Up until just a few hours ago, chances are you’d never heard of Gerret Gilbert. And why would you? As the freshmen back up to Colt McCoy, he’d racked up a mere 124 yards passing and 11 yards rushing. Chances are he expected little more from his trip to Pasadena than a visit to Disney World and a great sideline seat for the BCS championship game.

Little more then ten minutes into what might have turned into a dominating Texas victory, Gilbert suddenly found himself standing behind a really big football player about to handing him the ball. Three or so very conservative plays later, his running backs failed to punch it in settling instead on a field goal and Texas was on the board.

Not to take anything away from Alabama but I think it’s safe to say they are lucky McCoy got knocked out so early. Through most of the first quarter, the Texas defense was absolutely smothering. Alabama also got off easy after throwing an interception on a botched fake punt and then standing back and watching as Texas smothered a kickoff to regain the ball deep in Bama territory. Alabama managed to hold  Texas to field goals on both turnovers but it may have been a much different situation with McCoy at the helm. (McCoy went out shortly after Texas intercepted the fake punt.

I also can’t believe that the impact of losing McCoy didn’t have an impact on the Texas defense. As the realization of what had happened settled in, Alabama took to the ground scoring 24 unanswered points in the second quarter.

I would love to know what happened in the Texas locker room during the half. Did Coach Brown give the speech of a lifetime? Did McCoy pull his team together? Whatever happened, it worked. Texas held Bama to 0 yards in the third quarter (or at least until the last 39 seconds), Gilbert found his passing arm and with only 6:15 left in the game, Texas had pulled to within three points. Not only that but the freshman quarterback threw a beautiful two point conversion in the process.

But then, just as it looked like Texas could pull it off, just as Herbstreet pointed out that the offensive line had protected Gilbert and that he hadn’t been sacked all night, the kid got blind sided from behind giving up the ball on the three yard line. Bama punched it in on their third attempt with only two minutes left.

Gilbert threw another interception which the Tide converted for six but at that point it really didn’t matter. Although the score may show a commanding Alabama win, it was anything but. Texas played a great game and it was disappointing to see them lose in the way they did.

Random Thoughts

How about the post game interview with McCoy. Talk about the words getting stuck in your mouth. He eventually pulled himself together and in his Texas drawl said something about faith and a big rock. The injury sounds strange. Says he can’t feel his arm, like it’s dead. Kind of scary stuff.

What’s with the crowd chanting “SEC.” Please. You almost got your ass handed to you by a freshman quarterback. Give it a break.

Thursday night BCS Championships Blow I’ve been saying this for a while but seriously, these weeknight bowl games have got to go. I’ve tried to watch at least three bowl games this week and I don’t think I’ve made it through an entire game without falling asleep yet. Thank goodness for DVR.

College football needs to end on New Year’s Day. By this point, the BCS Championship feels like an after thought. It would be one thing if it were a playoff situation but it’s not. The only people still watching are Texas/Alabama fans and a handful of college football fanatics. And to be honest, without the drama of McCoy, this fanatic wouldn’t have been nearly so interested in the game.

I was in Phoenix for both Ohio State BCS Championship games and what a difference a week made. Granted the move to Glendale didn’t help but with the Florida game, it felt like we were in the way. The excitement of the Fiesta Bowl was gone, locals were back to work and for the most part, it felt like the game was just another traffic jam. I can’t believe a BCS post Rose Bowl didn’t have the same effect.

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(Update: Since writing this post, the spread has nearly doubled to 6.5-7 points post Navy game. Regardless, I’m sticking with the Bucks.)

While I’m not much of a gambler, I enjoy following the point spreads because they give you a glimpse of public opinion. Considering Ohio State’s recent performances in big games, I was somewhat surprised to see that the opening spreads are only makingUSC a 3.5 point favorite.. All things considered, I assumed that the Buckeyes would be a bigger underdog.

And while I’m not one to look past the opener with Navy (note the pen name “Annapolisbuckeye”), USC is the game which will determine both schools fate for the 2009 season.

Regardless of the general consensus outside of Buckeye Nation, I think the boys in Vegas are on to something. There’s no question that OSU/USC has the potential to be a very close game and Ohio State is USC’s biggest threat of the year (or should I say that USC is Ohio State’s biggest threat of the year). Here’s four reasons why the spread may be opening at 3.5 points and why I’m putting my money on the Bucks to win.

