""A year ago, when Ohio State-USC promised to be a battle of the game's best linebacking corps, James Laurinaitis and Rey Maualuga graced the marquee. This season, the game shifts to the banks of the Olentangy River, and with it the spotlight shifts to a pair of young quarterbacks.
The clash could be a defining game for both Ohio State sophomore Terrelle Pryor and USC freshman Matt Barkley. Pryor, who took over the starting job after last season's 35-3 loss to the Trojans, can assert himself as one of the nation's elite quarterbacks and vault himself into the Heisman discussion.""
Can't wait for this game!!! This could be a huge win!
I think Terrel needs a huge game and our defense has to play spot on! If we can get pressure on that young QB of theirs we should be able to win this... if their line protects him then I think he could pick us apart.
hahah thanks dawg - it's nice ot be back on the boards - lots of catching up to do... I probably won't be on as much as I use to be but hojpefully checking in from time to time!!!
Should be online tomorrow for the game though! Should be a good one!
USC must have something going for it to be ranked #3, but I think people are underestimating the pressure on USC's true freshman QB, Barkley. He has never played in a venue like the Horseshoe, or in a game of this magnitude. Common sense tells you he will have some hiccups. Add to that, the Trojans lost all 4 starting LB's to the draft (Maualuga, Cushing, Matthews, Maiava) and it's conceivable there could be some running room for Pryor, Saine, Herron (and whoever is the Buckeyes "Next-Great-RB").
I understand why the Trojans are favored, but 7-1/2 points on the road, at the 'Shoe? I also don't really get all the posters expecting a beatdown. A loss, sure, but a rout? I don't see it.
One of the keys will be OSU's DL vs USC's OL. If USC owns the line of scrimmage and establishes their run game early, it could take the crowd out of the game. Thaddeus Gibson, et al, have to come up big today. If the game is up for grabs late, I think it could very well swing in the Buckeyes favor on a rookie mistake by Barkley.
Anyway ... that's my story, and I'm stickin' to it.
Last week OSU squeaked by Navy at home, and this week they play a team which is 10 times better then Navy in USC, with that said, I see the score being 35-7 USC. USC's Freshman QB will play solid but OSU will not be able to stop USC's running game.
I wish OSU luck tonight and hope the score is not as lop sided as I think it will be, but their talent doesn't come close to equaling USC's so I just don't see this game being close. Enjoy the game fans of either team.
Just a "gut feeling" but I think both teams play to the level of competition tonight. No blow out.. should be a good game that makes you hold it until the time out to RUN for the bathroom
IF by some magical chance OSU wins I expect them to win every other game and go to the NC game. USC is easily the toughest team we will face for awhile.
Quote: IF by some magical chance OSU wins I expect them to win every other game and go to the NC game. USC is easily the toughest team we will face for awhile.
Penn State at night in Happy Valley is not exactly a cake walk either. I agree USC is the toughest team....but that might be the toughest test.
Either way, we gotta get through tonight for that to even matter (well, it'll still likely decide the RoseBowl)
OSU needs to avoid getting hit in the mouth. I saw them playing on their heels the Navy game. I get the impression that they're better than what they showcased last week.
Interesting take, though I don't see that OSU played on their heels against Navy, I saw a team that couldn't stop the run, and when you play USC not only are you going to see a good running team, better then Navy but they will have a passing game much superior then Navy even with a Freshman QB. I see OSU needing to play a near perfect game to stay close, and to win they need the ball to bounce their way more times then not.
I know most think I hate OSU and my comments are bias but really, these are just my feelings even though I don't even hate OSU like some believe. I wish for a good game, but have a feeling I will be asleep by half since the game will overall be a bore. I hope otherwise, but OSU doesn't show me much to really be considered a threat in this match up.
Quote: when you play USC not only are you going to see a good running team, better then Navy but
If you actually watched college football instead of just running your mouth in OSU threads(oh yea Jaft,BTW you going to claim a team yet?) you would know that NAVY has had the top running attack in college football for the past several years.
Its about balance though and USC is a good team all the way through(as the generally are every year). Not to say they are unbeatable but the Bucks are going to have to make some big plays to have a shot at this one. I hope with all the youngsters we have they do not come out with wide eyes under the lights of primetime national TV.
Comparing Navy or Armies running attack to a USC or other top 25 school is ludacris, sure Navy, Army and Air Force are top of the rushing rankings every year.
They have schedules weaker than most MAC teams, thet run the ball 50+ times a game, of course they are gonna be at the top.
That doesn't mean their running attack is even in the same breath as USC. USC has twice the athletes, and a veteran OL that is alot better than anything Navy puts on the field. The Bucks were that bad last week, fans on here wanna beleive Navy is that good, and that their running attack is something special.
We better play alot better this week, and our OL better play twice as good or this wont be a game. Navy is a bad team, and they caught the Bucks playing bad.
The point was that Navy has had some sucess running the ball over the past few years and the point was also that Jaft always makes a point of coming to OSU threads and trashing the bucks when he himself admits he doesnt know anything about college football and he refuses to claim any team. Je is nothing but a troll.
If we didn't respond that way I think we would have been in for a long night!!!! Let's see how our defense does when we give them a full field to play with!!!!
Out of curiosity. Does it bother you that Pete Carroll goes for it in this situation, without hesitation, and that Tressel will kick the FG without hesitation?
That wasn't trying to be a jerk. That's a seriuos question. A lot of Ohio State fans I know complain about Tressel being too conservative...
So are you saying Tress is unpredictable? Would it be better if he did exactly what is expected at all times so the other team knows exactly what he is going to do?
He took a shot,it bit us in the ass a little. There have been times when it has paid off.Thats just how it goes.
Well so far it looks like the book on this game was dead wrong.
Everyone thought that Pryor would need to dominate, but OSU as a team has manned up very well despite Pryor playing mediocure.
Everyone thought Barkley would either play decent and win, or buckle under preassure and give OSU a chance. He's played well and shown poise, but it turns out that special teams have been where inexperience has hurt the most witha saftey by the punter.
Everyone thought that USCs oline and backs would dominate, despite Ohio's strong defensive line, but our line has held up very well so far and our linebackers have made some strong plays.
Right now the score is 15 to 10 Buckeyes! With 5 minuntes left in the 3rd... Whoohoo!
I'm sorry but I think the game has passed Tressell by. How many chances has he had to put the nail in the coffin and here we sit watching a freshmen drive for the winning score.....
Oh, Terrel Pryor is over rated ... missed two should a been TD passes.
