The Buckeye Blog

With six bowl games today, you’ve got plenty of time to rest up for whatever New Year’s Eve may bring. I can’t say that I’m overly excited about any of these games but, they are bowl games. How I long for the days when the big bowl games were over by holiday. Instead, I get to look forward to weeknight games with work looming in the morning.

Anyway, let’s take a look at a couple of today’s games:

Insight Bowl: Indiana vs. Oklahoma State

How can you not root for Indiana? If this team doesn’t have something to play for no team ever will. With the passing of Coach Terry Hoeppner, the Hoosiers have fulfilled the late coach’s dream of a post season game. And it’s been a long bowl drought for Indiana as they haven’t seen bowl action since 1993.

Indiana has the talent to keep up with the other Oklahoma State but the Cowboys have a lot to throw at the Hoosiers. Indiana has the heart and the motivation to make this a good game.

I’m rooting for Indiana but I don’t know if I’d put my money on it. Ah heck, Indiana it is…Go Hoosiers.

Music City Bowl: Kentucky vs. Florida State

Oh boy, am I going to enjoy this one. There is nothing I love more than watching a Florida team get their ass handed to them, especially by a team like Kentucky. With most of the Florida defense suspended, at least Bobby Bowden will be there to suffer yet another loss. I’m not about to miss this game and I’m looking for Kentucky to run the score as much as possible.

I’m going with Kentucky to blow out the four point spread.

Sun Bowl: South Florida vs. Oregon

Weren’t both these teams in the top five at one point this year? At least this game matches up two teams might have met in a big BCS game. However, South Florida collapsed and Oregon lost quarterback Dennis Dixon to a season ending injury. Since the injury, Oregon has completely fallen apart.

For South Florida, this is a big bowl game. For Oregon, it is a vision of what could have been.

South Florida to beat the six point spread.

That should get you started. And remember, BCS games start tomorrow!

We all know that this season has been about redemption. The numbers 41-14 have been a constant reminder the entire season and whether he admits it or not, Coach Tressel has has built the year around the notion the notion of “never again.”

And the media has played into this well, reminding the Buckeyes at every turn that like in 2002, they don’t really belong in the BCS Championship and when it comes to ESPN, we should probably just hand the BCS trophy over to USC. It seems like you can’t turn on the television without hearing the talking heads mention Ohio State without all but placing a big question mark on the screen.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, the underdog role suits Tressel and the Buckeyes well and Coach Tressel is apparently using it to the fullest. According to Ken Gordon at the Columbus Dispatch, Coach Tressel sent his players home for the holidays with a special DVD filled with ESPN commentary (among others) “blasting” Ohio State and touting LSU and the SEC. And while Mark May is still crying over USC, according to Gordon (who says he has not seen the DVD), May is prominently featured in the video.

Let them all talk. It worked for Florida last year and it worked for the Buckeyes in 02. Maybe that is the biggest problem with the BCS and the reason the underdogs have traditionally done so well. Without a playoff, one team always seems to arrive with a big question mark next to it. The hype builds until the underdog is so angry that they hit the field ready to prove the world wrong. Meanwhile, the favorite comes in as if they don’t even need to play the game.

Let’s just hope the Buckeyes did their homework over the holidays.

(Thanks to Eleven Warriors for the tip and if anyone gets a copy of the dvd, let me know. I would love to post the highlight reel.)

Update: A blog out of Canton, Ohio has the first 90 seconds available to download. It takes time to download but I will put it up here if I can get it to work. It is pretty much what you would expect: Florida players gloating, ESPN commentators trashing the Buckeyes, no Mark May but I understand he has an entire section of the video all to himself.

Update: Here’s the first 3 minutes or so.

This is the kind of stuff that leads to big Buckeye victories

(Highlight of Motor City Bowl tour package)

Ahh, nothing like a bowl game, warm sun, a chance to get away for the holiday’s and do a little sight seeing, basically a good excuse for a vacation. And with that in mind, we open the bowl season with…the Motor City Bowl.

Purdue heads north today and Central Michigan travels, well, a little east I guess for the Detroit Motor City Bowl.

As Big Ten Bowl games go, this should be a good opener for the Big Ten. Purdue and Central Michigan met earlier this year with Purdue walking all over Central Michigan 45-22. They were up by 30 something points before Central Michigan came back against a second string Purdue.