1. We play them in the Shoe

No question the home field advantage will help. And face it, while USC may have a good record against top 10 ranked schools, the majority of those games were played in either the Coliseum or Rose Bowl. Move east of the Mississipppi and they don’t look near as good. Sure, give them the ‘05 win against Notre Dame but come on. It’s not often you save a game by fumbling the ball.

Although it’s still unclear who’s starting at QB for USC, whoever they choose will be untested in a harsh environment – and The Shoe will be a harsh environment. It’s just too bad we don’t play them in late Nov. Those Southern Cal beech boys wouldn’t know what to do with snow and cold.

2. Quarterback Situation

When it comes to quarterback, take last year’s situation and turn it around. Last year, by game time in the Coliseum, the Buckeyes still hadn’t worked out their quarter back issues. Terrelle Pryor was an untested freshmen. During preseason practice, it wasn’t even clear if he would play at all. Sure, he was fast but lacked much needed passing confidence. As a result, USC’s speedy defense was quickly able to shut down his one-dimensional play.

This year, USC will meet an entirely different Terrelle Pryor. Pryor’s passing game has matured and he’s still got serious speed. The Cleveland Plain Dealer recently reported that Pryor may be the fastest player in the Big 10. According to the Plain Dealer, he posted a 4.33 in the 40. For reference, according to the Plain Dealer, the fastest quarterback in last two NFL combines posted a 4.55.

I think the college football outside of Buckeye Nation hasn’t quite caught on to Pryor basing their perceptions on the freshmen they saw last year. I’m making the prediction here that he is going to surprise more then a few people and will be a major force in a Buckeye BCS drive.

As for USC, by the end of last spring, everyone was expecting Aaron Corp to step into the role of starting quarterback for USC. However, a leg injury sidelined Corp for at least three weeks. He’s got a cracked bone in his leg and while I know college and pro players get back from these injuries amazingly fast, I can’t believe that he’ll be 100 percent.

In the meantime, freshman Matt Barkley has stepped up to challenge for the starting role. Behind him is Arkansas transfer Mitch Mustain.

Any of this starting to sound familiar? Even if Corp is back to health and able to start in the opener against San Jose, Barkley has been taking the snaps while he is out and seems to be proving himself. Reports from practice is that he’s shown his share of freshman jitters. Regardless, at the moment the position is up in the air. At the very least, neither quarterback is the force Pryor brings to the field.

3. Speed

Nope, I’m not talking about USC speed. I’m talking Buckeye speed. You heard me right…Buckeye speed. I already gave you the stats on Pryor above. He’s not alone. After losing some powerful senior receivers, there’s been some question about Ohio State’s recieving corps. Not from this blogger. Although the Plain Dealer’s reported 40 times are all word of mouth, if they’re accurate Pryor’s got a couple of speedy receivers to help him out. Lamaar Thomas posted a 4.37 and Ray Small and DeVier Posey posted in the 4.4s.

Pryor’s also going to have help with the running game as Brandon Saine also posted in the 4.4s. Boom Herron proved himself as a backup to Beanie last year and I don’t think he’ll have any problem stepping in to fill the role. I’ll be glad to take a healthy Saine and Herron over an injured Wells against USC any day. Last year, USC knew they had to shut down Beanie and they did. (And remember, Wells was questionable even the morning of game day.) This year, the Buckeyes will show USC a much more diverse threat.

Yeah, USC’s defense is knows for their speed but I think the Buckeyes have got what they need to give them a challenge.

Of course, I do need to raise my concerns (again) about the Ohio State offensive line. I don’t know what to expect this year. What I do know is that if they don’t get off their heels and protect the backfield better then they did last year (all season), then none of this really matters.

4. Injuries, NCAA Distractions, Etc.

Along with Corp, USC is dealing with a few other injuries of note. Fifth year senior defensive tackle Averell Spicer suffered what was termed a “serious sprained ankle.” And while I don’t know if he’ll be back, initial reports weren’t good.

Starting center Kristofer O’Dowd dislocated his knee cap, a repeat injury, and it’s not clear if he’ll be back in time either. An experienced center can be a big plus bringing in a new quarterback.

Offensive lineman Nick Howell also suffered a sprained ankle and is questionable for opening day.

And just for fun, the NCAA is still chasing USC for violations. The Los Angles Times says that the latest involves a pro kicking coach providing advice as a consultant. I’m not sure how much I put into this charge. With all the Buckeye alum turned NFL player hanging around the Ohio State locker room, well, I can’t believe this type of charge couldn’t also be a concern at OSU.

