Fiesta Bowl

For the 5th time in 7 years my Ohio State Buckeyes are in the Fiesta Bowl in Arizona. This year they are matched up with the University of Texas, a fellow heavyweight in college football lore, success and tradition. These same two teams matched up in a home and home in 2005 and 2006, each team winning on the road. So this could be considered a grudge match. A rubber match if you will.

This season Texas is far and away the better team. In some circles they are considered a better representative in the BCS title game than their Big 12 brethren, Oklahoma. Meanwhile, Ohio State solidified its reputation as an overrated, over hyped program that can't win the big game. They had feasted on inferior competition in the Big Ten (1-5 in bowl games this year as a conference) but blew two opportunities to earn notable victories against USC and Penn State (the one Big Ten team that could be considered competitive). In fact, they were dominated by USC on the national stage in all aspects of the game.

So the task is monumental for my Buckeyes of Ohio State. For the record, I see this game as a 37-6 victory for the Longhorns of Texas. But I have been horrible at predicting anything recently. Secondly, the Buckeyes were in a similar position in the 2003 Fiesta Bowl against the Miami Hurricanes and came out victorious. The reverse occurred against Florida in 2007. Also, nobody saw Alabama's loss to Utah in the Sugar Bowl this year (except my friend Chris who called it along with upsets in every other BCS bowl game). Speaking of Alabama, they also stunned the college football world when they won the national championship against Miami after the 1992 season. My point is, upsets happen. It could happen here despite my doubts.

IF it were to happen though, here is what would have to happen to make it happen:

1)Chris Wells needs to have a big game. This is three pronged.

First, the Bucks need to control the game. Texas and Heisman Trophy runner up Colt McCoy (by the way, how perfect is it that the Longhorn QB is named Colt McCoy and comes from a small town deep in the heart of Texas?) have an explosive offense. The more the ball is out of their hands, the better for OSU. Running Wells can control the clock.

Second, there is a debate out there that the Big 12's defenses are weak. The games were so high scoring that, while many looked at the offenses as explosive, others wondered out loud if the defenses were just bad. You won't hear ESPN say that, but dig further. Regardless, the front four of Texas IS really good. The Buckeyes' offensive line has had all kinds of trouble pass blocking good, fast defensive lines like that of Texas. So how do you combat this? Run. They have had an easier time run blocking than pass blocking, so they need to run it.

Finally, Wells is good. He can run with success. When he runs with success, it opens things up for freshman QB Terrelle Pryor to run as well. The double threat of Pryor and Wells could wreak havoc for the Longhorns if they can keep them guessing like the former Longhorn, Vince Young used to do on a routine basis with much success.

2)Terrelle Pryor needs to have his best game.

As I mentioned in the first point, the Buckeyes' offensive line is terrible when it comes to pass blocking. This is one of several reasons Tressel pulled senior QB Todd Boeckman for the true freshman Pryor. This is against the "Tressel Rule." He is loyal to his seniors to a fault. He'd prefer red shirt all of his freshmen and allow them to grow before he throws them in the battle. But it became glaringly apparent that Boeckman was not going to be able to succeed with so much pressure in his face. Pryor and his "escape-ability" and athleticism needed to get in there if they were to salvage any kind of season after the humiliating loss to USC. Pryor delivered. He made some outstanding plays. He also made some freshmen mistakes, but these will reap benefits next year as he learns. If Pryor was able to take this past month to work on his faults and tweek some things and learn some things, he could have a coming out party in the Fiesta Bowl like Troy Smith did against Michigan and then Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl of 2006. If Pryor can get out of the pocket and make smart decisions like throwing it away, hitting his 2nd or 3rd options or running when it is there, the Buckeyes will score more than the 6 I predicted.

3)Somehow, some way, the defense MUST show up. The defensive line played better later in the year but we don't know if that is a function of improvement or weak competition. I still feel the linebackers are extremely overrated. Texas' offense is AWESOME. If the Buckeyes are able to pull off an upset, the defense HAS to somehow play out of its mind. If they give McCoy enough time to throw and they are unable to stuff the run consistently, Texas could drop 60 on them. It could be ugly.

