CFN.Scout.com: Big Ten Bloggers - 5 Thoughts on WRs

CFN's Big 10 Bloggers put the conference's wide receiver position under the microscope

H.D. Handshoe: On who will be the conference’s next first round NFL wide receiver?

There are several excellent wideouts around the Big Ten, but three names that almost instantaneously come to mind as potential first rounders next April are DeVier Posey from Ohio State, Marvin McNutt from Iowa, and Damarlo Belcher from Indiana.

At 6-2, 213, Posey has decent size and speed (4.52 40-yard-dash). He also possesses excellent hands -- not to mention some very nice body art courtesy of Fine Line Ink (I kid...still too soon?). But seriously, he’s a legit baller.

The problem for Posey won’t be a lack of big-play ability. In two seasons as a starter he has proven his worth in that department, having caught 113 passes for 1,676 yards and 15 touchdowns -- a handful of which that have made ESPN’s Top Plays. Missing the first five games of his upcoming senior season, however,.............

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BlockONation Exclusive: Ohio State-Iowa Hi-Def Game Highlights

Iowa City, Iowa -- The Buckeyes proved that their (now) 18-2 record in November games since 2004 is no joke as they earned a hard-fought, and well-deserved win over the Hawkeyes on Saturday night despite some questionable officiating.

The following highlight video was produced by Lednerk, and is presented here for your viewing pleasure, exclusively by BlockONation—Enjoy!






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Ohio State-Iowa Post-Game Thoughts: Buckeyes Escape With 20-17 Victory Over Hawkeyes

I must admit that I really thought Iowa might come out flat and Ohio State would play inspired early and often offensively. I predicted OSU would win 41-20. I'm glad I was wrong.

This game was exciting and great to watch!

My hat is off to Iowa. They played a heck of a game today!

The play of the game that more or less clinched the victory for the Buckeyes was when Cameron Heyward crushed Iowa QB Ricky Stanzi on 3rd and long, forcing a 4th and 21 situation. Iowa then came up two yards short and the Buckeyes eked out a close, hard-fought win!

Heyward picked a perfect time to get the most important QB sack in his Buckeyes career.

DeVier Posey, who dropped a wide-open TD pass with about 3:30 to go in the game better treat Terrelle Pryor, Dane Sanzenbacher, Boom Herron, and Cameron Heyward all to a nice fat all-expenses paid steak dinner!

Despite not playing great at times, Pryor ended the game with 273 total yards and a touchdown.

Herron added 69 rush yards and the game winning touchdown run with under two minutes left in the game.

Sanzenbacher caught six balls for 102 yards to lead all OSU receivers, and Heyward's heroics were mentioned, and pictured, above.

I again wish to salute the Hawkeyes on a great effort and just add that I'm glad the Buckeyes showed some heart and pride and fought back for the win.

Now it's officially time to start scUm HATE WEEK!

GO BUCKS, SCREW BLUE!


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Ohio State's BCS Bowl Outlook: What Needs to Happen for the Buckeyes to Secure an Invite

With just two games remaining on their schedule, it seems clear what the Buckeyes must do to make their record-ninth BCS Bowl game appearance.

In the words of Oakland Raiders owner / NFL relic Al Davis, "Just win baby!"

Yes, it sounds very oversimplified—considering that most of us really don't (nor do we necessarily want to) understand the complexity of the formula(s) that the BCS uses when plugging random numbers into their silly little computers, but for Ohio State, it really is that simple—win, and their in.

At this point, a Rose Bowl berth is a bit of a long shot unless Michigan or Northwestern—Wisconsin's final two opponents—have some upset-aiding tricks up their sleeves these next two weeks.

For the Buckeyes to play in the 2011 Rose Bowl, they must win out and count on either Michigan or Northwestern to upset the Badgers.

Michigan has no defense, but they are actually decent on offense and can score, so they might have a chance if they can beat Captain Run-Up-the-Score, Brett Bielema, to 80.

As for Northwestern, they almost always seems to play big in big conference games in the role of spoiler, so they have a chance too—just ask Iowa.

If neither of those teams upset Wisconsin, the Buckeyes still control their own BCS destiny by beating Iowa and Michigan in their last two games.

Somewhere hidden deep within the BCS formulation, there is a strength of schedule component that should favor the Buckeyes over Michigan State.

With the win over Penn State (while MSU was idle) and assuming the Buckeyes beat Iowa and Michigan, there's practically zero chance the Spartans will jump in front of the Buckeyes in the BCS standings with just Purdue and Penn State remaining on their schedule.

It looks as though Wisconsin and Ohio State will both finish higher than Michigan State in the BCS rankings if all three teams win their final games.

That means the Badgers would get the automatic bid for the Rose, and the Buckeyes would receive an at-large invite to the Sugar Bowl (SEC vs. highest ranked non-auto bid team) or the Orange Bowl (ACC vs. at-large), while the Spartans would play in the Capital One Bowl.

The Sugar Bowl would be the best BCS Bowl destination for Ohio State if they don't play in Pasadena.

Seeing the Buckeyes face an SEC opponent (Alabama or LSU specifically) would make for great TV ratings since everyone knows that OSU is 0-9 vs. SEC opponents in Bowl games all-time. Hopefully, they would finally get that monkey off their backs.

Buckeye fans would travel well as they always do even if Ohio State were to accept an invite to the Orange Bowl to face the ACC champ. A win in this game however would do nothing to boost respect for Ohio State so let's just hope thy go elsewhere.

It would be nice if the Fiesta Bowl could land Ohio State vs. TCU, Boise State, or Nebraska, but they are handcuffed to the Big 12 and Big East champs.

The Arizona desert is like a second home to Buckeye fans, and it could make for great drama to finally see a non-AQ team prove it's worth, or crumble, against one of college football's all-time elite programs instead of playing each other.

Ohio State-Nebraska could also be a great game as well, and a nice prequel to what's coming starting in 2011 when the Cornhuskers join the Big 10, but we'll just have to wait until next year.

The road map to a BCS Bowl game is clear-cut for Ohio State. Which Bowl it ends up being is the only remaining question mark, and that depends on what all the other potential BCS-bound teams do over these last three weeks.

Ohio State just needs to focus on the tasks at hand, and the rest will take care of itself.

Beat Iowa.

Beat Michigan.

Play in a BCS Bowl.

It really is that simple.


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Penn State, Iowa and Michigan—Ohio State's Three-Game Season to the BCS

Grant Freking—BlockONation Featured Contributor

Aside from the numerous Big Ten tiebreaker scenarios and poll watching, Ohio State’s goal for the last three games of the season is simple: win out.

While beating Penn State and Michigan at home shouldn’t be a problem, taking out Iowa in Kinnick Stadium will surely be no walk in the park.

Here is a closer look at OSU's all-important three game stretch to finish the season.


vs. Penn State

The Good: After getting pounded by Iowa and Illinois, Penn State has rebounded nicely in the last two weeks with wins against Minnesota and Michigan. After missing last weeks’ game, quarterback Rob Bolden should be good to go against Northwestern. Evan Royster broke the school rushing record last week.