What’s most interesting is that the NCAA is looking into whether or not USC has lost “institutional control” of their athletics program. Those charges are a much more serious. According to the article in the Times, the investigation comes from a series of charges including illicit payments to Reggie Bush and former basketball player O.J. Mayo and coach, Tim Floyd. The consulting situation just adds to the fire. If the NCAA actually decides that USC has lost institutional control of athletics, that could result in a ban from post season play and the massive amounts of money that come with it.

Not that I actually think the NCAA investigation could have any effect on the OSU/USC game, it’s fun to stir the pot.

So, with that, my confidence is up. Not only do I think the Buckeyes have a good shot of beating the spread, I think they have the potential to win this game and win it big. There is nothing Buckeye Nation (or the entire Big Ten for that matter) needs more right now then to give USC a good old fashion butt whoopin. The past few years may have shaken my confidence but that doesn’t mean the Buckeyes don’t have it in them. Our recent loses on the big stage have had a big impact on public perception. The time has come to redeem our rightful place of honor and no better opportunity to do it then against the every annoying Trojans.

Update: Since the Navy game the spread has nearly doubled bouncing between 6.5 and seven points. Check the current spread here.

(Somehow, this seems appropriate…I’ll let you figure out the metaphor)

Testing…testing…are we on?

If you’ve noticed that it’s been quiet around here lately, it’s because I’ve been suffering from technical difficulties behind the scenes and to be honest, I haven’t had much time to fix them.

At this point, it looks like all three-years worth of comments are back and everything is working properly so..

The BCS Selection Show is tonight. In my opinion, it is probably one of the most ridiculous dog and pony shows in college football. And yet at 8:00p.m. tonight, I’m sure I will be tuned into my t.v. eagerly looking forward to the determination of how I will spend the majority of my holiday season.

I think I put my predictions in an earlier post and I don’t think there have been any changes. If I get a chance, maybe I’ll pontificate some more.

That is, if I can handle the antici…..pation.

At one point on Saturday, I was preparing to write a post titled, “Just give it to Boise State.”  And why not? They’ve gone undefeated and the Buckeyes lost two games – one of which was a blowout. Besides, a Capital One Bowl against a second rate SEC team doesn’t sound all that bad. If the Buckeyes need anything, they need to win a bowl game. Winning a bowl game against an SEC team…all the better.

And then Oregon State decided they really weren’t ready for the Rose Bowl and handed it over to USC.

Suddenly, the Buckeyes are back in the BCS race looking at a possible Fiesta bowl and you’ve got the Phoenix city council licking their chops at the economic stimulus package which just landed in their laps.

But hold on to your Britches Mayor Gordon, there’s more. Since the Big 12 can’t seem to decide a champion without outside help, Texas may be looking for a place to play come BCS selection day. Yeah, a Florida win over Bama could somehow mean a BCS title rematch with Oklahoma/Texas but do you really think they’d allow an all Big 12 championship? (What a ridiculous mess that would be. I can’t tell the Big 12 football scores from their basketball scores.)

You want a big game, put Texas and Ohio State in the Fiesta bowl. That would bring two of the biggest schools in the country with two of the best traveling fan bases to your fair city.

Yeah, the season’s not over and a lot could happen. USC could lose to UCLA (and I don’t even want to try to figure out what that would do). Oklahoma could lose to Missouri but how could you send Texas over Texas Tech to whom they lost. That could open the door for USC or maybe even Penn State.

But that makes my head hurt.

Sorry Boise and Utah. You’ve earned your spot but do you think for a minute that given the chance, the Fiesta Bowl committee will pass on a Texas/Ohio State bowl game? Even if Boise or Utah could pull of the upset, a Utah/Boise vs Texas just doesn’t have the same ring (bling?) as an Ohio State/Texas Fiesta Bowl.

So for now, considering the way the BCS seems to have a penchant for screwing somewhat deserving teams, I’m calling a Texas/Ohio State Fiesta. Sure, they’ll whine and cry in New Orleans because nobody from Boise or Utah is going to travel all the way down there for a bowl game but do you honestly think Mayor Gordon cares about that back in Glendale?

As for the actual football game? I love an Ohio State/Texas matchup. We left that series unresolved a couple of years ago and a chance to settle the score will huge for both teams. And talk about two radically different football divisions. Do they even play defense in the Big 12?