I was actually going to ask if anybody thought he might get canned on Monday considering that coaching cost them this game, and almost cost them the game against Navy.
Dude chill out. Barkley was crap, and Joe McNight beat us on that last drive. The media is going to talk about how great Barkley was on that last drive, but he made 1 throw to the TE (Hollman got used on that last drive in both the big plays). The other completion was a screen pass that McNight took for a ton of yards by himself. They ran the ball down our throat finally, and MB had very little to do with it.
Overall, I thought we played as well as we could defensively, but it was a matter of time before JM broke us down. You can't expect to win against USC and only score 15 points......it ain;t happening.
However, I will agree that Pryor has to improve. He is still throwing off his back foot entirely too much, and it causes him to be inaccurate. The biggest reason we lost was our inability to run the ball. We don't have a stud RB this year, and this OL isn't good enough to open huge holes consistantly. Tressel's (and thus tOSU's) biggest problem the past few years has been his inability to recruit a stud OL. We just don't have a dominate OL like we had in the late 90's or early 2000's.
That said I see this team getting between 10-11 wins, and probably getting the Trojans in a rematch at the Rose Bowl.
i've always thought tressel was waay to conservative ..but i think the biggest issue OSU has right now is no QB, sorry, pryor isn't even an average QB..now i think had he'd chosen michigan over OSU, he's be a heisman candidate...That offense is def. more his style, right now he's a square peg in a round hole with this offense...i mean seriously, let this kid play a little more loose, i swear tressel makes them all wear sweater vests under their uniforms..
I'm sick of watching this team constantly getting outcoached.
A bit strong there, but you have a point. Tressel just doesn't seem to want to put the nails in the coffin.....early on when they were really controlling the LOS, he ran right right into the crowd on first down 4 consecutive times and it resulted in 3 and outs. It reminded me of Mo Carthon's crayon playbook. Pryor's still playing like a nervous freshman.....and what happened to all that work he supposedly did on his passing game?
The defense held USC to a TD and a fieldgoal (I'm excusing the TD off of the interception). They played well enough to spank the Trojans.
Quote: That said I see this team getting between 10-11 wins, and probably getting the Trojans in a rematch at the Rose Bowl.
I honestelly don't know considering how mentally weak this team is in clutch situations. I'm sorry guys OSU is good but nowhere close to elite yet. USC played like an elite team tonight. I can't take pride in winning the big 10 anymore.
In the end, it all comes back to Tressel though. If you'd agree that some Asst. coaches need to go, then that's still Tressel's fault. It's Tressel's job to get rid of the problem guys...
Quote: Rose Bowl is the BCS championship bowl this year so I doubt we see that.
The Rose Bowl is still played. In this format it's the first BCS Bowl Game played then the BCS Championship is played there a week later.
The other point I want to make is that both teams played poorly. It was poor execution and it didn't look like either of the teams wanted to win before that drive. I don't know what the average starting position was for Ohio State but it seemed like they were starting on USC's end of the field a lot.
To only score 15 points in that game is pathetic. And for USC to only score 18 on us was bad. There were plays to be made out there. Both teams left them on the field.
And for the throwing off the back foot comment....there was at least a half dozen times he threw where he didn't even have a back foot LOL. Like standing there flipping the ball with his feet less than shoulder length directly under his body. U...G...L...Y
You spend way too much time worrying about a team you hate..lol. We lost to a better team, but JT wasn't out coached at all. He had a team with less talent in a position to win at the end of the game.............how is that getting out coached?? If you want to say he got out coached in the Florida game I can concur. However, it's hard to say that JT was out coached when most of the "gurus" including you had us losing by multiple scores.
We lost to a team that was more talented period. If you want to blame JT for not out recruiting PC then ok, but that's an entirely different argument as most (if not all) coaches lose that battle.
and you'd be wrong...lol. We have a QB who isn't an accomplished passer yet. We have a OL that can not open huge holes for our very avg. running backs to run through. Sorry, but we aren't a very good offensive team. It doesn't matter how good the play calling is if you don't have the personnel your screwed. Your not going to beat USC scoring 15 points, and your not scoring much more than that with this O (and I expect it to be better by season's end...lot's of pups growing up) against a very good D.
I actually thing PC got out coached or this would have been a blowout. They had the JM mismatch all game long, but didn't utilize it until the final drive. MB was money on those comback routes, but they didn't use it with any regularity. JT isn't the reason we lost, but rather a very young O that just isn't good enough yet to win these kinds of games. Now if we play again in January (and I believe we'll win out and do that) and we see the same game then your right.............of coarse it won't be playcalling, but rather his inability to grow the pups.
Quote: and you'd be wrong...lol. We have a QB who isn't an accomplished passer yet. We have a OL that can not open huge holes for our very avg. running backs to run through. Sorry, but we aren't a very good offensive team. It doesn't matter how good the play calling is if you don't have the personnel your screwed. Your not going to beat USC scoring 15 points, and your not scoring much more than that with this O (and I expect it to be better by season's end...lot's of pups growing up) against a very good D.
I actually thing PC got out coached or this would have been a blowout. They had the JM mismatch all game long, but didn't utilize it until the final drive. MB was money on those comback routes, but they didn't use it with any regularity. JT isn't the reason we lost, but rather a very young O that just isn't good enough yet to win these kinds of games. Now if we play again in January (and I believe we'll win out and do that) and we see the same game then your right.............of coarse it won't be playcalling, but rather his inability to grow the pups.
They won with a freshman QB with a bum right elbow.
We didn't win because I don't think Tressel or anyone on the coaching staff knows how to properly use Pryor so he just tries to run the same old offense.
I'm done with Tressel until they either hire an offensive coordinator to take his playcalling duties or until he is fired. This team is turning into Llllloyd Carr run Michigan teams.
I think the blame goes on Pryor sadly. The kid struggles again against a good team in a clutch situation. It's just this time he didn't have beanie to bail him out in the running game.
What do you want them to run?? You do realize TP was in the shotgun for more snaps tonight than he was under center. We also ran the option on a number of plays, but the yardage wasn't there (see OL's failure in running game post above). He was given plenty of opportunities to run the ball, but it wasn't successful.
If there isn't any growth in the offense (which will allow us to open up the playbook some more) by season's end then I will agree with you that JT needs to go. I just am willing to give him time to develop an O that is made up of mostly sophmores making there 2nd start.
J/C. I do not blame Pryor at all. We have a playbook that seems to not cover two pages. Someone needs to tell Jim to turn to page 3. Inside the 10 twice? Yeah Pryor is not a stud "QB" yet. But Pryor can skip into the endzone backwards if you spread the defense out at the goal line. I don't care who is shadowing him. We should have won this game by 17 points. Then the pressure would not have been on the D at all at the end of the game.
