No. 16 Ohio State vs. Miami (FL)—Week 3 Game Preview, History Lesson, and Prediction

A fter opening the season with a convincing 42-0 win over hapless Akron, it seemed fairly reasonable to believe the Buckeyes (2-0) would not have too much trouble dispensing the Toledo Rockets in week two.

Toledo, an experienced and veteran squad, returned 18 starters from their 2010 team -- including superstar WR Eric Page -- yet, the Buckeyes were favored to win by 19.5 points.

In reality, the game was much too close for comfort. Toledo was not intimidated, and fully expected to compete, and win the game.

In the end, the Big Ten's top defense bent, but did not break, and stopped Toledo's final -- and potential game-winning -- drive in the final two minutes, securing the 27-22 victory/escape.

In 2002, on their way to 14 wins, including a BCS national title, the Buckeyes won seven games by 7 or less points. Winning close, and sometimes winning ugly, is better than losing any day of the week.

As for Miami (0-1), the Canes had an off-week to lick their wounds and prepare for Ohio State after opening the season in defeat on the road at Maryland, 32-24.

On a kind of cool/kind of hideous side note:



Seeing the Maryland "state-flag" jersey was like seeing two Arena League teams merge, and then not be able to agree on which jersey to keep going forward, so instead, they decided to take half a jersey from each team to form the new team's jersey -- OR -- Perhaps they resemble a CFL team sponsored by a taxi-cab company?


Brief Game Outlook

As programs go, there are a lot of similarities between Ohio State and Miami.

Both have at least five national titles (OSU 7, Miami 5).

Each school boasts a who's-who list of national award winners, and both programs have sent multiple players to the NFL.

Oh, and you may have heard something this off-season about both schools being under investigation by the NCAA regarding players that have received improper benefits.

While the off-the-field infractions that occurred at Ohio State are very serious and are likely to warrant additional sanctions from the NCAA on top of those already self-imposed by the university, those at Miami could include a lack of institutional control charge, and all-totaled, could potentially be deemed as death-penalty level violations.

As for the game this Saturday night, it's a bit of a toss-up.

Last week, freshman QB Braxton Miller was expected to play against Toledo, but never saw the field. Instead, senior Joe Bauserman played the entire game, and while Bauserman didn't turn the ball over, he also did little-else to help lead the Buckeyes to victory.

This Saturday, against a speedy and athletic team like Miami, Coach Fickell might want to strongly consider playing Miller. Not only can Miller move well in the pocket and scramble away from pressure if needed (a la Terrelle Pryor), but he also possesses excellent passing mechanics and a strong, accurate arm (a la NOT Terrelle Pryor).

Jordan Hall (RB), Travis Howard (DB), and Corey Brown (DB) will be reinstated by game time. Miami QB Jacory Harris has also been given the all-clear and will start for the Canes. In all, the Buckeyes still have four players (including 3 starters) out due to suspension -- certainly an edge in favor of Miami.

Last season in Columbus, Miami scored two special teams touchdowns, but the Buckeye defense pressured Harris into four costly interceptions, and held the Canes offense to just 10 points en route to a 36-24 win.

Harris will look to improve upon his poor performance and breath some life into the Canes passing game that was somewhat lacking in their opener.

Miami RB Lamar Miller played well in the losing effort against the Terps, rushing for 119 yards on 18 carries and a touchdown.

For the Bucks -- running back Hall may have to earn his spot back -- so expect Carlos Hyde to start his third straight game. Rod Smith or Jaamal Berry should also get some touches, although Smith has had two untimely fumbles in two games -- generally a sure-fire way to find yourself on the sidelines more often than not.

Freshman receiver Devin Smith leads OSU with 119 yards on 5 catches and has one touchdown reception. TE Jake Stoneburner has been the Buckeyes' most consistent and reliable receiver so far this season with eight grabs for 93 yards, including four for touchdowns -- two more than he had all of last season. Converted high school QB Verlon Reed is third on the team with five receptions for 89 yards.

