Top 25 Recap: Ohio State, Others (Excluding USC, Virginia Tech) Survive Upset Bids

By HD Handshoe — BlockONation.com Founder

Braxton Miller had the best game of his Buckeye career as the No. 12 Buckeyes (3-0) were fortunate enough to avoid the upset bug Saturday.

After leading 20-7 at the half, the OSU defense gave up a ton of yards and 21 second-half points, in what is one of their worst performances in years.

With the score tied at 28, Miller found a wide-open Devin Smith for a 72-yard-touchdown to put the Buckeyes up 35-28.

On their ensuing drive, Cal QB Zach Maynard overthrew his intended receiver and cornerback Christian Bryant intercepted the pass with under a minute and a half left to seal the win.

Miller finished the day 16 of 30 for 249 yards and four touchdown passes with one interception and had 12 carries for 75 yards and one rushing touchdown. The defense MUST improve, but as long as Miller is healthy, he is a Heisman front-runner and the Buckeyes will have a great chance to win every game.

The Top 10

No. 1 Alabama has no trouble steamrolling Arkansas 52-0. No. 2 USC did not fare so well—dropping their fourth straight to the Stanford Cardinal.

No. 3 LSU and No. 4 Oregon both cruised to 63-14 wins over Idaho and Tennessee Tech, respectively. No. 5 Florida State shutout Wake Forest, 52-0.

No. 7 Georgia blasted Florida Atlantic by a final of 56-20.

No. 8 South Carolina routed UAB (Ohio State's week four opponent), 49-6.

No. 9 West Virginia coasted to a 42-12 win over James Madison.

No. 20 Notre Dame suffocated No. 10 Michigan State in East Lansing, 20-3.

11-25 Notable Games

No. 14 Virginia Tech did what they pretty much always do every year and laid an egg vs. an inferior opponent, losing 35-17 to previously winless Pittsburgh.

No. 23 Tennessee led No. 18 Florida at the half, but the Gator defense was too much for the Vols in the second half and Florida remained undefeated with a 37-20 victory.

No. 19 Louisville held a 39-14 lead over UNC early in the fourth quarter, but had to withstand a late charge by the Tarheels and held on for a 39-34 win.

What these Top 25 results mean for Ohio State

USC will likely drop down to the 13-15 range and Michigan State might stay in the top 25, or drop out altogether. The teams that beat each of them, Stanford and Notre Dame, could both jump up near the top 10.

It looks like the best case for Ohio State is they move up to No. 10 ahead of USC and MSU. The worst case is they move up to No. 11. I don't think ND jumps OSU, but the voters could definitely and deservedly reward Stanford with a top 10 slot.

It wasn't pretty, but a win is a win. And while many of the experts and our own fans will be down on the Buckeyes after this, I, for one, believe winning a close game like this can be very beneficial as the season plays out.

— HD

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@BlockONation


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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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Article written by Olin Buchanan, senior college football writer for Rivals.com.

The Top 10 Winningest College Football Programs of All-Time

by HD Handshoe
Founder—Block-O-Nation



Teams such as Florida and LSU may have found recent success in the BCS-era, but neither of those programs have had the prestige and historical significance of the teams that comprise the all-time top 10.

In the what have you done or me lately world of college football, we sometimes forget the great teams, players, coaches, and programs that came before our time—but to the LSU's and the Florida's of the world, I say, you have a long way to go to try to catch up with these top 10 schools.

Team Win/Loss/Tie records are current through November 19, 2009.


No. 10—USC Trojans (772-306-54)

38 Pac-10 Conference Titles

7 Heisman Trophy winners

11 National Championships

A few names you know: OJ Simpson, Reggie Bush, Matt Leinart, Carson Palmer

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


No. 9—Tennessee Volunteers (781-332-55)

16 SEC Titles

0 Heisman Trophy winners

6 National Championships

A few names you know: Peyton Manning, Reggie White

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


No. 8—Oklahoma Sooners (794-304-53)

42 Big 12 Conference Titles

5 Heisman Trophy winners

7 National Championships

A few names you know: Billy Sims, Adrian Peterson, Sam Bradford

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


No. 7—Alabama Crimson Tide (809-316-43)

