No. 15 Ohio State vs. Toledo—Week 2 Game Preview, History Lesson, and Prediction

Week one is in the books and it was finally nice to see Ohio State get back to football with a convincing 42-0 win over Akron.

While week two also provides an opponent from the MAC, beating Toledo, who defeated New Hampshire 58-22 in their 2011 opener, could prove to be a bit more of a challenge for the Buckeyes.

The 2011 Rockets are not your typical, early season, cupcake opponent the big schools like to play in a confidence-building tune-up game. A win over this Rockets squad may not come as easily as it has in the previous meetings of the series.


Brief Game Outlook

It goes without saying that the Buckeyes have far more talent across the board than do the Rockets, but, UT is an experienced team with 18 returning starters, and an offense that can -- and will expect to -- move the ball and score a lot of points.

Akron had the worst offense Ohio State will see all year—Toledo may have one of the best.

Much like Ohio State, UT will also play two quarterbacks. Austin Dantin should start, but Terrence Owens will also play. Against New Hampshire, Dantin went 15/21 for 161 yards and three touchdowns. Owens was 10/13 for 122 yards and 1 score.

Adonis Thomas is a very solid tailback. Last week, he rushed nine times for 115 yards (12.8 ypc) and a touchdown.

And then, there is receiver Eric Page. Page was tabbed as a Walter Camp 1st-team All-American selection (as a kick returner) in 2010. He was also named to the preseason Biletnikoff Award watch list for 2011.

While he didn't light up the stat book last week with only five catches for 60 yards and a score, there is no denying that the guy is a stud, period. The Buckeyes have a lot of young talent at WR to appreciate (this season and especially over the next couple), but imagine if Page were wearing Scarlet and Gray this week instead of Blue and Gold.

The Buckeye secondary better be ready for Page and Toledo's "other" WR, Bernard Reedy. Reedy had five receptions for 113 yards and two touchdowns in the opener.

For the Buckeyes, QBs Joe Bauserman and Braxton Miller can both expect to play once again. Bauserman raised some eyebrows with his impressive performance against Akron and may have stolen away some of Miller's thunder and playing time, but Miller also played well, so that remains to be seen for now.

There's been no official word yet on the status of RB Jordan Hall, however, with what both Carlos Hyde and Rod Smith did out the backfield, nobody should be too worried about that position.

With DeVier Posey out until week six, the biggest concern for OSU entering week one had to be the lack of experience at wide receiver.

Several of the Buckeye's young wideouts stepped up last week, including Verlon Reed, Devin Smith, T.Y. Williams, and Evan Spencer, but the biggest impact was the breakout game had by TE (/WR) Jake Stoneburner -- who became the first Buckeye TE ever to score three TDs in a game.

Make no mistake, the Rocket defense is going to be have a hard time matching up with and containing all of the weapons Ohio State has at their disposal.

Ultimately, this game will be won with defense and by controlling the clock. The Toledo offense will be a much better gauge to measure the quality of the OSU defense than Akron was.

Toledo has big-play ability, and the Buckeyes will have to limit those big plays and win the time-of-possession battle. Ohio State's size advantage on the O-line and punishing running game should be able to pound UT's D-line and tire out their defense in the second half.

Ohio State is the better team on paper on both sides of the ball, but games aren't played on paper, and the gap between Ohio State and Toledo isn't as big as it might normally be, so just showing up on Saturday won't be enough.


Current FBS Team Rankings




Ohio State—Toledo History Lesson

• This will be only the 3rd all-time meeting between Ohio State and Toledo.

• Ohio State won both previous meetings with Toledo (49-0 in 1998 and 38-0 in 2009).

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

• Ohio State is 65-7 at home since 2001.

• Ohio State is 43-0-1 vs. in-state schools since 1922.

• Ohio State is 41-8 vs. non-conference opponents since 2001.

• Ohio State last lost to an in-state school in 1921 (Oberlin, 7-6).

• Ohio State is 28-1 all-time vs. MAC schools (lone loss came in 1894 vs. Akron).

• Ohio State has won 55 consecutive regular-season non-conference home games against teams not ranked in the AP Top 25.

