Last night, the Buckeyes made an Ohio STATEment with a 59-0 clobbering of the Wisconsin Badgers to win the 2014 Big Ten Championship.
The Buckeyes did it without the quarterback that they originally thought would be starting the season, a player who was considered a Heisman Trophy front runner: Braxton Miller. They did it without their second string quarterback, who became a Heisman Trophy candidate and broke Big Ten and Ohio State records throughout the season: JT Barrett.
So then who did they do it with? Their third string quarterback, Cardale Jones, who was the MVP of the Big Ten Championship Game after tossing three TD passes.
I guess the Buckeyes just stockpile talented quarterbacks.
Ezekiel Elliot ran for a Big Ten Championship Game record 220 yards and added another couple of touchdowns.
They did all of this against the #2 defense in college football. They put up a brick wall against the NCAA's leading rusher, Melvin Gordon, who they held to 76 yards on 26 carries and no touchdowns. Gordon had seven consecutive 100 yard games coming into this one. On top of that, as mentioned before, Elliot broke the record for most rush yards in a Big Ten Championship Game...a record that was held by Gordon. I think it's safe to say that Gordon has a really bad night.
Urban Meyer won his first Big Ten Championship as Ohio State head coach. This was the type of game everyone expected Meyer's teams to put up.
Now the question is, was it enough to put the Buckeyes in the one of the four College Football Playoff spots?
The three teams that are definetly in: SEC Champion Alabama, Pac-12 Champion Oregon, and ACC Champion Florida State,
The battle for the fourth spot is between Big 12 Co-Champions TCU and Baylor, and Big Ten Champion Ohio State.
It's been said that conference championships are going to play a big role in choosing the four teams to make the Playoff. And if that's the case, I don't see how you can leave Ohio State out. They have a conference championship, the Big 12 doesn't have a conference champion, they have co-champions. You can't put two teams in one playoff spot.
If the College Football Playoff committee wants to put the best four teams in college football right now in the Playoff, then I don't see how you leave Ohio State out, especially with what they just did to Wisconsin.
It's obvious the committee doesn't respect Baylor's head-to-head win against TCU, seeing how they've had the Horned Frogs ahead of the Bears and even put them in the top four last week.
So if that's the case. how can you hold Ohio State's week two loss against Virginia Tech against them? This is a completely different Ohio State team than back in week two, literally and figuratively.
If they leave Ohio State out, I think they will have failed at putting the four best teams in college football in the playoff. If they put them in, I still think they should expand the College Football Playoff to eight teams.
Showing posts with label B1G. Show all posts
Showing posts with label B1G. Show all posts
Sunday, December 7, 2014
Sunday, November 30, 2014
Buckeyes beat *ichigan, but suffer a big loss
On Saturday, the 29th of November 2014, the Ohio State Buckeyes defeated the *ichigan Wolverines 42-28....but also suffered a big loss.
On the first play of the fourth quarter, Quarterback J.T. Barrett took off running and was tackled awkwardly, his right leg crumpling underneath him. He was carted off the field, leg in an air cast. It was announced later in the evening, the redshirt freshman sensation who was a candidate to win the Heisman Trophy, broke his ankle and would miss the Big Ten Championship Game and any bowl game(s) the Buckeyes would play in.
Before the injury, Barrett threw for one touchdown and ran for two more scores. That gives him an Ohio State record of 34 touchdown passes in a single season, and when you add the 11 rushing touchdowns a Big Ten record of 44 touchdowns responsible for in a single season (former record holder: Drew Brees, Purdue).
Cardale Jones replaces Barrett, and lead the Buckeyes to a TD on a long run by Ezekiel Elliot. The defense also returned a fumble for a touchdown to give you the final Buckeyes total.
It was Meyer's third consecutive win against That Team Up North, still undefeated in The Game.
Jones is now the QB for the remainder of the season, and nobody knows what to expect from him. He doesn't have a lot of experience, this year he is 10/17 for 118 yards, 2 touchdowns, 0 interceptions. Last season he was 1/2 for 3 yards, 0 touchdowns and interceptions, he did have a rushing touchdown last season.
Coach Meyer says that Cardale Jones can throw it and throw it well, and he can run too. A lot of people expected Jones to replace Braxton Miller, mostly because many in Ohio knew who he was in part because he played at Glenville High School in Cleveland...the same school that gave the Buckeyes players like Troy Smith, Ted Ginn Jr., and Donte Whitner.
Jones knows the playbook and has been practicing. Nobody knew what to expect from Barrett and many people thought this would be a 3-4 loss season without Miller on the field. Instead, Barrett would have been in New York for the Heisman Trophy Presentation and was likely going to lead the Buckeyes into the inaugural College Football Playoff.
