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Dr. Saturday

Sun Oct 19, 2008 12:42 pm EDT

Ohio State cruises, the nation twitches ever so slightly

By Matt Hinton

If Ohio State is the the Buffalo Bills of college football, Saturday was the day to break out the "We're back! Deal with it, America" banners. Beanie Wells was the sleek, very un-hobbled mack truck everyone expected before the season, Terrelle Pryor was a leisurely 7-of-11 with a touchdown, plus 72 yards and another score on the ground, and the defense held Michigan State to 60 yards, five punts and three turnovers in the first half, by the end of which the score was 28-0. The Spartans came in on a six-game roll and looked like the Buckeyes' equals, at least, with a prime opportunity to prove it at home; after the game, Pryor said "it was like high school."

So it will have nothing to do with sympathy or well-wishing for Joe Paterno's swan song next week when an entire nation aligns itself with Penn State in Columbus for what amounts to the de facto Big Ten Championship Game. Lion love will be purely self-interested: please don't make us consider these guys for another championship.

That may seem a little far off, but if you're counting down the remaining schedules, a win over Penn State -- and the Lions haven't even been competitive in Columbus is ages -- will likely put OSU at the cusp of the top five with a clear route to another 11-1 finish. With the inevitable attrition ahead in the Big 12 and SEC and USC on letdown watch through the end of the regular season, the remainder of the track is rigged for the Buckeyes to rise and rise -- unless Penn State finishes them, once and for all.

So no pressure or anything, Lions, but suddenly a Buckeye-weary nation turns its lonely eyes to you.

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58 Comments

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  1. Sam @ WWAHT
    1. Posted by Sam @ WWAHT Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:16 pm EDT

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    I'm still not sure the sentiment. Yes, the Buckeyes have been lousy in the last two title games, the first more than the second - in which we outgained LSU and killed ourselves with penalties and special teams mistakes and of course, one fateful dropped touchdown pass.
    But what's the motivation? Do people think Ohio State is literally unable to win a national championship? If so, why?
  2. Sam @ WWAHT
    2. Posted by Sam @ WWAHT Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:16 pm EDT

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    If your answer is coaching, I agree if you're referring to the dated schemes of Bollman and Heacock. If you start alleging that athletes and conditioning are the difference between Ohio State and Florida, LSU, and USC, I recommend you start looking at some NFL depth charts. But I really think some of the hate is going too far. Ohio State's resume of late is no less respectable than Oklahoma, who have lost four straight BCS games compared to OSU's two straight. Really, I think the only reason Ohio State gets all the hate is because their faceplants happened to be on a bigger stage.
    Y
  3. Sam @ WWAHT
    3. Posted by Sam @ WWAHT Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:16 pm EDT

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    (I typed out a dissertation on this, and had to break it up into three posts, sorry)
    Yet, when OSU was rolling people on a weak schedule last year, people questioned if they were for real. When Oklahoma was rolling people on a weak schedule this year, Bob Stoops has "put his BCS failures behind him" and his team is officially "for real" and could win the national title despite the biggest rout in BCS title history against USC being his last appearance there. Of course, his last appearance there was four years ago. It's common knowledge most sportswriters' memories only go back two years at the most, and it seems they're getting their way with the rest of the country becoming so forgetful too.
  4. dethwing
    4. Posted by dethwing Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:42 pm EDT

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    I think it's the perception that for two straight years Ohio State has gotten to the MNC on the strength of a weak big 10, and no strong out of conference wins. [Aside from a Texas team that turned out to not be as great as everyone thought]. The irony is that this is a better Big 10, and their loss is a far more respectible one than they had last year.
    As a hobby, I have my own formula for ranking teams. The last two years it did not have OSU in the top 2 going into the bowls. But this year it puts them currently #3 and a win over PSU would probably make them #2 in my system.
  5. gobucksnyc
    5. Posted by gobucksnyc Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:10 pm EDT

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    Even if my Buckeyes win next week against Penn State, I have no interest in being anywhere near the MNC this year, and I think a great percentage of Buckeye Nation feels the same way. We're clearly not the best team in the country right now, and most rational fans don't want to sit through another nine months after a brutal loss like the past two years. Even if we win out, I still don't believe we'll be voted into the MNC, so people should relax a bit.
    Now, next year or the year after...look out.
  6. J. Calvin
    6. Posted by J. Calvin Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:31 pm EDT

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    Alabama #2? No Way! Maybe #8. 1. Texas. 2. Penn State. 3. USC. 4. Oklahoma. 5. Ohio State. 6. Oklahoma State. 7. Florida. 8. Alabama. Screw the computer print-outs! "Nuff said." J. Calvin
  7. Sam @ WWAHT
    7. Posted by Sam @ WWAHT Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:16 pm EDT