The Bad: Penn State finishes up against Northwestern, at OSU, Indiana and Michigan State. It’s very likely they could finish 7-5. The defense is also allowing 20 points a game.

The OSU Result: Penn State would stand a chance if this game was in Happy Valley. Then again, the Buckeyes dismantled the Nittany Lions last season in front of a whiteout, Darryl Clark and a veteran defense.

34-10, Ohio State.


@ Iowa

The Good: The Hawkeyes are the best two-loss team in the country. If they didn’t lay an egg in the first half at Arizona and fall for a fake punt at home against Wisconsin, they’d be undefeated.

Nevertheless, they’ve put themselves in this position, which isn’t exactly bad and could still end in a share of the Big Ten title. Even with 19 touchdowns, two interceptions and nearly 2,000 yards to his credit, Ricky Stanzi still isn’t in the Heisman discussion.

The Bad: Nothing really. They finish at Northwestern, home against OSU and at Minnesota. Another loss probably drops them out of the BCS although they could still land in a New Year’s Day bowl.

The OSU Result: Everything points to a loss at Iowa for OSU. Their banged-up defense gives Iowa’s balanced offense an edge (think Wisconsin with a more talented quarterback) and OSU’s special teams are still very iffy.

But, I think this OSU team knows their destiny. They don’t want to be the ones to end the Buckeyes streak of Big Ten titles.

24-21, Ohio State.


vs. Michigan

The Good: Denard Robinson. So what if he won’t win the Heisman? The sophomore from Deerfield Beach, FL still has a ridiculous statistics: 1,509 passing yards with 10 passing touchdowns and 1,287 rushing yards coupled with 12 rushing touchdowns.

The Bad: Michigan has once again floundered after a hot start (5-0 this year and 4-0 in 2009). The problem is clearly in their defense. They simply can’t stop anybody.

They aren’t physical enough or fast enough to control anyone’s offense (giving up 41 points to Penn State and their backup, walk-on quarterback is a major red flag).

While they might stand a good chance of beating Illinois and Purdue, the Wolverines will surely fall to Wisconsin and OSU to close out their regular season at a probable 7-5.

The OSU Result: The Wolverines may put some numbers and even a few points against OSU, but the “Silver Bullets” will hit Robinson like he hasn’t been yet this season. Plus, Michigan won’t be able to contain Terrelle Pryor with their wet-paper-towel defense.

48-17, Ohio State.


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Ohio State's Three Game Season on the Road to the 2010 BCS Title

Miami, Wisconsin, and Iowa.

When looking at the Ohio State 2010 schedule, those three games vs. those three teams are what will make, or break, the season for the Buckeyes.

Sorry to those other nine teams and their fans.

Sorry to the countless Buckeye haters who think we fans are cocky and our team is overrated—take a number.

We're good and we know it, and we're not afraid to show it. Now that I have all that out of the way, let's dig in to the meat of this article.

Ohio State almost certainly must go 12-0 to control their own destiny and to ensure their chance at another BCS title. Just one loss will likely derail the entire season, one in which the coaches, players, and fans all believe this really is our year.

EA Sports thinks this could be the year of the Buckeye too!

While I think it will be a tall task to win all three of those games, I do not believe that we will lose all three as ESPN's Brian Griese and Eric Kuselias (both Michigan guys by the way) predicted on Thursday's edition of College Football Live.

I do however believe it will prove to be very difficult to go undefeated, but it could happen and here's my take on each game.


9/11/2010 Vs. Miami

I believe Miami is good, but they are also being a tad over-hyped and overvalued by the sports media, their fans, and possibly themselves, just as Oregon was prior to the 2010 Rose Bowl.

Oregon was a better team last year than Miami will be this year. I don't personally subscribe to the transitive property but for what it's worth, last year Ohio State beat Wisconsin 31-13 and Wisconsin beat Miami 20-14, and that game was not as close as the final score.

As for the Buckeyes, too many people are predicting or expecting or hoping perhaps that their "D" will not be as good this season, when in reality, it will be as good and might actually be even better than last years.

I believe it could be close in the first half, but the Bucks will pull away in the third and fourth quarters and beat Miami by 14-17 points. 33-17 sounds about right in this one.


10/16/2010 At Wisconsin

Wisconsin is the game I expect to be our toughest.

John Clay is a great RB, although we held him down last season, but they also have a good QB in Scott Tolzien, and a solid O-line and pretty decent receivers too.

Plus it's in Camp Randall. I know we can win, but we could definitely lose this game just as easily. I'm expecting it to be much closer than last years game, so I am hoping for another finish to this game like the one in 2008 where we won in the final minute.

Then again, maybe our offense just overwhelms their defense and we win going away....

Wouldn't that would be sweet?

The key will be our offense not sputtering out as it did in 2009 against their defense, which is not nearly as good as their offensive unit.

Our "D" saved the day last year, but let's not take any chances this time around.

I'm going with the Buckeyes to win by less than 10, so 27-21 is my guess.


11/20/2010 At Iowa

Iowa will be another tough game, but it's their defense that could give us fits and a low-scoring close game could be on tap.

I must admit I'm much more confident that we can beat Iowa in their place than I am about playing in Madison, but I am not overconfident either.

Iowa is a good team and they didn't lose much from last year's squad. And remember, we needed O/T to beat them at home last year.

I think we will win this year, but it will probably be very close just like last season. Or maybe Stanzi is healthy and does what Stanzi does and our "D" turns 2010 OSU/Iowa into 2009 OSU/Wisconsin regardless of any potential woes we have on offense.

I think it will be a relatively low scoring, defensive battle with the Bucks pulling out a hard fought "W" by a score of 24-13 or something close to that.


BONUS: 11/13/2010 Vs. Penn State

Just in case anyone is wondering about Penn State being a legit threat to the Bucks this season, go ahead and stop now.

The Nittany Lions should be improved by the time they come to Columbus, but not enough to beat the Buckeyes in The Shoe—Not this year.

They were much better in 2009 and OSU went to Happy Valley and beat them up to the tune of 24-7.

This year's meeting could be an even bigger blowout. 38-13 sounds about right to me.

Then again, there's always Tresselball, so a modest ho-hum 28-13 win could be more realistic, but a win nonetheless.


We Are the Champions...

With the wins over those four teams, that's a 12-0 perfect season and another trip to the BCS title game for the Buckeyes!

Of course I know after reading this, there are many of you that hate Ohio State and me even more now than you already did.

That's why there's a comment section.

SO GO USE IT!




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The Revised Top 10: How the Coaches Should Have Voted

Most of you are aware that the USAToday top 25 coaches poll was released yesterday.

As far as the top 10 goes, some teams were ranked too high—some teams were ranked too low—and a couple of teams that belong in the top 10 actually found themselves on the outside looking in.

The controversy over preseason polls will never end, but I believe my revised rankings will right a few of the wrongs and please everyone—or cause an outright riot.

Either way, it should be a good time. After all, the 2010 college football season is almost here!