The Buckeyes take on the Wisconsin Badgers next week in the Big Ten Championship Game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Buckeyes win this game, they win an outright Big Ten Championship and with that, should be in the College Football Playoff with Mississippi State losing to Ole Miss yesterday. They might not be in the top four this week, but they should be no worse than 5th with TCU in as the fourth team. But an outright conference championship, especially if the offense stays hot with Jones at QB, should give them the edge over TCU to make the final four in the final CFP standings.
Honestly, all the Buckeyes have to do to get into that final four is just....win!
On the first play of the fourth quarter, Quarterback J.T. Barrett took off running and was tackled awkwardly, his right leg crumpling underneath him. He was carted off the field, leg in an air cast. It was announced later in the evening, the redshirt freshman sensation who was a candidate to win the Heisman Trophy, broke his ankle and would miss the Big Ten Championship Game and any bowl game(s) the Buckeyes would play in.
Before the injury, Barrett threw for one touchdown and ran for two more scores. That gives him an Ohio State record of 34 touchdown passes in a single season, and when you add the 11 rushing touchdowns a Big Ten record of 44 touchdowns responsible for in a single season (former record holder: Drew Brees, Purdue).
Cardale Jones replaces Barrett, and lead the Buckeyes to a TD on a long run by Ezekiel Elliot. The defense also returned a fumble for a touchdown to give you the final Buckeyes total.
It was Meyer's third consecutive win against That Team Up North, still undefeated in The Game.
Jones is now the QB for the remainder of the season, and nobody knows what to expect from him. He doesn't have a lot of experience, this year he is 10/17 for 118 yards, 2 touchdowns, 0 interceptions. Last season he was 1/2 for 3 yards, 0 touchdowns and interceptions, he did have a rushing touchdown last season.
Coach Meyer says that Cardale Jones can throw it and throw it well, and he can run too. A lot of people expected Jones to replace Braxton Miller, mostly because many in Ohio knew who he was in part because he played at Glenville High School in Cleveland...the same school that gave the Buckeyes players like Troy Smith, Ted Ginn Jr., and Donte Whitner.
Jones knows the playbook and has been practicing. Nobody knew what to expect from Barrett and many people thought this would be a 3-4 loss season without Miller on the field. Instead, Barrett would have been in New York for the Heisman Trophy Presentation and was likely going to lead the Buckeyes into the inaugural College Football Playoff.
The Buckeyes take on the Wisconsin Badgers next week in the Big Ten Championship Game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Buckeyes win this game, they win an outright Big Ten Championship and with that, should be in the College Football Playoff with Mississippi State losing to Ole Miss yesterday. They might not be in the top four this week, but they should be no worse than 5th with TCU in as the fourth team. But an outright conference championship, especially if the offense stays hot with Jones at QB, should give them the edge over TCU to make the final four in the final CFP standings.
Honestly, all the Buckeyes have to do to get into that final four is just....win!
Sunday, November 16, 2014
QB Conundrum 2015: JT Barrett or Braxton Miller?
I know this season isn't over yet, we still have two regular season games, the Big Ten Championship Game, and then either the College Football Playoffs or a regular Bowl Game.
But right now, I want to look at what's ahead after this season.
As far as anyone knows, Braxton Miller is planning on returning to Ohio State for his senior season in 2015. When he first made this announcement after it was announced that he would miss the entire 2014 season with a shoulder injury, Buckeye fans were very happy.
None of us envisioned that JT Barrett would become one of the best quarterbacks in Ohio State history. And after that loss to Virginia Tech...
9/29 for 219 yards, 1 TD, and 3 INT...sacked seven times
I think after that game Buckeye Nation felt it would be a long season and couldn't wait for Miller's return in 2015.
But Barrett took that game and used it as fuel, he learned from it. And since then, he's been unstoppable.
Against Minnesota, JT Barrett broke two of Braxton Miller's rushing records, longest run ever by a quarterback (86 yard TD run) and most rushing yards in a single game by a QB (189). Barrett also surpassed Braxton Miller's total TD pass mark in a season (29 for Barrett, 24 for Miller).
Also, JT Barrett is one touchdown pass away from tying Troy Smith's school record of touchdown passes in a season of 30 (in 2006), with two games left that record should be broken.
This is Barrett's stat line for the season after the win at Minnesota:
165/258 2365 yards 64.0% completions 29 TD 8 INT
136 rushes 771 yards 5.7 yards per carry 9 TD
That's a season for many QB's around the country, and Barrett still has two games to improve on that!
