Buckeye football.

And just as the religious gather together into their weekly place of worship, so too do Buckeye fans pour into any available crevice with other Buckeye fans, whether it be a bar, a crowded room, or the stadium.

And just as religion often teaches us to tolerate, almost encourage, the hatred of a specific race, or kind of people, so too does OSU football require anyone to snicker or sneer at anyone with a Michigan license plate, or car decal, or T-shirt.

On game days, stores and streets are littered with red shirts, all of which feature the famous, octagonal "O" that is the school's logo, and many of which feature words that either throwback to the team's glory days, such as "National Champions, 2002", or that vaguely avoid an epic bowl loss by reverting back to the mindset before said loss, such as "Big Ten Champions, 2007."

After a championship, which come around about once a decade, if that, sports shops and department stores that once carried a wide variety of sports paraphernalia from all local teams, become nothing more than a disgusting Sea of Red, in the hopes of cashing in on the unwritten rule that everybody in this damn city has to own at least one Buckeye shirt. Only this is one that not even Moses could part.

There are no other options: Ohio belongs to the Buckeyes, and the Buckeyes belong to Ohio. You can have other teams, as long as the Buckeyes are one of them.

It's almost looked upon as a crime to denounce the Buckeyes: If someone asks you whether or not you're a fan, and you're not, it's much easier to smile, nod, and keep walking, lest you have an hour for the ensuing interrogation and persecution.

Somewhere along the lines, Buckeye football has stopped being merely a game; it has become a way of life.

It's almost as if people have forgotten what they're cheering for; the act of sitting down every Saturday and watching the team has become ingrained in the community, just become part of the routine.

Wives sit down with husbands, who throw their remotes through the TV and curse the officiating, or the quarterback, when they lose.

Oh, and here's the kicker: They're really not as good as everyone here make them out to be. But don't tell any of the fans that, unless you want to be attacked by a lynch mob.

They won't listen to reason, they will just believe what they want to believe. Tell them a great team wouldn't consistently lose to teams like USC, and they'll come back with some comment about how the officials blew a dozen calls.

Tell them a great team wouldn't have lost to Purdue, and they'll single out a specific player, or person, that blew the game for them. The team has never lost; they are always defeated by one player who has an off game.

They will defend the team with "facts" that do not exist, or that cannot be proven true ("The ref was against us the entire game") then get angry that you don't see it their way.

They may even try to get you to "convert" to Buckeye-ism, by belittling your favorite school and telling you just how much better the Buckeyes are, basing it pretty much entirely on the number of Big Ten championships they won, oblivious to the fact the Big Ten is one of the weakest conferences in football.

They'll throw meaningless stats in your face that they've memorized by hanging out with "the guys" for the last 20 straight football Saturdays, the way a religious fanatic tosses around Biblical quotes.

I may be in the minority here, but I'll risk my life to let this be known: I don't believe in Buckeye football.

Read more Ohio State Football news on BleacherReport.com

Ohio State-Iowa: Buckeyes Get Emotional Roller Coaster Win

David Thurman — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 20:52:33 -0500

Drew Thurman (11:52 am)

After a Devin Barclay 39-yard field goal in OT, fans got a chance to celebrate a bid to the Rose Bowl for the Buckeyes. Watching this game was far from easy though, and there were a lot of highs and lows throughout. Let's take a look at the game, and assess the Buckeyes for the future...

Things that made me cheer

1) The running game for the Buckeyes was solid for the second week in a row. Brandon Saine recorded 103 yards and two touchdowns, while Boom Herron had 97 yards and a touchdown of his own.

People were talking about Jordan Hall starting just a few weeks ago, but you will not hear anyone bantering about that now. These two guys are now healthy, they are running the ball hard, and the offensive line is playing the way we hoped all season long.

Let's not forget either, they have racked up a ton of rushing yards the last two weeks against good defenses in Iowa and Penn State. Even more incredible is how predictable we have been.

Even girlfriends and spouses who know nothing about football, knew the Buckeyes were running the ball. Somewhere Woody was smiling, because his Buckeyes have ran their way to a Big Ten title.

2) The Buckeyes actually threw the ball to the tight end. I think Jake Ballard was even shocked, and was so excited he thought about hurdling a Hawkeye defender. As we all saw, it is not that hard to incorporate the tight end, and it makes Pryor's life easy.