Coaches top 10

No. 1—Alabama

No. 2—Ohio State

No. 3—Florida

No. 4—Texas

No. 5—Boise State

No. 6—Virginia Tech

No. 7—TCU

No. 8—Oklahoma

No. 9—Nebraska

No. 10—Iowa



My top 10, and a few thoughts on each

No. 1—Alabama

The Tide lost 9 defensive starters and almost slipped from the top spot because of those losses, but the offense, led by Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram and his talented understudy Trent Richardson, should be very prolific. I still am not sure QB Greg McElroy is as great as Alabama fans believe he is, but it won't hurt him to have Julio Jones to throw to after the running game likely opens up some huge passing lanes. Because of their numerous weapons on offense, they maintain the top ranking for now, but we all know it's hard to go wire-to-wire unbeaten with that huge target resting squarely on your back.

No. 2—Boise State

I moved BSU up three spots from five to two. Did someone forget to tell the coaches that Boise State was a perfect 14-0 last year and that they return all 22 starters including QB Kellen Moore? Ultimately their conference schedule may hurt their overall SOS down the road when the BCS rankings are released, but it's not their fault no other top teams want to schedule them. Either way, Moore is a stud and he would be a star in any conference in the country in my opinion.

No. 3—Ohio State

To show my ability to be objective, I moved the Buckeyes down one spot from two to three behind Boise State because the Broncos have all their starters returning. If the Buckeyes and Broncos each go unbeaten, Ohio State's SOS would give them the clear edge and once again eliminate any BCS title hopes of yet another mid-major program. QB Terrelle Pryor will be improved in 2010 just as Troy Smith was in 2006 and he is surrounded by top-notch players at every offensive position. The Buckeyes and their fans are hoping this is the year they get back to, and win, the BCS championship. It's definitely possible, but it won't be easy. Miami, Wisconsin, Iowa, possibly Penn State, and yes, perhaps even lowly Michigan, all intend on ending those dreams when they each get their shots.

No. 4—Virginia Tech

There are several reasons why I moved the Hokies up from sixth and into my top five. QB Tyrod Taylor has consistently improved in each of his first two seasons and year three should reveal more of the same. They also have a problem every team and coach would love to have--two top-tier running backs in Ryan Williams and Darren Evans. Add in the fact that they always have a pretty solid defense and an excellent coach in Frank Beamer and that all adds up to a top 5 team in my book.

No. 5—Florida

I dropped UF from third to fifth for multiple reasons. In short, Tim Tebow is gone and there is some uncertainty as to what new QB John Brantley will bring to the table. UF really has no No. 1 big name workhorse running back that could help take some of the pressure off of Brantley. Also, the questions that are still looming (at least for me) about Urban Meyer's health and ability to withstand the pressures of coaching for the entire season are a factor. Lastly, UF had a few key losses on defense. I feel compelled to be skeptical of the Gators being ranked in the top three and maybe even being in the top five, but until I see them play, I really can't justify dropping them any further at this point.

No. 6—TCU

Andy Dalton could prove to be one of the nation's top quarterbacks and I believe it is safe to say the Horned Frogs will field one of the best defenses in all of college football. I moved them up one spot from seven to six for those reasons. As is the case with Boise State, TCU's overall schedule may prevent them making a legit BCS title run, but at the very least, making a BCS bowl is a distinct possibility.

No. 7—Iowa

If coach Kirk Ferentz ever had an Iowa team that appears more ready than ever to contend for the Big 10 and possibly the BCS titles, this would be it. Offensively, senior signal-caller Ricky Stanzi returns along with running backs Jewell Hampton and Adam Robinson and wideouts Marvin McNutt and Derrell-Johnson Koulianos. The defense is led by Orange Bowl MVP Adrian Clayborn, who is one of the favorites for the conference and national defensive POY awards. The schedule is near perfect with only one difficult away game (at Arizona), while Penn State, Wisconsin, and Ohio State all have to play the Hawkeyes in Iowa City. If Stanzi, who has had a propensity for turning the ball over at inopportune times, can protect the football, the Hawkeyes will have a solid chance of unseating the Buckeyes as the best of the Big 10.

No. 8—Pittsburgh

Even after losing proven starter QB Bill Stull, the fighting Wannstedt's are my favorite to win the Big East. The main reasons are, first and foremost, phenom running back Dion Lewis, and secondly, the schedule. When examining Pitt's schedule, you might be ask yourself in reference to me, "Is this guy insane?" No, I assure you I am not, and here is why. Pitt has stepped up in a big way with their scheduling and if they win all of their games or lose just one against any one of the ranked teams they will face, they should still be in the running for the conference title and a BCS berth. They will open the year at Utah, then they host Miami-FL a couple weeks later, followed by a trip to South Bend three weeks later to face the Irish. They then host WVU and travel to Cincinnati to finish the year. The BCS computers will love their SOS, and the rankings at season's end will show it, provided the Panthers win most or all of those matchups.

No. 9—Wisconsin

I have been unimpressed, and therefore critical of the Badgers over the past couple of seasons. That may all change this year. UW returns 10 offensive starters including reigning Big 10 offensive POY, running back John Clay and the conference's passing efficiency leader from a year ago, QB Scott Tolzien. The Badgers should be a literal offensive juggernaut in 2010. They host the Buckeyes, then travel to Iowa City the following week. I believe those two games will define their season, as the other 10 games are all practically locks for them to win. I wouldn't call it a huge worry, but as I see it, the one area of concern will be their defense. It could be the missing puzzle piece that ends up derailing the season, or the saving grace that preserves a magical season in Madison. The "O" should score plenty of points, but can their "D" preserve leads and hold on for real wins instead of moral victories?

No. 10—Texas

With QB Colt McCoy now in Cleveland playing for the Browns, and with heavy losses elsewhere including Jordan Shipley and Sergio Kindle among others, the Longhorns may be in for a long season. Garrett Gilbert, McCoy's replacement, did show that he's no slouch when he stepped in for the injured McCoy against Alabama in last season's title game, but he also had five turnovers. The Longhorns must also find the running game that they have lacked in recent years. Experience is priceless, so 2010 may be somewhat of a rebuilding year in Austin. That being said, 2011 may just find Texas right back in the hunt for another national championship.

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Just FYI, I'm not like the majority of SEC fans. I know my conference is not a team. In Big 10 country, we pick one team to root for, not all 12. I'm stressing this just so nobody gets the wise idea to accuse me of being a homer for ranking three Big 10 teams in the top 10. All three deserve to be there, end of story.


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Buckeye Beware: Ohio State's Biggest Test in 2010 is........

Grant Freking—Featured Contributor


A quick glance at Ohio State’s 2010 schedule reveals a few obvious big games:

Sept. 11 home vs. Miami(FL)

Oct. 16 at Wisconsin

Nov. 13 home vs. Penn State

Nov. 20 at Iowa

Nov. 27 home vs. Michigan

Which of those games will ultimately define the season? My answer may surprise you.

It’s the mid-October trip to Madison to face Bret Bielema and the Badgers.

Sure, the early season clash against the Hurricanes is sexy. It’s the first time the teams have met since their epic 2002 Fiesta Bowl—arguably one of the greatest college football games ever played.

And of course, “The Game” features one of the most heated rivalries in college football, though the Bucks have had the upper hand on Michigan since The Vest took over.