Miller's best single season stat line:
162/255 2094 yards 63.5% completions 24 TD 7 INT (2013)
227 rushes 1271 yards 5.6 yards per carry 13 TD (2012)
Both are pretty damn good stat lines that most schools would take from their starting quarterback.
So if Braxton Miller stays true to what he said, and returns in 2015 to the Buckeyes fully healthy, what the hell is Urban Meyer going to do?
Before becoming the head coach at The Ohio State University, he spent a season working for ESPN/ABC calling games. I remember listening to him just gush about Braxton Miller, and I still think that Meyer feels the same way.
I believe that part of Meyer would want to stay loyal to Miller. An old sports adage is that you never lose your job to injury, and that's why Miller isn't on the field this season. Nothing academic, no off the field scandals. Braxton Miller, from everything I have ever read or heard, is a great guy. Goes to class, does well in his classes, doesn't draw un-needed attention to himself or the school, stays out of trouble.
However, he got to watch Barrett blossom right before his eyes. Can you bench the quarterback that is likely going to hold some school records when this year is over?
Barrett holds four of the top 9 total offense outputs in Buckeye football history:
But right now, I want to look at what's ahead after this season.
As far as anyone knows, Braxton Miller is planning on returning to Ohio State for his senior season in 2015. When he first made this announcement after it was announced that he would miss the entire 2014 season with a shoulder injury, Buckeye fans were very happy.
None of us envisioned that JT Barrett would become one of the best quarterbacks in Ohio State history. And after that loss to Virginia Tech...
9/29 for 219 yards, 1 TD, and 3 INT...sacked seven times
I think after that game Buckeye Nation felt it would be a long season and couldn't wait for Miller's return in 2015.
But Barrett took that game and used it as fuel, he learned from it. And since then, he's been unstoppable.
Against Minnesota, JT Barrett broke two of Braxton Miller's rushing records, longest run ever by a quarterback (86 yard TD run) and most rushing yards in a single game by a QB (189). Barrett also surpassed Braxton Miller's total TD pass mark in a season (29 for Barrett, 24 for Miller).
Also, JT Barrett is one touchdown pass away from tying Troy Smith's school record of touchdown passes in a season of 30 (in 2006), with two games left that record should be broken.
This is Barrett's stat line for the season after the win at Minnesota:
165/258 2365 yards 64.0% completions 29 TD 8 INT
136 rushes 771 yards 5.7 yards per carry 9 TD
That's a season for many QB's around the country, and Barrett still has two games to improve on that!
Miller's best single season stat line:
162/255 2094 yards 63.5% completions 24 TD 7 INT (2013)
227 rushes 1271 yards 5.6 yards per carry 13 TD (2012)
Both are pretty damn good stat lines that most schools would take from their starting quarterback.
So if Braxton Miller stays true to what he said, and returns in 2015 to the Buckeyes fully healthy, what the hell is Urban Meyer going to do?
Before becoming the head coach at The Ohio State University, he spent a season working for ESPN/ABC calling games. I remember listening to him just gush about Braxton Miller, and I still think that Meyer feels the same way.
I believe that part of Meyer would want to stay loyal to Miller. An old sports adage is that you never lose your job to injury, and that's why Miller isn't on the field this season. Nothing academic, no off the field scandals. Braxton Miller, from everything I have ever read or heard, is a great guy. Goes to class, does well in his classes, doesn't draw un-needed attention to himself or the school, stays out of trouble.
However, he got to watch Barrett blossom right before his eyes. Can you bench the quarterback that is likely going to hold some school records when this year is over?
Barrett holds four of the top 9 total offense outputs in Buckeye football history:
There is a chance that he could own the top spot in this list by the end of the season.
Miller is a weapon. He's the better runner, and likely a better overall athlete.
However, I think Barrett is the better QUARTERBACK. And honestly, I don't think anyone (including the coaches) saw this coming from him.
I think it's going to be a hard choice to make going into the 2015 season. But if I had to make the choice, Barrett would be my starting quarterback because I feel he's better at that specific job, throwing the football.
Also, Miller has proven to be injury prone. He's missed games before this season due to injuries. There's no guarantee that he can stay on the field.
And what a nightmare would it be for defenses if both Barrett and Miller were in the backfield together? A handoff to Miller? A motion where Miller takes the snap? A read-option where one or the other ends up with the ball? Miller motioning to the slot or out wide and catching a pass as a receiver? I think Miller could play a "slash" roll wonderfully.
The only thing I am absolutely sure of, is that I am glad it's not my job to make this decision. When the time comes, I won't envy Urban Meyer one bit.
