Roadblocks to a Championship: Big Ten Games to Watch

Drew Thurman (9:44 pm)

No doubt, September 11th will be the date most Buckeye fans will have marked on their schedules. Many believe if Pryor company can get through Miami (FL) that afternoon, they will be well on their way to a date with destiny in Glendale, Arizona. The problem is that the Big Ten will most likely provide it's toughest test in recent memory. It would be easy to write that off, due to the Big Ten domination under Tressel, but the Buckeyes will have to once again rise to the occasion to survive. Let's take a look at a few of the games that could cause problems.

Challenge #1 - October 16th at Wisconsin:

This night game at Camp Randall Stadium will be the first major road game for the Buckeyes. The Badger fans always make it an electric atmosphere up there, especially when Ohio State comes to town. Not only that, but they return a lot of talent from last year's 10-3 squad, including 10 offensive starters. Maybe the most deadly of those starters will be running back, John Clay, who rushed for 1,517 yards a season ago. The Buckeyes held him to his second lowest output of the season last year, and will need to duplicate their effort come October.

Two years ago, Pryor entered manhood with his late game heroics in Camp Randall, so he should have good memories there. Hopefully his second trip to Badger country will be just as kind.  

Challenge #2 - November 13th vs Penn State

The Nittany Lions lost a lot of production from last year, especially on defense. In fact, some may think I'm crazy for including them on the list, but let's not under estimate Joe Paterno or their ability to reload. They will come to Columbus and make a strong showing, and they have plenty of weapons to make you worry. Running back Evan Royster, wideout Derek Moye, and wideout Graham Zug all return after strong seasons in 2009. If the staff can find a quarterback by fall, this team could surprise many folks.

November will also be crunch time for the Buckeyes, much like last season. If the Buckeyes find themselves looking ahead to Iowa the following week or a national championship appearance, this game could cause some problems.

Challenge #3 - November 20th at Iowa

No game on the schedule should worry you more than this one. Iowa has shown the power of playing at Kinnick Stadium in recent years, just ask Penn State. As much respect as I give the night atmosphere in Camp Randall, heading to Kinnick will likely be more daunting. Part of this will be due to the team the Hawkeyes will be fielding. Outside of some question marks on the offensive line, most of the names that helped Iowa to the 11-2 record a year ago have returned. I really believe the talking heads around the country would be talking more about their depth at quarterback, running back, and wide receiver if they were not in the same conference as the Buckeyes.

The game could very well come down to the quarterback play, since both teams have great position players and defense. Ricki Stanzi was unable to play a year ago when the Hawkeyes gave OSU everything they could handle, and it will be interesting to see how he responds.

Challenge #4 - November 27th vs Michigan

I realize it has been over 2,300 days since the Wolverines have beat the Buckeyes. I also know that Rich Rodriquez is still the head coach and his roster is full of undersized players than can't figure out the spread. Despite all of that, I still throw them on the list. Why? Simple, they are Michigan and it's a rivalry game. I don't foresee them making a bowl game or Rodriguez keeping his job, which means this game will be there bowl game. The Buckeyes get their best shot, and could be facing the pressure of needing to win the game for a national championship appearance. The possibility of that combination could make this game way more interesting that it appears now.