Dr. Saturday - NCAAF

Dr. Saturday

Sat Nov 07, 2009 7:45 pm EST

Just when you thought it was safe, Ohio State has the Big Ten at its feet again

By Matt Hinton

Scroll down or click here to join the Doc's game day live blog, covering every game, all day long.

Ohio State 24, Penn State 7. We don't know exactly how the season is going to play out -- it could very well be, for example, that Penn State just isn't very good. We didn't know much about the Lions coming in, but their offensive malaise and the quiet, steady effectiveness of the Buckeye running game followed exactly the script of Penn State's only other loss this season, in its only other game against another team at the top of the conference. With their lame nonconference schedule and losses to the only teams on the Big Ten slate that might currently fit anyone's definition of "good," there's no evidence at all that the Lions stack up to the top-15 ranking they've carried all season.

But there's not much question on my end that this is Ohio State's best win since the 2006 team finished its perfect regular season against No.2 Michigan, just before launching the "big game" curse against Florida in the subsequent BCS title game that's followed the Buckeyes ever since. OSU finally played exactly the way it wanted to play against one of the best teams on the schedule -- running for 200-plus yards, getting two touchdown passes with no turnovers from Terrelle Pryor, taking advantage of good field position and forcing seven three-and-outs from the Nittany Lion offense -- and did it on the road. It's not the national championship, but it is the first time Pryor or the vast majority of teammates can come out of a verifiably big game with their heads held high.

With Iowa's loss to Northwestern, it also sets up the Buckeyes on the track to their first Rose Bowl appearance in more than a decade: They'll be favored to beat the Hawkeyes next week in Columbus, which will put OSU in sole possession of first place in the conference with only badly reeling Michigan standing between it and Pasadena. If they manage to take two must-win conference games in a row and dispatch their hated rival for the sixth consecutive year after nearly losing control of the season in an ugly loss at Purdue, of all places, the Bucks will deserve the trip, and deserve to enjoy it no matter what other big-game demons are sure to await them when they get there.

digg delicious
more

41 Comments

Post a Comment
  1. david d
    1. Posted by david d Sat Nov 07, 2009 8:14 pm EST

    Report Abuse

    Since both Iowa and Ohio St have beaten the only other 2 teams in contention for the Big 10 Title (Penn St. and Wisconsin), does that mean that whomever wins this week takes the Big 10 Title regardless, since the worse that could happen would be a 4 way tie and next weeks winner would have wins over the other 3?
  2. angel r
    2. Posted by angel r Sat Nov 07, 2009 8:16 pm EST

    Report Abuse

    first..... Nice win for the Buckeyes!!!
  3. jai.buck
    3. Posted by jai.buck Sat Nov 07, 2009 8:30 pm EST

    Report Abuse

    Excellent win for the Bucks ! but still we can't rely on passing threat. TP is not sharp.
  4. Block
    4. Posted by Block Sat Nov 07, 2009 8:32 pm EST

    Report Abuse

    OH-IO versus Cincinnati in a BCS bowl game!!!
  5. Nick
    5. Posted by Nick Sat Nov 07, 2009 8:50 pm EST

    Report Abuse

    David, yes. The winner of the Iowa at Ohio State game wins the Big Ten and goes to the Rose Bowl, regardless of how Iowa and Ohio State play against Minnesota and Michigan the following week. The reason is exactly because of what you said. The winner next Saturday will have one conference loss (6-1 in the Big Ten); the loser will have two (5-2 in the Big Ten), and Penn State and Wisconsin will each be either 5-2 or 4-3 in the conference. All other teams have at least three Big Ten losses already. So, for whoever wins next week, the worst they can finish will be 6-2 in the conference, which will be good enough for a tie for first. Because both Iowa and Ohio State have beaten both Penn State and Wisconsin, and the winner next week will have a win over the loser as well, they will go to the Rose Bowl per the Big Ten tiebreaker procedures (http://www.bigten.org/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/102204aad.html), even if they lose their final game to Minnesota or Michigan.
  6. DAN
    6. Posted by DAN Sat Nov 07, 2009 9:01 pm EST

    Report Abuse

    Best game I have seen the Buckeyes play since Michigan in 06. But that aside they have to win a bowl game this year or the OSU program may never be taken seriously again in the national title picture.
  7. reignbringer
    7. Posted by reignbringer Sat Nov 07, 2009 9:21 pm EST

    Report Abuse

    woohoo bucks! with stanzi out next week, a home game next week, and this win, we're in the rose bowl for sure!
  8. far
    8. Posted by far Sat Nov 07, 2009 9:55 pm EST