4)The coaching staff can't play the same old schemes. It was quoted all over ESPN and local radio. USC players all said the Bucks played exactly how the film showed. There was nothing surprising, nothing new. There were no wrinkles. It is difficult enough to beat a team as talented and successful as Texas. If they are going to go into Arizona thinking they can play another predictable game plan, they are dead wrong. You can't show you hand hand and think you are going to win the pot.

5) They are going to have to want it more. The Bucks need to play with passion. They need to come out and hit hard. They need to bully Texas around. The Bucks still don't have much speed. The Big Ten as a whole has shown this bowl season that they are lacking in speed away from the skill positions. But the Big Ten never has been known for speed. The Big Ten is known for toughness and size. So they need to use that to their advantage. They need to beat up and beat down the Longhorns in the trenches and everywhere else. Make the hits hurt. Push them around. Don't be afraid to mix it up a little. Like I wrote before, pound Wells down their throat repeatedly. Be mean. I'm tired of getting beat. They should be too. Take it out on Texas!

6) Don't lose the obvious stuff. Field position, turnovers and special teams. As always with any team that isn't the runaway favorite, they need to win the battle of field position and turnovers. Mistakes need to be limited because there is no margin for error and field position slants the field in their favor. Special teams are always the "X" factor. If they can block a kick (field goal or punt) or run one back, things can quickly tilt in their favor as well. This is pretty much a given for any underdog anytime.

Six things that MUST, absolutely MUST happen if there is any, slight chance for Ohio State to pull out a much needed victory. It would be a victory that could begin the journey back into respectability.

Wait, no. The haters will come up with some excuse about how they were lucky and didn't deserve the win and are still a joke. That we can count on.

Observations on an average football Saturday

I attended the Ohio St. versus Troy game today with a friend of mine and enjoyed it thoroughly. Once again, I was able to take in the sights and events of gameday on OSU's campus. I still love the sound of the band, the electricity of the crowd, the annoying OH-IO cheer, the radio stations broadcasting live, the flags waving atop the stadium, the roar of the crowd, the ringing of the victory bell after we won, the traditional singing of "Carmen Ohio" at the end of the game and all the stadium food and snacks.

One thing I learned today was that Terrelle Pryor is the future of this football team and shows a ton of promise. Granted, that is probably the kiss of death coming from my lips but he looked pretty darn good. There were numerous freshman mistakes mixed in with some Houdini like escapes and nice throws, but nothing he can't learn from after some tutoring and film study. A couple calls to Craig Krenzel may help too so that he can learn how to throw the ball away at certain times.

What impressed me the most is how he was able to escape pressure and maintain his view down field to get to the open receiver. Obviously he can run well, we already knew that. His leadership and the uncoachable ability to get your players to rally behind you (A trait that separated Troy Smith from Justin Zwick from the get go), are things that I was curious to see. Also, I wanted to see how strong of an arm he had and how accurate he would be with it. Accuracy is still a question mark but arm strength isn't. These are things that can be shored up as he plays out this year and learns on the job. Playing through the Big Ten season will be invaluable as he works on reading defenses and making adjustments. Mistakes will come, but I can deal with these growing pains this year.

I mean would that be much different than Todd Boeckman making mistakes back there?



My brother and I were talking this evening about the LSU v. Auburn game taking place as I write this. The atmosphere of a SEC night game is phenomenal. We thought back how every Saturday night there is a great SEC game on tv. How awesome is that conference? I hate them for dominating my team but that doesn't mean I can't respect and appreciate what they have down there. Man, to be at a game like that. You just don't get that in the Big Ten that often. OSU v. Michigan is the closest the Big Ten has to this type of game I suppose, but even that is cold and in the early afternoon. I do recall the OSU v. Texas game which was early in the year and at night was similar too. But over the whole Big Ten? It doesn't really happen.