Ultimately, look for the 2011 game to be decided much the same as the 2010 contest -- by turnover margin and in the trenches. The team that best protects the ball and the quarterback, and opens up the running lanes for their tailbacks should come away with the "W".


Current FBS Team Rankings



Ohio State—Miami History Lesson

• This will be the 5th all-time meeting between Ohio State and Miami.

• Ohio State is 3-1 against Miami (including the vacated win from 2010).

• Ohio State is 15-7 all-time vs. ACC opponents.

• Ohio State is 32-16 all-time in night games, including a 17-6 mark on the road.

• Ohio State is 42-8 vs. non-conference opponents since 2001.

• Ohio State has held opponents to fewer than 10 points 30 times since 2006.

• Ohio State's defense has allowed just four 100-yard rushers in their last 39 games.

• Ohio State has 821 wins all-time, the fifth-most among FBS teams.

• The last Buckeye head coach to win his 1st first road game was Earle Bruce, a 21-17 win at Minnesota in 1979.

• Miami is 23-2 in home openers since 1986.

• Miami is 1-3 vs Big Ten opponents since 2001, having lost their last three.

• Miami is 49-15 overall at home since 2001.

• Since joining the ACC in 2004, Miami is 14-1 at home vs. OOC opponents.

• Miami is 5-14 overall against ranked teams since 2006.

• Miami is 3-5 at home vs. ranked teams since 2006.

• Miami has won four straight home openers (2007-2010) by an average of 34 ppg.

• Miami coach Al Golden is 1-12 vs. BCS teams in his career.


Final Thoughts and Score Prediction

Both teams need a win -- Miami, to avoid an 0-2 start, and Ohio State, to prove last weeks scare against Toledo was a fluke and that they are deserving of their top 20 ranking.

The Canes rarely lose in home openers, but the 23 wins in 25 games since 1986 have mostly not been against teams the caliber of the Buckeyes.

Both teams have question marks on offense, but defensively, Ohio State gets the edge.

If there is an area of concern for OSU, it's the young secondary of the Buckeyes, however, Jacory Harris has yet to prove he can consistently play well and protect the ball -- see 2010 in Columbus -- and there are several up-and-coming defensive backs (including Bradley Roby and Dominic Clarke) on the rise for Ohio State.

Expect the Buckeye defense to contain Miller and the running game and to pressure Harris into a repeat of last years meeting -- and a similar game result.


Ohio State 31
Miami 16


"To be a champion, you have to believe in yourself when no one else will" - Sugar Ray Robinson

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Just Spit-Ballin': How Ohio State Can Alleviate Their Most Pressing Concerns

Three weeks into the 2010 season finds Ohio State undefeated as expected, and for the most part, they have proven to be worthy of their No. 2 ranking, but they do have a few flaws.

There is always room for improvement and the Bucks can ill-afford to become complacent if they want to truly be a legitimate BCS title game contender.

First off, the disturbingly obvious inefficiencies on special teams are still a huge concern.

Through their first three games, OSU has allowed a blocked field goal, a blocked PAT, and one punt and two kickoff returns for touchdowns, one of which ultimately didn't count, but still.

DeVier Posey's older brother Julian returned a kickoff 99 yards for an apparent touchdown for OU before an illegal block penalty negated the return.

Sure it didn't count, but just the fact that the Bobcats technically were the third straight Buckeye opponent to score a special teams touchdown against OSU is very disconcerting.

It is even more concerning considering that fixing this problem had to be a primary focus over the past week or two.

It may be as simple as just a personnel issue, or something bigger. That's up to Tressel and his staff to figure out. The bottom line is it has to be fixed, whatever it is, and whatever it takes.

The other challenge facing Tressel and company is a two-headed monster.

First, they need to find a consistent No. 3 wide receiver threat to help free up Posey and Dane Sanzenbacher.