So here’s my bowl picks:

BCS Title: Florida vs. Oklahoma
Fiesta: Ohio State vs. Texas
Rose: Penn State vs. USC
Sugar: Alabama vs. Utah (Boise? – flip a coin)
Orange: Virginia Tech vs. Cinci (wow, there’s a game not to miss)

However, I still wouldn’t mid seeing an Ohio State vs. Georgia Capital One Bowl either. Bowl games are supposed to be played on Jan 1 anyways!

I don’t know how much is Terrelle Pryor and the Buckeyes playing an outstanding game and how much is the fact that we were playing Northwestern. When you look at the stats, Northwestern should be a decent opponent. As I pointed out in an earlier post, on paper, they look about even or even better than the Buckeyes. However, I just can’t get past the thought that against a tougher team, the Buckeyes wouldn’t have looked so good.

There is no question that Pryor just keeps getting better and better each weekend. For the first time this season, the Buckeyes really started hitting the home run play. Pryor hit some big passes hitting 9-14 for a total of 198 yards passing and three touchdowns. Wells put up some numbers also rushing for 140 yards.

Two of the most impressive things about the Buckeye offense was the third-down conversions and the ability of Pryor and Wells to salvage the play after the rest of us thought they were tackled. The Buckeyes managed to convert 8 of 13 on third down but even more impressive is that they went 7 for 9 when it was eight yards or more. More than one of these conversions was on a broken play. Sure, we can do that against Northwestern but will it play in a bigger game?

Wells also broke clear for a 55 yard touchdown run after he was completely stopped at the line of scrimmage. Later in the game, Pryor did the same managing to get off a touchdown pass after about everyone else had stopped playing thinking Pryor was being forced out of bounds. Again, would these plays fly against a better team? Who knows. You have to give it to both Pryor and Wells though — if we can get play like that out of both of them every weekend, the Buckeyes will be tough to stop no matter who they play.

As for the offensive line, the key appears to be confidence. Once this line realizes they can stop the attack, they seem to get better and better. However, as we’ve seen so far this season, get them on their heels and wow…they don’t bounce back well.

No concerns about the Buckeye Defense though. They held NU to less than 300 yards total offense. You have to give it to NU though on the quick snap for a touchdown. Talk about catching a team off guard.

While this might not have been our year for a BCS title run, if Wells sticks around for another year (and I think another year would do him well), with Pryor coming on like he is — look out.

Rose Bowl and a USC Rematch outside of CA?

Is it just me or didn’t it feel like Penn State wasn’t quite ready for the big show. I’ve been saying all along that they just seemed a little out of their element. So, thanks to Penn State absolutely blowing it in Iowa, we now have a big fat three-way tie for the Rose Bowl (Or we will after Michigan’s bye next week – granted both the Bucks and PSU win next weekend).

This of course brings us to yet another “biggest home game in the history of Penn State get the white shirts we’re camping outside the stadium and JoPa is going to buy us all pizza” game. Here’s a hint Penn State. You only get one of these every few years. After that it just starts to feel contrived.

Doesn’t matter though. Michigan State hasn’t seen it yet so it will have some impact. Penn State is lucky they have Indiana at home next weekend. It gives them a chance to bounce back. If they came straight out of the loss and into MSU, I don’t think they could get their heads where they need to be in time.

As for the tie, for the sake of argument, let’s say that the Buckeyes win out the season and Penn State and MSU win their off game. If Penn State beats Michigan, they’re in. That would give Michigan State two losses and put us in the…Orange Bowl?

If Michigan beats Penn State, as I see it, we’d go to the Rose because Penn State would have two Big Ten losses and we beat Michigan State. However, during the Northwestern game, the two bozos in the press box kept talking about a three way Big Ten tie would send MSU to the Rose Bowl because they played fewer I-AA schools.

What?!

Check me here if I’m wrong but isn’t it impossible for there to be a three way tie in the Big Ten this year? Whoever loses the Penn State/Michigan State game will have two losses moving them into second place with the winner tied with Ohio State at one loss. If Penn State wins, they go because they beat OSU. If the Spartans win, Buckeyes go because they beat Michigan…right?

Either way, if the Buckeyes win out, we should get the second BCS game which wouldn’t be all that bad either.

As for the Pac 10 opponent, consider this: If Oregon State finishes out the season unbeaten, don’t they go to the Rose because both USC and OSU would have one loss and OSU beat USC? That would put USC in the second bowl spot which would be where?

The question is, does anyone want to see a USC rematch? It would be nice to meet them in neutral territory.