Plenty of blame to go around and, sorry, Pryor gets his share.
Pryor needs to make better decisions with the ball. Too many bad INTs and balls that should have been INTs.
Run the kid in the option more. That's what he is best at. He's Michael Vick , not Tom Brady.
Tressel, in a big game, at home, take a chance once in a while. And for God's sake when you have a chance to put your heel on an opponent's throat, do it. Please, just once.
OSU is a good team. I will always root for them. But with the current make up of staff and players they will never be BCS championship material. Sad.
Terelle Pryor isn't ready just yet. - I blame him entirely for the loss.
-He threw a key interception which led to a USC touchdown.
- So many times during the game and notably prior to USC's last drive, we had the ball at midfield and TP couldn't convert a couple first downs to set us up for a field goal.
- We had over a minute to work with after USC went ahead and TP couldn't keep his composure. - Intenional grounding to start off the drive.
This one is Terrelle Pryor's fault.
However, in spite of all this, I think Pryor has a bright future at Ohio State. - He's a sophomore and is going to need to play and lose games like this in order to grow. He's already been a part of a couple tough losses (PSU, Tex) and will get better as the season goes along.
Let's focus on beating Penn State and Michigan.
Cheer up guys - imagine how Oklahoma State fans feel right now.
Quote: Terrell Pryor has really regressed in his mechanics and footwork. It was like watching Tarvaris Jackson play QB.
I can't believe how bad the footwork was. AWFUL.
He's got no shot of playing QB in the NFL playing like that.
I just read the EXACT same post on JJHuddle . . . lol . . . great minds thinking alike??
And I would agree, athletic he is, knowing what to do with that athleticism is another thing. I have come to the conclusion he would be better off as a wideout. His mechanics were bad. He had some nice throws but some isn't enough.
As for Tressel, he coached a typical game. Do enough to be competitive, but not enough to win. WHY, WHY would you not Blitz the hell out of a freshman QB? They Blitzed a more athletic QB in Pryor and my goodness . . . it worked . . .
Quote: Plenty of blame to go around and, sorry, Pryor gets his share.
Yes otto ,you are right. One day the so called football gurus will come to the realization that the blame for a loss or the credit for a win can not come down to one person or coach, Even if a certain player scores a game winning play their are many people who played a part in that play and many people played a part in putting the team in the situation to make that play or for that play to even matter.
We lost a tough game to a better team,Pryor can take some of the blame. Overall he did not play well. I think the defense played well enough to put the team in a position to win but the offense sputtered under T Pry. His mechanics are horrible and his decision making was bad too.
In the end it came down to overall they were a little better of a team than us. Werent they expected to be? I hate to lose but damn i dont see how we can feel too bad about it considering how young and inexperienced we are. Hopefully some of those young guys will continue to learn and develop.
I was thinking the same thing last night about blitzing the rookie. On 2nd and 19 from the 6 yd line, it looked like OSU went into a prevent D, leaving LB Ross Homan to cover Joe McKnight - a dream matchup for USC. That play was pivotal in the drive. For nearly 55 minutes you thwarted a good offense loading the box - their Offense had "earned" 3 points. Why on earth would you go away from what had worked all game long? If you're going to do anything different, it should have been to ratchet up the pressure on Barkley with a blitz package of some kind. Who knows, maybe you get a safety, or a holding call that results in a safety.
Its like a broken record being a sports fan around here ... Happy Groundhog Day, everyone.
I can't believe that I was hearing other Bucks fans being happy that we "competed" and get it close. That just affirms what talking heads are saying that we have lost of prominence as a true power house. Kirk said last night that the Bucks proved they can play with the big boys...WHAT?!?! Its come to that? I think the attitude for the team "we almost beat Texas and USC".
First drive for USC, Pete Carroll went for on 4th and goal.....that attitude, that aggressiveness is lacking in Columbus. Its been beat to death, but the Vest has been getting his butt handed to him on a fork every time we play a team that isnt in the big10.
General reply to making Pryor being the main reason for the loss. Yes Pryor played bad. Bad desicions Bad mechanics, etc... Neither QB rocked the postiton last night. But Pryor has to run the plays given to him. Stop forcing the kid to not do what he does best. And work on the other stuff in the meanwhile. Also the offensive play calling we have here at is not what any "elite" team in any of the big conferences run "exclusively". Where is the imagination? But I suppose you are all right. Maybe if Pryor starts to execute the "vanilla" plays. Tressell and crew will pull out some "elite worthy" plays and all will be sunny in Buckeye land again. I won't hold my breath.
I might be the only one who feels this way but I was VERY impressed by the defense for the first 58 minutes. USC would only earned 3 points if it wasn't for the cheap INT and great field position. The D-line played out of their mind even though the secondary was picked apart. Brian Rolle is going to be our next stud superstar LB.
Also most importantly OSU should be ELITE next year. All we lose is Jim Cordle, Ballard, Russell, Worthington and Kurt Coleman
Agreed the D did what they had to do to win. Minus the last dirve ... I do not know what they were doing there. IMO it would not have mattered had we scored TD's when we were standing in the foyer. I expect to be elite by the end of THIS year.
You guys hung with probably the best team in college football, could have beat them when most pundits say they're clearly better than OSU, and now you want the coach fired after game 2?
LMAO Was that a reply in general? Or to me? I never said anything about firing anyone. But I would like to see some creative playcalling on the offensive side of the ball. We do arguably have the biggest gamebreaker on ANY college football team. Is that too much to ask for?
this one hurts a lot....and I too blame Tressel. He continues with the same tired game plan and the opposition makes adjustments to win. W.W. Hayes wrote a book titled "You win with People". J. Tressel's book should be "You win with Punters". Although it worked for a good portion of the game, pinning USC deep and limiting their offense, it also cost OSU the game. Late in the game, he opted to punt rather than go for it on fourth and short which would have put us within field goal range and an 8 point lead. Instead, well, you all know the rest. I'm not saying the game has passed him by, but it's all too clear that he's too stubborn to see what changes need made. One thing about Cooper. He went through a ton of assistant coaches and their different philosophies as they took jobs and/or promotions at other schools. This kept the Buckeye's evolving and fresh. Tressel has a buddy relationship with his O and D coordinators. This is why they are so predictable and beatable. I'm sorry to say it because I love J.T., but there needs to be changes made or else Tressel must go.
Just a general reply/post,...placing blame at all is just wrong. They didn't win, so what.