• Ohio State's defense has allowed just three 100-yard rushers in their last 36 games.

• Toledo is 6-8 all-time vs. ranked opponents.

• Toledo is 6-14 all-time vs. Big Ten opponents.

• Toledo is 3-3 on the road vs. Big Ten opponents since 2000.

• Toledo is 6-6 in road games under 3rd year coach Tim Beckman.

• Toledo is 0-2 against top 25 teams under Beckman with losses to #11 Ohio State in 2009 and #4 Boise State in 2010.


Final Thought(s) and Score Prediction

ESPN college football analyst and perennial Buckeye-hater Mark May ripped the Buckeyes last week when they were only leading 21-0 over the Zips at the half.

Coincidentally, he did not do the same to Alabama (for obvious reasons, cough..., the SEC's, cough..., huge TV contract, cough..., with ESecPN) when they too were also only winning 21-0 at the half over their MAC opponent, Kent State.

Well, Ohio State isn't going to score 60 or more points, and a shutout of UT seems very unlikely this week, so you can expect Mark May to be at it again -- but it's only because of his total ignorance of the fact that Toledo is a solid team -- unlike Pitt in 1996 (or any other year for that matter) -- but I digress.

This week, the score prediction could be construed as a bit conservative, but Toledo is no slouch, so let's just call it cautious but confident, shall we?

Ohio State 44
Toledo 13

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

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With Four Games In The Books, Just How Good Is This Ohio State Defense?

Written by Michael Periatt
B/R Ohio State Featured Columnist—BlockONation Contributor


Ever since Matt Barkley's heartbreaking drive, the Ohio State defense hasn't allowed a single point.

Not one.

I don't know if they're carrying a chip on their shoulder or just hitting their stride, but the two game shut-out streak is the first in thirteen years.

I can't attest for a long Buckeye history (I'm 17 years old), but when I think of classic Buckeye defenses, I think of the 2002 championship team and the 2005 defense.

Amazingly, neither of these legendary defenses ever recorded a shut-out.

Now, both of those defenses were stacked with talent. The 2002 team had Chris Gamble, Mike Doss, Matt Wilhelm, and Will Smith just off the top of my head and the 2005 team had one of the best line backing cores in Ohio State history (Hawk, Carpenter, Schlegel.)

But the current defense really has no identifiable player. Brian Rolle seems to have emerged as a clutch play maker, Coleman seems to have established himself as the leader, and Cameron Heyward seems to be a super-stud. But there are no preseason All-Americans and no upperclassmen predicted to go in the first round of the draft (possibly Heyward).

It's really unbelievable they have been this solid.

So how have they done it?

I think it all goes back to the defensive line. The unit is clearly the strong point of the team and is arguably the best in the nation.

USC might have a stable of running backs, but Ohio State has a stable of defensive lineman. And unlike running backs, you can play more than one at a time.

Thaddeus Gibson, Cameron Heyward, Dexter Larimore, and Doug Worthington are the starters, but to have quality replacements like Nathan Williams, Soloman Thomas, Lawrence Wilson, Todd Denlinger, John Simon, and Garret Goebel is something that you just don't normally see.

Chances are, many of these guys would be starting on any other team in the nation. These guys are not just big "space fillers," but athletes ready to make plays.

By getting pressure on the quarterback without having to constantly blitz (a luxury OSU hasn't had in forever), it automatically takes a load of pressure off the rest of the defense.

Even against USC, the Buck's defense was only really responsible for one touchdown (the other was on TP for throwing an INT that USC returned inside the five yard line).

The lone sub-par performance was against Navy which is really baffling. It could have been the first game jitters, the corky triple-option offense, or a case of the look-aheads, but the fact remains they gave up 27 points to a service academy.

Following the USC game, the Bucks shut out a Toledo team that has put up at least 31 against every other team they played (including Colorado and Purdue).

They then replicated the feat against a supposed high powered Illinois offense that could very well turn out to be a joke.

So three excellent performances and one semi-flop.

The verdict?

I think this defense is really, really good, but I'm not ready to anoint them as a legendary defense just yet. A legendary defense finds a way to make that stop against USC and they sure as hell shouldn't give up 27 point to a service academy.