Thus, it is my prediction that the Badgers will give the Scarlet and Gray their biggest challenge in 2010. The Badgers return 10 starters on offense, including quarterback Scott Tolzien and reigning Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year John Clay.

And although the Badgers will have some new faces in the secondary, this game reeks of a prototypical Big Ten slug-fest between two of the conference’s heavyweights.

In last year’s game, the Buckeyes won handily 31-13, thanks to 21 points from their defense and special teams. The Ohio State offense was largely stuck in the mud that game, something that will have to change if they expect to win in Madison, which will be rocking on a mid-October Saturday night.

Another thing of note—following their national championship in 2002, the Bucks saw their 19-game winning streak and repeat hopes end at the hands of Lee Evans and Wisconsin.


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Best of the Vest: The 10 Greatest Wins of the Jim Tressel Era, Part II

I brought you part one (numbers six-through-10) of my top 10 best wins of the Jim Tressel era nearly four weeks ago.

It has admittedly taken me longer than I anticipated to find the time to bring you the top five, so without further ado, here they are. I hope you find this climax to the series worth the wait.

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Number Five

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In 2005, Ohio State may have been a Ryan Hamby dropped touchdown catch away from putting the nail in the Texas coffin and knocking off Vince Young and the eventual national champion Longhorns.

The Buckeyes led 19-16 halfway through the third period when Justin Zwick's pass bounced off of a wide open Hamby, then up in the air, and just as Hamby was about to have a second opportunity to potentially seal the win, a Texas defender knocked Hamby and the ball harmlessly to the endzone turf.

The Buckeyes instead had to settle for a field goal, and the rest is history, as Texas went on to win the game, 25-22.

A year later, No. 1 Ohio State traveled to Austin to complete the home-and-home series, seeking revenge against No. 2 Texas and new starting quarterback Colt McCoy.

Despite their top-ranking, not every expert believed that Ohio State would win in Austin. After all, they could not defend their own home turf the previous year—not to mention, Ohio State QB Troy Smith was recruited as an athlete, not as a QB, and was not as highly-coveted coming out of high school as McCoy was.

It was Smith who was poised and precise, outshining McCoy on that day however, passing for 269 yards and two scores in the Buckeyes 24-7 win.

McCoy and the Texas offensive line had no answer for the Buckeyes' defense, which had replaced nine starters from the previous season.

Led by All-American linebacker James Laurinaitis, they held a Texas team that had scored at least 40 points in 12 consecutive games to a single touchdown and McCoy to only 154 yards passing with one touchdown and an interception.

The Buckeyes went on to finish the 2006 season a perfect 12-0 before their sad effort and poor showing against Florida in the BCS title game. The 41-14 loss was surely one of the poorest Ohio State efforts under the vest (one we all want to forget), but that is another article altogether.

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Number Four

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No regular season game had more meaning during the 2009 season for the Buckeyes than the Iowa game.

No. 11 Ohio State (8-2) hosted No. 10 Iowa (9-1) with at least a share of the Big Ten championship and a potential BCS berth on the line for both teams.

The game plan for the Buckeyes would be no great secret.

Tressel and company stuck to their bread and butter—playing great defense, winning the field position battle, and running the football—and in the end, it paid off.

It also didn't hurt their chances when Iowa lost starting quarterback Ricky Stanzi one week earlier in their stunning upset loss to Northwestern, meaning redshirt freshman James Vandenburg would have the daunting task of making his first career start against one of the best defensive units in the nation.

Surprisingly, Vandenburg played beyond the expectations of Buckeye fans as he passed for over 200 yards with a couple of touchdowns. Fortunately for Ohio State, he also threw three interceptions that would prove costly for Iowa.

He did however help lead the Hawkeyes back from a 24-10 deficit in the fourth quarter, throwing a touchdown pass to Derrell Johnson-Koulianos with under three minutes left to tie the game at 24 apiece.

That would be the score at the end of regulation, and the game went to overtime.

Iowa had the ball first and on first down, Vandenburg threw an incompletion. On second down, freshman running back Adam Robinson was thrown for a 6-yard loss by Austin Spitler, and Doug Worthington sacked Vandenberg for a 10-yard loss on third down. Now out of field goal range on fourth-and-26, Vandenberg lofted a long pass into the end zone that was picked off by Anderson Russell.

The Buckeyes then "Tressel-balled" their way from the 25 yard line to the 23 yard line on three straight short-gain carries. On fourth and 8, on came kicker Devin Barclay, who had only taken over the kicking duties after starter Aaron Pettrey injured a knee a few weeks earlier.

The oldest player on the Buckeye roster, the 26-year-old Barclay, a former soccer player, nailed the 39 yard game-winning field goal in overtime to seal the win, and send Ohio State to college football's oldest bowl game—the granddaddy of them all—the Rose Bowl.

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Number Three

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"Tressel-ball" doesn't always sit well with fans. Some fans were calling for Tressel to be fired, believing the home loss to USC in 2009 was a direct result of his ultra-conservative game planning and play calling.

Those critics felt justified after the shocking week seven loss to Purdue last season, but from that point on were quieted by the genius that is Tressel.

Coming off the worst performance of his career to date as the starting quarterback for the Buckeyes, Tressel tightened the leash on Terrelle Pryor, instead opting for his textbook style and approach, aka "Tressel-ball".

In the final five games of the season, the coach relied on his defense, special teams, and the running game. The defense allowed only 48 total points over that span, and the Buckeyes averaged more than 200 rushing yards per game in finishing off the season 5-0, earning their trip to the 2010 Rose Bowl to face the high-flying Oregon Ducks potent spread offense.

The Ducks plan was to stop the run and force Terrelle Pryor to throw the ball. Little did they know, this played right into the hands of the vest.

After his mid-season handcuffing of Pryor, Tressel had decided it was time to unleash Terrelle and for Pryor to step up and become what he came to Ohio State to become—a real quarterback.

That being said, Pryor did have 20 carries for 72 yards, but he wasn't specifically looking to run first as he did when he first came to Columbus.

He had his best passing day to date, throwing for 266 yards and two touchdowns. He did throw one interception in the third quarter, but the defense held Oregon to two yards on the series, forcing a punt.

In fact, the defense held Oregon down practically the entire game—considering that the Ducks had scored 37 or more points in nine of their 12 games during the regular season. They had beaten USC, a team the Ohio State lost to at home by a score of 18-15, by a final of 47-20.

Quarterback Jeremiah Masoli was held to just 9/20 passing for 81 yards and an interception, while tailback LaMichael James was limited to 70 yards rushing on 15 carries.

Ohio State outgained Oregon in total yardage 419 to 260 and in time of possession with a 41:37 to 18:23 advantage, and most importantly on the scoreboard, 26-17.

Tressel knew the timing was right, and that Oregon, and the nation would be blind-sided by Pryor's emergence as an efficient and effective pass-first quarterback.

His Rose Bowl performance earned him the bowl MVP and was dubbed Terrelle Pryor's coming out party. Tressel finally had the same faith in Pryor that he had had in Troy Smith back in 2006.

If Pryor can continue to build off of his bowl performance and validate what the coach sees in him, 2010 could potentially culminate as a championship season for the Buckeyes.