22 SEC Titles

0 Heisman Trophy winners

12 National Championships

A few names you know: Joe Namath, Derrick Thomas, Shaun Alexander

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


No. 6—Penn State Nittany Lions (810-351-43)

3 Big Ten Conference Titles

1 Heisman Trophy winner

2 National Championships

A few names you know: Kerry Collins, LaVar Arrington, Larry Johnson

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


No. 5—Ohio State Buckeyes (817-308-53)

34 Big 10 Conference Titles

7 Heisman Trophy winners

7 National Championships

A few names you know: Archie Griffin, Eddie George, Santonio Holmes, Troy Smith

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


No. 4—Notre Dame Fighting Irish (833-289-42)

0 Conference Titles (Independent)

7 Heisman Trophy winners

11 National Championships

A few names you know: Joe Theismann, Joe Montana, Tim Brown, Brady Quinn

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


No. 3—Nebraska Cornhuskers (834-340-41)

46 Big 12 Conference Titles

3 Heisman Trophy winners

5 National Championships

A few names you know: Trev Alberts, Tommie Frazier, Ahman Green

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


No. 2—Texas Longhorns (842-320-34)

29 Big 12 Conference Titles

2 Heisman Trophy winners

5 National Championships

A few names you know: Earl Campbell, Ricky Williams, Cedrick Benson, Vince Young

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


No. 1—Michigan Wolverines (877-303-38)

42 Big 10 Conference Titles

3 Heisman Trophy winners

11 National Championships

A few names you know: Jim Harbaugh, Desmond Howard, Charles Woodson, Tom Brady



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Dead Men Walking: Buckeyes Still Alive in the BCS Championship Game Hunt?

By HD Handshoe
Founder—BlockONation



In a word, ABSOLUTELY.

At 5-1, Ohio State still has their fair share of detractors that believe they shouldn't be ranked in the top 10, let alone be in line to play in another BCS bowl game, or Heaven forbid, the BCS title game.

"Who wants to watch the Buckeyes embarrass themselves again in another big game on the national stage," they say.

It's true that close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades, but recent history clearly suggests that the Buckeyes are on the cusp of breaking through on the national stage.

Take for example the respective three point losses in the final minutes against USC this season, and to Texas in the 2008-2009 Fiesta bowl. Ohio State played stride for stride with then-No.3 USC, and then-No. 3 Texas and held late leads, only to lose to each on the final drives.

It appears that those who are not fans of Ohio State prefer to ignore those games and the fact that OSU nearly won them both.

Instead they prefer to live a bit further in the past and dwell on the 2006 and 2007 BCS title games that Ohio State lost to Florida and LSU, or the 2008 regular season loss at USC.

That's no real surprise though since the Texas and USC games from 2009 are more of an indicator of where the Buckeyes truly rate among other elites nationally.

Contrary to the popular belief of so many of these ill-informed Ohio State haters, and much to their dismay, the Buckeyes can still make a run at the 2009 BCS Championship.

Here's how.

First, and most importantly to the BCS powers that be, and the BCS conference presidents, the BCS bowls are about one thing—money. To make as much money as possible, the bowl games need to sell tickets.

Ohio State is the largest public university in the country and they have more Alumni, and fans nationwide than any other school.

That means, unless they lose at least three games, or lose in the last week or two of the season, they are going to get a BCS invite.

Look at the Orange bowl last season. Cincinnati and Boston College played in front of a crowd that resembled that of an NAIA football game. Like it or not, this is the system we have for now, and the Buckeye put bodies in seats.

Secondly, with the season being half over, the Buckeyes could lose another game and still receive a BCS bid, but will need to win out to secure a possible chance at the BCS title game.

The first BCS standings will be released on October 18. As of right now, Florida, Alabama, Texas, Virginia Tech, USC, and Boise State are the teams ranked ahead of Ohio State.

Even if Boise State wins out and ends up 12-0, their strength of schedule will be their downfall, and Ohio State among others can, and will jump ahead of them. The Broncos should be a BCS at-large bowl team, but they have zero chance at the BCS NC game.