One thing that seems very promising is that, with the exception of the USC game, the defense made big plays when they had to. They were bent, but didn't break.

In the Navy game, Rolle got the pick-two to save the game.

Against Toledo, they stripped the ball inside the ten yard line to secure the shutout.

And against Illinois they got a clutch interception when the Illini were driving and a sack at the end of the game to push them out of field goal range.

I need to apologize to Jim Heacock. For a while there, I, like many others, was calling for his head, but he seems to have gotten it all together.

Then again, maybe the defense is more stable now that Luke Fickell is in charge of it more than we know...

As a fan, you can really see the development of the young guys and their readiness to replace their NFL predecessors.

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Tressel Epiphany? Assistant Coach Darrell Hazell Called "Some" Offensive Plays Last Week

Posted by HD Handshoe
Founder—BlockONation


It turns out that assistant head coach Darrell Hazell did call some plays for Ohio State last week in a 38-0 win over Toledo.

"Oh, sure," coach Jim Tressel said yesterday.

When asked if that was out of the ordinary, he said, "Not at all," which means it could continue Saturday when Ohio State plays Illinois in Ohio Stadium.

Maybe it was more noticeable against Toledo because quarterback Terrelle Pryor turned to Hazell when he had a question about a play.

Earlier this week, Hazell had replied, "I don't know; I'm not sure," when asked whether he was calling some of the plays. Tressel drew criticism for his playcalling in an 18-15 loss to Southern California the week before, yet he has defended his right to make the call.

But as Tressel has often explained, he sees himself as the triggerman in a process that includes input from all offensive assistant coaches.

"When things work, we're all part of the wonderment," Tressel said, "and when things don't work we're probably all part of the disappointment."

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Let's hope this is a sign of Tressel loosening his death-grip on calling the plays (something he has proven is not his strong suit) and shifting the responsibility to Hazell full-time, or at least most of the time...

Hazell played it aloof when asked if he had called any plays on offense vs. Toledo. It's actually kind of funny, and you pretty much can tell from his reaction to the question that the answer was yes.


Hazell could be the answer, but either way, maybe Tressel needs to watch film from this game, the 1987 Cotton Bowl, and the playcalling. Nothing personal against Jim Karsatos, but if he was able to become a Buckeye Legend and do everything he did in that game, and his career, so too can uber-athlete Terrelle Pryor--and then some.




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Original article written by Tim May of the Columbus Dispatch. Final three paragraphs written by HD Handshoe of BlockONation.

No LIVE In-Game Chat Tomorrow for Ohio State vs. Toledo

Posted by HD Handshoe
Founder—BlockONation


Unfortunately, I have a previous engagement tomorrow and will not be able to be online during the game, but if you are looking for a place to watch the game online for free, here are two places I know of that you can probably find the game.

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www.ESPN360.com

www.JustIn.Tv

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See you back here next week 30 minutes before kickoff, for the LIVE in-game chat for the Illinois game!

GO BUCKS!

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Interesting image from the USC game I thought I'd share. We got screwed royally, not that it can be undone now, but we did get the shaft!

This was USC's 1st TD, and this was on 4th & goal. Clearly the Buckeyes held, but the refs gave U$C the score anyway.

I wonder if Pete "dropped" his wallet on the field, near the linesman about this time...?





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Matchup Preview: Can Ohio State Avoid a Rocket-Sized Hangover?

By Chip Minnich—OSU Featured Columnist—BleacherReport.com



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Location:

Cleveland Browns Stadium (Cleveland, OH). 12 p.m. EST, ESPN360.com


Toledo Head Coach:

Tim Beckman


Toledo Players Who Were Recruited By Ohio State:

N/A. There are not any players on Toledo's roster who were actively recruited by Ohio State. Freshman QB Terrance Owens is from Cleveland Glenville and visited Ohio State unofficially, but was never offered a scholarship.


Toledo Rushing Offense vs Ohio State Defense:

Toledo rushed for 305 yards last week against Colorado in a 54-38 win, and only 70 yards rushing in a 52-31 loss to Purdue. Ohio State was able to limit Navy's vaunted triple-option attack to 186 yards in its 31-27 victory in game one, and hold USC's talented rushing attack to 118 yards in its close 18-15 defeat last weekend.