Update
I see fellow Ohio State blog Men of the Scarlet and Gray also struggled with the tiebreaker thing. It looks like I’ve got it right as stated above. However, they point out that the Orange Bowl committee has expressed interested in Ohio State which means that if they don’t go to the Rose Bowl, they will meet the ACC Champ. Don’t worry, I’m not even going to try to figure out that mess in the ACC.

O.K. So we’ve lost our shot at the BCS championship. That doesn’t mean that a Rose Bowl appearance is out of the question. Besides, isn’t that what Big Ten football is all about – the Rose Bowl?

If everything falls in place, and this is in now way a stretch, Ohio State could be looking at a rematch against USC. Don’t think for a minute that most of the sporting world will be doing everything in their power to stop it but at the same time, it’s not much of a stretch.

Add to that a regular season game against USC next fall and we’re looking at a possible best of three scenario. The biggest question for me is will the Buckeyes be ready for another game against USC in California?

I’m not going to spend much time in this post about what it will take for the Buckeyes to beat USC. At the moment, it looks like it comes down to one issue – can/will the offensive line play like the offensive line they should be or will they continue to put in mediocre performances. The defense has stepped up, Pryor is starting to throw the ball, Wells has shown he can run, that leaves the offensive line. If they don’t start playing up to speed giving Pryor the time he needs and opening up some solid passing lanes, then I’m not so sure I want to see a rematch against USC.

Let’s take a look at what it will take to get us there and the games this weekend that factor in.

Penn State (bye)

O.K. So Penn state doesn’t play this weekend. Doesn’t matter. They are pretty much the primary link for us getting to the Rose Bowl. If the Lions can run the table and finish out undefeated, there is no question they will get into the BCS game.

Regardless of the media favoritism that goes into a one-loss SEC team, Penn State has one thing going for it that trumps any one-loss SEC team – Joe Paterno. Face it, he can barely get to the press box to coach. During the Ohio State game they were still imiages of him as if he’d died already. There is nothing the pollsters would love more than to send JoPa out with the big win.

I’m not completely convinced that Penn State is ready for the BCS Championship, there is no way they will keep an undefeated Joe Paterno from one last great victory.

I’m also not completely convinced that Penn State won’t blow it before they get their chance. They should finish the Big Ten season without a problem. It is the Big Ten however and this is Penn State. I’m not putting money on it until it happens.

#1 Texas vs. #7 Texas Tech (Texas favored by 3)

Now this is a big game. Both teams come into this game undefeated and both teams have potential Heisman candidates (Colt McCoy/Texas and Graham Harrell/Texas Tech) and a big performance for either could seal the deal.

If Texas wins, they should pretty much seal their shot at the BCS Championship. Even with a Big 12 Playoff, they pretty much spanked Missouri already and the toughest teams on their schedule are behind them.

As for the game, I’m going with Texas. Yeah, Texas Tech looks good but have the been tested? Tech may be able to put the points on the board but so will Texas. The over under on this one is at a ridiculous 73.5 points and that may be a little low.

This one is going to be an offensive shootout but with that many points on the board, it will come down to more than a field goal. I’m taking Texas to beat the spread.

Alabama vs. Arkansas State (Bama by 23.5)

If Alabama and Texas go undefeated, then we’ve got a slug fest between Penn State and Bama for the BCS title spot. Yes, the SEC will fire up their annual cry baby campaign but face it, an undefeated JoPa out trumps a whining Urban Meyer any day.

Arkansas shouldn’t give them much of a struggle this weekend. LSU may get in the way but come playoff time, their either looking at Florida or Georgia. I don’t think Georgia will make the same mistakes twice and I don’t think they can keep up with Florida.

Expect a one loss Alabama in a southern Bowl game.

Oklahoma vs. Nebraska (OK by 21.5 points)

Oklahoma should have a pretty easy weekend ahead. However, they’re looking at Texas Tech and Oklahoma State down the road. Get by them and they’ve got Texas in the playoff. I think they’ll be happy to be a two loss team come bowl time.

USC vs. Washington (USC by 43.5)

Can the Pac Ten really be this bad? Of the BCS teams, USC has had about the easiest schedule. Their toughest opponent should have been the Buckeyes but face it, did we even show up for that game. Baring some sort of tragedy, USC has a clear shot to the Rose Bowl.

No Mark May, they wont’ get to play in Miami no matter how bad you want them to.