Purdue is favored by a mere 7.5 points and while this may be a home game for Central Michigan, it is only what, a four-hour drive from East Lafayette. I doubt this will be a boring game however as neither team has much of a defense and both have quarterbacks that can open it up on the long ball.

I was all set to recommend taking the over/under on this one but the boys in Vegas are already on it setting the over/under at a ridiculous 71.5 points. And too be honest, I’m not convinced that the over isn’t still a good bet. BetUs has the over/under for Purdue alone at 40 points and Central Michigan at 31.5 pts. Purdue should be able to keep the Chippewas under 30 points.

However, this is Purdue and they seem to like letting the other team visit the end zone.

At the same time, Purdue has a pretty bad bowl record over the last few years and kicking the snot out of a Mac team might be just what they need for a little bowl redemption.

Pick: Purdue beating the spread.

I know what I’m asking Santa for. I won’t get it until Jan. 7th however.

In the meantime, I’m off to Phoenix in the morning. Have a great holiday and I’ll plan to be back on the 26th with the bowl predictions (guessing) that you’ve been waiting for.

In the meantime, what did you ask Santa to bring?

Well, you could say this was over due but you would think they would at least get through the bowl game.

The Detroit News (and a number of blogs) is reporting that incoming Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez has pretty much cleaned house giving the pink slip to all nine assistant coaches. They will coach the Capital One Bowl and then they’re out.

If this one doesn’t leave me with mixed emotions, nothing will. As everyone knows, all Buckeye fans enjoyed having Llllllloyd Car and his staff to push around the past few years. Tressel had their number and there didn’t seem to be much they could do about it.

Now however, there will be a new game in town. And Tressel will have his work cut out for him. The Buckeyes one weakness has been the spread offense with a quarterback that can move and that is exactly what Rodriguez will bring to Michigan. Of the possible BCS teams, I think West Virginia or Missouri might have been more of a threat than Missouri for just that reason. I’m sure that Ohio State’s difficulties against the spread was of interest when Michigan chose Rodriguez.

However, like I said, it’s a love/hate sort of thing. I want to see Michigan get back in the game if only to make the Big Ten look better. At the same time, it has been fun to have a little whipping boy to push around. The Buckeyes will need to adjust but it is a good adjustment. The spread offense isn’t going away and it’s time the Buckeyes get on top of it. Rodriguez should provide the catalyst the Buckeyes need to adjust.

Due to a power surge which blew out my computer, it’s been a while since I sat down in the old fightin’ chair and updated the blog. But I’m back in the game sporting a Dell with a gazillion gig multi-processor, a 400 terabit hard drive and a 50 inch plasma, hd monitor. And yes, the neighbor’s have already complained about the volume of the 8.1 channel surround sound. During my time away, I’ve had a chance to watch a little of my local NFL team, the Baltimore Ravens.

Let me just put this out there…I hate the Baltimore Ravens.

Now normally, I pretty much avoid watching the Ravens at all costs. However, this season, I have taken a somewhat disturbing pleasure in watching the Ravens self destruct. (It’s the closest thing I can find to the pleasure Michigan has given me the past few years).

Each weekend, the pattern is pretty much the same. A team full of thugs starts the game somewhat decent but by the start of the second half, things are starting to look like a car wreck. By the third quarter, players are melting down and if you’re really lucky, a penalty flag gets thrown into the stands for some lucky fan to take home. On Monday, there’s Brian Billick, complete with the latest excuse, telling the media how things went according to plan.

Then all of a sudden I just happen to catch the end of the Indianapolis/Ravens game and who is in at quarterback but former Buckeye and Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith. And not only that, Smith is on about the five, makes a nice move and scores his first touchdown in the NFL. Sure, it was against the Colt’s reserve but there he was, carrying the ball to the sidelines destined to sit next to the trophy and his Ohio State helmet.

The next week, I again tune in to the Ravens late in the fourth quarter to see Miami take the lead with two minutes left in the game. Wow, I think to myself, these Ravens really do suck. But wait, who’s coming out on the field. Could it be, yes, its former Buckeye and Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith.

The Ravens are out of time outs but Smith leads them right down the field ending up on the one yard line. With fourth and one, Billick pulls Smith and goes for the easy field goal to tie the game. We Buckeye fans knew that Smith could have easily punched it in and so did Troy as he complained to Billick on his way back to the sidelines.

Overtime arrives and again, Smith drives the ball down the field setting up an easy field goal only to be missed by whoever the Ravens kicker is. Miami comes back and wins in overtime.