USC beat Ohio State 18-15 in week two. That makes jumping them slightly more difficult, but not impossible. USC lost in week three to Washington so they are essentially only ranked ahead of OSU by a measly three point win.

Another loss, or a couple of unimpressive and/or close wins for USC would allow the Buckeyes to sneak ahead of the Trojans by season's end. I believe USC will lose one, if not two more games, so there's the open door for the Buckeyes to step on through.

Virginia Tech has upcoming games with Georgia Tech, North Carolina, NC State and possibly the ACC Championship game. At least one loss is not out of the question. I personally feel it could come this week at Georgia Tech. That would move the Buckeyes up to No. 4.

The Longhorns have not looked like a top three team and they haven't even played a decent team yet. Call me crazy, but I believe Texas will lose to Oklahoma and either Missouri or Oklahoma State. One loss might be enough for Ohio State to move ahead of Texas. Two will be enough for sure.

That leaves Alabama and Florida. It looks like Florida will likely go 12-0 and play in the SEC title game. Alabama has to play South Carolina and LSU so a loss is possible but I wouldn't bet big on it happening.

So, it looks as if these two teams are on a collision course for the SEC title game which means one of them will lose in the final week of the season. Which means, you guessed it, Ohio State slides up to No. 2 in the final BCS standings, and if you're not a Buckeye fan, your nightmare will have come true.

In the 2007 Ohio State-LSU BCS Championship game I mentioned earlier, LSU was ranked No. 7 going in to that final week of the season. Several upsets later, the Tigers found themselves jumping from No. 7 all the way up to No. 2. Ohio State is currently No. 7 with six games to go.

No, I'm not making any guarantees or promises here. I'm simply letting all college football fans that read this know how and why Ohio State is not out of the 2009 BCS title chase just yet...


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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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USC Fallout: Is This Jim Tressel's Rich Rodriguez Moment?

By HD Handshoe
Founder—BlockONation


A year ago, after many fans of the University of Michigan were questioning whether or not RichRod was the right man to lead their program, as they suffered loss after loss on their way to a 3-9 season—the worst ever in UM history—Rodriguez was quoted as saying to those critics, "Get a life."

Fast forward to September 12, 2009.

Michigan is 2-0, "they call me" Tater (salad) Forcier is the next Tom Brady, Rich Rod is a coaching God, and UM fans are regaining their cocky attitudes.

Meanwhile, the Buckeyes are now 1-1, Pryor sucks and is overrated, Tressel is a bum, and OSU fans are PISSED after this most recent setback, an 18-15 loss to USC in Ohio Stadium to a team that lost eight defensive starters from a year ago, and came to Columbus with a true freshman QB at the helm.

This Buckeye team played great, specifically on defense, but in the end, it was the ridiculously conservative hand-cuffing of the offense that led to the final result...

Another loss, on the national stage by Ohio State, in a game that most Ohio State fans truly believe the Buckeyes should have won and would have won, if Jim Tressel was not ultra-conservative has critics coming out of the woodwork, more than ever, and has seemingly turned up the heat on Tressel.

Tressel is well aware that the hot seat is getting warmer, at least in the fans eyes.

Tressel said he has received critical e-mails, but said the fans' poison makes him feel sorry for them.

"When I read some of them I feel terrible for them because there's no way they're happy," he said. "They've got to be some of the most unhappy people in the world, and I feel bad because we just made them less happy, and I hate to be a part of making someone less happy. I mean, they're already miserable."

Did he really just say that? That critical OSU fans are some of the most unhappy and miserable people in the world?

To say that takes, and shows some balls.

Too bad Tressel has shown no sign of having a pair when it comes to his play-calling on the field.

Bob Hunter, a columnist for The Columbus Dispatch, wrote that angry Ohio State fans may want a new coach but no one talks about who that might be. He also brought up the subject of buying out Tressel's contract, which would pay Tressel more than $12 million through January 2013.

Tongue in cheek, Hunter proposed those wanting to get rid of Tressel might want to circulate petitions to build a casino or two on campus so the coach and his biggest boosters, athletic director Gene Smith and Ohio State president Gordon Gee, all could be fired.

With the Buckeyes preparing to play Toledo at Cleveland Browns Stadium on Saturday, the glow of that 2002 national championship game seems light years away.