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Buckeyes Get A Haul
Today is National Signing Day...the first day that a high school senior can sign his National Letter of Intent (LOI) to play football for an NCAA program. Most players sign on this day, but some don't sign until after for various reasons.
Ohio State had one hell of a day!
The rankings per different sites:
Scout - #1
Rivals - #2
ESPN - #3
All three have us as the #1 class in the Big Ten.
So no matter where you look, we pulled in a top three class. We got a "surprise" LOI from safety Von Bell of Georgia, a player many felt was going to Tennessee. Ezekiel Elliott was a player some thought was going to Missouri, he stayed with his verbal commitment to the Buckeyes!
Here is a list of the players that signed Letters of Intent with the Ohio State Buckeyes today:
Mike Mitchell, RB 5*
Von Bell, S 5*
Joey Bosa, DE 5*
Jalin Marshall, WR 5*
Marcus Baugh, TE 4*
Evan Lisle, OT 4*
Ezekiel Elliot, RB 4*
Dontre Wilson, RB 4*
Eli Apple, CB 4*
Cameron Burrows, CB 4*
J. T. Barrett, QB 4*
Gareon Conley, CB 4*
Michael Hill, DE 4*
Trey Johnson, OLB 4*
Jayme Thompson, S 4*
Billy Price, DT 4*
Donavon Munger, DT 4*
Tyquan Lewis, DE 4*
Darron Lee, S 4*
James Clark, WR 4*
Corey Smith, WR 4*
Tim Gardner, OG 3*
Tracy Sprinkle, DE 3*
Christopher Worley, OLB 3*
That is a crazy class!
It is also heavy on defense, and heavy on playmaker positions on offense.
Last year, even though the Buckeyes went undefeated, you could say their Achilles heel was the defense...especially at the beginning of the season. This class being brought in, on top of last year's amazing class on the defensive line, is going to bring depth on defense and keep guys fresh so nobody is out there sucking wind. The linebacking corps got a huge upgrade, seeing how that was our thinnest and weakest spot on the team last year. I am also absolutely LOVING the fact that Von Bell is going to be in the scarlet and gray....I have a feeling that this kid is going to be an absolute monster in the defensive backfield.
On offense, we've got speed. Lots of speed. Guys that can (and will) break games wide open for the Buckeyes.
The Buckeyes are going to have quite a stable of running backs. Carlos Hyde is the unquestioned starter. We also have Rod Smith, Jordan Hall, Bri'onte Dunn, and Warren Ball. Add to that the guys that came into the fold today, and it's going to be interesting how the depth chart at running back shakes out. Will a few guys get red shirts? Will some other guys transfer if they feel they won't get playing time? When Urban Meyer came to Ohio State, he said that he wouldn't abandon the run game. I think this year's class helps back that statement up.
The running back I am really most intrigued by out of this class is Dontre Wilson. I think he's going to play a very exciting roll in the offense his freshman year. Think our version of what Percy Harvin did at Florida. He can lineup in the backfield, as the slot receiver, or out wide. He can take the hand off to the edge, catch the ball out of the backfield, catch it out of the slot, catch it out wide on a streak pattern down the sideline, take a reverse all the way, take a pitch in the option....it's really limitless to how he can be used.
Urban Meyer is bringing not just talent to the Buckeyes...but SEC type talent. He's remaking this team into an SEC team, purely dominating. And that's how you beat the SEC, match their talent.
Lots of coffee must have been served in Columbus today, because COFFEE IS FOR CLOSERS! Ohio State closed today, and the talent brought in could bring amazing success to the Buckeyes. In Urban Meyer we trust!!!
Ohio State had one hell of a day!
The rankings per different sites:
Scout - #1
Rivals - #2
ESPN - #3
All three have us as the #1 class in the Big Ten.
So no matter where you look, we pulled in a top three class. We got a "surprise" LOI from safety Von Bell of Georgia, a player many felt was going to Tennessee. Ezekiel Elliott was a player some thought was going to Missouri, he stayed with his verbal commitment to the Buckeyes!
Here is a list of the players that signed Letters of Intent with the Ohio State Buckeyes today:
Mike Mitchell, RB 5*
Von Bell, S 5*
Joey Bosa, DE 5*
Jalin Marshall, WR 5*
Marcus Baugh, TE 4*
Evan Lisle, OT 4*
Ezekiel Elliot, RB 4*
Dontre Wilson, RB 4*
Eli Apple, CB 4*
Cameron Burrows, CB 4*
J. T. Barrett, QB 4*
Gareon Conley, CB 4*
Michael Hill, DE 4*
Trey Johnson, OLB 4*
Jayme Thompson, S 4*
Billy Price, DT 4*
Donavon Munger, DT 4*
Tyquan Lewis, DE 4*
Darron Lee, S 4*
James Clark, WR 4*
Corey Smith, WR 4*
Tim Gardner, OG 3*
Tracy Sprinkle, DE 3*
Christopher Worley, OLB 3*
That is a crazy class!