I couldn’t have hoped for more. The Ravens lost to the worst team in the NFL giving Miami its first loss in the season even though Smith put them in an excellent position to win the game — twice. Smith looked good, the Ravens still looked like….well, the Ravens.

This week, it looks like Smith may start for the Ravens. I doing so, he joins the never-ending game of musical chairs that has become the Baltimore Ravens quarter back position. And worse yet, he plays under the Coaching of Brian Billick, who has decided that he doesn’t need an offensive line coach and has attempted to run the offense himself. Billick doesn’t want to start Smith but with McNair out and Boller still seeing stars, the Ravens don’t have much choice.

And that’s all well and good. I’d like to see Smith come in and bring a little character to this crappy team. That, however, is the problem. Smith comes from a team and a coach that is all about Character to the Ravens, one of the biggest group of thugs and crybabies in the NFL. You want to see a study in extremes. Tune in on Monday for Brian Billick’s press conference and compare it to a Coach Tressel Monday press conference.

Billick is a crappy coach and he has been running his offense into the ground for years, not to mention the fiasco he has made of the quarterback position since coming to Baltimore. And while I’d like to see Smith play on Sunday, I am a little worried about his health. The Raven’s offensive line sucks and the only reason Smith is getting a chance is because they weren’t able to protect the quarterback. Smith will probably get a chance to show his scrambling abilities. The only problem is that Billick has no idea how to call a play that will do anything to favor Smith.

And while I would love to see Smith lead a NFL team, this is not the team. Let’s hope he gets traded before the Ravens can do too much damage.

Last year, the Buckeyes ran the table and there was no question that they were the team to play in the BCS Championship. The went into Phoenix a dominant favorite having already proven themselves by beating two number two ranked teams. Unfortunately, they also went into Phoenix unmotivated and out of shape and left a badly beaten team.

For Florida, however, the scene was different. They had been bombarded with Ohio State hype. Nike even jumped on the bandwagon with commercials that only ran in Florida challenging Gator students to run more miles than Ohio State students. Everywhere Florida went, the Buckeyes were there in their face — whether we wanted it or not. Florida had something to prove and did.

Flash back to 2003. The Buckeyes went into Phoenix unbeaten but with a number of close games under their belt. They were going up against a Miami team had dominated college football for the past two years. Miami quarterback Ken Dorsey hadn’t been sacked all season. The word was that Ohio State had no business on the same playing field with the Miami Hurricanes.

(For the record, the Buckeyes sacked Dorsey on the first possession and Dorsey was so banged up that he spent the night of the game in an area hospital.)

The difference between the ‘02 championship and the ‘06 game was that in ‘03, Coach Tressel had something to build on. As the underdog, the Buckeyes had something to prove and Tressel played it to the fullest.

With last year’s loss to Florida, Tressel and the Buckeyes have again had something to cling to, something to use as a base for motivation. Forty-one to fourteen has been the rallying cry this year and it has worked. What was supposed to be a rebuilding year with three/four losses has turned into a return to the BCS Championship — a return for redemption.

And now, with the country hailing the SEC as the greatest division and LSU as the best team out there, the Buckeyes again have something to prove. Not only that, but they will be playing LSU in what amounts to a home game. The odds are stacked against them and that’s just the way the Buckeyes like it.

Last year, the Buckeyes had trouble getting through the long break but now, Tressel has something to cling to, a tool to motivate and the Buckeyes have something to prove. Don’t expect to see the Buckeyes make the same mistake as last year.

So the old magic 8 ball was right. Of the possible games, I like this one the most (although I do like an OSU/USC matchup–but we’ll get that next year). The SEC has again done such a good job at promoting themselves that unless we beat an SEC team, the national championship would have been questioned.

Not is the time to silence the SEC garbage once and for all.

As for the game, I hope we play the team that showed up against Tennessee. They we’re one interception away from missing out on the BCS all together and tell me exactly, how many stupid penalties can a team rack up in one game.

And no, I haven’t seen many LSU games but what I have seen leaves me wondering what all the hype is about (oh yeah, it’s the SEC, they specialize in hype). Looking back on it, I saw LSU vs. Alabama which they almost blew, LSU vs. Kentucky, which was a loss to..ahem…Kentucky, LSU vs. Arkansas, and LSU vs. Tennasee. So maybe I caught LSU on a bad night — or maybe four bad nights. Whatever the case, LSU may be one of the better teams…this year.