Georgia vs. Florida (Florida by 6.5)

For the one loss SEC teams, this is pretty much it. Both teams bring a solid offensive punch to the game. Georgia will test the Gators but the Gators are pretty angry after loosing last year to the Bull Dogs.

This will be a close one but I think Florida will pull it out in the end winning by a touchdown.

Sooooooo:

If Penn State runs the table and gets into the BCS Title against Texas. That opens the door for Buckeyes to meet USC in Rose Bowl (granted we win out) regardless of what happens in the SEC.

While the rest of the college football world was busy running up scores that looked more like a basketball game, Ohio State and Penn State fans were presented with an old fashioned Big Ten slug fest and even though we lost, I liked it.

Yeah, it sucked to lose. It sucked to see this game turn on a fumble that bounced about 12 times and could easily have gone the other way. It sucked to see a history making third-straight Big Ten title slip away and it sucked to once and for all bury our BCS title hopes for this year. All that aside, I’m going to go out on a limb and say that this was a good game and in the end, good for the Big Ten.

First, what I don’t like:

I don’t like that Pryor fumbled the ball but it happens. Yeah, Pryor should have just fallen forward, he had the first down, the drive would have continued and this would have been a different game. The Buckeyes were doing exactly what they needed to do at that point in the game. A long, slow, clock-eating drive could have put the game away and all be feeling a little better this morning.

But, if Pryor had held on to the ball, turned the corner to the outside and broke out for big yardage or even a touchdown, we’d be singing his praises and he would have been carried off the field. He saw open field, his eyes got big and it didn’t work out. You pay your money and you take your chances. He’ll learn from this mistake and just get more and more dangerous.

Remember, he’s only 19 years old.

What I did Like:

• I liked seeing another Big Ten team step up and give the Buckeyes a game. It would be nice to add Michigan to the mix but until they find their way again, I’m glad Penn State is here. The tougher the games, the better it is for all of us.
• I liked seeing Pryor pass the ball. There was no question that Penn State was going to do everything they could to stop the Wells/Pryor running attack and they did. Pryor threw for 226 yards and for the first time this season, the Buckeyes showed some offensive variety. Yeah, it sucked to see the last pass intercepted in the end zone and yeah, he probably shouldn’t have thrown it but Pryor was putting together a great drive and it was good to see that he wasn’t about to give up.
• I liked the Ohio State defense. The college football world has been in love with the Penn State “balanced” offense. The Buckeyes managed them well.
• I Like the way this game readjusts priorities. For too long, we’ve been so focused on the BCS title that anything else equaled a loosing season. I wish Michigan was stronger this year but for the first time in a long time, we can look to beating Michigan for the sake of beating Michigan.
• I like the idea of a USC/Ohio State rematch in the Rose Bowl. If that doesn’t motivate the Buckeyes to pick themselves up and finish the season strong, nothing will.
• I like watching the Buckeyes during the holiday break. Bowl games should be over on New Year’s day. There is nothing, I repeat nothing worse than putting the national championship game on a Tuesday night, after the holiday break, as everyone is finally recoved from two week’s worth of bowl glutteny. I was in Pheonix two years ago for the Florida game and it was like we were in the way. People needed to get to work, not deal with tailgate traffic on a Tuesday morning (not to mention the Wednesday morning following a West Coast game).
• I like the fact that every Saturday in college football is an all or nothing proposition. Face it, if we had a playoff system, this game might not have meant as much. Instead, ever game is a big game. Once slip and you’re out. All a play off would do is give everyone a second chance. We lost, Penn State earned it. It’s there turn to give it a shot.
• I like the way ABC showed still shots of Joe Paterno, complete with somber music, as if he’d died. If they hadn’t shown him getting out of his golf cart and going to the press box, I might be calling a conspiracy theory here. To tell the truth, I’m still not so sure. Is it possible they know something we don’t.
• Finally, I like the fact that Penn State has a shot at the BCS title. Win or lose, their fans will get all gooey with excitement and it will just be that much more fun when we beat them in their own house next year.

So yeah, it sucked to lose but I’m not ready to give up the season yet.

Yeah, it’s the wrong OSU but did anyone think that Oregon State, coming in to last night’s game with a 1-2 record, would take down the mighty USC? USC, who after decimating Ohio State, who received all but a few of the #1 votes in both polls, basically ended their championship run for the second season in a row to an unranked team.

Not only that, but by the end of the first half, Oregon State was up 21-0. They came in confident and as opposed to the Buckeyes, they looked aggressive from the start. The OSU offensive line was able to push the USC defense enough to give Oregon running back Jacquizz Rodgers the chance to put up 186 yards — the most USC’s given up to an opponent since they met Vince Young in the 06 BCS Championship.

