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.
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
The bozos in the press box were talking about the 3 way tie BEFORE the Iowa game. At the time of the OSU game it looked like a three way tie would happen if 1) PSU beats Iowa, 2) MSU beats PSU, and 3) OSU, PSU, and MSU win all other games.
But now, as stated, a 3 way tie won’t happen unless all end up with 2 losses (PSU loses to IU and beats MSU).
There is a lot of time left for this to shake out, but I would say it is 50/50 on a BCS game. Here is one of an infinite break downs that will change as soon as this weekend.
Obviously 6 spots are tied up, which pretty much won’t be the Buckeyes unless PSU and MSU both lose (slim to none). Now you assume at least one non-BCS conference team gets in…and this year two could crash. But lets assume 1 crash, so 7 spots are gone. Now, the SEC title loser is likely to take a spot (heck, they could be guaranteed a spot if finishing top 4 in the final rankings – Bama loses a close game to Florida). Now at 8 spots filled. If Oregon state wins out and USC wins out, USC could take 9. This leaves 1 spot, and depending on the choosing of the bowls, could go to a Big 12 team or OSU.
That description is really pointless because as soon as another upset occurs, things get shifted a lot.
Thanks for clarifying my “bozo” comment. I kept going over that yesterday and I couldn’t figure out how they had the three way tie with MSU and Penn State playing each other.
Who knew Penn State would blow it.
Still not convinced they weren’t Bozo’s though. If USC was running the score like that, all we’d here is how USC is the greatest team in the history of college football.
I hear what you’re saying about that lone spot. You think the Buckeyes would win out over a Big 12 team? Doubtful.
However, like it or not, money does count for something when it comes to the invites. As I mentioned, supposedly the Orange Bowl committee is watching OSU closely. The Buckeyes travel as well or better than almost any team in college football and that means big bucks for the hosting city.
Just ask Phoenix what they think of the Buckeyes…ca-ching, ca-ching.
Yes, the Buckeyes do travel like few others. I definitely think that will sway things a lot. I’ve loved being out here in Phx with them visiting me all of the time. Although I think moving the game out to Glendale has really hurt it as of now. Losing the city of Tempe and the proximity of Scottsdale for the game is horrible. Tempe messed up when they couldn’t find room for the stadium and unfortunately Mesa didn’t want to deal with NFL games.
I’ve also heard rumors that the Fiesta Bowl would be interested in taking them AGAIN if it gives them a good match-up (e.g., Texas or Oklahoma). I have high hopes that they will get a BCS game, but first things first, lets win the next two.
My philosophy is that all announcers are bozos, except for Keith Jackson.
I couldn’t agree more about the Fiesta bowl vs. Glendale. I was at both the Miami BCS game and the Florida BCS game. What a difference in atmosphere. With Glendale, it was as if we were an inconvenience and in the way.
The Fiesta Bowl was great from opening festivities to post game. With Glendale, the pep rally pretty much sucked, things were spread out and there was no centralized location.
The Varsity Club West in Scottsdale had to be a highlight of the ‘03 trip.