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Number Two

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Every Ohio State-Michigan game matters. Throw out the records, because it is pure passion and hatred personified.

No meeting was ever more important or hyped than the 2006 contest when No. 1 Ohio State hosted No. 2 Michigan with the Big Ten title and a trip to the BCS title game on the line.

It marked the fourth time in the 100+ year history of "The Game" that the teams would play when both were undefeated, but the first time they were ranked No. 1 and No. 2 respectively.

The game was played just one day after the death of former Michigan head coach (and Ohio State assistant coach under Woody Hayes) Bo Schembechler. The teams couldn't have honored his memory with a better game, although it certainly wasn't the brand of football he and Woody coached when they battled one another for the decade now referred to as "The 10 Year War".

"There were a lot of good playmakers out there today," Ohio State Coach Jim Tressel said afterwards. "It was a fast-break game the whole way."

For two teams each allowing less than 20 points per game on the season, defense went out the window as each team struggled to stop the other all night long, with the offensive units combining for 900 total yards.

Michigan was led by QB Chad Henne's 267 yards and two touchdown tosses and RB Mike Hart's 142 yards and three scores.

Not to be outdone, Ohio State QB Troy Smith passed for 316 yards and threw four touchdowns, while RB Antonio Pittman rushed for 139 yards and a touchdown.

Both teams put on a show for the nation and proved why this is the best rivalry in all of sports. Ohio State poured on all the offense they had, and Michigan stayed right on their heels the entire game.

Ultimately, it was the Buckeyes who played their way into the national title game with a dazzling 42-39 win over the Wolverines (pushing Tressel's win/loss record to 5-1 in the series) in what was one of the best college football games ever played, and certainly the best-ever game in the storied rivalry.

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Number One

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The 2006 Ohio State-Michigan game almost earned the top spot, so you know that No. 1 has to be a pretty big deal to have outranked that one.

I'm pretty sure by now most of you know that my No. 1 greatest win of the Jim Tressel era is the 2003 Fiesta Bowl game against the "unbeatable" and No. 1 ranked Miami Hurricanes for the BCS championship.

The double-overtime battle became in instant classic and is still considered the best championship game of the BCS era.

The game outcome was not without controversy, although Dennis Dodd, who is generally no friend to the Ohio State program, eventually came to the defense of official Terry Porter, who had made the late, controversial pass interference call that allowed the Buckeyes to eventually force the overtime periods.

At the end of the fourth quarter, the game was tied 17-17.

"It was just like two great heavyweights slugging it out," winning coach Jim Tressel said.

There was no quit in either team—no one wanted to finish second.

With the 31-24 victory, the second-ranked Buckeyes, 11½-point underdogs entering the game, ended the Hurricanes' try for a second straight title and their winning streak at 34.

Hurricane QB Ken Dorsey passed for 296 yards and two touchdowns, but also had two interceptions. Before suffering a gruesome knee injury, Miami RB Willis McGahee scored one touchdown and rushed for 67 yards.

In the first overtime period, Kellen Winslow caught a 17-yard pass from Dorsey to put Miami up 24-17.

Buckeye QB Craig Krenzel answered back for Ohio State with a one-yard dive into the endzone to keep Ohio State's hopes alive.

In the second OT, Maurice Clarett scored on a five-yard rush to give the Buckeyes a 31-24 lead.

The championship all came down to one of the best defensive stands in college football history.

Miami had the ball 1st and goal at the two yard line. Jared Payton, son of the late-great Walter Payton, ran up the middle on first down for a minimal gain.

On second down, Dorsey's pass to his practically wide open TE sailed wide at the goal line.

On 3rd and goal, a fullback trap up-the-gut pushed the ball just inside the one, bringing up fourth and goal.

This was it—one last play for the game and the championship.

At the snap, Dorsey found himself under immediate and heavy in-your-face pressure from the Buckeye blitzing defense, and as he was nearly dragged to the ground, he had no choice but to throw a misdirected prayer into the heart of the Buckeye defense, where it was harmlessly knocked to the turf.

The Buckeyes had clinched their first national championship in 34 long years and the vest had become a legend in only his second season on the job.

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In closing

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It's no secret that Tressel has owned Michigan (8-1) which also boosts his legacy, but if he is to have a chance at passing Woody Hayes as the greatest coach in Buckeye history, he would help that cause immensely by adding a couple more national titles, hopefully starting in 2010.

Let's hope that I have to revisit this series in a few years and update my top 10 after the vest delivers at least a couple more national titles to the Buckeye Nation.

Thanks for reading and for visiting Block-O-Nation.


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Best of the Vest: The 10 Greatest Wins of the Jim Tressel Era

It's almost hard to believe that Jim Tressel is entering his 10th season as head coach of The Ohio State Buckeyes this coming season.

During that span, there have been many big wins, but also some not-so-pleasant, soul-crushing losses as any die-hard Buckeye follower can tell you.

The expectations that the Buckeye Nation places upon their team, and ultimately Coach Tressel, are always high.

That often includes frustration and criticism from fans of his patented "Tressel-ball" style, which has led to some of the most excruciating losses of his tenure.

As much as some fans complain about Tressel at times, it makes one wonder if they don't need to step back and take a look at the big picture.

It's hard to argue against the man when considering the resume he has put together--bringing Ohio State their first national title in football in over 30 years, three BCS title game appearances, flat-out owning the Buckeyes hated rival Michigan, all amounting to a record of 94-21.

Of those 94 wins, I have selected the 10 best, and .

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Number 10

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The 2004 Fiesta Bowl pitted No. 8 and Big 12 Champion Kansas State (11-3) against No. 6 Ohio State (10-2).

The Wildcats, who were on a seven-game winning streak, the latest a 35-7 pounding of then-No. 1 and unbeaten Oklahoma in the Big 12 title game, were expected by many of the "experts" to defeat the Buckeyes.

Buckeye QB Craig Krenzel and the Ohio State defense had other plans.

Krenzel, who finished his Ohio State career 24-3 as a starter, matched his career high with four touchdown passes, and the top-ranked rushing defense in the country held All-American Darren Sproles to a season-low 38 yards on 13 carries and quarterback Ell Roberson to just 20/51 passing for 294 yards, no touchdowns, and an interception.

Although the final score (35-28) seemed close, the actual game was never that close until Ohio State, leading 35-14 in the fourth quarter, pulled most of their defensive starters.

In true Jim Tressel fashion, the Buckeyes "held on" for the "W".

A win is a win is a win, right?

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Number Nine

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From 1988 to 2000 under John Cooper, Ohio State went a dismal 2-10-1 vs. Michigan in "The Game" and Cooper sealed his fate when he said the annual rivalry was just another game.

Enter Jim Tressel.

After winning four I-AA national titles at Youngstown State, the former Buckeye assistant and homegrown "Ohio boy" (unlike Cooper) was hired over Glen Mason, and the rest to date, as they say, has been history.

Also unlike Cooper, Tressel immediately placed special emphasis on the rivalry.