I am recovering nicely from the USC embarrassment I think. It is like having your balloon burst as a little kid. The initial shock sucks. We knew this was coming, but I was hoping it wouldn't come yet. Let's face it, this defense is overrated and the offense, especially with Boeckman, is not very good (Beanie or no Beanie). But now that the balloon has burst and reality has set in, I kind of feel relieved. I can relax now. I can just sit back and enjoy football without the nervous anxiety over my team. The reality has been for a good two or more seasons that watching Buckeye games has been hard work. The fun was gone. I mean it was a no win situation really. Think about it. We needed the Buckeyes to win EVERY game. If they lost it was disaster. Shoot, even if they won sometimes you felt like we lost when the win wasn't convincing enough. The optimal result, a convincing win, wasn't even that satisfying because it was what was supposed to happen. It was like shooting par. All it meant was we lived to see another day. That is hard to do for two plus seasons. Now we can just sit back at 13 and quietly go about our season while the national media hones their ultra critical, anti-Buckeye spotlight on other programs out there. (Well, maybe. They still enjoy poking fun at us any chance they get) We can still play for another Big Ten title and a BCS bowl which is cool. Like my brother said, maybe we could get a shot at another SEC team and an opportunity to shut up all those fans. Then next year, a seasoned Pryor and fresh defense (hopefully new defensive coordinator) can come out and put the rest if our demons to rest with some big wins.



Here is another annoying pet peeve I have: girls that say "Ohhhhhhh my God you guys." Or sometimes it may go, "Oh my Goooooooood, you guys."


Have you noticed a negative tone in my posts of late? I have not been feeling positive at all. That is probably a really bad thing. I am only making things worse but I swear I am just ticked off. Sigh.

Watch Me Spin This

I just heard the good news today. Not able to detect tone over the written word I will make it clear that first sentence was written with sarcasm. The good news is that the Buckeye's star running back, Chris Wells is now doubtful for the big match up against USC in sunny southern Californi-a this Saturday night at 8pm on ABC.

Wonderful. This game wasn't going to be difficult enough already WITH Wells. But of course did we really buy that he was going to play anyway? Didn't we all know this was Tressel's standard, textbook procedure? You know, use the media as your ally to throw out smokescreens, keeping the opponent in the dark regarding their upcoming game against you. This is what he does. He answers questions with long series of sentences that answers nothing. He is the professor at that. It is to the point that I actually love that about him. He does not have quite the angst of Bill Belichick, former Cleveland Browns head coach and current "coaching great" (uuuuugh) in New England whose fans have been just so torchered, but he comes from the same school of vagueness and not showing his hand.

So now the battered Bucks go into the hornets nest to take on the mighty Trojans. But I still think the Wells injury is good. No, I'm not going to bash Wells for his newest display of his lack of manliness. I mean I am sitting here whining about a bump and bruise in my leg, so who am I to question one's toughness? I have a reason independent of him.

My reason to be glad Wells is out begins here. We were not going to win this game against USC in my mind with or without Wells. Conventional wisdom says Wells presence makes a difference, my wisdom says he doesn't. This is a lost cause. My reasons were already laid out here in my earlier post after the Ohio University game. If you watched the last two BCS title games you should be able to gather your own evidence.

The only way the Bucks were going to pull this game out would be if the defense somehow had a game plan that worked (you listening Heacock?). One that abandons the zone read crap that got us burnt against Florida and LSU. A defense that attacks and takes the game to USC instead of having the game taken to them. They are not going to get by on pure talent this time despite having so much. Regardless of a good running game or not, Boeckman has to play Krenzel like and operate the offense effectively and efficiently. I don't trust that he can. But even with Wells there, he would have to do that to a certain extent to win.

Getting to the reason why I am looking at Wells' absence as a good thing.... If we (deal with the "we." I know I don't play for them. I get that. But I paid....errrr still paying, a ton of money to get my degree there and I am a tax paying citizen of the state that the university represents so I can say we. Not to mention the heart and soul I put into this team and money I spend on tickets and merchandise) somehow pull off an upset like the '03 Fiesta Bowl and "shock the world," a term used way too often these days, we can now look every stinking, SEC fan, general college football fan, USC fan and Big Ten, OSU haters in the eye and say.....we just went into the house of the #1 team all the way on the west coast, obviously overmatched, without our best player and KICKED THEIR ASS!!!!!!! Now what do you have to say?!

The only thing better would be if we really did kick their ass.

But I don't see it happening.
USC 48 OSU 6