3) Ross Homan has become a big time player. With Kurt Coleman and a incredible defensive line, it is easy to forget about Homan.

He now leads the team in tackles with 84, and yesterday brought in his fourth interception. The guy just makes plays, and he seems to be in the middle of every tackle.

He isn't flashy and he doesn't have some larger than life personality, but he gets the job done week in and week out. Folks, it's time to jump on the Homan bandwagon!

Things that frustrated me

1) Obviously the play calling bothered me a lot. In the end, Jim Tressel's super conservative mentality won the game, but I think it made it a lot closer than it should have been.

He never seems to be ahead in his thinking, but instead he always reacts. For instances, he never uses the run to set up play action. Rather he runs and runs and runs, until it finally gets stopped. Then on third and long he finally decides to throw the ball, when he has to.

Or how about how he likes to sit on a seven-point lead rather than being aggressive and putting the game out of reach. Tressel would not open things up until Iowa tied the game at 10-10, and he had to start throwing the ball with Pryor.

On top of that, it's hard to swallow how willing Tressel was to keep being conservative at the end of the game. With 2:37 left in the game I expected Tressel to try to take the game with a strong closing drive, he didn't. After Iowa got nothing in overtime I expected Tressel to try to make things easier on Barclay, he didn't.

I am glad Barclay bailed him out, but Tressel's conservative play could have easily produced a similar result to the Texas and USC games.

2) Passive defense killed the Buckeyes Saturday. Don't get me wrong, Iowa has a very solid offensive line (and they deserve credit), but the Buckeyes made them and Vandenberg into world beaters.

Rather than attack, like it did against Penn State, the defense sat back in more zone coverage hoping for mistakes. Not only that, but the corners were giving the receivers five to seven yards of space to start every play.

Against Penn State, the corners were up in the receivers' grills challenging them and forcing them off of their routes, but this week they allowed Iowa to dictate. It was amazing that late in the game when the Buckeyes started to finally bring some pressure and challenge receivers, that Vandenberg started making freshman mistakes (even though the Buckeyes negated a few of those with stupid plays).

I believe and always will that you force turnovers as a defense rather than waiting for them to happen, and Saturday validated that!

3) Special teams almost cost the Buckeyes this game. I know Barclay came through with the big field goal to win the game, but outside of that, the special teams looked terrible.

The three things that hurt the most

1) the 99-yard touchdown return that kept Iowa in the game.

2) Ray Small being drilled on every kick and punt return.

3) Thoma's awful punting. I think the special teams play will get better next week because it has been solid all year, but I don't know if Thomas is going to turn things around. Let's be honest, it's hard to play defense and field position with 22-yard punts!

Things that worry be a little

1) I wonder how hurt Pryor really is. There have been several reports that he is banged up, and I think he is probably hurt more than he or the staff will admit.

He was almost a non-factor yesterday, and was only asked to make plays on third down when there were no other options. I know others are criticizing Tressel and the staff for this, along with the fact that they feel he looked like Craig Krenzel yesterday, but I think it is because of health, not the game plan.

2) Our secondary got exposed big time. I think Kurt Coleman may have been the only guy in the secondary who didn't get burned on mulitple occasions.

I remember Devon Torrence biting on play action and giving up a huge catch, Anderson Russell whiffing on multiple tackles, and Chekwa looking like a freshman guarding McNutt.

I blame the scheme for some of this because these guys were on their heals, rather than attacking, but wow it was ugly. We learned something from this game, when the defensive line struggles, no one should plan on the secondary bailing it out!

All in all...

The game wasn't pretty, but the Buckeyes are going to the Rose Bowl. Tressel isn't getting much praise from anyone, especially the media, but he has turned this team around in a hurry.

It may not be my favorite style at the moment, but he is producing results. Now let's hope the Buckeyes keep the Michigan win streak alive, and overcome their recent bowl blues.

Read more Ohio State Football news on BleacherReport.com

Ohio State Vs Iowa Instant Post Game Analysis: Five Things We Learned

Phil Harrison — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 19:19:02 -0500

It ended up being an epic game in the Horsehoe. Not many people gave Iowa a chance, but someone forgot to inform the Hawkeyes. Despite their valiant effort, the black and gold fell just a little short against Ohio State.