On January 18th, 2001 during halftime of a home Ohio State basketball game, coincidentally against Michigan, Tressel made a very bold statement to the Buckeye fans in attendance, and I quote:

"I can assure you that you'll be proud of our young people—in the classroom, in the community, and most especially, in 310 days in Ann Arbor, Michigan on the football field."

Talk about setting an accurately prophetic tone.

That fall in Ann Arbor, Ohio State (6-4) was unranked and the Wolverines (8-2) were ranked 11th.

After building a 23-0 halftime lead behind running back Jonathan Wells, the Bucks withstood Michigan's comeback bid to secure a 26-20 victory, their first win in Michigan over the Wolverines in 14 years.

It's as if Michigan was Charlie Root and Tressel was Babe Ruth. He called his shot in January then, true to his words, hit it out of the park in November.

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Number Eight

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In what was an otherwise disappointing 2004 season, Ohio State (6-4) was once again unranked entering the Michigan game. The Wolverines (9-1) were ranked No. 7, their then-only loss coming early in the season to Notre Dame.

Led by QB Troy Smith and WR Ted Ginn, the underdog Buckeyes posted a 20-14 halftime lead against heavily-favored Michigan.

Smith tossed two touchdowns and passed for 241 yards and also ran for 145 yards and a score, while Ginn set a school and conference record with his fourth punt return for a touchdown as the Buckeyes coasted to a 37-21 victory, Tressel's third in four meetings.

Former Buckeye Maurice Clarett had made his false "money for nothing, academic fraud, and free car" accusations against Tressel and the University during the 2004 season.

With that cloud hanging over the program, and with several unexpected losses prior to the UM game, Buckeye Nation needed this one badly to salvage the season, and once again, The Vest delivered on and off the field. He, and the University were cleared by the NCAA of any wrongdoing.

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Number Seven

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Last year, after a hard=to-swallow loss at home to USC (after which, many fans were calling for Tressel's head on a platter) and the stunning road loss to Purdue (after which many fans were calling for a change at QB), the Buckeyes could have thrown in the towel.

Instead, Coach Tressel tightened the leash on Terrelle Pryor and shifted the emphasis back to what he does best in a pinch—Tressel-ball, i.e. a strict ball control offense, the field position edge, reliable special teams play, and great defense.

The No. 16 Buckeyes (7-2) headed to Happy Valley to face the No. 11 Penn State Nittany Lions (8-1). Penn State, who's only loss was a 21-10 defeat at home to unbeaten Iowa, was still clearly favored by the media and even the doomsday "fans" of the Buckeyes.

Many cocky and classless Penn State fans all but predicted a massacre and had planned to distribute "Terrelle Cryer" t-shirts for the students to wear during the "whiteout."

As it turned out, Terrelle and company would come away smiling and victorious, and Penn State would be left saddened, dazed and confused.

Pryor, who is from Western Pennsylvania, accounted for three scores in one of the best games of his Buckeye career, while PSU's veteran QB Daryll Clark, who hails from Eastern Ohio, had one of his worst against the Buckeye's smothering defense.

It was sweet revenge for Pryor and Ohio State, as Penn State had snapped a 30 year losing streak in Columbus a year earlier when Pryor lost a fumble on an ill-advised ad-lib, which that led to the game's only touchdown and ultimately, the win for PSU.

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Number Six

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In only the fifth meeting ever between two of college football's most storied programs, No. 4 Ohio State (9-2) and No. 5 Notre Dame (9-2) met in the 2006 Fiesta Bowl.

Former New England Patriots offensive coordinator turned college coach Charlie Weis and his high-scoring Irish led by Ohio-born Brady Quinn were seeking Notre Dame's first bowl win since the 1993 Cotton Bowl.

On the other end of the spectrum, the Buckeyes were looking to push their BCS bowl game record to a perfect 4-0.

It was Troy Smith, not Brady Quinn, who shined as the best QB from Ohio on this day.

And it was Tressel who outcoached first year coach Charlie Weis as the Buckeyes romped Notre Dame 34-20, sending the seemingly "fightless" Irish to their eighth strait bowl loss.

The outcome of the game was never really in doubt. The stingy Ohio State defense, led by AJ Hawk contained Quinn, and conversely, the Irish defense had no answer for Smith, RB Antonio Pittman, or WR's Ted Ginn and Santonio Holmes.

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In closing
(for now)

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The theme established here should be clear—Tressel wins a lot, recruits tons of talented NFL-caliber players, has owned Michigan twice so far in this top 10, and is not concerned with being flashy while doing it.

In the end as stated above, a win is a win is a win.

I hope you enjoyed looking back at the bottom half of this top 10, and I'm very excited to be bringing you Part II soon.

I promise that it is coming in the very near future so check back often and thanks for visiting Block-O-Nation.


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Three Teams That Fit The Profile As A National Championship Contender In 2010

Since the inception of the BCS in 1998, most of the teams that have won national championships have shared certain common denominators.

All have come from "Big Six" conferences, the past six champions posted at least nine victories the previous season and all but one had a winning record in post-October regular-season games.

In addition, 11 of the 12 teams to win the BCS title entered their championship season with a quarterback who was a junior or senior and had at least some starting experience.

Finally, 11 of 12 champions returned at least six full-time starters from a defensive unit that ranked in nation's top 20 in scoring defense the previous season.

Of course, there are other factors involved in fielding a championship team. The majority of champions had junior- and senior-dominated offensive lines, but it's difficult to project line starters seven months before the season begins.

Avoiding injuries also is vital, but how well a team manages that won't be known until after the 2010 regular season is completed.

Fitting the profile obviously won't guarantee a championship: None of the six teams that fit the '09 profile won the national championship. But Texas did play in the BCS national championship game, while Florida and Iowa played in BCS bowls. And Ole Miss, West Virginia and Virginia Tech posted at least nine wins.

This past season, Alabama, which went on to win the national championship, fit five of the six characteristics. They did not have a quarterback who previously had started.

When Alabama defeated Texas in the BCS national championship game, Greg McElroy joined Tennessee's Tee Martin (1998) as the only title-winning quarterbacks in the BCS era without previous starting experience.

So, while profiling shouldn't inspire fans to make reservations for Glendale, Ariz., the site of the 2010 championship game, it at least provides encouragement and a reason to start saving up.

But which fans should start saving? That question is answered in the following profile.


1. Be in a "Big Six" conference

Unbeaten Utah in 2004 and '08, Hawaii in '07, Boise State in '06 and '09 and TCU in '09 were not given a shot at playing for the national championship. Once might be a fluke, twice could be a coincidence and three times is a trend. But six times in six years? That's exclusion. The BCS system consistently has shown that teams outside the six power conferences won't have a legitimate shot at the national title.

Fitting the profile so far: The 65 teams in "Big Six" conferences and Notre Dame.


2. Post at least nine victories the previous season

Nine of the 12 BCS champions (75 percent) posted at least nine victories in the season preceding their national championship run. Four of the past six champions posted double-digit victory totals the previous year; only Florida (9-3 in '06 and 9-4 in '08) did not.

Still fitting the profile: 22 teams -- Alabama, Cincinnati, Clemson, Florida, Georgia Tech, Iowa, LSU, Miami, Nebraska, Ohio State, Oklahoma State, Ole Miss, Oregon, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, Texas, Texas Tech, USC, Virginia Tech, West Virginia and Wisconsin.