    Report Abuse

    OSU will never get any respect from the national sports media. next week they'll probably beat iowa but they'll put an asterisk on the OSU win because stanzi is injured.
    even if osu wins big they will write the other team as having a bad day. we'll go to rose bowl, probably meet USC (again) and i'm sure we'll be the underdog by 40!
    but don't worry buckeye fans - obama will not rest until dow jones goes to 15 thousand, joblessness will go down to 3% and we will have free medical care from erection to resurrection!
  9. Richard K
    9. Posted by Richard K Sat Nov 07, 2009 11:00 pm EST

    Report Abuse

    asterisk...smasterik.... who cares!!! A win is a win and then we're Rose Bowl Bound. We also will break this media mouth crap "of the "big game" curse" by beating anyone thta shows up from the PAC 10. There I said it...
  10. Jack
    10. Posted by Jack Sat Nov 07, 2009 11:24 pm EST

    Report Abuse

    It's 11:21 PM and Penn State STILL hasn't actually scored. They're so lucky the sideline official who had no real view of Clark's sneak put his arms up...
  11. Nathan
    11. Posted by Nathan Sun Nov 08, 2009 12:19 am EST

    Report Abuse

    Matt Hinton enjoys these little school yard taunts at the Buckeye's expense, and I am willing to let him have them. I'll settle for a 5th straight Big Ten Championship, a Rose Bowl berth, and hope for more to come next year. The truth of the matter is, had the Buckeyes taken a few more chances in the USC game this year or the Fiesta Bowl last year, they would have likely won both games. No matter what storyline the simple-minded sports media that has made darlings out of the likes of Washington, Ole Miss, Virginia Tech, Miami, Cal, and Notre Dame already this year can invent, Ohio State has been nothing short of amazing the last 15 years. Its a sad thing when people will point to a handful of games that fit their argument, while ignoring the vast majority of games that don't. I can't think of a team from college football past or present that gets more decidedly negative coverage like this (even when they handily dispatch a good team) than the Ohio State Buckeyes.
  12. Nathan
    12. Posted by Nathan Sun Nov 08, 2009 12:21 am EST

    Report Abuse

    Matt Hinton enjoys these little school yard taunts at the Buckeye's expense, and I am willing to let him have them. I'll settle for a 5th straight Big Ten Championship, a Rose Bowl berth, and hope for more to come next year. The truth of the matter is, had the Buckeyes taken a few more chances in the USC game this year or the Fiesta Bowl last year, they would have likely won both games. No matter what storyline the simple-minded sports media that has made darlings out of the likes of Washington, Ole Miss, Virginia Tech, Miami, Cal, and Notre Dame already this year can invent, Ohio State has been nothing short of amazing the last 15 years. Its a sad thing when people will point to a handful of games that fit their argument, while ignoring the vast majority of games that don't. I can't think of a team from college football past or present that gets more decidedly negative coverage like this (even when they handily dispatch a good team) than the Ohio State Buckeyes.
  13. Kevin
    13. Posted by Kevin Sun Nov 08, 2009 12:44 am EST

    Report Abuse

    It'll probably be an OSU-ORE in the Rose Bowl if they win the Pac-10. They're race is still kinda open with their loss to Stanford today.
  14. dramirez@...
    14. Posted by dramirez@... Sun Nov 08, 2009 3:50 am EST

    Report Abuse

    good game buckeyes , the defense has 4 shutouts so far this year ......... hard to beat penn st. and the guys in stripes but you did a fine job today . replay ref needs fired .
    next up iowa . dont look past them just because there qb went down . they are well coached and have won a few games this year . i hope we see usc again in the rose bowl . they have steadily gotten worse this year and are ready to be wooped on . but whoever shows up will work too. go bucks
  15. Clark
    15. Posted by Clark Sun Nov 08, 2009 10:03 am EST

    Report Abuse

    I have been a Buckeye fan forever, and I must say I am proud of the way the team played yesterday. Pryor and the team stepped up and played as a team. Very proud of them. Please don't look past Iowa. They're still a good team that has theIr backs to the wall, and will be out to prove they belong. Good luck Sat and the rest of the year. GO BUCKS.
  16. Seth C
    16. Posted by Seth C Sun Nov 08, 2009 10:32 am EST

    Report Abuse

    I think Hinton was poking fun at how lousy the Big Ten has been in the past 5 years or so Buckeye fans. If it isn't SEC related, then everything is a joke to that guy. But seriously, a few teams need to step up to get some respect from anyone from the media and besides the numbers and quality OSU recruits, every year there is no excuse not to win the Big Ten.
  17. tracy.mitchell@...
    17. Posted by tracy.mitchell@... Sun Nov 08, 2009 10:35 am EST