The problem is, you can barely afford to lose a single game anymore in college football and still realistically be in the Title Hunt, unless a lot of other folks lose twice. It is what it is without a playoff. That performance last night, in light of what the media told us all month, should move them UP in the polls--but it won't.
Jim Tressel is doing a great job. He makes mistakes; he is human. Pryor is young -- he is learning. Expecting him to be Johnny Unitas is unfair and unwarranted.
Am I happy Ohio State can't get over the hump -- no. But I think it is better to be a team that has it's bike always perched at that next obstacle jump, than to be a team that is spinning its wheels in the sand.
Speaking of sand,...
We have lost 4,000 in uniform fighting wars that may or may not be justified. I try to keep that in perspective while I'm ripping my guts out figuring out just what's so dang wrong with Ohio State ??
Well, I like most of you are hurting and frustrated after another collapse at the end. They bring pressure all game, hit them square in the chops like they needed to, and play back on that last drive. What was even worse was the Buckeyes final drive This hasn't been the first time people have questioned the playcalling and reasoning behind some thing, but it's also easy to do after the fact. Tress was brought in to beat Michigan at first and anything after that was a bonus. Now the bar is set extremely high and yes he hasn't delivered in the bigger games. It was a tough hard fought game last night for sure, but none of that matters unless you are the one on top of the scoreboard at the end. Hey if you took OSU, you won betting wise last night
Quote: Tress was brought in to beat Michigan at first and anything after that was a bonus. Now the bar is set extremely high and yes he hasn't delivered in the bigger games.
That is true and false. I've been watching Osu football since the late 80's, and the expectations have always been Rose bowl, big 10 champs, and in most years championship contenders. Cooper had some sick squads in the 90's. If I'm correct 93, 95, 96, 97, and 98 teams were in position to win a championship going into the michigan game. The 98 team was the only one to beat michigan that year. If cooper split his games against michigan he would probably have won at least 2 championships. There's no doubt he wass a better recruiter than tressel. Tress gets the ohio kids, but they're not as good as they use to be. Go look at some of those teams in the 90's. I guarantee you we wouldn't have been embarrased like tressel has been in big games lately.Cooper probably loses to florida too, but I don't think we lose 41-14. Cooper built teams like sec teams. Good o-lines, d-lines, and a great secondary. Not saying I want cooper back, but I don't think tress is much better.
Just have Cooper go to the houses of all the kids in the talent rich states like Texas (where he got David Boston), California, FL, etc. and just have Jim handle the Michigan game every year and recruit in-state boys for the "family atmosphere". I love Tressel but the Vest needs to win a big game soon. A road win at PSU would be HUGE. That will be for the Big 10, a BCS bowl, and national recognition.
Terrelle Pryor might be the most overrated QB in college football right now.
I don't think it's so much poor playcalling as it is Tressel having little faith in Pryor, leading to poor playcalling.
We've seen Tressel call good plays and use a good offense...Troy Smith anyone?
But Troy was a senior when that attack was unleashed. Troy also had matured a lot not only as a player but as a person. Pryor has a long way to go in both.
it shows something. when you're down and you need passing yards, you're not gonna get that from an option guy who simply hasn't completed enough passes. i also question whether he's football smart enough, at this point.
Quote: Terrelle Pryor might be the most overrated QB in college football right now.
I don't think it's so much poor playcalling as it is Tressel having little faith in Pryor, leading to poor playcalling.
We've seen Tressel call good plays and use a good offense...Troy Smith anyone?
But Troy was a senior when that attack was unleashed. Troy also had matured a lot not only as a player but as a person. Pryor has a long way to go in both.
I don't think it's a faith issue,...it's a training issue. The boy is in training. Like you said, it will take some time.
i said it during the couple of drives that we started on their 40s...."if we don't score here we are done" also that "pryor is NOT a QB...and he never will be" All he can do is run....lets jus put him at WR in the slot....jk..maybe...
Quote: Terrelle Pryor might be the most overrated QB in college football right now.
Ammo, I agree with you 110% (doesn't happen to often). There is something about Pryor that isn't there. You know how there are times you see a guy and he's got that "it factor". He can be a raw talent, but you see "it". I just don't see "it" with this guy....at least not as a qb
i'm gonna hold judgement on pryor. i think the kid has potential.
he's never going to be a qb worthy of a first round nfl draft pick, but that doesn't mean he can't be a great college qb.
osu's season is shot, they have no chance at a national championship, even if they run their schedule there is no way they make the nc over a 1-loss b12 or sec team. it is just not gonna happen this year, which is why i think tressel really needs to experiment with different ways to attack on offense. utlize pryor's skills and put him in better spots.
ammo brought up troy smith, but keep in mind that troy smith took a long time to develop. he lit up michigan in 2004, but remember how he looked at the start of the next season against texas? tressel was almost afraid to let him throw, a lot of qb runs.
i know nfl qb's like mcnabb and others work some college kids out over the offseason, i think pryor would be well served to spend time with mcnabb and work on being a qb.
i still think it's too early to say pryor is never gonna be a good enough qb to win a nc.
I absolutley hate OSU's playcalling and schemes..they do not take advantage of what's on the field..the backs are not powerful enough to gain their own yards and the line isn't nasty enough to plow people back..Pryor has not improved and looks indecisive and tenative... Dude needs to be a in spread offense and allowed to do what he does best.. The defense was pathic on SC's last drive..I always wonder how U let a team march downfield from inside their own ten and just score... and I really don't want to hear JT's remarks which really downplay whats going on..
Quote: Terrelle Pryor might be the most overrated QB in college football right now.
Ammo, I agree with you 110% (doesn't happen to often). There is something about Pryor that isn't there. You know how there are times you see a guy and he's got that "it factor". He can be a raw talent, but you see "it". I just don't see "it" with this guy....at least not as a qb
Quote: ] My thoughts? Tress needs to hire an offensive coordinator
Totally agree, and I have prolly annoyed the hell outta everyone I have been talking with since the game as I have been driving that point down their throats..
I want a young offensive mind to come into C-Bus and take the reigns of the offensive play calling.. A guy that eats and breaths offensive football..
I still like Tress sitting over the whole thing, but he needs to swallow his pride at this point and realize his play calling is not the best option..
OSU is not a good coached football team, sure Pryor hasnt been stellar....but c'mon if he was at Texas right now, or Florida...LSU....the dude would be a Heisman candidate.
The Vest isnt gonna change, hes gonna keep beating Michigan, and the rest of the big 10 and losing to everyone else because he gets out coached badly. If we are not immensely more talented than the other team, then we end up losing because of are ridiculous schemes and Tressels whole mindset and philosophy.