3. Posted a winning record in post-October regular-season games

Playing well in November often is the key to winning championships. That also provides a clue as to what programs are improving and could be a factor the next season. Every BCS national champion with the exception of LSU in 2002 posted a winning record in post-October regular-season games the previous year. Seven teams were unbeaten in that span the season preceding their championship.

Still fitting the profile: 17 teams -- Alabama, Cincinnati, Clemson, Florida, Georgia Tech, Miami, Nebraska, Ohio State, Oklahoma State, Ole Miss, Oregon, Penn State, Texas, Texas Tech, Virginia Tech, West Virginia and Wisconsin. Because the majority of BCS champions were unbeaten in post-October regular-season games the previous season, take extra note of Alabama, Cincinnati, Florida, Nebraska, Ohio State, Texas and Virginia Tech.


4. Return a junior or senior quarterback with starting experience

Again, McElroy and Martin are the only quarterbacks without any previous starting experience to lead BCS championship teams.

Still fitting the profile: 11 teams -- Alabama (McElroy), Cincinnati (Zach Collaros), Clemson (Kyle Parker), Georgia Tech (Josh Nesbitt), Miami (Jacory Harris), Nebraska (Zac Lee), Ohio State (Terrelle Pryor), Oregon (Jeremiah Masoli), Texas Tech (Taylor Potts), Virginia Tech (Tyrod Taylor) and Wisconsin (Scott Tolzien).


5. Return at least six starters from a defensive unit that ranked in the top 20 in scoring defense

We'll define returning starters as players who had no fewer than five starts, which represents at least a third of the games. Nine of the past 10 BCS champs ranked at least 20th in scoring defense the previous season. Tennessee is the only champion in the BCS era that returned fewer than six defensive starters.

Still fitting the profile: Three teams -- Nebraska, Ohio State, Virginia Tech.

Ohio State, Virginia Tech, and Nebraska are high-profile programs, and as demonstrated above, they all fit the national championship profile for 2010.

No doubt, fans of the Buckeyes, Hokies and Huskers already are counting the days to what could be an epic season.

But Alabama fans surely are, too. They're well-aware a team doesn't have to completely meet the profile to raise the crystal trophy.

Oregon, Texas, Miami, Wisconsin, Iowa and several others can glean encouragement from that, too.


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BlockONation's Ridiculously Way-Too-Early Top 10 For 2010—Number Nine

by HD Handshoe
Founder—Block-O-Nation



Welcome to our 10-part series highlighting our picks for the way-too-early top 10 preseason teams in the nation for 2010.

One at a time, our top 10 will be revealed, leading up to No. 1.

As always, we want to know what you think as well, so please post your thoughts in the comment section.

Bookmark the site if you haven't already and feel free to tell all your friends about us too!

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Now, on with the countdown...



Number 9—TCU Horned Frogs

TCU had an amazing season in 2009, going unbeaten (12-0) and busting the BCS to earn a spot in the 2010 Fiesta Bowl.

Unfortunately for them, the BCS Monopoly forced them to play fellow BCS Buster Boise State rather than Florida, Cincinnati, Iowa, or Georgia Tech.

The game was fairly evenly matched, and Boise won to cap off a perfect season of their own (14-0), but we really wanted the opportunity to see just how good the two teams were against the big boys.

Maybe next year, but probably not...

Speaking of 2010, TCU should once again be highly ranked to start the season, and deservedly so, as most of their key starters return.

The Horned Frogs lose only two starters on offense—left tackle Marshall Newhouse and tailback Joseph Turner, meaning their somewhat unheralded star QB Andy Dalton will be back for his senior season.

Dalton threw for over 2750 yards, 23 touchdowns, versus only eight interceptions, while posting a 151.8 QB efficiency rating.

Seven starters are coming back on the defensive side of the ball, but defensive end Jerry Hughes, linebacker Daryl Washington, and cornerbacks Nick Sanders and Rafael Priest leave pretty big shoes to fill.

TCU will open its season at Dallas Cowboys Stadium against Oregon State on Sept. 4.

The Horned Frogs also have a home game against Baylor and a road game at SMU in their non-conference schedule.

They should have a legit chance of going 12-0 again if they come close to meeting the high expectations that will be placed upon them.

Although they will likely begin the season in or near the AP top 10, in the end, I personally don't see them remaining unbeaten, or thus in the top 10 too far into the 2010 season.

2010 Regular Season Projection

Possible Losses
Oregon State, Baylor, BYU, and Utah

W/L Record
It's tough to say for sure, but I think TCU wins eight games for sure, and maybe as many as 10 depending on the health of Robert Baylor from Baylor and if they are a little lucky as I expect Oregon State, BYU, and Utah to all be top 25 teams this coming season.

Last season, the Horned Frogs went 8-0 in the Mountain West. I don't believe they will repeat that feat in 2010, but ultimately, they could win the MWC if they don't lose to both BYU and Utah.

I expect to see them in a decent bowl game, but not likely another BCS game this coming year.


Number eight, coming soon!


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BlockONation's Ridiculously Way-Too-Early Top 10 For 2010—Number 10

by HD Handshoe
Founder—Block-O-Nation



Welcome to our 10-part series highlighting our picks for the way-too-early top 10 preseason teams in the nation for 2010.

One at a time, our top 10 will be revealed, leading up to No. 1.

As always, we want to know what you think as well, so please post your thoughts in the comment section.

Bookmark the site if you haven't already and feel free to tell all your friends about us too!



Number 10—Wisconsin Badgers

The Badgers proved me wrong in 2009. I thought seven wins would be about the best they could hope for, but after treading on thin ice for the past two so-so seasons, Bret Bielema has Wisconsin back on track.

To almost everyone's surprise, the Badgers beat Miami 20-14 in the Champs Sports Bowl to finish the season 10-3.

With running back (and Big Ten Offensive POY) John Clay coming back, and quarterback Scott Tolzien exceeding the output I foresaw for him, the Badgers could be scary good on offense in 2010.

Tight end Garrett Graham is the only offensive starter leaving. Five defensive starters will have to be replaced, but that unit wasn't exactly the Badgers strong suit in 2009, so they should be just as good defensively in 2010—whether or not that is saying much, or not, remains to be seen.

Much like 2009, the Badgers' out-of-conference schedule isn't exactly full of challenges. UW will travel to Vegas to take on UNLV, and they will host San Jose State, Arizona State and FCS foe Austin Peay.

In conference, Wisconsin will travel to Michigan State, Iowa and Michigan, but will host Ohio State at Camp Randall in what should prove to be their toughest game of the year.


2010 Regular Season Projection

Probable / Possible Losses
Ohio State, Iowa / Michigan, Northwestern

W/L Record
For my money, 10-2 is possible and the most likely record for Wisconsin in 2010, but 8-4 is also possible. I believe UW will win nine or 10 games, and finish third in the Big Ten, likely behind Ohio State and Iowa.


Number 9, coming soon!