If this had happened any other season, I’d be screaming and yelling about how media darling USC has no business getting the high ranking it gets year after year. I’d be furious at commentators like ESPN’s Mark May who I’m sure by next week will be making a case for USC getting to the BCS title. But as we all know, I can’t. The Buckeyes missed their opportunity to knock USC out of contention so somebody else did.

Granted, USC probably was as psychologically prepared for this game as they were against the Buckeyes it is frustrating to see that Oregon State could expose weaknesses that the Buckeyes could not. Also makes you wonder how much USC needs an extra week to prep combined with a huge home field advantage to win the big games (last night’s loss was on OSU’s home field).

What does this mean for Ohio State?

For the sake of playing with a hypothetical, let’s say that Ohio State had beaten USC and USC went on to lose their second game to Oregon State. Do you think the Buckeyes would still have a clear shot to the BCS? Would the Ohio State second guessing would come rushing back once again? Even if we went undefeated, would we need to prove ourselves deserving of a championship shot against a one or possibly even a two-loss SEC team? Doesn’t matter, just a hypothetical to consider.

Bring on Penn State!

What does matter is that there are suddenly a couple of very big games on our schedule. Penn State beat the snot out of Oregon State early this season running up a score of 45-14. And suddenly, the pundits have Penn State on a national championship run with Wisconsin getting secondary attention.

Is there anyone out there in Buckeye Nation that doesn’t like the potential of this? Penn State plays Wisconsin (currently ranked 9/8) at Wisconsin. If they take down the Badgers and come into the Shoe unbeaten, they should be ranked in the top five. That means for the third year in a row, Penn State go up against the Buckeyes with all their delusions of grandeur in tow.

For the past three seasons, Penn State has nurtured a world of false hopes only to find them splattered against the reality that is Ohio State. Last year, their beloved “White Out” was of no use and the year before that, the only member of the Penn State team to see the end zone was Coach Paterno as he ran through it on the way to the bathroom.

It’s a situation I truly enjoy. Unlike the out of conference teams we struggle against, Tressel has Penn State’s number. By then the Pryor/Wells show should be in full swing and Penn State will not have their so highly valued home field advantage. Bring it on I say, bring it on.

So, theoretically, there is a way back to the BCS Title. A commanding win over both Wisconsin and Penn State would at least give us a point of contention. Unfortunately, the fact that we lost and lost big to USC won’t be forgotten but by beating Penn State, we’ll have at least beaten the team that beat the team that beat USC.

And as they say, it’s always better to lose early in the season than to lose late.

As much as I’d like to to be, it’s getting harder and harder to believe that the Wells injury story may be a big rouse. After yesterday’s stadium walk through, Coach Tressel met with the media and told them that Wells would not play in what is probably the biggest game in college football this year.

According to The Columbus Dispatch, Tressel said that he made the decision, not doctors. The dispatch reports:

“Typically, the doctors will (say), ‘Here’s my opinion,’ but it’s all on how you feel,” Tressel said. “So I just think, as I listen to the doctors and as I think about the situation, I think a decision had to be made.

“I’m not sure (Wells) will ever speak to me again, but I think it’s the right thing to do, so we won’t have Beanie tomorrow.”

For the past week, I’ve been claiming that the Wells situation was all smoke and mirrors but if this is the case, to push it this far is way out of character for Tressel. He just isn’t the type to take it this far. And while I know that Tressel is all about doing what’s best for his kids, what is really going on here. Last week, all signs pointed to a healthy Wells. This week, we’ve had the off again/on again story and now, as opposed to the sideline decisions we were told we’d hear at one point, Tressel announces that the game will go on without him.

Maybe it’s a need to focus the team. By taking the media focus off the individual and putting it back on the team, Tressel can bring his players mentally back to where they need to be by game time. As opposed to dealing a confidence blow at kickoff, give them a chance to let the reality sink in. Let them focus on the situation at hand and stepping up to do the job that needs to be done.

Can we win without Beanie? It’s not like we don’t have the talent. Ohio State’s defense is one of the most experienced and talented in college football. When you watch the films of Laurinitis, you see a kid who can read the offense, stay in position and make plays happen. He is a quiet force on the field and while he may not get every tackle, his presence and ability to read the play opens opportunities for the rest of the defense.

