Just a week ago I was in a mad hunt to find tickets to a certain New Year’s day parade. What a difference a weekend makes. What looked like a certain Rose Bowl bid has turned into a very possible return to the BCS National Championship.
At this point, the Buckeyes could end up playing either Missouri or West Virginia in the BCS national championship game or USC in the Rose Bowl. Let’s take a minute to review our potential opponents.
West Virgnia
If we are going to New Orleans, this is our most likely opponent. Last week’s game against UConn provided the best chance for an upset and it is doubtful that they will lose to Pittsburgh next weekend. However, it is a rivalry game and the way this season is going, I’m not ruling anything out.
Regardless, even though the WV/UConn game was a blowout, WV showed that they had trouble against the run. UConn made a lot of mistakes and three turnovers that resulted in touchdowns but at least in the first half, they seemed to find the holes in the WV defensive line chalking up some big runs. With the ball in the hands of Chris Wells, there is an opportunity to do some damage to West Virginia unless they do a much better job defending the run.
As for the offense, Ohio State had better learn how to deal with a quarterback who can scramble and run the ball. The scrambling quarterback/spread offense has been our achilles heel for the past two years. We couldn’t stop Illinois Juice Williams and WVs Pat White is a much more powerful weapon. He put up a 186 yards against the UConn defense, ranked fourth in the country going into the game, and he scored three touchdowns.
It will be interesting to see how our defensive speed matches up against the WV running game but there is no question we will need to make some adjustments.
Prediction: Ohio State meets WV in BCS Championship game
Missouri
The odds of us seeing Missouri in New Orleans are slim. If they beat Oklahoma and win and move to #1, if we’re playing in the national championship, that means West Virginia lost to Pittsburgh.
However, all that aside, again, the Buckeyes will need to learn to stop the running quarterback and the spread offense. Missouri doesn’t have as many weapons on the ground as West Virginia and may have a few more difficulties against the Buckeye defense.
You may remember, however, what Andy Katzenmoyer did to Corby Jones, a Missouri quarterback a lot like Chase Daniels–at least until he met up with Katz.
Regardless, the Buckeyes need to learn to defend against the spread. If they go to the BCS Championship, they will have plenty of time to work on it.
USC
You mean this is the consolation game? With the BCS Championship happening a week after a week of bowl madness, I hate to say it but a West Virginia/Missouri BCS Championship, played on a weeknight, may become the great forgotten bowl game.
I would love to see the Buckeyes take on USC, almost more than a national championship game. Even though USC pulled a Michigan against Stanford, they still carry a lot of clout. A recent ESPN poll even asked if USC is the best team in the country. A big win over USC may do more to convince the world that the Buckeyes deserve a top ranking more than a win over WV/Missouri, teams that landed where they did by default (not that Ohio State hasn’t benefited). If nothing else, it might shut ESPN’s Mark May up for a while.
I also think the Buckeye defense would give USC some serious difficulties. And while USC defense gave AZ State some serious difficulties last weekend, I think the Buckeye o line could slow them down.
As great games go, a USC/Ohio State Rose Bowl would be one for the ages–a classic game that hearkens to days of old. And while I may be cheering for Oklahoma this weekend, I would have no complaints about going to the Rose Bowl.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
I want to second your comment about stopping the spread. Juice Williams was very effective against us as a mobile qb which we really hadn’t come across this year until that game.
Oh and anything we can do to shut Mark May up is A ok in my book.
This is all bad. Mizzou and the hillbillies all run a good spread which OSU has not showed up well against in the last few years. As for USC it’s a bloody home game for them. I’d much rather see the Trojans have to come into Columbus in January than us in their town. How many great Buckeye and other Big Ten teams lost to mediocre USC teams in the Rose Bowl “home games” over the years?
That said, 5 weeks of everyone from Mark May to… well… myself saying they can’t beat USC might fire them up for the win.
Go Bucks!