The play of tight end Jake Stoneburner has helped with that cause somewhat, but with Terrelle Pryor really coming into his own as a passing QB, a true third option at receiver would greatly benefit the Buckeye passing game.

The second part of this equation is finding a way to get sophomore Jordan Hall, and especially redshirt freshmen Jaamal Berry more touches out of the backfield. As of now, each have returned kicks and punts, but have seen little action at tailback.

The solution—move Saine to wide receiver. This would kill two birds with one stone.

Tressel is loyal to his upperclassmen, almost to a fault, so Dan Herron could still technically be the "starter", but everyone, including Tressel, knows that he's not a guy that can carry the ball 25-plus times a game.

Making this move would give the Buckeyes a legit No. 3 wideout, a veteran starter at running back, and it would then allow Hall and Berry more opportunities to carry the rock.

As mentioned, Pryor continues to prove he's more than just a scrambler and the defense appears to be one of the best Tressel has ever had, having only allowed 17 points over these first three weeks.

Kicker Devin Barclay has been solid as well.

The offense is close and the defense is there.

Figuring out the special teams situation and finding that reliable third receiver could mean the difference between a good year, or a legendary one for the Buckeyes.

Better protection and blocking in the middle on field goals and PATs, as well as improved kick and punt return coverage, in addition to shifting Saine to [more of] a receiver role and thus allowing an increased role for Hall and/or Berry will increase the odds for Ohio State to win all of their games, and further establish and solidify their position as one of the best teams in the nation.

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Ohio State-Miami: Week 2 Preview, History Lesson, and Prediction

The much-anticipated Ohio State-Miami (FL) rematch is nearly upon us.

The last meeting came in January, 2003 when the underdog Buckeyes outlasted the heavily favored Hurricanes 31-24 in double-overtime to capture the 2002 BCS title.

Both teams expect to challenge for their respective conference championships this season, but each also have their eye on another trip to Arizona and a BCS championship game berth.

As of right now, the No. 2 Buckeyes are in better position for the latter than are the No. 13 Hurricanes, but an upset win in Columbus this Saturday would legitimately catapult Miami into the top 10 or even the top five.

Of course, coming away with a win is going to be a huge challenge for Miami. Non-conference opponents don't usually fare too well against the Buckeyes in The Shoe.

Miami is a fast team with their fair share of talented players at most every position on both sides of the ball. Unfortunately for the Canes, so too are the Buckeyes—even more so actually..

There are two ways to look at recruiting rankings—quantity vs. quality.

For example, in 2008, Miami signed 33 players compared to Ohio State only signing 20. Both Scout and Rivals ranked the Miami class ahead of the Ohio State class even though the average star rating for Miami players was 3.33, while the average star rating for Ohio State per recruit was 3.9.

In this case, bigger recruiting classes clearly do not equal better recruiting classes.

Here are how the two schools stack up against each other in recruiting when the quality of class is measured as opposed to just the number of recruits that committed to each school.

Each team currently has players on their squads that were members of one of their classes between 2006 and 2010, so those are the years that will be used in the chart below.

Year   OSU Class Rank     Ave. * / Recruit    MIA Class Rank     Ave. * / Recruit

====   ==============     ================    ==============     ================



2006       7th                  3.60               10th                3.41



2007       5th                  3.73                7th                3.72



2008       2nd                  3.90               17th                3.33



2009       4th                  3.80               15th                3.37



2010       8th                  3.47               30th                3.03

As you can see, Ohio State has out-recruited Miami in all five seasons. 2006 and especially 2007 were comparable, but the last three classes weren't very close, as all were significantly in favor of Ohio State.

Miami fans will want to point out that while recruiting numbers and rankings do matter, they are not everything since not all highly touted recruits live up to expectations, while less-heralded prospects sometimes prove to be diamonds in the rough.

Point taken.

So let's get down to it and look at what does, and will, matter most when these two titans clash this coming Saturday.