Offensively, much depends on which Ohio State offense shows up to play. Will we see the offensive line that can get the jump and giving whoever is in at quarterback the time to let a play develop? At quarterback, Boekman has the ability to make the big play but he has been prone to turnovers.

The offensive secret may lie in Terril Pryor. A successful run against the USC defense will take someone who can see the field and can cut at the right moment. USC tackle Fili Moala is fast but he is quick to get out of position. The Ohio State running game needs the ability to make the quick change in direction in order to take advantage of Moala’s sometimes overaggressive play. This is where Beanie would be such a force. However, Pryor runs like a gazelle. He almost floats across the field and it looks like he covers about three yards per stride.

At this point in the season, we don’t know anything about Pryor’s passing game. In the few drives we have seen, he hasn’t really aired it out. This may be one of the secrets the offensive coaches are holding close to the vest. If Pryor has a passing ability which has been kept on the practice field, then we have a game on our hands.

Regardless of all that, something must really be wrong if Tressel keeps Pryor on the sidelines in LA. A strong performance on what will be one of the most watched games of the season could put Wells at the forefront of the Heisman race. Without the USC game, the Heisman will be an uphill battle.

Tressel also knows that this game will have a long, lingering impact on Ohio State’s reputation and in turn his reputation. If the Buckeyes lose, and there is any question that Wells could have played, Buckeye fans will be ruthless in their criticism of Tressel.

Maybe Tressel does have something up his sleeve. Maybe he knows that the Buckeyes are good enough to do it without Wells. Maybe what we’re seeing is a confidence that stems from what he’s seen on a practice field that the rest of us don’t have access to.

I sure hope so.

After a long summer and an even longer two weeks, it’s finally here. This is the game we’ve been talking about since the minute the final whistle of the 2007 season came to an end. Even after the devastating loss to LSU, the fact that Ohio State would play USC early in the season gave us all hope that next year, we would be back. Just knowing that the Buckeyes would take on USC made us all secure in the knowledge that at the very least, we would be in the BCS hunt for the 2008 season.

And then came OU. Going into last weekend Buckeye nation was confident that we could beat USC. Our hopes were high that this would be the game that would seal bring the long sought redemption after the past two BCS championship losses.

Where once their was boisterous confidence, chaos reigns. At this point, nobody except the Ohio State players and coaches know what the Buckeyes are capable of. If they have the talent that for all intensive purposes they appear to have, we sure didn’t see it last weekend. From the fumbled snap to the missed extra point to the general lack of an offensive line, I don’t think any of us truly know what to make of this team. And I know for sure that down deep, all Ohio State fans are preparing themselves for yet another let down like they’ve had the past two years. Don’t believe me? Take a look at the poll on the Dispatches Buckeye Extra. At the time I write this, 45% of the Ohio State fans participating believe that the Buckeyes will lose by 14 points or more this weekend.

And let’s just take a moment to consider what we’re up against. While the Buckeyes were testing every possible flaw in their system, USC had just spent the first of two weeks studying film and running plays specifically designed for Ohio State. Also, don’t think for a minute that USC coach Pete Carroll won’t do everything in his power to solidify SC’s position as the top team in the country. They’ve seen too many close calls on making the big dance in the past few years. Add to that the fact that they are 35-1 on their home turf and you can get just a hint of we’re up against.

However, that doesn’t mean that the Buckeyes can’t put this one away. They to have been looking to this game since early January of last year. And there is no question that the Bucks played down to their opponent last weekend and were looking way past that little MAC school from the hills of Southern Ohio. The Buckeyes have the depth and the talent to match up with anyone in college football. The question is, can they pull it together.

To do so, they must put the OU game behind them. Don’t answer any more questions about it in the press conferences, and look past it just like they were looking past it last Saturday morning.

As much as I hate to say it, this game will influence the future of Ohio State football for years to come. If the Buckeyes can win and win big, they silence the critics. By beating the beloved USC, there should be no question about who is number one in the country and the BCS Championship game is theirs to lose. Even if the Buckeyes win a close game, by beating the media darlings in a hostile environment, they will have proven themselves worthy of the high rankings and hype they receive.

However, anything but a close loss and the Buckeyes will face way more criticism then they deserve. Any other team and it would be chalked up as just another loss. If the Buckeyes lose, it doesn’t matter how good they are, they will have trouble finding their way back to the national championship game for some time to come.

As much as I hate to say it, this is our national championship game. In today’s world where a mere Big Ten Championship is not enough, this is an all or nothing game.