Today is the day that Ohio State can put a season full of memories behind them and march forward, slate clean, into next weekend’s titanic matchup against that school up North*. The last time Ohio State travelled to Northwestern, the Buckeye’s lost a difficult game in overtime. For some, a burden such as this may cause a stumble in an otherwise victorious season. The Buckeye’s, however, have been in this situation before and while Coach Tressel may deny it, it will only serve to motivate and get the job done.
Last weekend’s game against Illinois and the cleansing of the 2004 loss to Northwestern is just what the Buckeye’s need. With next weekend looming, it would be easy to look past NW. Ohio State has held the number one spot all year and an undisciplined could easily let the pressure of the position get in the way. Northwestern has also been anything but a slouch. They provided a convincing win over Iowa and godonlyknows what happened in the destruction that was against Michigan State. If nothing else, they proved in the MSU game that they can be a threat.
With the ’04 loss, the Buckeyes have a pupose and last weekend’s close game against the Illini provided the wakeup call. Tressel’s players have been here before and have walked away better for it.
This season has been a season full of quelled memories. Last year’s losses at Texas, Penn State and the return to Iowa, site of the 2004, 33-7, massacre in the corn fields. With today’s win in Evenston, the journey will be all but complete.
Next week’s game against _ichigan is a hundred years of history and memories, both triumphant and painful, but with a solid win against Northwestern, Tressel and his men, (and they have proven themselves as such this year both on and off the field) will go into the game with a clean slate, and by the end of the day, step forward onto that great podium, look out over a fallen field of “victors valient” and claim that transcendience that is…victory.
Expect a big win today. The spread is at 23 points and while I won’t predict a final score, I will bet the spread. This is a final opportunity to build confidence before the big one. However, I could see Tressel getting a comfortable lead, controlling the game, and then pulling back so as not to give anything to Carr.
The defense will be big and I predict the Troy Smith show will be in full swing. Don’t expect to see NW put much on the board and look for a controlling offense from Ohio State.
With a post as redicously verbose as this one, I will leave the true pregame analysis to others. This week I send you to “Dot The i” who’s game day breakdowns have been getting better by the week.
Oh, and one more thing, I write to you today from the home field of Columbus. It has been a while since I have been back but it is good to see that Buckeye fever is not only alive and well, it is reaching dangerous levels. I will report more later.
(*From this point on, I think we should adapt the policy of our beloved coach, Woody Hayes, and not speak that name again.)
Go Buckeyes!!!
