Take The Football Away From The Other Team...and SCORE, SCORE, & SCORE.

   It was a football game for The Buckeyes to take!  

   The early mistake (interception) leading to a Trojan "gift" TD was overcome by the determined OSU offense which showed much promise until the last.  In seems that Buckeyes' "final quarters" require "comfort points" that force opponents to race for three scores rather than needing one to topple hopes and dreams.

  "We had them until the last 65 seconds!" is a hurtful memory not easily blotted out over seasons and years to come.  

  Woody had a quote from Grantland Rice about "When the One Great Scorer comes to write against your name, He writes not whether you won or lost, but how you played the game."  And directly underneath in very large block letters was the greater quote by W.W. Hayes saying plainly, "RUBBISH!"

  It matters whether you win or lose. It especially matters for Ohio State.  We fans expect wins, hope and pray for wins, and cheer for wins...each win means so much to the school's programs, adds up towards BCS invitations,  and bringing much needed bucks to the Buckeyes' athletic programs. 

   NCAA football is a business venture for university communities as well as for the pride and prestige of the school, for scholars, athletes and alumns.  Therefore, putting OSU points on the scoreboard relentlessly while keeping the others' scores off, and counting down precious last seconds of the game clock, is the task.

   The Buckeye defense showed a lot of promise in facing USC, getting the lateral movements that were too slow against Navy's good team earlier.  Breaking up several good USC passes with poise showed promise.  Of course, the turnovers that our Buckeyes have been terrific at creating in past years, has a ways to come before we can start cheering about them. 

    The defense faces another good offense tomorrow and needs to show what they are capable of BEFORE facing Big Ten opponents, if there is any chance of getting that Rose Bowl bid.  We see life bloom "Up North" and spark in the Nitanny Lions' offense, so now is the time for all good Buckeyes to come to the aid of their team.  The Buckeyes can not afford to "hang back" on any play, through any quarter, in any game.

   On the offense, it is hard to believe that large line has not sustained massive movement downfield time-after-time.  Not converting third downs and getting to fourth-and-one situations where it is difficult to decide if we can make it this or that time should not be an issue.  Fire out, blow back the defensive line and use the power with speed to spring those backs, including #2, at least for the famous "3 yards and a cloud of dust" we once knew.

    Coach Tressel knows that by punching up the center with authority opens up everything else on offense and lets the passing work both short and long.   It would be terrific to see the Buckeyes putting up 50 and 60 or more points per game (which is about the level of play national title contenders are doing from here on out, earning their schools $20,000,000 or more for a season.) In these tough economic times, the Buckeyes need to be hungrier and tougher yet, bringing home both the bacon and the "cheese," without letting up for a moment.

    I was fortunate to play on several championship teams that racked up impressive point totals verses the combined opponents' very few points in a season.  Each loss, especially for national titles and even state titles, is a severe wound that haunts players for the rest of their days.  Fans may survive, but those who are on the field when the final second is counted, and the scoreboard reflects a loss for your team, it really is a pain not easily overcome.  (Lost an Orange Bowl, 19-7, more than 45 years ago...and still...)

   Come on Buckeyes, share the joys from here to and through each second of the remaining season and through the last tick of the clock in The Rose Bowl on New Year's Day.  It is, after all, a football game played a second at a time on every snap of the ball...with the "only play" being that one at that time.  Don't let up!

   Best wishes for an "one loss" season.  You can do it...and we expect that you will!