Toledo averages out to almost 188 rushing yards per game, while Ohio State averages out to limiting opponents to 152 yards per game. I am going to give the edge to the Buckeyes here on this one.

Edge: Ohio State


Toledo Passing Offense vs Ohio State Defense:

Toledo's stellar offensive output so far this season can be traced to senior QB Aaron Opelt. So far this season, Opelt has been the MAC Player Of The Week both games and is completing 62% of his passes in Toledo's spread attack.

Ohio State was largely able to limit USC's Matt Barkley due to the intense crowd noise of Ohio Stadium as well as Barkley's inexperience. Aaron Opelt has had two good games against teams from BCS conferences.

Ohio State's pass defense is ranked 10th in the Big Ten, with 193.5 yards per game being allowed. Considering that Toledo's offense is averaging nearly 371 yards passing per game, I am going to give the slight edge to the Rockets on this one, despite Ohio State's talent on the defensive line. If Ohio State cannot pressure Aaron Opelt, this could turn out to be a shoot-out.

Slight Edge: Toledo


Ohio State Rushing Offense vs Toledo Defense:

Ohio State's rushing attack has only been able to generate 241 yards rushing this season. Toledo surrendered 315 yards to Purdue in week one, and 95 yards rushing to Colorado last week.

Translation: if Ohio State cannot run the ball on Toledo, it is going to be a long season in Columbus. I look for Ohio State to try to get QB Terrelle Pryor more involved in the rushing attack and for a heavy dose of RBs Daniel "Boom" Herron and Brandon Saine.

Edge: Ohio State


Ohio State Passing Offense vs Toledo Defense:

Ohio State has been struggling through the air as well so far this season. QB Terrelle Pryor is completing under 55 percent of his passes and looks generally indecisive in the pocket. While Pryor had some shining moments in last week's game against USC, it seems as though he is hesitant to run when opportunities present themselves.

Toledo's pass defense ranks 12th in the MAC at 288 yards per game being allowed. While I do not believe Ohio State will throw for nearly that many yards, I do look for Jim Tressel to try to develop Terrelle Pryor's confidence as a thrower before Big Ten play begins next weekend. Keep an eye on WR DeVier Posey; I have a feeling this may be Posey's break-out game.

Edge: Ohio State


Special Teams:

Toledo ranks 11th in the MAC on kickoff returns, last on punt returns, and last in punting. Ohio State has some dangerous returners in WR Ray Small, RB Brandon Saine, and WR Lamaar Thomas. Junior DB Grant Schwartz came oh-so-close with a punt block attempt last week against USC. Here is an area where Ohio State may be able to obtain some distinct field advantage against Toledo.

Edge: Ohio State


Intangibles:

Even though this is a "home" game for Toledo, look for a heavy Ohio State flavor to the crowd at Cleveland Browns Stadium. Toledo's Tim Beckman is a former Ohio State secondary coach under Jim Tressel, so I look for Beckman to try to capitalize on his familiarity with Tressel's coaching styles and strategies.

The biggest "X" factor in this game is how Ohio State can bounce back after such a tough loss to USC last weekend. If Ohio State is still moping about last week's defeat to USC, Toledo will make them pay for it dearly.

Toledo is not coming into Cleveland Browns Stadium thinking that they are going to lose to Ohio State. Toledo is brimming with confidence after the beating they gave to Colorado last week, and nothing would please so many of the players on the Toledo roster than to prove how much of a mistake Ohio State made by not recruiting them.

Edge: Toledo


Prediction:

This game hinges completely on Ohio State's ability to put the tough loss to USC behind them. Ohio State has not lost to an in-state rival school in 88 years.

I look for Ohio State to use the enthusiasm of the crowd in Cleveland Browns Stadium, as well as QB Terrelle Pryor's best performance of this young season, to carry them to victory.

This one will be close at the half, but I look for Ohio State to pull away by the end of the third quarter.

Ohio State 35, Toledo 17

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