Nothing is gonna change until Jim is gone, sad to say, buts it the stark truth. Hes running a great football program into the ground nationally, and its gonna start catching up with us on the recruiting trail.
Quote: ] My thoughts? Tress needs to hire an offensive coordinator
Totally agree, and I have prolly annoyed the hell outta everyone I have been talking with since the game as I have been driving that point down their throats..
I want a young offensive mind to come into C-Bus and take the reigns of the offensive play calling.. A guy that eats and breaths offensive football..
I still like Tress sitting over the whole thing, but he needs to swallow his pride at this point and realize his play calling is not the best option..
not only his pride, but his loyalty. i think the team could use better minds under jim tressel, offensive and defensive, stop bringing in your buddies, and bring in an outside mind, that might spark something into the team.
when you hire your buddies, it's really awesome when you're winning, but when you aren't, it is really tough to tell it like it is.
i would look at some of the smaller schools who have coordinators doing good things, and see if they want to come and try and prove it at the highest level of college football, let them earn a head coaching position and we can go and start it over again. i have no problem with that. but ohio state's approach right now is horrible.
I like to see the vitrol even though we lost a close game. Shows that losing isn't good enough no matter the opponent.
the calls for Tress's head and whatnot...eh, you'll have the extremists throw things out when it's there.
one thing though....for all the talk of how we have struggled in big games....don't forget how dominant we have been in all others. USC loses to Oregon State...Penn State loses to Iowa....couple years ago Texas lost back-to-back to inferior A&M teams....we at least don't choke in those.
just think of the last time the Buckeyes lost to a team outside the top10 (end of year)....
'09 lost to USC...doubt they end up outside top10 '08 lost to USC, Penn State and Texas...all 3 teams finish in top10 '07 lost to Rose Bowl Illinois and Nat'l Champ LSU '06 lost to Nat'l Champ Florida '05 lost to top10 Penn State (#3) '04 let's forget that year ever happened.
So, in the last 5 seasons, the only questionable loss was to Illinois....yes, we need to start winning these elite program games, but at least we aren't coupling those losses with 'bad' losses as well.
That said....we better beat Penn State....in Happy Valley....at night....
i really don't think we need to call for tressel's head. i think that is a bit excessive right now.
but i just think the guy needs better people under him.
bring in someone who could create a good offense around terrelle pryor, it seems like we are trying to make pryor fit with what we're doing, instead of trying to fit what we're doing around terrelle pryor. the kid has talent, he just needs work. and he needs to grow up a little bit, seems like a tremendous kid though.
and for all the talk about pryor, he really is being made into a scapegoat. pryor certainly wasn't on the field when we let a freshman quarterback, in crunch time, march right down the field, eat clock, and score with a minute and a half left, or whatever. that was embarassing. flat out embarassing, and that isn't on pryor.
special teams did a good job of pinning them back, the crowd was ridiculous, they were loud, they were there, and the defense let everyone down. as they have in just about every game that we have lost since florida.
they were horrible in the florida and lsu championship games, they were horrible in the usc games, and they gave it up at the end of the texas game, and then last saturday night. the media is pointing the finger at pryor, and at the offense, when the defense has been a joke.
That's true but like I said earlier in the thread. OSU will be VERY good next year. We should only lose 4 guys. Russel and Coleman are the only real "big names"
I like to see the vitrol even though we lost a close game. Shows that losing isn't good enough no matter the opponent.
the calls for Tress's head and whatnot...eh, you'll have the extremists throw things out when it's there.
one thing though....for all the talk of how we have struggled in big games....don't forget how dominant we have been in all others. USC loses to Oregon State...Penn State loses to Iowa....couple years ago Texas lost back-to-back to inferior A&M teams....we at least don't choke in those.
just think of the last time the Buckeyes lost to a team outside the top10 (end of year)....
'09 lost to USC...doubt they end up outside top10 '08 lost to USC, Penn State and Texas...all 3 teams finish in top10 '07 lost to Rose Bowl Illinois and Nat'l Champ LSU '06 lost to Nat'l Champ Florida '05 lost to top10 Penn State (#3) '04 let's forget that year ever happened.
So, in the last 5 seasons, the only questionable loss was to Illinois....yes, we need to start winning these elite program games, but at least we aren't coupling those losses with 'bad' losses as well.
That said....we better beat Penn State....in Happy Valley....at night....
Good post and info,...gets me to thinking hard,...the last six "Big Game" losses to elite teams were not just to Top Ten --- those teams were all Top Five, IIRC.
So,...
Pit that list against the list of the victories that Tressel HAS HAD in those past years and where those teams were ranked,...Texas (#2), Michigan (#2), Miami (#1), etc,...the other times they beat Michigan and/or Penn State,...I'm not sure about those, and include the other games that were against Top Ten,..i.e. wasn't Wisconsin ranked #8 last year (overrated of course),....and I believe Notre Dame was #5 in the Fiesta Bowl game. Again, I do not have the rankings on the Oklahoma State and Kansas State bowl wins.
It's NO worse than Oklahoma is with Stoops, and he CLEARLY has had as much or more talent there, and takes half the heat.
I'd say it's 45/55 if you want to dig deep enough.
It is what it is. And it's no different than the job he did at Youngstown State -- in the "down" or "off" years, he was always rebuilding an OLine or training a new young QB.
People calling for his head are way off base. He needs to make some changes, sure.
By the way, Pryor has publicly accepted responsibility for his play Saturday. Sorry I don't have a link, but it was on 610 radio in Columbus this morning,...TP makes no mistakes, and that game 'should' have a different outcome. I think the kid was probably more nervous than it was expected Barkley might have been.
Quote: I remember the bashing I took for wanting Tubby Smith gone from UK basketball.
What Tressel is doing, is exactly what Tubby did at UK. He won a National Title. He's winning games he should win, and not winning the big games.
That's how it starts off. In a few years, OSU won't be winning their conference, and OSU fans will run him out of town.
That is possible. But until we start losing our conference and/or games to Michigan, it will continue to be unwarranted.
The other possibility is that we start winning these big games that we are so good at getting into.
And if he does start winning big games, my comparison isn't accurate. But, I'm just pointing out how much heat I took (even on this board) for my stance on Tubby, when it seems Tressel is headin' in the same direction.
This is how Tubby started to get on the hot seat at UK. He wasn't winning any big games. That's when fans started thinking "What is wrong with this guy now?"