For Ohio State, the result is a trip to the Rose Bowl and a fifth straight Big 10 Title. Here are five things we learned after this classic:

5. Iowa was, and still is, for real:

Iowa had many narrow escapes this year. Because of their many close games and heart pounding moments, many pundits were quick to jump on the Hawkeyes after they finally fell to Northwestern last week.

The reality is that Iowa is a good football team, folks. This team came in with a back up freshman quarterback, third string running back, and more bumps and bruises than most everyone else in the Big Ten.

Despite it all, they played toe to toe, and moved the ball better than anyone has against Ohio State this year. I know Iowa fans feel a bit down after this game, but there is plenty to applaud.

4. Iowa has a star in the making with Vandenberg:

It would be hard to think that Stanzi could have played much better. Vandenberg did have three interceptions, but he also came up with big play after big play down the field.

He did it against a team that does not give up very many big plays at all. He was composed, in control, and accurate.

After Stanzi moves on, I don't think Hawkeye fans have to look far to find his replacement, and I'll bet that that replacement turns out to be an even better quarterback than the current one.

3. Tressel will never loosen up on his close-to-the-sweater-vest mentality:

Time after time, Ohio State had opportunities to close this thing out. Time after time, Mr. Tressel decided to run some clock rather than going for the jugular.

It can be frustrating at times, but it is hard to argue with the outcome. Tressel continues to clinch Big Ten Championships and BCS bowl births. I just wish he could pull some strings to not give everyone a coronary.

As an interesting plot in the game, I turned to my wife and asked the question: Which is more conservative, having a back up, unproven kicker try to kick a game winner, or opening it up a bit to make it easier on him?

Apparently, the answer is having a walk on, former soccer player nail a field goal of distance through the uprights. Tressel had to be conflicted on this one.

2. Ohio State has its mojo back:

Don't lie: How many of you thought that Ohio State would be in this position after the loss to Purdue? I can admit that I thought things looked a bit in despair.

Since the Purdue game, the Ohio State defense has played with a chip on its shoulder. Since the Purdue game, Terrelle Pryor has grown up significantly with his decison making and clutch play.

I would argue that the defense took a step back this game, but you can't continue to play at the high level they have game after game. Luckily, the offense did enough to get the win today. Against Purdue, that wasn't the case.

The big question: Can Ohio State keep it going against Michigan, and into the Rose Bowl? Time will easily tell.

1. Terrelle Pryor is starting to get it:

Looking back on the game, you almost feel as if Terrelle Pryor blended into the game. That is good news for Ohio State fans.

If Pryor makes the right decisions, with a clutch play here or there, this is exactly how most of the games should go. Bonus stat: Pryor has not made a turnover in three straight games now. Hallelujah!

There are going to be games in which Pryor will have to snatch away defeat. This was not one of them. Still, he made enough clutch plays when they were needed, and made all of the right calls.

Things look bright for the future under Pryor.

Congratulations to both Iowa and Ohio State for a great game. Do not take anything away from Iowa. They came in on a mission and delivered more than anyone outside of the team thought they would.

Iowa still has a chance at a co-Big Ten Championship if Ohio State stumbles next week at Michigan, while Ohio State has punched their ticket to at least a share of the Big Ten title, and is now destined to visit Southern California.

It's time to book travel plans to Pasedena Buckeye Fans.

Just to remind everyone however, there still remains the game against Michigan next week. I cannot remember when next week's game was more of an afterthought. Something tells me that it won't be come Sunday morning.

Read more Ohio State Football news on BleacherReport.com

WoW!!!! Iowa-Ohio State: One of the Best Games of the 2009 Season

Nathaniel Wright — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 19:04:43 -0500

Wow...what a game. I am sitting here. Full on sweat from watching one of the best games I've ever seen. Iowa played their hearts out. I give all credit to them.

I thought this game was going to be a walk in the park. Well, if that's a walk in the park... then that's the worst neighborhood i've ever been in.

Here are my initial thoughts on the game:

James Vandenberg is a Player

All the talk going into the game was how was this fresh faced kid coming into the shoe and winning a Big Ten Title. If anybody would have put up money on this game, I would have gladly taken it. Point blank is, this kid did not lose this game.

He was calm, he was collected. If it wasn't for his team dropping some passes, this would have gotten ugly for the Buckeyes. That leads me to my second thought.