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    The Big Ten was definitely down the last two years, I agree. 2006 was the nadir - no one outside of Michigan and Illinois stayed within 20 points of OSU if I remember correctly. It's improving, but I think it's going to take a while to win back respect, since no one is paying attention to Big Ten wins over SEC teams in bowl games anymore since the data is inconvenient to them.
  8. Sam @ WWAHT
    8. Posted by Sam @ WWAHT Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:16 pm EDT

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    Oh, I should also mention I have no interest in playing in the title game either. USC was our shot. We blew it, give it to a more deserving one-loss SEC or Big 12 team over us.
  9. Jack
    9. Posted by Jack Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:26 pm EDT

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    Buckeye fan here. And no way in hell do we deserve to get to the title game this year. Agree with poguemahone: USC was the opportunity, and it ended up being an Epic Fail. I just want the guys to improve, get to the BCS, and win, like we used to forever ago (you know, 2005).
  10. po_flyfish63
    10. Posted by po_flyfish63 Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:18 pm EDT

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    as a fan of an sec team that is still at least theoretically in the mnc hunt, i%26%2339%3bll be rooting for ohio state all the way next saturday. i think they%26%2339%3bre just the a different flavor of the same ice cream. when it all comes down to it, unless ohio state is the only 1-loss bcs team left, they%26%2339%3bre not going to get the benefit of the doubt from the voters...and as last year showed, the voters are more than willing to shift the rankings around after all of the games are over to put the proper teams in the mnc game.%0d%0a%0d%0aalong those lines, if penn state makes the mnc game and loses to a big xii%2fsec%2fusc team, could the big ten be even more damaged than they already are%3f
  11. BrnxBmbr
    11. Posted by BrnxBmbr Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:25 pm EDT

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    It's real nice to hear Ohio State is one of the few big name teams in the country with rational, knowledgable fans, well for the most part (you always have the bandwagon idiot fans who post in blogs). Ohio State/Penn State should be one of the top games of the year, right up with Texas/Oklahoma. And comment #7, I totally agree - Bama at #2, especially as high as they are points wise in the BCS, is not right. But USC at #3? Come on. USC is definitely a top 7 team.. but not in the top 3. Who have they played? They're definitely not the best 1-loss team in the country right now and wont be able to prove they are all year because they play no one. Cal isnt good at all and Notre Dame is at best a decent team. Ohio State played USC, Mich St, and will play Michigan and Penn State. Put Michigan in the Pac 10 and they more than likely end up with the same record as USC. But this isnt a USC blog. I really hope the Ohio State/Penn State lives up to expectations and for one of the rare times I'll be pullin for the Buckeyes.
  12. CuseFanInSoCal
    12. Posted by CuseFanInSoCal Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:48 pm EDT

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    #12, how can you say Cal isn't any good and MSU is good when Cal beat MSU? That's bizarre logic.
  13. marcillac
    13. Posted by marcillac Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:06 pm EDT

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    I vehemently, intensely and irrevocably dissent form the PSU love. With all the appropriate apprehension concerning the (as you say, unlikely) emergence of Ohio State as an MNC contendor, the significantly uglier and, at this juncture, much more likely prospect of PSU in the same position induces horror of an entirely greater magnitude.
    With this abomination in mind, we must wish the very best to Terrell, Beanie and the boys.
  14. Troy
    14. Posted by Troy Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:12 pm EDT

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    Actually I might be rooting for tOSU. I have faith in the pollsters to put ANY 1-loss BCS team in the title game ahead of Ohio State at this point, and I really don't want ANY Big 10 team in the title game. So let's get Penn State it's loss, and keep rooting for the Big 12 and SEC champs to both have at most 1 loss so we can all get the title game we really want.
  15. Randy W
    15. Posted by Randy W Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:11 pm EDT

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    My first reaction about Ohio State is that a team that lost by 30 doesn't deserve to play for the national title. But I also thought that a team that lost two games to mediocre opponents didn't deserve to play for it either. Unfortunately, these are the ridiculous choices this crappy system leaves us with. Chances are it's going to come down to a situation where people will have to flip a coin to determine who "deserves" it more: a team that got blown out by a good team (like Ohio State, Georgia, LSU) or a team that lost to a turd team it had no business losing to (like Florida or Southern Cal). The only thing for sure is that no one will feel good about it.
  16. Be Honest
    16. Posted by Be Honest Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:08 pm EDT