Which is where OSU fans are at with Tres right now, IMO.
you are correct...I wrote top10....but 7 of the last 8 losses we have are to top5 teams.
not top5 at some point during the season...but end of the season, top5 teams.
now, i'm not quite as sunny on the ratio of wins though...using the same metric, we haven't beaten a top5 team (end of season) except for Texas in those same 5 years (ND ended up barely outside the top10).
like I said...we're good at getting into the big games, now we need to start winning them.
Quote: I remember the bashing I took for wanting Tubby Smith gone from UK basketball.
What Tressel is doing, is exactly what Tubby did at UK. He won a National Title. He's winning games he should win, and not winning the big games.
That's how it starts off. In a few years, OSU won't be winning their conference, and OSU fans will run him out of town.
This Buckeye fan won't.
We lost to a superior team. No excuses. Our boys played their butts off, especially on defense, but one of the best (if not the best) offensive lines in the country made the difference for the Trojans.
I enjoyed the game to the end. Considering the number of times it took USC 4 downs to get a first or TD and all the other what ifs, I feel Tress has this young team playing well. I was worried about our visit to Happy Valley this year, but no more. I expect a great game then and some great football from the Scarlett and Gray the rest of the way.
I saw us sliding into Ann Arbor this season with at least 3 losses. We may still lose a couple of more until then, but I dare say that the Bucks might just slip into the BCS again, despite the haters.
Then again, maybe not, but this team lost a ton of talent and is quite young. While I understand the complaints that I have heard about offensive play calling, it should be considered that we have a Soph taking the snap from another Soph and throwing the ball to Sophs and Jrs with a freshman or two mixed in. The young men in charge of protecting the QB also have quite a few more classes until graduation. Then there are the RBs.........
No excuses. A young team that is playing hard. What more can one ask from the Head Coach?
Quote: you are correct...I wrote top10....but 7 of the last 8 losses we have are to top5 teams.
not top5 at some point during the season...but end of the season, top5 teams.
now, i'm not quite as sunny on the ratio of wins though...using the same metric, we haven't beaten a top5 team (end of season) except for Texas in those same 5 years (ND ended up barely outside the top10).
like I said...we're good at getting into the big games, now we need to start winning them.
My brain is thinking, exactly where those teams were ranked at gametime ???? That defines, in my mind, a big game,....
As bad as Pryor played, the defense was worse and NOBODY is calling them out (well, except you and a few others). When Pryor left the field, his team was in front (I don't count the tiny amount of time given to him).
That's not to say I'm defending Pryor. He's a less gutsy Troy Smith. It seemed TS made bigger plays when he needed to. Everytime Pryor dropped back, I wondered where the ball was not going to be caught or how he'd give up and start running. Too bad, he's still so young for all this pressure (but he signed up for this).
I'm not a OSU fan by far. I'd be happy if they went winless the rest of the way. Sorry, I'm a Toledo Rockets fan. And Toledo plays in the shadow of OSU and Michigan. I can't root for either.
I don't know how anyone can fault the defense. They held the Trojans the whole game...except the last drive. They played well enough to win against #3.
Anyone could debate who was at fault the most.....to me, the defense was on point to stop that last drive. Deep in their end, had a 2nd/3rd and long, and then they marched down the field to put the last score on the board. If the defense makes a play, the game is over. They "failed" last. So it's on them in my book.
Again, I'm not giving Pryor a passing grade for his effort. Had he played better earlier, the last drive would have been meaningless. But we could do that all day. You either blame the whole team as one unit or blame the entity that failed last.
That's a load of crap, especially coming from a non-Ohio State fan,... Besides, Pryor himself has already accepted responsibility.
Let's suppose the Rockets defense spends all day holding back Ohio State, then tires at the end under the pressure of their offense not having put up enough points,....I'm sorry, but if Pryor played half as well Saturday as he did against Wisconsin and Michigan last year (he had Beanie of course,...) USC doesn't even sniff a win in Columbus. Additionally, the defense was undercoached on that last drive, totally taken out of their scheme, and played Marty Ball (86) Prevent. Should have been sending six, or at least stacking the box,....
BTW, Good Luck Saturday,....you going ? I really see this as a very close repeat of the Navy game. There is NO WAY the line should be -20,...that is wrong, the way Toledo has been playing. I have been saying for years that one day, a MAC school will get Ohio State. This one is very ripe for the picking.
in that situation, ya gotta close, you can't look at how they played the rest of the game, you have to close.
it was a nice effort, but i think it only looked nice because of the way the defense has played in the last few bowl games as well as the usc matchup.
had they just been able to get that last stop, today we would be talking about one of the best defenses in the country. instead it's the same old talk. and it's spot on. you have to close.
to be honest, i wasn't that impressed with usc as a team. i thought the barkley kid showed a ton of stones, and a ton of poise, but i think if they went up right now against florida, or oklahoma (assuming they get bradford back and healthy) i think they'd get smashed.
If OSU would have won this past weekend, I would have bet on Toledo to win straight up. It's a trap game (playing in state, big crowd of mostly your fans and a "weak" MAC team). But with them losing, the dogs will be out to crush the next team on the schedule.
I set the over/under at 160 for total points the Boilermakers, Buffalo, and the Buckeyes would score against Toledo. I took the over. I'm close.
Nah, I'm not going. And I have NO reason why. I should be going. My parents still live in the area, it's within driving distance, and it's a once in a decade game. I'll be back in Chicago renting a motorcycle and then going to the Bears/Steelers game.
Quote: If OSU would have won this past weekend, I would have bet on Toledo to win straight up. It's a trap game (playing in state, big crowd of mostly your fans and a "weak" MAC team). But with them losing, the dogs will be out to crush the next team on the schedule.
Nothing to worry about, you're playing for the Big Ten title now. Losing this game means nothing to you guys (outisde of pride and rankings). As someone said above even if you win every game 49-0 the rest of the way, a one-loss SEC, Big 12 or Pac-10 team will be ahead of you in the rankings.
The only other teams you can beat to make you look good are PS and Michigan (should they keep winning).
Win all your Big Ten games and go to a BCS bowl. Just make sure you win Tressel.
Quote: Nothing to worry about, you're playing for the Big Ten title now. Losing this game means nothing to you guys (outisde of pride and rankings). As someone said above even if you win every game 49-0 the rest of the way, a one-loss SEC, Big 12 or Pac-10 team will be ahead of you in the rankings.
The only other teams you can beat to make you look good are PS and Michigan (should they keep winning).
Win all your Big Ten games and go to a BCS bowl. Just make sure you win Tressel.