Iowa's skill players let Vandenberg down

I'm talking to you Trey Stross. Vandenburg was on fire in the second half. He didn't start to simmer down until he missed some catches right in the numbers. He had the chance to win, but couldn't pull it out.

This was a showcase of Big Ten Football

This is why we love college football. This year I feel as much as anything that this is a rebuilding year for the Big Ten. We finally have four programs that can compete on a National level.

This game highlighted the two best teams in the conference in the best light anyone could have hoped for. Any Buckeye will tell you that it is good not to be awarded the championship, but rather having to go and earn it on the field.

I have never enjoyed a game this much since Michigan vs Ohio State in 2006. I have nothing but respect for Iowa and its fans. I under-estimated the Hawkeyes, but it happens. Iowa should have a great bowl game, regardless of how they end the season.

The O Line and D Line Was a Huge Difference Maker

Going into the game, both sides wanted to see who was the best line. And after three hours of football, I would call this a draw.

Both defenses came to play. I am proud of what my Buckeyes did on the line, and I am happy about what they were able to do.

On the flip, I thought that Iowa's offensive line was the best I've seen all year. They held a talented Ohio State defense to one of its worst performances.

Great Coaching

Two of the more alarming things I noticed during the game was that Tressel didn't want to put the ball in Pryor's hands. I thought this would lead to our downfall. But he proved me wrong. Great play calling by Tressel.

This was a game of chess and I can't think of any coach I want more than the Vest. Big Game Tress is back.

Great Players Do Great Things

Boom and Zoom finally showed up. They played the best game they ever played since they got there.

Brandon Saine put on a performance that I haven't seen him do since Piqua ran over and around my Pickerington Tigers. I give all credit to the the line and the much maligned running game.

Jackson Koulianos is scary good. I have never had my heart ripped out so fast. I thought the game was over and this kid made 105,000 people lose their breath.

Marvin McNutt owned our secondary. He made play after play after play. Everybody already knew that Iowa had great playmakers, I was just happy that they were able to showcase their talent on a National level.

This was a big game for both teams. Respect is earned after this game.

Final Thoughts

I am proud to be a Buckeye fan. I am proud to be a fan of the Big Ten. You can take your SEC'S and your Notre Dame's. But I feel like real football is played in the Big Ten.

It's not a religion... it's a sport. I think that the Big Ten has the most loyal and logical fans. We take our lumps and we drudge on.

I am proud of Iowa fans for believing until the end. I am proud of Ohio State fans for holding their heads up in the light of recent turmoil.

I think this year will be the resurgence of the Big Ten, and I am honored that my beloved Buckeyes are leading the charge.

Read more Ohio State Football news on BleacherReport.com

Iowa Hawkeyes Vs Ohio State Buckeyes College Football Picks

Vernon Croy — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 22:05:11 -0500

This weekend, the Big 10 will have the biggest game of the year in the conference. The winner of the game will have a spot reserved for them in the Rose Bowl. The loser will most likely go on to a lesser bowl and have to deal with a lot of disappointment.

The Ohio State Buckeyes and the Iowa Hawkeyes will square off at Ohio State this weekend and the stakes couldn’t be much higher. So what should we expect out of this one as far as Free College Football Picks go?

Iowa could be in trouble in this one. Last week they lost their first game of the season to Northwestern. In the game, they lost quarterback Ricky Stanzi for at least the next two weeks. That will hurt their offense quite a bit as he is a very solid player for them.

The Hawkeyes still have a solid team overall and a good defense especially. However, they have gone from national title contenders to perhaps not even in the Rose Bowl in a matter of a week. Therefore, things could definitely be better for Iowa.

Ohio State has come a long way since a heartbreaking loss to Purdue a few weeks back. They are currently ranked No. 10 and are fresh off of a win against Penn State. The only thing standing between them and the Rose Bowl is a home win against an Iowa team without their quarterback.

The Buckeyes bring a good quarterback of their own with them in Terrelle Pryor. His running ability opens things up for the Buckeyes offense. They also have a very talented defense that will be a tough test for the Iowa offense without their quarterback. Iowa fans are hoping that their team shows up in a big way for the game this weekend.

Check out all of Vernon Croy's Expert College Betting Picks for Saturday.

Read more Ohio State Football news on BleacherReport.com