Buckeyes over Wisconsin…By all Means

Looking for the 2011 Ohio State vs. Wisconsin Point Spread, follow that link. This is the 2010 post but the video below is still great.

This guy reminds me of about 90 percent of my college friends from Wisconsin. Two-tone? Wahoo? You guys out there? It’s me…the Jimmer.

There’s been a lot of talk on this blog and elsewhere about Ohio State getting a soft schedule and an overwhelming home field advantage. If the Buckeyes can pull off a big win in Wisconsin Sat., it should work to silence some of the critics (although it won’t). Badger fans will have all day to properly lube up on massive quantities of Schlitz and Blatz by the time the game rolls around, Camp Randall will be filled with 80,000 of those guys in the video above. 80,000 fans who always know that if the team is losing, they still get to jump around before the start of the fourth quarter.

The craziness at Camp Randall hasn’t hurt the Buckeyes too much lately as they’ve only lost once in their past five trips to Madison (2003).

At the moment, the Buckeyes are a 4-point favorite. If anything, I think that’s a little low. You’ll remember the last time Terrelle Pryor played at Wisconsin. Not only did he survive an incredibly hard hitting game, he marched the Buckeyes down the field scoring with only about a minute left in the game. That touchdown sealed a three point, come from behind victory for the Buckeyes. Pryor, only a freshman at the time, had proven himself on the big stage.

Three years later, we’re seeing a Pryor we all knew we’d see eventually. With concerns over an injured leg, Pryor turned into a pocket passer dissecting the Indiana defense with more than 334 passing yards. Who knows if his leg was bothering him. He never ran it and really didn’t need to. And although the Indiana defense got through a couple of times, it was great to see the offensive line providing the coverage needed to let Pryor work through his reads and connect with his receivers. An 80 percent pass efficiency is nothing to complain about.

Wisconsin however is no Indiana and the offensive line will again need to do their job. I’d also like to see them start opening some holes for whichever running back has the ball. Although the Buckeyes haven’t established a go-to back, we’ve got talent in the position. As Coach Spielman pointed out last Sat., the offensive line has got give our backs the opportunity to break clear.

On the other side of the ball, Michigan state proved that shutting down Wisconsin’s John Clay and John White is key to beating the badgers. The Spartans held both of them to under 100 yards each, the only time that’s happened this season to Clay. When forced to pass, Scott Tolzien only managed 11 of 25 passes against Michigan State. The Buckeye defense knows how to stop the run. If they do, and do it early, Wisconsin could be in for a long night.

No question defense is going to be a big key in this game. Ohio State/Wisconsin is traditionally a hard hitting, three-yards-and-a-cloud-of type football. One one side of the ball though, tradition has changed. While Wisconsin may still look to pound the ball up the middle, Pryor’s passing performance this season will force Wisconsin to spread out. Even if they do pressure him, Pryor’s best moves come on broken plays. If he’s healthy, and all signs say that he is, not only can he outrun defenders who’ve broken through, he’s got an amazing stiff arm and usually tosses aside the first one to reach him.

Look for the Buckeyes to come out throwing. So far this season, pass defense has been a sore spot for Wisconsin. With an Ohio State running game still waiting to find it’s stride, I say force them to defend the pass. When they do, let Pryor, Boom and whoever else wants a shot, do their thing.

Now that Alabama has gratefully stepped aside, all eyes will be on the Buckeyes this weekend. There’s an entire world outside of this blog that are convinced the Buckeyes don’t belong in the top spot. A big win in Madison is not only what Ohio State needs but it’s what the entire BCS needs right now.

Prediction: This is going to be a hard fought game but look for the Buckeyes to take the crowd out early. In Camp Randal, they’re never out for go–they just slow down to catch their breath. The Buckeyes will need to watch the second half slump and stay on them until the final minute. Pryor will continue to show the passing prowess we’ve seen so far this season. Add a solid running game when needed and I’m giving the Buckeyes a 14 point win.