Regardless, the key for Ohio State will be getting through the break. I think last year, the spring game was closer to the BCS Championship than the Ohio State/Michigan game. However, the Buckeyes will have learned from their mistakes. This entire year has been about redemption and rarely, does a team get an opportunity to erase the mistakes of the past.

I don’t think LSU has met an offensive line like our this year and I know they haven’t met a defense like ours. If the o-line can hold, our defense should do well against an LSU style offense.

Wow, when I wrote my earlier post asking what would happen if West Virginia and Missouri both lost, I didn’t really think it would happen. Missouri, yeah but West Virginia?

So here we are, the morning after, and what a hangover it is. I’ve pulled out the old magic 8 ball and am ready to step forward with my predictions for this tonight’s BCS selection. And let’s face it, the old 8 ball will probably do better than the BCS voters.

Virgnia Tech

Regardless of what the comments on my earlier post may say, it ain’t going to happen. And that is probably a good thing for Virgnia Tech. Ohio State’s defense would outright humiliate Tech. As for getting in to the BCS game, they lost to LSU, LSU won the SEC, the world has a love affair with both the SEC and LSU so face it, a national contender coming out of the ACC–might as well send in Wake Forest. The loss to LSU should knock them out of the running.

Eight Ball says: “Definitely Not”

Georgia

Like the Buckeyes, Georgia sat out this weekend. The difference is that Ohio State won their conference, Georgia did not. And while yes, as I was reminded earlier, Nebraska did go to the BCS without winning their division, it isn’t going to happen this year. While the BCS loves controversy, Georgia jumping in ahead of LSU and Oklahoma might be enough to end the entire system once and for all.

Hmm, maybe Georgia’s not such a bad pick after all.

Eight Ball says: “Very Doubtful”

Kansas

Sure, they only have one loss but they haven’t beaten a team in the top 25. They will be left behind when the smoke clears.

Eight Ball Says: “Are you kidding”

Wow, this isn’t so hard. The 8 ball seems to be doing pretty good so far. Only a couple left to go…

Oklahoma

To have heard it last night, you would have thought Oklahoma Coach Bob Stoops was going up against Hilary in Iowa. He was so desperate he told reporters, “I’m gonna call all my coaching buddies [and try to get them to vote for us].”

Sure, he beat the number one team last night but lots of people beat number one teams this year. Should we be taking a closer look at Appalachian State? Face it, Oklahoma was the favorite and they were supposed to win. The fact that the #1 team can go into their last game of the season as an underdog shows us just how broken the system is this year.

I think Oklahoma makes a good argument for going but let’s face it, LSU is getting the love that Oklahoma is not.

Eight Ball says: “You will have to wait.”

USC

I think USC had a shot if everyone else fell on their swords last night. However, only two of the required four or five teams actually did. Yes, I would love to see USC play Ohio State for the national championship game — especially in a neutral field. However, I don’t see it happening. USC struggled too much this year. Even ESPN’s Mark May bailed out on them last night.

Eight Ball says:”Don’t bet on it”

LSU

That leaves LSU. I would like to see Ohio State play against the LSU that I watched last night. I thought the entire game looked pretty sloppy and if Tenn hadn’t thrown the interception at toward the end of the game last night, we might not even be having this discussion.

Sure, LSU only lost in overtime but to who, Kentucky? Arkansas? From what everybody is telling me, LSU is the best team in the country but I don’t think that’s what we saw yesterday. LSU is good at getting stupid penalties and if their the best, bring ‘em on.

If Ohio State weather the break and play in the form they played in against Michigan, LSU is in trouble, even in what will pretty much be a home game.

Eight Ball says: “Most Likely”

So there it is, the Eight Ball has spoken. LSU goes to the BCS game without about as much certainty as the BCS can give us these days.

I can’t say I wasn’t looking forward to a USC/Ohio State Rose Bowl and the old school football it brings with it. However, a chance to rectify last year’s loss will be worth the trip. And unless Ohio State plays LSU, it doesn’t matter who we beat, the critics will look at an Ohio State national title over anyone but LSU with a lot of doubt. However, I like LSU style football and I think it matches well with the Buckeyes style of play. Bring on LSU and give me a Buckeye blowout. It is time to silence the critics.

GO BUCKEYES!!

Let’s bring it back where it belongs!!!