It is also heavy on defense, and heavy on playmaker positions on offense.
Last year, even though the Buckeyes went undefeated, you could say their Achilles heel was the defense...especially at the beginning of the season. This class being brought in, on top of last year's amazing class on the defensive line, is going to bring depth on defense and keep guys fresh so nobody is out there sucking wind. The linebacking corps got a huge upgrade, seeing how that was our thinnest and weakest spot on the team last year. I am also absolutely LOVING the fact that Von Bell is going to be in the scarlet and gray....I have a feeling that this kid is going to be an absolute monster in the defensive backfield.
On offense, we've got speed. Lots of speed. Guys that can (and will) break games wide open for the Buckeyes.
The Buckeyes are going to have quite a stable of running backs. Carlos Hyde is the unquestioned starter. We also have Rod Smith, Jordan Hall, Bri'onte Dunn, and Warren Ball. Add to that the guys that came into the fold today, and it's going to be interesting how the depth chart at running back shakes out. Will a few guys get red shirts? Will some other guys transfer if they feel they won't get playing time? When Urban Meyer came to Ohio State, he said that he wouldn't abandon the run game. I think this year's class helps back that statement up.
The running back I am really most intrigued by out of this class is Dontre Wilson. I think he's going to play a very exciting roll in the offense his freshman year. Think our version of what Percy Harvin did at Florida. He can lineup in the backfield, as the slot receiver, or out wide. He can take the hand off to the edge, catch the ball out of the backfield, catch it out of the slot, catch it out wide on a streak pattern down the sideline, take a reverse all the way, take a pitch in the option....it's really limitless to how he can be used.
Urban Meyer is bringing not just talent to the Buckeyes...but SEC type talent. He's remaking this team into an SEC team, purely dominating. And that's how you beat the SEC, match their talent.
Lots of coffee must have been served in Columbus today, because COFFEE IS FOR CLOSERS! Ohio State closed today, and the talent brought in could bring amazing success to the Buckeyes. In Urban Meyer we trust!!!
Sunday, January 13, 2013
Can the Buckeyes raise the crystal football next year?
This college football season ended in an all to familiar way...with an SEC team, Alabama for a third time under Nick Saban, winning the BCS National Championship Game. This one was in blowout fashion, which has often been a case...twice Ohio State has been on the receiving end if these beat downs, against Florida and LSU.
This year the team to get beat was the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, to a score of 42-14. They couldn't stop Alabama. They got rolled by the Crimson Tide. This game gave a new meaning to "Roll Tide."
There was only one team to end the football season without a single blemish on their record, the Ohio State Buckeyes. They finished third in the final AP Poll. This positions them well to potentially play for that crystal football next year, as long as they stay unbeaten.
I expect them to start the season in the top five, most likely the top three. The only two teams I can see starting the season in front of them would be Alabama and Notre Dame.
The whole Ohio State finishing undefeated part shouldn't be all that hard. Here is what our schedule looks like next season:
08/31 vs. Buffalo Bulls
09/07 vs. San Diego State Aztecs
09/14 @ Cal Golden Bears
09/21 vs. Florida A&M Rattlers
09/28 vs. Wisconsin Badgers
10/05 @ Northwestern Wildcats
10/19 vs. Iowa Hawkeyes
10/26 vs. Penn State Nittany Lions
11/02 @ Purdue Boilermakers
11/16 @ Illinois Fighting Illini
11/23 vs. Indiana Hoosiers
11/30 @ TSUN Wolverines
That's not a very daunting schedule. Hopefully we won't have the hiccups we had this past season because we should be stomping teams like Purdue and Indiana. The two teams on the schedule that I think have a real chance of beating the Buckeyes are Northwestern and TSUN.
The big issue is, with this schedule lacking a team that's going to be in the top ten of the AP Poll going into, and likely throughout the season, will the Buckeyes be able to make it over a one-loss SEC team.
Now in the history of the BCS, a one-loss team from an automatic qualifying conference (Big Ten, SEC, ACC, Pac 12, Big East) has never been awarded a spot in the BCS National Championship Game. However there was talk that if Ohio State had been bowl eligible this past season, they would have been jumped by a one-loss Alabama team because of the better strength of schedule. However we will never know, because Ohio State was not eligible for the BCS Poll due to their postseason ban last season.