Quote: Ha ha ha....I wouldn't hold your breath. An undefeated BYU or BSU would trump a one-loss team too.
OSU would have been on cruise-control had they won (outside of the trip into Happy Valley). Oh well.
Good luck this week OSU....you're gonna need it.
I agree on BYU...their schedule matches up favorably and they should go to the Nat'l champ game over a 1-loss team from a BCS conference this year....I would NOT agree with Boise. The WAC is weaker than the MWC in the first place and BYU scheduled a tougher OOC as well. Boise just doesn't play a tough enough schedule to get themselves into a Nat'l Champ game picture.
And they might be fighting Houston for the BCS spot if BYU loses a game (Utah and TCU are not chumps and BYU has to play both still along with Florida State this weekend)
that was on the 4th and goal play after the pryor interception on the first series of the game.
i'm not gonna groan about it, but why was there no replay. that changes the entire outlook of the game, and the rest of the game the way it went. 4th and goal after a costly turnover?
it's too late now, but it just hurts a little more to see that picture.
interesting, but of course it's water under the bridge.
I also recollect on the series that the Buckeyes settled for a field goal deep inside the 5, on third down I thought the RB might have gotten in, but the announcers were using that play to do other things, so we didn't get a replay. Next play was a field goal attempt.
i brought this up to my father-in-law and wife during the game (both diehard USC fans)....so, we watched the 4 plays again.
refs did a horrible job spotting that 4th down ball...not only should the tip have been nearly at the goalline, but the line-judge spotting it had his foot there and the other line judge spotted it just inside the 1 yard line.
so, sure, he may not have quite made it in, but the refs are the ones that made that yard so long for USC in the first place.....officiating usually evens out through the game.
Quote: Well, I'm glad this surfaced. If we are in the running for the title game, the voters won't ever say it, but this play will get taken into account.
No it won't. Not to hate on the Buckeyes, but voters are going to be looking for reasons to keep them out just because of recent history... I'm not saying it's fair, just that's how I think it would go.... If there is 1 undefeated team and the choice is between a 1 loss SEC team or a 1 loss USC or even a 1 loss Big 12 team, OSU won't be in the NC game. The voters are far more likely to consider that OSU beat Navy in the final minute by intercepting an extra point than to remember that USC didn't actually cross the goal line.
Of Florida, Alabama, Miss, and LSU, only one team can go, and it's possible none of them will go.
After you take those teams out the equation, your left with Texas - they still have to play Oklahoma, and may end up having to play Okl St.
If Texas falls, USC jumps in and Penn State is right behind them. USC has yet to play #8 Cal and Penn State still has to play Ohio State.
Essentially, if Texas loses, there's a very, very good chance we see an SEC vs. Boise St/Ohio State National Championship.
Texas plays Oklahoma State this and every year. They may have the play Nebraska in the Big12 championship game.
Also, you neglected taking BYU into account.
and if Cal beats USC....who does Cal lose to? ok, they are Cal...nevermind.
an undefeated Boise may not have a good enough schedule, so I think you can discount them from the start.
really...the thing that cannot be answered is: why would voters take a 1-loss Buckeye team over a 1-loss SEC or USC?
they really can't....even if Penn State and Michigan win every game left except to us....too much recent history against us, which will play a part in the vote. and....USC beat us in Columbus. they need to lose 2 games.
that's okay though....let's cheer for USC to make the national championship game and take on the 2nd place SEC, BigXII or ACC school. Let's win that game and build on it for next year's championship run.
Quote: Well, I'm glad this surfaced. If we are in the running for the title game, the voters won't ever say it, but this play will get taken into account.
No it won't. Not to hate on the Buckeyes, but voters are going to be looking for reasons to keep them out just because of recent history... I'm not saying it's fair, just that's how I think it would go.... If there is 1 undefeated team and the choice is between a 1 loss SEC team or a 1 loss USC or even a 1 loss Big 12 team, OSU won't be in the NC game. The voters are far more likely to consider that OSU beat Navy in the final minute by intercepting an extra point than to remember that USC didn't actually cross the goal line.
and ohio state just doesn't have another game on their schedule to redeem themselves. to win with the voters and espn types, they are gonna have to beat an elite team. penn state doesn't count because they are pretty much in the same boat. everyone hates the big ten.
ohio state's next shot at redemption is to possibly run their schedule, get a bcs berth, and beat hopefully an sec team to make people believers again.
i think even if michigan is for real, and by for real, i mean, not horrible, it still won't matter. the bucks had one shot this regular season to win and they blew it when they let a freshman go pretty much the length of the field in crunch time.
all i'm sayin is looking at that photo hurts, because the entire game changes after that play if they stop it on 4th and 1. wipe out the rest of that game. the defense gets jacked up, and maybe with that confidence they don't blow the lead at the end of the game.
honestly it doesn't matter because sports are about championships and i don't think ohio state holds a flame to any of these top teams like florida or oklahoma (with a healthy bradford), this is more about next year and the year after than it is about this year. this is about getting terrelle pryor better.
This story is going to do things you didn't think possible. It will compliment Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel in a way that insults the OSU football program. It will compliment Southern California in a way that insults USC coach Pete Carroll.
How is that possible? It just is. Trust me. I know how this story ends.
And I know how it begins, too.
It begins with a football game on Sept. 28, 2003. It begins on that day with this score: California 34, USC 31.
Cal was unranked. The Trojans were No. 3. That was the first of six losses to unranked Pac-10 teams the Trojans have suffered under Carroll, a trend that continued Saturday when No. 3 USC lost to Washington. Given how good USC has been under Carroll, that's a staggering number of losses to unranked teams.
Still, Carroll usually gets a pass from critics. He's a great coach. Almost everyone says so.
Meanwhile, at Ohio State, Tressel gets no such free pass. His teams mangle the teams they're supposed to mangle, but the Buckeyes have lost six consecutive games to opponents ranked in the top five, and the country laughs while the locals cry. Just last week, after Tressel's Buckeyes lost to Carroll's top-five Trojans, OSU fans dumped their misery into Tressel's e-mail account, causing Tressel to mock them as being "already miserable ... there's no way they're happy."
Tressel is mostly ripped while Carroll is mostly left alone, which means something has been lost along the way: Common sense. Perspective. An understanding of what those two programs are, and just as important, where they are. Use some common sense on the matter, have some perspective, and you'll see the obvious:
Jim Tressel is a better coach than Pete Carroll.
I know what the numbers say. Carroll has won 84.9 percent of his games compared to 81 percent for Tressel. Carroll has won two national titles to one for Tressel. And just nine days ago, Carroll beat Tressel head-to-head. In Columbus, no less.