    Report Abuse

    The bucks have made some nice improvements as an offense and TP is showing he is starting understand what it takes to play QB at OSU and i like the focus he is playing with. Now as for the refs not just in the big10 but in every conference around the ncaa.....When you have games and so much is on the line for every program in the nations (with no playoff systems) you have to get the calls RIGHT. The way these kids in some case out right cheated after working so hard and being denied because of some calls that everyone watching can see that a play should be over turned is just bad and replay off is the main ones that should be fined or fired for continuing blowing calls!! It makes you just wonder if the fix is in!!
  18. tracy.mitchell@...
    18. Posted by tracy.mitchell@... Sun Nov 08, 2009 10:35 am EST

    Report Abuse

    The bucks have made some nice improvements as an offense and TP is showing he is starting understand what it takes to play QB at OSU and i like the focus he is playing with. Now as for the refs not just in the big10 but in every conference around the ncaa.....When you have games and so much is on the line for every program in the nations (with no playoff systems) you have to get the calls RIGHT. The way these kids in some case out right cheated after working so hard and being denied because of some calls that everyone watching can see that a play should be over turned is just bad and replay off is the main ones that should be fined or fired for continuing blowing calls!! It makes you just wonder if the fix is in!!
  19. Red4564
    19. Posted by Red4564 Sun Nov 08, 2009 12:02 pm EST

    Report Abuse

    That statement right there, "We didn't know much about the Lions coming in" just shows what happens when teams schedule too many cupcakes. The Nittany Lions had played 9 games, 3/4 of their schedule, before the contest with Ohio State - and we still didn't know much about them? Ridiculous.
  20. Adam S
    20. Posted by Adam S Sun Nov 08, 2009 12:06 pm EST

    Report Abuse

    At this point, the Pac-10 race is still open, but realistically it will go one of three ways. Either Arizona wins out and wins the conference. Oregon wins out and wins the conference or Arizona beats Oregon and loses to USC and then I don't know who wins because I don't know how their tie breaker works. The best solution for everyone involved though is for one of the top front runners to win out and just solve the problem. My guess is we will see OSU Oregon in the Rose. But after yesterday, its really hard to say with any certainty we won't see a USC OSU rematch
  21. ZerO
    21. Posted by ZerO Sun Nov 08, 2009 1:46 pm EST

    Report Abuse

    I think you are mentally confused, Arvee, The SEC teams will mop the floor with Ohio State, whether or not they are in home or away. Florida and Alabama will blow them out, LSU will probably pull away in the 4th quarter and even a team like Tennessee and Ole Miss will probably smack em around until the end, because they have speed and OSU does not. You should do some research before you think OSU is that great against the SEC, bandwagon hopping idiot!
  22. ZerO
    22. Posted by ZerO Sun Nov 08, 2009 1:46 pm EST

    Report Abuse

    I think you are mentally confused, Arvee, The SEC teams will mop the floor with Ohio State, whether or not they are in home or away. Florida and Alabama will blow them out, LSU will probably pull away in the 4th quarter and even a team like Tennessee and Ole Miss will probably smack em around until the end, because they have speed and OSU does not. You should do some research before you think OSU is that great against the SEC, bandwagon hopping idiot!
  23. mark7mod0
    23. Posted by mark7mod0 Sun Nov 08, 2009 3:47 pm EST

    Report Abuse

    I had better play calling for my Pop Warner team !!!!! Still the play to not lose attitude at Penn State instead of the play to win in the big games as proven in the loss to OSU and to Iowa!!!
  24. chris b
    24. Posted by chris b Sun Nov 08, 2009 6:18 pm EST

    Report Abuse

    blah blah blah. so what. again if everyone has a problem with us going to another bcs bowl than why doesn.t somebody in big ten step up and stop the bucks. enough said . gobuckeyes?
  25. dramirez@...
    25. Posted by dramirez@... Sun Nov 08, 2009 7:16 pm EST

    Report Abuse

    Post #23 zero
    i have seen alot of sec games this year. it appears to me that the sec is not as good as they used to be . lsu is not the team they were just a few years ago, florida isnt running the table as easily as they used to , come to think of it . after tebow is gone , this team is going to struggle on offense . alabamas offense stumbles along , but they win , i like that . my point is these are the power houses of the sec and they all are not as good as they were , the teams after these ,are average football teams . ohio state can beat most of the sec no problem . times are a changin my man . our young football team will be here for a few more years , we will win a championship or two .. good luck to your team tho.

Dr. Saturday

Add to My Yahoo! RSS

Matt Hinton

Dr. Saturday is a college football blog edited by Matt Hinton. Email him tips and feedback.

Contributors:
Holly Anderson, Doug Gillett, Dan Shanoff,

Related Photo Gallery

More NCAAF Photos »

Y! Sports Blogs

Dr. Saturday Recent Readers

(provided by MyBlogLog)