If Ohio State runs the table and ends the season as the only undefeated team, I think they will play for the National Championship. You have to play the schedule in front of you. They can't help the fact that the Big Ten isn't as good as it was a few years ago. They can't do anything about the fact that Cal hasn't been all that great since Aaron Rodgers....and that's when Ohio State scheduled this home-and-home series, back when Cal looked like they'd be competing for Pac 10 titles. They can't help that the SEC is the darling conference of college football at the moment and their mid-tier teams get top-15 votes when they deserve to be in the 16-25 range.
Now if they go undefeated, and so do Notre Dame and an SEC team....then there's going to be a big controversy. I have no doubt that the SEC team will get into the game in that scenario.
The issue would be Ohio State and Notre Dame. The Irish schedule for the most part isn't all that daunting. They play TSUN, so do we. They play Michigan State and we don't, but I don't expect Sparty to be a factor in the Big Ten, and if they are we might play them in the Big Ten Championship Game. Notre Dame plays USC, but nobody knows how good they're going to be...they went from #1 to unranked this past season. However the two teams they play that could give them the edge over us would be the Oklahoma Sooners anf Stanford Cardinal. Those two teams are better than any team on the Ohio State schedule this season. That could give Notre Dame the edge.
I hope that scenario doesn't come to light. If it does, we'd be in the Rose Bowl. That's great...a BCS Bowl...the "Grandaddy of em All." Before the BCS, that's where any team from the Big Ten wanted to go, the premiere bowl game for the conference. Back then, if Ohio State was undefeated and won the Rose Bowl, they'd be claiming a National Championship. The BCS put a stop the that, there's only been one split National Championship since the BCS system came into place. Would a split National Championship be a possibility? Yeah, but also unlikely.
So who would I want in the BCS National Championship Game which takes place at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California? I want an SEC team. If I had to pick one, I'd want Florida.
Why Florida? This SEC dominance started when Ohio State lost to Florida 41-14 in the 2006 BCS National Championship Game (decided the champion of the 2005 season). Since then the SEC has had a team win the BCS National Championship every year since then, once having both the participants being from the conference. Florida won twice (including the game against Ohio State), Alabama three times, LSU once, and Auburn once.
Nothing would be sweeter way to end the BCS era of college football by not only defeating an SEC team, but beating the team that started their run....with the head coach who started that run being the Buckeyes head coach. It would bring a sweet closure to the BCS era, giving the Buckeyes their second title in the era and a 2-2 record in the big game.
When will Ohio State lose again? Hopefully we won't be finding out the answer to this anytime soon.
This year the team to get beat was the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, to a score of 42-14. They couldn't stop Alabama. They got rolled by the Crimson Tide. This game gave a new meaning to "Roll Tide."
There was only one team to end the football season without a single blemish on their record, the Ohio State Buckeyes. They finished third in the final AP Poll. This positions them well to potentially play for that crystal football next year, as long as they stay unbeaten.
I expect them to start the season in the top five, most likely the top three. The only two teams I can see starting the season in front of them would be Alabama and Notre Dame.
The whole Ohio State finishing undefeated part shouldn't be all that hard. Here is what our schedule looks like next season:
08/31 vs. Buffalo Bulls
09/07 vs. San Diego State Aztecs
09/14 @ Cal Golden Bears
09/21 vs. Florida A&M Rattlers
09/28 vs. Wisconsin Badgers
10/05 @ Northwestern Wildcats
10/19 vs. Iowa Hawkeyes
10/26 vs. Penn State Nittany Lions
11/02 @ Purdue Boilermakers
11/16 @ Illinois Fighting Illini
11/23 vs. Indiana Hoosiers
11/30 @ TSUN Wolverines
That's not a very daunting schedule. Hopefully we won't have the hiccups we had this past season because we should be stomping teams like Purdue and Indiana. The two teams on the schedule that I think have a real chance of beating the Buckeyes are Northwestern and TSUN.
The big issue is, with this schedule lacking a team that's going to be in the top ten of the AP Poll going into, and likely throughout the season, will the Buckeyes be able to make it over a one-loss SEC team.
Now in the history of the BCS, a one-loss team from an automatic qualifying conference (Big Ten, SEC, ACC, Pac 12, Big East) has never been awarded a spot in the BCS National Championship Game. However there was talk that if Ohio State had been bowl eligible this past season, they would have been jumped by a one-loss Alabama team because of the better strength of schedule. However we will never know, because Ohio State was not eligible for the BCS Poll due to their postseason ban last season.