The numbers say Carroll is better than Tressel, but numbers lie. Numbers say Tim Tebow is the best college quarterback of all-time, and that's a lie of Nixonian or Clintonian proportions.
When it comes to Tressel and Carroll, this is the absolute truth:
At a football goldmine like USC, Carroll is supposed to win 84.9 percent of his games. He's supposed to win two national titles in eight or nine years. And he's supposed to beat Tressel head-to-head. Why? Three reasons: Location, location, location.
Look at the consistently dominant programs -- the national champions, the near-champions -- in today's college football: Florida. Southern Cal. Texas. Oklahoma. LSU.
And Ohio State.
What school doesn't belong in that group, from a geography standpoint?
Ohio State.
The Buckeyes have no business beating USC or LSU or Florida, and so bless their heart, they don't. They get smoked when they play a top-five team, one usually from the Deep South or from Southern California, because they aren't just playing against USC or LSU or Florida.
They're playing against a stacked deck.
Kids don't want to play for Ohio State because kids don't want to freeze their ass off. You'll find exceptions to that statement, obviously, but save it. Don't give me a recruiting list that shows how a handful of top recruits every year pick Penn State or Notre Dame or, yes, Ohio State. Don't bother. Those are the exceptions, not the rule. Most great players pick a college where it's warm, in part because they live where it's warm. The best players come from Florida, California and Texas. And where are the best college programs located? Florida, California and Texas (and Oklahoma). What a coincidence.
That stuff is obvious, but don't tell me it's obvious. Tell yourself. You're the one who insists Pete Carroll is a better coach than Jim Tressel because he wins more than Jim Tressel -- even as you conveniently forget that Carroll should win more than Tressel.
Yet Carroll doesn't win the games he should. Not every time. About once a year his team loses a game it has no business losing. Carroll got the choke shock out of the way early this season against Washington, but I'm disagreeing with Dennis Dodd on one thing: He suggests Carroll's dynasty is teetering. Not me. As long as he's there, Carroll will win 84.9 percent of his games and the occasional national title. He's the perfect fit for USC because he knows how to attract future NFL talent. Does he know how to coach it, how to maximize it? No. He does not.
Tressel coaches. Tressel maximizes. His teams don't choke or get shocked. Do they lose to the best opponents on the biggest stages? Yeah. They do. All things being equal, the more talented team wins, and Ohio State hasn't been more talented than LSU or Florida or USC or Texas. And Ohio State should never be more talented than LSU or Florida or USC or Texas.
But Tressel does get the most out of his teams. I'm sure of that. Carroll? I'm not so sure about him. The only thing I'm sure of, when it comes to Carroll, is this: He signs guys like Leinart and Bush and White and Sanchez and stud after stud after stud, but it's wrong to say Carroll signs great talent and then just rolls the ball onto the field and lets them play.
Because if he just rolled the ball onto the field and let them play, the Trojans would have beaten Washington.
As soon as USC lost to Washington....I thought of the question, would you rather lose to a top 5 team once a year OR lose to an unranked team. That's USC and OSU.
And to say we've been blown out in every game against top 5 opponents is ridiculous. We lost on the last drives of the game to both Texas and USC. I know it's still a loss, but the games were very entertaining with very evenly matched teams.
I plan on forwarding it to several fellow Buckeye fans for some perspective. As I said in the Wk 3 thread, Coach is doing fine. Maybe more of Buckeye Nation will get a clue. The USC game was a great game. It would be a darn shame if we ran the table and didn't get in the title game, but what's done is done despite that picture.
The Bucks might lose another game or two, but I certainly won't blame it on Tressel. The only time I have really been disappointed in play calling was the LSU game since I thought our best chance was for Beanie to have 30+ carries. Then again, Tress and his staff know football better than I.
that may have been how it used to be, but with the inception of the bcs, that's how it's run now, like it or not.
lsu won the title for the 2003 season. not usc. and all the honks out there can whine about it, but lsu won the championship.
that's why i don't get why people whine so much about the bcs, it's better than the alternative, at least we get something close to the 2 best teams playing each other.
What gets lost in all of this is the media's role in public perception.
The media wont shut up about the way that LSU "blew out" Ohio State 38-24. - A 14 point difference in a game that was played in Louisiana.
Now, take a look at what happened last bowl season, when Alabama - the SEC west champ, played Utah in the Sugar Bowl. Of course, Alabama was picked to win by 10 - after all, they are from the SEC. Utah beat Alabama 31-17. - The same margin of victory that LSU beat Ohio State by. Utah is a Mountain West team.
Why isn't the media getting all irrational about a Mountain West team beating the SEC West champ by 14 points?
Why doesn't the media talk about how in '08 Florida beat Alabama by 11 points in the SEC Championship but Utah (who went undefeated) beat Alabama by 14?
Because the media has an agenda. Right now, the media's agenda is to downplay the Big 10 and to put the SEC on a plateau - of course, the minute Tebow leaves Florida, or when an SEC team loses in the title game, the media will start talking about how the SEC is overrated and "not what it used to be"
What gets lost in all of this is the media's role in public perception.
The media wont shut up about the way that LSU "blew out" Ohio State 38-24. - A 14 point difference in a game that was played in Louisiana.
Now, take a look at what happened last bowl season, when Alabama - the SEC west champ, played Utah in the Sugar Bowl. Of course, Alabama was picked to win by 10 - after all, they are from the SEC. Utah beat Alabama 31-17. - The same margin of victory that LSU beat Ohio State by. Utah is a Mountain West team.
Why isn't the media getting all irrational about a Mountain West team beating the SEC West champ by 14 points?
Why doesn't the media talk about how in '08 Florida beat Alabama by 11 points in the SEC Championship but Utah (who went undefeated) beat Alabama by 14?
Because the media has an agenda. Right now, the media's agenda is to downplay the Big 10 and to put the SEC on a plateau - of course, the minute Tebow leaves Florida, or when an SEC team loses in the title game, the media will start talking about how the SEC is overrated and "not what it used to be"
It's a bunch of bs.
I agree with your post, and basically with almost everything you said. I do disagree with how you posted that OSU getting beat by 14 points. I know that was the final score, but the game wasn't that close throughout. The Big Ten is getting a bad rap because OSU has been the only good team in the conference the last 2 years or so, and when OSU played anyone with a good team outside of the conference, they got beat, and got beat badly a few times. Until the Big Ten picks up their play, or the SEC starts failing in the National Championships like you said, this will continue.
GO BUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!