It's true, many fans are calling for his termination, which is extreme if you ask me, while others, at the very least are demanding that he relinquish his play-calling duties and hire a real offensive coordinator—possibly a young guru, with some fresh ideas on how to jump start the stagnant, dull, and sputtering offense we've seen for the past several seasons in Columbus—one who will put Tressel-ball out of it's misery for good.

I love the Buckeyes and Jim Tressel has been an amazing coach. I'm in what I believe to be the majority, that wants to keep Tressel, but would also like to see him give up play-calling.

The problem with keeping Tressel is, he doesn't want to do that. So, if he won't make some much needed changes with the coaching staff, and he won't give up calling the plays on offense, there's only one option left...

Maybe in just a few short years, Tressel really has went from a top five coach, to outdated and washed up.

I can't stress this enough: I still want Tressel as our coach, but I think he has to find and hire an offensive minded coordinator to give the play-calling duties to.

Nothing lasts forever and if he really is not willing to make these few changes, then I think it could be time for Tress to head back to Youngstown State, or just an early retirement from coaching altogether at the end of the season.

If he finds a way to lose to Toledo on Saturday at Cleveland Browns Stadium, he'll be less popular than Kanye West at the CMA's.

Maybe he can go on Leno and apologize too, and announce he's going to "take a break" from coaching—a permanent one.


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For Once, I Agree With Pat Forde: Pigs Must Be Flying and Hell Must Have Frozen Over

By Pat Forde—ESPN.com


There are worse places for a freshman quarterback to be than his own 5-yard line facing a second-and-19 with a five-point deficit, time wasting and the entire state of Ohio screaming in his ears.

Like San Quentin. Or the mouth of a shark.

Other than that, the situation in which Matt Barkley found himself at Ohio Stadium was about as bad as it gets.

It was in this most dire football circumstance that Barkley entered the USC huddle and … smiled.

"Matt came to us with a smile on his face and was just like, 'Let's get it done,'" Trojans center Kris O'Dowd said.

Really? He was smiling?

"Grinning," O'Dowd confirmed.

Did you think he was nuts?

"Maybe," O'Dowd said, grinning himself. "But I'm going to roll with it."

Oh, they're all willing to roll with this kid now. The Barkley bandwagon, picking up momentum for a month, is stampeding now.

Freshmen don't start at quarterback at USC. And freshmen don't come into a certifiable madhouse like the Horseshoe and beat the Buckeyes. And freshmen certainly don't beat the Buckeyes by leading long, dramatic, game-winning drives in the final minutes.

Until Barkley did all those things.

"Pretty cool, isn't it?" Trojans coach Pete Carroll said. "That was really good.

"The questions everyone was asking about Matt are totally legitimate. All we can tell you is that the guy is really special."

After producing precious little offensively all night, Barkley conjured the kind of crunch-time magic that separates special quarterbacks (such as John Elway and Joe Montana) from merely talented quarterbacks (such as Ohio State's Terrelle Pryor). Against an excellent defense, he delivered the most devastating drive the state of Ohio has seen since Elway crushed the Cleveland Browns in the 1986 AFC Championship Game. Barkley led USC to an 18-15 defeat of the Buckeyes that sucked the sound from a record crowd of 106,033.

But as tempting as the comparison is to Elway and The Drive, a better analogy might be what Montana did to the NFL team from the other end of this state, the Cincinnati Bengals, in Super Bowl XXIII in 1989.

Montana began the winning drive in that game at his team's 8-yard line. Before the first play, according to folklore, Montana looked into the stands and quipped to his teammates in the huddle, "Isn't that John Candy?"

This time, Barkley bopped into the huddle beaming.

"We all smiled," receiver Damian Williams said.

By the time this drive was finished, the Trojans were howling. Rejoicing. Embracing. Winning a potential national championship elimination game that had appeared lost for much of the night.

The official stats say Barkley led the Trojans for 86 yards in 14 plays, scoring the clinching touchdown and two-point conversion with 1:05 left. The truth is that after a sack and a false start, USC was 19 yards from a first down and 95 yards from a touchdown.

The Shoe shook with noise, as Buckeye Nation anticipated the validating victory that has escaped it since January 2003.

