Ohio State Football: Buckeyes Fall to Miami, What Does It Mean?

No. 17 Ohio State suffered a crushing 24-6 loss to Miami at Sun Life Stadium in the inaugural Ineligi-Bowl, proving that the Hurricanes have a better football team to go along with more flamboyant boosters. Technically, this one qualifies as an upset, with "The U" unranked and the Buckeyes hovering in the middle of the Top 25, though most pundits saw this one coming from a mile away. 

What Happened?

Simply put, the Buckeyes were slow and ineffective against the 'Canes on both sides of the ball. Ohio State struggled to muster any kind of offense against Miami's athletic defense, posting just 201 total yards and failing to score a touchdown the entire evening.

Defensively, the Buckeyes had no answer for the 'Canes ground game. All told, The U piled up 247 yards on the ground, led by Lamar Miller's 188 yards on 27 carries. The Buckeyes couldn't handle Miller's speed and shiftiness out of the backfield, thereby allowing Miami to control the clock and the pace of the game.

Who's the Goat?

The plurality of the blame here belongs to the Buckeyes' quarterback rotation and, in turn, the way in which the coaching staff worked it. Fifth-year senior Joe Bauserman played miserably, completing just 2-of-13 passing attempts for 13 yards.

Then again, true freshman "phenom" Braxton Miller wasn't any better, connecting on just 2-of-4 passes for 23 yards and an interception. Miller contributed to Ohio State's ground game with seven carries for 23 yards but notched his second turnover of the night on a fumble in the fourth quarter that set up Miami's final touchdown.

As bad as Bauserman and Miller were, they weren't helped any by the Buckeyes coaches, who were quick to switch quarterbacks on consecutive plays time and time again, thereby thwarting what little rhythm either one was able to develop under center. 

How Far Will They Fall?

Ohio State will likely be in the Top 25 in both polls come Sunday, though firmly on the fringe rather than comfortably settled in the teens. The Buckeyes figure to drop behind West Virginia, Baylor, South Florida and Texas, at the very least. 

Who Benefits the Most?

The biggest beneficiary here is, well, the entire Atlantic Coast Conference. The ACC is shaping up to be one of the weakest BCS conferences, with only two teams ranked in the Top 25. No. 5 Florida State squandered its opportunity for a big non-conference feather in the cap, losing to No. 1 Oklahoma at home, 23-13. No. 13 Virginia Tech stocked up on patsies to fill out its early season schedule.

That leaves Miami, along with Clemson, as the only other team with a shot of launching itself into the polls. Had it not been for the 'Canes and the Tigers winning today, the ACC would be headed into Week 4 of the 2011 season without a single win over a ranked non-conference opponent.

National Implications

Miami will need another few wins to crack the Top 25 after losing their opener to Maryland. Ohio State's hopes for an at-large berth into the BCS took a big hit with this loss, though a seventh straight post-New Year's bowl is still within reach if the Buckeyes pick it up in conference play.

That being said, with the way the Buckeyes looked against Toledo last week and Miami on Saturday, they will be hard-pressed to outclass the likes of Wisconsin and Nebraska in the newly-expanded Big Ten.

Next Game

Ohio State will return home to Columbus in Week 4 to face Pac-12 newcomer Colorado at the Horseshoe. The Buffaloes earned their first win of the season against in-state rival Colorado State, but haven't looked particularly good in the early going. As such, look for the Buckeyes to bounce back in a big way.

Can Ohio State Rebound in the Polls?

The Buckeyes can climb their way back, but the bigger question is, will they? After playing Colorado, Ohio State will face No. 15 Michigan State at home and travel to No. 11 Nebraska in back-to-back weeks. The Buckeyes will get a slight reprieve at Illinois, though the Fighting Illini looked like a team to be reckoned with in their win over No. 22 Arizona State.

It's entirely feasible, then, that the Buckeyes will be 2-4 overall, and 0-3 in the Big Ten, when No. 7 Wisconsin comes to town.

Ouch, indeed.

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