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Michigan Football Forecast 2010: Mostly Cloudy With a Chance of Failure...AGAIN

by HD Handshoe
Founder—Block-O-Nation



Before the 2009 season, I wrote an article entitled Michigan Football Forecast 2009: Mostly Cloudy With a Chance of Failure, that was met with much resistance and venom from Michigan fans.

I also met the same fate with my Michigan's Tate Forcier: Lofty Expectations Will Lead to Major Letdown article.

I was called idiot, moron, and hater, and those are just the names I can repeat. There were plenty of "R" rated terms tossed my way that are not safe for reposting.

In the Forecast article, I predicted that Michigan would win four games in 2009. In all honesty, I really thought they might win six and maybe even seven games, but as it turned out, they only won five.

They beat a couple teams that I thought they would lose to and they lost to a few teams I thought they could, or would beat, but in the end, my 4-8 prediction was almost exact.

Not to gloat, but who looks like idiots and morons now UM fans? I digress.

Since the Wolverines 2009 season is over and they are not playing in a bowl game for the second straight year, I thought I'd get an early jump on what 2010 will hold for them.

These predictions assume that RichRod will return as head coach, no current players file transfer papers, and that none of the 2010 UM recruits decommit before signing day.

Nothing is written in stone up North and you know what they say happens when you assume too much, so stay tuned...

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Game One vs. UCONN



I actually believe UCONN could win this game, but I will give the talent edge to UM and it is in Ann Arbor so for those reasons, I have to go with Michigan in this one, but I do think it will be closer than most UM fans will expect it to be.

Win (1-0)


Game Two @ Notre Dame



I'm sure Charlie Weis, Jimmy Clausen, and Golden Tate will all be gone, but not all is lost at Notre Dame. There's speculation that ND wants to land Brian Kelly, Bob Stoops, Pat Fitzgerald, or Urban Meyer. I think Kelly is the most likely get, but in my opinion any of these coaches might consider taking the job, and any one of them would be able to coach the Irish to a win over UM. The cupboard isn't exactly bare in South Bend either. Dayne Crist was the nations' top QB recruit in 2008 and star-sophomore WR Michael Floyd will return as well.

Loss (1-1)


Game Three vs. UMASS



No disrespect meant, but UMASS is an FCS team, and they are no Richmond or Appalachian State. This game should be a lead-pipe lock for the Wolverines. Think Delaware State from this past year. UM won that game 63-6.

Win (2-1)


Game Four vs. BGSU



Lucky for Michigan that QB Tyler Sheehan and WR Freddie Barnes are both Seniors and won't be on the field for BG in this game. Otherwise, they may have been headed for another loss to a MAC team (see Toledo 2008). Without those two guys, I don't see UM having too much trouble vs. the Falcons.

Win (3-1)


Game Five @ Indiana



The Hoosiers gave UM all they could handle back in September when the Wolverines escaped with a 36-33 home win after a controversial interception call that went against IU. QB Ben Chappell, RB Darius Willis, and WR's Tandon Doss and Damarlo Belcher, all starters, will each return for Indiana in 2010. This game could go either way, and in toss up games, I almost always go with the home team.

Loss (3-2)


Game Six vs. Michigan State



The Spartans have won the last two meetings and return one of the best starting QB's in the Big Ten in Kirk Cousins, starting RB Larry Caper, and top WR's B.J. Cunningham and Mark Dell. Coach Mark Dantonio is 2-1 overall vs. Michigan and 2-0 vs. RichRod. I won't be in shock if Michigan wins, and I believe this one could be close, and a borderline toss up, but I'm taking the Spartans to win their third straight over UM.

Loss (3-3)


Game Seven vs. Iowa



I don't see Kirk Ferentz leaving Iowa City and the Hawkeyes will return QB Ricky Stanzi, RB's Adam Robinson and the 2009 projected starter (before missing the season due to injury) Jewell Hampton, and top wide outs Derrell Johnson-Koulianos and Marvin McNutt, in addition to another solid defensive unit. I just can't see UM winning this game if Iowa comes into Ann Arbor with all these guys healthy.

Loss (3-4)


Game Eight @ Penn State



Daryll Clark will be gone, but the Big Ten's second leading rusher Evan Royster will likely return. Sophomore QB Kevin Newsome will take over for the Nittany Lions. He has been favorably compared to OSU's Terrelle Pryor. He is also a former 2009 UM commit that decommitted and chose PSU over the Wolverines. He sounds more and more like Pryor, who shunned UM for Ohio State, and is now 2-0 vs. his former suitors. I expect Penn State, led by Newsome, to win their third straight over the Wolverines.

Loss (3-5)


Game Nine vs. Illinois



If a coach's seat was ever hotter than that of Charlie Weis, it would have to be Ron Zook's. I don't think Zook will be back in 2010, and neither will QB Juice Williams. The cupboard is looking bare in Champaign and Illinois could be the worst team in the Big Ten next season. In my estimation, Michigan should win this game easily.

Win (4-5)


Game 10 @ Purdue



Purdue has beaten Michigan in the last two meetings and they have hope, as in Coach Danny Hope, of doing it again in 2010. If they can find a QB to replace Senior Joey Elliott, they just might do it. RB Ralph Boldin returns after a solid year in which he was only out-gained on the ground by PSU's Evan Royster and Wisconsin's John Clay. This game falls under my toss up rule so I am going with the home team Purdue, but Michigan certainly has a shot at winning.

Loss (4-6)


Game 11 vs. Wisconsin



Badger RB John Clay led the Big Ten in rushing in 2009 as a sophomore and will have a legit chance to repeat that feat in 2010. Also returning will be starting QB Scott Tolzien and top WR Nick Toon. UW has won two of the last three vs. UM, and I see that trend continuing in 2010.

Loss (4-7)


Game 12 @ Ohio State



I really don't think I need to say much else here other than Ohio State has now won six in a row over UM, Tressel is 8-1, and Terrelle is 2-0. I know Michigan fans that think UM is getting better believe that UM will start beating the Buckeyes again sooner than later, but I say to them, even if UM gets better, it's not like OSU is getting worse. In terms of quality over quantity, the Bucks are recruiting as well or better than Michigan and the running backs that the Buckeyes are going to have in Pryor's final two years makes USC's recent "stable" of backs look like a bunch of old gray mares. The Buckeyes will make it seven in a row and nine of 10. After their third straight losing season, and assuming RichRod wasn't already fired earlier in the 2010 season, there will be little doubt that his fate is sealed after going 0-3 in THE GAME.

Loss (4-8)

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Now, having said everything I said above, there are those three toss up games that I consider swing games (Indiana, Michigan State, Purdue) so ultimately with some lucky breaks going their way, or if UM somehow improves more than I expect, or if a couple of the teams I picked to beat them regress, then Michigan could probably win as many as seven games or eight games, but eight is really super-optimistic.

Let's assume they do win seven games next year.

Will 7-5 be enough to satisfy UM fans, alums, and the new AD?

Will it keep RichRod from losing his job, despite his third loss to the Buckeyes in three attempts?

Even though I feel fairly confident in my projections, these questions really cannot be definitively answered until sometime during the 2010 season so I'll just say it again—stay tuned.


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