Here's a good place to start

Ohio State's Terrelle Pryor and Miami's Jacory Harris

Both Ohio State and Miami opened the 2010 season with decisive victories last Thursday night. The Buckeyes cruised to a 45-7 win over Marshall, while the Hurricanes shutout Florida A&M University, 45-0.

The stats each school has compiled so far are from one game vs. inferior opponents, so while they may or may not indicate what we could expect to see on 9/11, they're still worth mentioning.


Miami—By the Numbers

QB Jacory Harris showed no signs of any lingering issues from off-season thumb surgery. In just two quarters, he completed 12/15 passes (80%) for 210 yards and three touchdowns, for a QB rating of 263.6. Harris took care of business and could be poised to lead his team to the ACC title, and maybe more. If he can produce similar results against one of the nation's better defensive units, his name could start moving up closer to the top of the 2010 Heisman watch list.

Wide receiver Leonard Hankerson led Miami with six catches for 115 yards and two touchdowns. Only two other Miami receiver had more than 30 yards, but both had less than 45.

Running back Lamar Miller led the Canes in rushing with 65 yards on 11 carries and a touchdown. Damien Berry caught a 32-yard touchdown pass and had another 45 yards rushing. Mike James had six caries for 36 yards.

As a team, Miami totaled 405 yards, while holding A&M to 110 yards and just eight first downs the entire game. The shutout was the first by a Miami defense since 2006.

For the record, FAMU is a FCS school, so while Miami looked impressive, those individual and overall team statistics might not be very similar to their offensive and defensive totals when they meet the Buckeyes this weekend.


Ohio State—By the Numbers

Quarterback Terrelle Pryor continued to play as he did in the 2010 Rose bowl. In just a tad over three quarters of work, he completed 17/25 pass attempts (68%) for 247 yards and three touchdowns, for a QB rating of 190.59. The majority of his passes were perfectly on target and he seemed very comfortable not scrambling, but rather remaining in the pocket and finding his receivers.

Wide receiver Dane Sanzenbacher led the Buckeyes with three catches for 113 yards, including a 65-yard touchdown that was perfectly placed in stride by Pryor. Two of DeVier Posey's four receptions for 41 yards went for touchdowns. Tight end Jake Stoneburner caught three balls, also for 41 yards.

In only one half of play, running back Brandon Saine carried the ball nine times for 103 yards and found the endzone twice. Four backs in all averaged more than six yards per carry. Jaamal Berry had seven carries for 80 yards. Dan Herron rushed for 44 yards on seven carries and Jordan Hall added 32 yards on just five carries.

As a team, Ohio State totaled 529 yards, while holding Marshall to 199 yards and 11 first downs the entire game. The OSU defense pitched a shutout as well, but was charged with a special teams touchdown that Marshall scored after returning a blocked 53-yard field goal try.


Ohio State—Miami: History Lesson and Other Tidbits

• This will be only the fourth ever meeting between Ohio State and Miami.

• Ohio State is 2-1 all time vs. Miami with the lone defeat, a 23-12 loss coming in 1999, and the two wins coming in 1977, a 10-0 shutout, and in 2003, the classic 31-24 double-overtime thriller for the BCS title.

• Since 2001 under Jim Tressel, Ohio State is 36-8 vs. non-conference opponents.

• Overall since 2001, Ohio State is 57-7 at home.

• Ohio State has not allowed a 100-yard rusher over its past 22 games.

• Miami is 26-16 all-time vs. Big Ten opponents, but only 1-4 in road openers.

• Miami has improved every season under Randy Shannon, winning five games in 2007, seven games in 2008, and nine games in 2009.

• Since 2007 under Shannon, Miami is 4-6 against top 25 opponents, but only 1-5 against top 25 opponents on the road, having only defeated then-No. 18 FSU in Tallahassee in 2009.


Summary and Prediction

Miami is fast, but so is Ohio State.

Miami has recruited well, but Ohio State has recruited better.

Miami has a very good quarterback, but so does Ohio State and theirs can also hurt you running the ball.