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    I am a die hard buckeye fan, of course we have endured some smackdowns recently on the big stage. If ANYONE for one second thinks lil' animal, jenkins, or freeman are fine with just going to the rose bowl needs to wake up and smell reality. If SEC or Big 12's YEARLY misfortune's are o-state's gain I'm sure the players and this fan are more than willing to lace'em up and go back to work for a title the seniors deserve.. Life(we'll atleast mine) isn't fair, THERE ARE NO PLAYOFFS SO GETTER DONE & EARN YO KEEP when it counts on the field..
  17. Chad B
    17. Posted by Chad B Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:42 pm EDT

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    None of this matters. The Buckeyes won't escape Evanston alive on November 8th. Too much Tyrell Sutton, too much CJ Bacher, too much Eric Peterman, too much defense....and too much Pat Fitzgerald awesomeness.
    GO U! NU! GO CATS!
  18. mikez34
    18. Posted by mikez34 Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:20 pm EDT

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    "THERE ARE NO PLAYOFFS SO GETTER DONE & EARN YO KEEP when it counts on the field.. "
    Earn your keep on the field and win the Big Ten in a TITLE GAME!! Ohio State will probably back into the BCS again as they sit at home while the Big 12 and SEC play championship games.
  19. SportsCPA
    19. Posted by SportsCPA Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:36 pm EDT

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    Hey dethwing, I'm interested to see what your system is...maybe you could email it to me? Sportscpa18@yahoo... I am a huge buckeye fan and I hate that no one thinks the buckeyes are any good. We won it 5 years ago against Miami. If anything, going back to the nc game each year means we have a great team. We lost to USC this year only because we had arguably the best player in the nation out injured. I hate injuries...on either side. Because if we would have beaten USC with Joe Mcknight out, then I wouldn't have felt good about the victory. The thing with OSU is that we're not as deep as other teams. So if one of our big guys goes out, that's pretty much it. And that's what happened (same in the Florida game with Ted Ginn). Not to make excuses, but that's what happens. I don't think OSU should have been as high as they were ranked last year. I would have put them at a 3 or 4 spot. If that was the case, I think we would have won our bowl game.
  20. Be Honest
    20. Posted by Be Honest Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:08 pm EDT

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    Actually the bucks have won a title this decade and the only big ten team thus far fluke or not dude! You seem bitter like you dont respect my freedom of speech. I know the truth hurts but the only thing missing from these seniors resume is a national championship. I hope your team chokes along the line opening the door for the beloved bucks to slide on in.
  21. Be Honest
    21. Posted by Be Honest Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:08 pm EDT

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    I bet you crybaby, whining SEC and Big 12 fans would rather lose in the national championship like o-state instead of the conference (greed) championship. Bet those extra millions aren't worth as much to presidents, alumni, fans,and coaches NOW. No Playoffs + Conference Championship equals don't lose if you're supposedly that good. There's always next season if your teams underachieve as usual....
  22. Jeff
    22. Posted by Jeff Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:32 pm EDT

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    i am embarressed to witness ohio state losing 2 bcs championships in a row. however, was florida and lsu really that much better then ohio state%3f if you sit around for 6 weeks waiting to play players get restless, out of sync etc. with better weather in la and fl then in oh it is easier to maintain that readiness. i don%26%2339%3bt understand why the ncaa ends the season and waits 6 weeks for the bowl games to start. no other sport makes you wait that long to play the championship game. maybe college football needs to schedule games in dec that don%26%2339%3bt count in the standings to keep in tune %28like preseason games%29. i wonder how each of the bsc games would have turned out if they were played no more then 3 weeks after the last game%3f
  23. krustytheclown73
    23. Posted by krustytheclown73 Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:54 pm EDT

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    Really, the only bad loss here was the Florida game. LSU was a beast last year, and the Buckeyes were rebuilding - that game really wasn't that bad. But the Florida game was horrible. And Oklahoma had a horrible game last year against WVU - so why no "hate" toward them?
    OSU had their shot at USC and got whipped, but put if Pryor continues to develop, this is a different team with him and Wells. I could see the Buckeyes getting back.
    USC is probably the best team, but as long as they lose to crap teams, how can anyone really say that? They do it every year, so why no "hate" toward them either.
  24. efish
    24. Posted by efish Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:48 pm EDT

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    The idiots (Pollsters) put the Bucks in the BCS Championship last year,we didn't earn it. It goes back to the sorry system we have. Instead of voting for the Nat'l Champs we now vote for which 2 teams will play. I would like to play last year over with the top 8 teams in a playoff........the Bucks might have surprised a few SEC fans if we'd have played a game or 2 in 2 months.
  25. Thom
    25. Posted by Thom Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:39 pm EDT

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    "So no pressure or anything, Lions, but suddenly a Buckeye-weary nation turns its lonely eyes to you"
    Have no fear Buckeye-weary nation, Clark and company will come thru...in a big way.

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