If Ohio State runs the table and ends the season as the only undefeated team, I think they will play for the National Championship. You have to play the schedule in front of you. They can't help the fact that the Big Ten isn't as good as it was a few years ago. They can't do anything about the fact that Cal hasn't been all that great since Aaron Rodgers....and that's when Ohio State scheduled this home-and-home series, back when Cal looked like they'd be competing for Pac 10 titles. They can't help that the SEC is the darling conference of college football at the moment and their mid-tier teams get top-15 votes when they deserve to be in the 16-25 range.
Now if they go undefeated, and so do Notre Dame and an SEC team....then there's going to be a big controversy. I have no doubt that the SEC team will get into the game in that scenario.
The issue would be Ohio State and Notre Dame. The Irish schedule for the most part isn't all that daunting. They play TSUN, so do we. They play Michigan State and we don't, but I don't expect Sparty to be a factor in the Big Ten, and if they are we might play them in the Big Ten Championship Game. Notre Dame plays USC, but nobody knows how good they're going to be...they went from #1 to unranked this past season. However the two teams they play that could give them the edge over us would be the Oklahoma Sooners anf Stanford Cardinal. Those two teams are better than any team on the Ohio State schedule this season. That could give Notre Dame the edge.
I hope that scenario doesn't come to light. If it does, we'd be in the Rose Bowl. That's great...a BCS Bowl...the "Grandaddy of em All." Before the BCS, that's where any team from the Big Ten wanted to go, the premiere bowl game for the conference. Back then, if Ohio State was undefeated and won the Rose Bowl, they'd be claiming a National Championship. The BCS put a stop the that, there's only been one split National Championship since the BCS system came into place. Would a split National Championship be a possibility? Yeah, but also unlikely.
So who would I want in the BCS National Championship Game which takes place at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California? I want an SEC team. If I had to pick one, I'd want Florida.
Why Florida? This SEC dominance started when Ohio State lost to Florida 41-14 in the 2006 BCS National Championship Game (decided the champion of the 2005 season). Since then the SEC has had a team win the BCS National Championship every year since then, once having both the participants being from the conference. Florida won twice (including the game against Ohio State), Alabama three times, LSU once, and Auburn once.
Nothing would be sweeter way to end the BCS era of college football by not only defeating an SEC team, but beating the team that started their run....with the head coach who started that run being the Buckeyes head coach. It would bring a sweet closure to the BCS era, giving the Buckeyes their second title in the era and a 2-2 record in the big game.
When will Ohio State lose again? Hopefully we won't be finding out the answer to this anytime soon.
Monday, November 26, 2012
Taking A Rooting Interest in B1G Championship & Bowl Season
Listen Buckeye fans, we all need to take a rooting interest in the Big Ten Championship Game and the Big Ten bowl season. I know the rest of the fans in the conference are bitter over the Buckeyes going 12-0. I know we've been getting a lot of "What bowl game are the Buckeyes playing in? Oh yeah, their not!" garbage from the fans of teams we beat. I know the coaches didn't vote a single Buckeye offensive player for first team Big Ten.
It's true, the Big Ten doesn't have the togetherness that the SEC has. Part of what they have is because of "southern pride." You only see it in the SEC. You don't see it in any of the other big conferences. After the ACC Championship Game, you don't hear the fans chanting "ACC."
But here's the thing, we need the Big Ten to look good. We need them all to win their bowl games, especially if they are playing SEC teams.
For years everyone has said the Big Ten is down. That it's easy to go undefeated or suffer just one loss playing a Big Ten schedule. That if it comes to an undefeated Buckeye team and a one-loss SEC team, the Buckeyes should be left out.
And we don't play a tough out-of-conference schedule next season either.
v. Buffalo
v. San Diego State
@ California
v. Florida A&M
v. Wisconsin
@ Northwestern
Bye Week
v. Iowa
v. Penn State
@ Purdue
Bye Week
@ Illinois
v. Indiana
@ Michigan
Big Ten Championship Game (vs TBD, if we qualify)
That is next year's schedule. We need Wisconsin, Northwestern, and Michigan to look as good as possible going into next season because those are the three best teams we face. We need them ranked all year long.
So who do we want to win the B1G Championship Game? It's Nebraska vs Wisconsin, both teams that we defeated this season. Well for me, I want Nebraska to win the game. The Big Ten hasn't won a Rose Bowl Game since 2010 when Ohio State defeated Oregon. The past two Rose Bowls have featured Wisconsin getting defeated; in 2011 by Texas Christian and in 2012 by Oregon.