Miami may just have the best group of receivers in the nation, but Ohio State's group isn't far behind, just younger and less experienced.

Miami has one of the best defensive fronts you will find, but Ohio State's might just be the best in the country.

Miami has a pretty good offensive line, but the Ohio State o-line is one of the top five lines in the nation.

Miami has one of the better secondaries in the country. Ohio State's secondary has a couple of new faces, but could still be one of the best when it's all said and done.

Miami finally has a good coach in Randy Shannon who has their program heading in the right direction. Ohio State has Jim Tressel, the best coach in the Big 10, who also happens to be one of the best six or seven coaches in all of college football.

It could be close, and a back-and-forth shootout, but this Buckeye squad will be fired up, and so will 105,000+ Buckeye fans. They will be too much for the Hurricanes in the second half and should win by at least two scores.

Final Score
==========
Ohio State 30
Miami 14

After the ludicrous 9-3 W/L record for Ohio State prediction of yours, suck on that Brian Griese...



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Week One, Post-Marshall Wrap Up: What We Learned About Ohio State

Week one of the 2010 Ohio State football season is in the books and much of the speculation and lingering questions about the Buckeyes have finally been answered.

After watching the Buckeyes dominate Marshall, there are six things that should now be evident beyond a shadow of a doubt.


Number One

Entering the season, special teams play was, and still is, the glaring weakness and No. 1 concern on this team.

There is the less-than-stellar punt and kickoff return averages for one. Then the two nearly missed PATs (one was partially blocked yet still made it through the uprights), and who could forget the blocked 53-yard field goal try that was returned 57 yards by Marshall for the only (gift-wrapped) points the Thundering Herd would score all night.

With only eight days to go before the Hurricanes arrive in Columbus, the Bucks absolutely better work out the special team kinks or those types of potential mistakes and shortcomings against Miami may prove much more costly.


Number Two

No surprise here—The Buckeye defense is very, very good.

Sure, it was against Marshall, but a shutout is a shutout and that's what this defense did, only to have it tossed away by the kicking team on the aforementioned field goal debacle.

Ohio State's defense limited Marshall to just 44 yards on the ground and 199 total for the game. Linebacker Brian Rolle had an interception and returned it 30 yards for what is sure to be the first of many pick-six INTs for this unit.

In addition to the Rolle interception, the Herd also lost two fumbles.

Expect more of the same from this defense in every game all year long.


Number Three

The running back pecking order is set at the very top, but the number two slot could be up for grabs.

Brandon Saine had a great game and proved he has all makings of a legit No. 1 featured back. Saine, who did not play in the second half, rushed nine times for 103 and two touchdowns.

Backup Boom Herron didn't have a bad game by any means with 44 yards on only seven carries. The dilemma, however, for Herron is that fans who have already been clamoring for redshirt freshmen Jaamal Berry to get an opportunity, watched as the speedy and elusive Berry dazzled the Ohio Stadium crowd with 80 yards, also on just seven carries.

Coach Tressel has always been very loyal to his upperclassmen, almost to a fault, but the bottom line here is the best players who give the team the best chance to win need to play, period.

Starting in 2011, Berry could be the next great tailback at Ohio State, and his week one performance might force Tressel to reevaluate and rearrange the depth chart behind Saine.


Number Four

Terrelle Pryor silenced his critics that still believed he was not a legitimate passing quarterback. He picked up right where he left off in the 2010 Rose Bowl, hitting 17 of 25 passing for 247 yards and three touchdowns.

Pryor connected on a couple of very well thrown deep balls, including a 65-yard touchdown pass to senior Dane Sanzenbacher.

His mechanics, footwork, and release are all without a doubt much improved. The scary fact for defenses that will have to face the Buckeyes and defend against Pryor is he will continue to get better every week.

Pryor had only eight carries in the game and a handful of those were only due to sacks he took where he decided to just eat the ball rather than making a bad decision or forcing a throw that could result in giving up possession.

