2008 Ohio State Buckeyes Seeking National Championship: Third Time a Charm?

The Buckeyes enter the 2008 season as a force to be reckoned with.  But there are many questions to be answered before they reach a BCS National Championship game for the third straight year.  There are many factors to be considered. 

Is this finally the year for Jim Tressel to claim his second championship at OSU?  Let’s take a look.

The 2008 Buckeye roster has the most depth and experience in Tressel’s era.  The only question mark is at the fullback position.  The skill positions are locked and loaded.  As long as Todd Boeckman doesn’t trail off late in the season, the offense could be a juggernaut. 

Led by Beanie Wells and Brian Robiskie, the “O” should be very fun to watch. 

The defense, led by James Laurinaitis and Malcolm Jenkins, will be as tough as ever.  That is as long as Lawrence Wilson settles in at defensive end to replace Vernon Gholston who left for the NFL.  There is enough talent at linebacker for three Big Ten schools.

The choice to put off the NFL will be a huge help for this team. 

Robiskie, Laurinaitis, and Jenkins all chose to come back despite the opportunity to play at the next level.  Although they want to follow Mike Doss’s example and come back to win a National Championship, they aren’t talking about it.  They are doing it for the love of the game and to savor the Ohio State environment. 

For example, Laurinaitis explains his decision in saying, “I want to stay a Buckeye for another season. You only get to do this once, so I want to take full advantage. There are a lot of things that money can't buy, and some of those things are the experiences of a senior season” (AP). 

I don’t expect any of them to say they came back to win a championship.  No one wants to see them lose their first two games of the season, including to a I-AA team.  Well, unless you are Michigan (Appalachian State and Oregon).

The final factor is Terrelle Pryor.  He could put the Buckeyes over the edge in a title game and make up the difference if an SEC team reaches the game for a third straight year. 

Tressel has proven he can adapt to a dual threat quarterback or adapt the QB to his offense.  Look no further than Troy Smith.  Pryor could be used like Tim Tebow was at Florida his freshman year.  The only difference is Pryor will need to run to the outside using his agility and speed compared to Tebow up the middle with his strength and size.

The 2008 football season can’t come soon enough.  It should be an exciting one.  I look forward to the Buckeyes reaching for another Big Ten title and a berth in the BCS National Championship Game. 

Hopefully a win this time will hush the critics of OSU and the Big Ten Conference.  As they say, “The third time is the charm.”