That's two straight years that the Big Ten lost the game. I don't think that Wisconsin will be able to defeat Stanford, the team I think will win the Pac 12 Championship and take on the Big Ten winner. I would much rather see new blood in the Rose Bowl, and that would be Nebraska. I think they could win the game, a BCS game in prime time. A game that's legendary and full of history. A game that if the Big Ten won, it would raise the Big Ten's profile.
Also, Nebraska isn't on the schedule next year so the only way we would face them would be in the Big Ten Championship Game. It would help the Buckeyes resume to make the final ever BCS National Championship Game if we defeated the defending Big Ten and Rose Bowl Champions.
Yeah, we face Wisconsin for sure next season (and every season since we share a division with them). But that's something we've done two years in a row now, and they aren't taken as seriously by the rest of the nation like Nebraska is.
As for the Big Ten bowl season, I know I won't enjoy rooting for the Big Ten teams due to how bitter their fans are. But we need to raise the profile of the Big Ten, and to do that we need the Big Ten to win some bowl games.
The only bowl eligible teams in the Big Ten are Nebraska, Wisconsin, Michigan, Northwestern, Purdue, Michigan State, and Minnesota. The first four can win their bowl games, the last three I am not so sure about. If Nebraska, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Northwestern can win their bowls, it will make this conference look good.
So I am going to suck it up and root for these teams to win their bowl games, knowing that next year our team can kick them in the mouth by going undefeated, and defeating all of them. And then, we can throw some salt in the wound by winning the BCS National Championship. So go Big Ten!
It's true, the Big Ten doesn't have the togetherness that the SEC has. Part of what they have is because of "southern pride." You only see it in the SEC. You don't see it in any of the other big conferences. After the ACC Championship Game, you don't hear the fans chanting "ACC."
But here's the thing, we need the Big Ten to look good. We need them all to win their bowl games, especially if they are playing SEC teams.
For years everyone has said the Big Ten is down. That it's easy to go undefeated or suffer just one loss playing a Big Ten schedule. That if it comes to an undefeated Buckeye team and a one-loss SEC team, the Buckeyes should be left out.
And we don't play a tough out-of-conference schedule next season either.
v. Buffalo
v. San Diego State
@ California
v. Florida A&M
v. Wisconsin
@ Northwestern
Bye Week
v. Iowa
v. Penn State
@ Purdue
Bye Week
@ Illinois
v. Indiana
@ Michigan
Big Ten Championship Game (vs TBD, if we qualify)
That is next year's schedule. We need Wisconsin, Northwestern, and Michigan to look as good as possible going into next season because those are the three best teams we face. We need them ranked all year long.
So who do we want to win the B1G Championship Game? It's Nebraska vs Wisconsin, both teams that we defeated this season. Well for me, I want Nebraska to win the game. The Big Ten hasn't won a Rose Bowl Game since 2010 when Ohio State defeated Oregon. The past two Rose Bowls have featured Wisconsin getting defeated; in 2011 by Texas Christian and in 2012 by Oregon.
That's two straight years that the Big Ten lost the game. I don't think that Wisconsin will be able to defeat Stanford, the team I think will win the Pac 12 Championship and take on the Big Ten winner. I would much rather see new blood in the Rose Bowl, and that would be Nebraska. I think they could win the game, a BCS game in prime time. A game that's legendary and full of history. A game that if the Big Ten won, it would raise the Big Ten's profile.
Also, Nebraska isn't on the schedule next year so the only way we would face them would be in the Big Ten Championship Game. It would help the Buckeyes resume to make the final ever BCS National Championship Game if we defeated the defending Big Ten and Rose Bowl Champions.
Yeah, we face Wisconsin for sure next season (and every season since we share a division with them). But that's something we've done two years in a row now, and they aren't taken as seriously by the rest of the nation like Nebraska is.
As for the Big Ten bowl season, I know I won't enjoy rooting for the Big Ten teams due to how bitter their fans are. But we need to raise the profile of the Big Ten, and to do that we need the Big Ten to win some bowl games.
The only bowl eligible teams in the Big Ten are Nebraska, Wisconsin, Michigan, Northwestern, Purdue, Michigan State, and Minnesota. The first four can win their bowl games, the last three I am not so sure about. If Nebraska, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Northwestern can win their bowls, it will make this conference look good.
So I am going to suck it up and root for these teams to win their bowl games, knowing that next year our team can kick them in the mouth by going undefeated, and defeating all of them. And then, we can throw some salt in the wound by winning the BCS National Championship. So go Big Ten!
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