There's still some room for him to grow, but the evolution of Terrelle Pryor from a dual-threat scrambling QB to a passing, pro-style, pocket QB is nearly complete.


Number Five

Dane Sanzenbacher caught three balls for 113 yards and a touchdown. His play often brings back fond memories of former Buckeye Anthony Gonzalez.

He proved that despite DeVier Posey being Pryor's favorite target, he is a very capable No. 2 receiver alongside Posey and that the notion that Ohio State has no other talented wideouts other than Posey has been greatly exaggerated.

Behind Sanzenbacher, it's true that the receiving corp are young and inexperienced, but what they lack in experience, they make up for in talent, and experience will come.

Sophomore tight end Jake Stoneburner also caught three passes and could be increasingly used as the Buckeyes' secret weapon in the passing game as the season progresses.


Number Six

Next Saturday, the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Miami Hurricanes will meet for the first time since their controversial 2003 Fiesta Bowl battle that saw the Buckeyes outlast the Hurricanes 31-24 in double overtime to win the BCS championship.

Both teams opened the season in similar fashion with easy wins as Ohio State defeated Marshall 45-7, while Miami shutout FCS-foe Florida A&M, 45-0.

Quarterbacks Terrelle Pryor and Jacory Harris had comparable individual first-game stats.

Both teams also have good backs, good o-lines, and good defenses.

This game should be great to watch and could be a back-and-forth shootout, with the team that has the ball last coming out on top.

Miami is the undisputed underdog, but you wouldn't know it by listening to or reading what their fans have to say about the game and about the Buckeyes.

See for yourself.

And even though it has been eight years, Miami fans have been preaching about revenge and redemption for that 2002 loss on message boards all across the Internet.

Referee Terry Porter haunts the dreams of every Miami fan, even though "the call" was correct.




They might (cough,...will) have to wait until next year in Miami for another shot at getting even...

For more on the upcoming OSU-Miami game, be sure to watch for the Ohio State-Miami: Game Preview, History Lesson and Prediction article here on BlockONation early next week.


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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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Ohio State Buckeyes Fans and Miami Hurricanes Fans Open Thread

9/11/2010
3:30PM -- Columbus, Ohio

OHIO STATE VS. MIAMI

OK, so I have a few thoughts about the rapidly-approaching Ohio State-Miami game.

The intention of this thread is to provide an ongoing forum for OSU and Miami fans to come here and chat about the game from now until "D-Day", September 11, 2010.

Please feel free to respond after hearing me out, but let's try to act like adults and keep it civil.


Number One

Terrelle Pryor and Jacory Harris are similar QB's but, as a passer, I'm giving a slight edge to Harris for now.

That being said, Pryor gets the overall nod b/c he's definitely improved/improving as a passing QB, but he has the speed and moxie to be a game breaker.

He's fast, elusive, and he has an amazing stiffarm for a QB. He has shoved many a DB to the ground as they attempted to tackle him, so while I do like Harris and he's a very good QB, Terrelle Pryor, he is not.


Number Two

The OSU O-line, led by Mike Brewster, Justin Boren, and Bryant Browning, is going to be absolutely sick.

The Buckeyes rushed for well over 2,000 yards in 2009 and with this unit of big uglies clearing the way in the trenches, 2,500-3,000 yards is not a pipe dream.

Our No. 1 guy, Brandon Saine is healthy and if you saw the Rose Bowl, you know he's dangerous in the backfield carrying the ball and as a receiver as well.

Dan Herron is also a solid 1B to Saine, and then we also have sophomore Jordan Hall and redshirt freshmen Jaamal Berry who will also see the field, who I'm sure those of you in Florida are familiar with.


Number Three

So, if you are planning on forcing Pryor to beat you by loading the box to stop our superb stable of RB's, I suggest you do not overlook what Pryor did to Oregon in Pasadena.

That was their game plan too.

No. 1 wideout DeVier Posey is on his way to being a 1st round NFL draft pick in 2011 or 2012, but he's not the only target Pryor has.

Dane Sanzenbacher is a clutch receiver with surprisingly elusive speed and it looks as though Taurian Washington will be the no. 3 WR, but a couple other names to know are Jake Stoneburner, Chris Fields and James Louis.

Stoneburner, technically a TE, will see the ball thrown his way a lot more than a TE at OSU traditionally has in the past. Fields is a redshirt freshmen who has been rumored to be pushing Washington for the No. 3 spot, but should definitely be used in some 4-wide sets, and Louis is a very fast true freshmen from Florida who many expect may be used this year as a punt and kick return specialist.


Number Four

The losses on defense aren't as big of a deal to us Ohio State fans as some of you might expect.

Sure, Kurt Coleman and Thaddeus Gibson were both stars who will be missed, but Cameron Heyward and Chimdi Checkwa both return.

Also remember the names Nathan Williams, John Simon, Melvin Fellows, and Jermale Hines. They are all on track to be the next crop of defensive studs for the Buckeyes.


Number Five

The game will probably be close in the first half, but with no disrespect directed towards Miami, the Buckeyes have the more-proven coach and are the better team, so I expect the Buckeyes to pull away in the third and fourth quarter, and ultimately win by at least 14-17 points.


Number Six

At Ohio State, we always lose great players every year to graduation and/or early entry into the NFL, but we do not rebuild -- We reload with the next crop of stars.

The 2010 season will be no exception.


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Delusions Of Grandeur: Miami Hurricanes Fans Expecting to Rout Our Ohio State Buckeyes?

As laughable as that sentiment seems, at least to most astute college football fans, it is apparently true....

Hotnuke and Sanford Lazarf are the most outspoken UM flag-bearers with that opinion thus far, but I'm sure there are plenty others of their ilk just waiting to jump on the Miami "in a rout" bandwagon.

Don't be surprised when they disappear and jump back off that same bandwagon sometime around 7PM on September 11.

I guess they forgot where all the talk and chest-thumping got them back in 2002....

Well, here's a friendly reminder for them. No need to thank me Canes fans!

But let's consider something a bit more current for some true perspective here.

The 2010 Buckeyes and the 2010 Hurricanes won't be all that much different than each were a year ago.

The then-No. 8 Buckeyes went 11-2 and dominated then-No. 7 Oregon in the Rose Bowl.

The then-No. 14 Canes ended up at 9-4 after losing to then-No.25 Wisconsin. The final score of 20-14 was much closer than the actual game.

Miami could not stop Badger running back John Clay all day as he rushed for over 100 yards and two scores.

Miami, trailing 20-7, scored a garbage-time touchdown with 1:22 left in the game to indicate a much closer game than was actually played.

Ohio State beat that same Badger team 31-13, while holding John Clay to only 59 yards on 20 carries and no touchdowns.

All that being said, the 2009 season doesn't guarantee what will happen in 2010, but on paper, "the U" sure looks to be a heavy underdog on September 11 in The Shoe, so I'm not sure why Miami fans are talking so much smack, but they are.

See for yourself.

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Those are just a couple of examples (for now) from one particular overconfident UM fan.

I do know a few Miami fans that can actually carry on a sensible and logical discussion about the upcoming game and who understand that winning in Columbus will be extremely difficult if not darn near impossible.

Unfortunately and undoubtedly, they are few and far between.

As the start of the season, and the Ohio State-Miami game in particular draws near, there will surely be more posts like those of Hotnuke's and you can be sure I'll post them here for all to see when I find them.

Not to toot my own horn here so-to-speak, but I am the founder and owner of a pretty well-known Ohio State blog, so without name-dropping, but in response to one of your recent comments, yes Sanford, I do have connections to, and have interviewed and spoken with, several Buckeye players.

I also have access to various other media outlets and I will be sure to continue to forward these types of postings to every one of them as well if for no other reason than pure amusement.

We Buckeyes always enjoy a good, and the last, laugh...


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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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