For USC, the situation wasn't hopeless, but you could see it from there. That's when Barkley's arm and tailback Joe McKnight's legs saved the night, one play at a time.

First came a McKnight draw for 11 yards. Then, on third-and-8 from the 16, Barkley found McKnight on an option route against a linebacker and hit him for 21 yards.

Credit assistant offensive coach Jeremy Bates, the Trojans' first-year playcaller, with dialing up just the right stuff at just the right time.

"You've got to believe we're going to find a way," Bates said. "And we did."

The spark of hope from that initial first down of the drive became a bonfire. Barkley then drilled tight end Anthony McCoy on a seam route for 26 yards down to the Ohio State 37. At that point, you could hear the entire stadium pucker and feel the Barkley legend building.

The next eight plays were either passes or quarterback sneaks by Barkley or runs by McKnight, the superstar recruit who has matured from a duck-and-dodge specialist into a more physical runner as a junior. Finally, on first-and-goal at the 2, Stafon Johnson took a handoff and danced outside the right end to score untouched. Then Barkley passed to McKnight for two points and an 18-15 lead.

"It's on his [Barkley's] shoulders, and he did it," linebacker Chris Galippo said. "He was so not like a freshman. [Mark] Sanchez, [Matt] Leinart, [Carson] Palmer -- I don't know whether they could have done that."

Barkley could. Barkley did. Then Barkley grinned and shrugged, less awed by his precocity than the rest of us.

"This is what it's supposed to be, and what I came here for," he said. "It is kind of surreal, but it's what I've always wanted."

For Ohio State, the victory it has craved for years over a big-boy opponent disappeared in the final minutes.

The Buckeyes can blame their coach, Jim Tressel, for his trademark play-not-to-lose conservatism -- they squandered supreme field position time and again. Tressel's most questionable move was bypassing a 53-yard field goal in favor of one of his favorite plays -- the pin-'em-back punt. Kicker Aaron Pettrey can kick 50-yarders -- if he's given a chance.

He wasn't Saturday, as Tressel waved in the punting unit from the USC 36. The Buckeyes downed the ball at the Trojans' 14 -- which only set the stage for the winning drive.

And Buckeyes fans also can shake their heads over Pryor, the splendid physical specimen who often looks ordinary.

In this battle of young quarterbacks, sophomore Pryor had the ball last. More than a minute remained on the clock when the Buckeyes took over at their own 36-yard line, but they made nothing happen. Pryor was pressured by USC All-American safety Taylor Mays into an intentional grounding penalty on first down, scrambled for 14 yards, then threw incomplete twice.

Just like that, the night was lost. And 15 games into Pryor's college career, he's still waiting to have the kind of moment Barkley enjoyed Saturday night.


Game Highlights



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OSU-USC Postgame Analysis: Five Things We Learned About Ohio State

Posted by HD Handshoe
Founder—BlockONation


Written by Phil Harrison--BleacherReport.com


It sounds like a broken record, but Ohio State lost another game on the big stage. The played hard and went toe to toe with the Trojans, but at the end of the day, anyone within the program will tell you that a program like Ohio State does not believe in moral victories.

The Bucks lost, plain and simple. After two games, here is what we have been able to discern about this edition of The Ohio State University:

1. Terrelle Pryor still has some major growth to go through

Pryor is an unbelievable athlete to be sure. Still, he is merely a great athlete who just happens to moonlight as a quarterback. All the talk about the great strides that were made over the offseason have yet to show two games into the season.

There were times during the USC game in which his decision making was tedious at best. You could argue that a deer in headlights has a better suspicion of getting out of danger. At some point Pryor has to reach the point where is is a great quarterback that just happens to be a phenomenal athlete as well.

2. Terrelle Pryor is not a drop back quarterback

Staying close to the same point, at some point the experiment of making Terrelle Pryor into a drop back quarterback has got to end. I know he came to Ohio State to become more of a pro style quarterback, but it is time to call a spade a spade. Pryor's gifts are with his feet, not his precision passing.

In order to give Ohio State the best chance to win, it may be time to start utilizing his running ability a bit more. I hope the guy proves me wrong, but from what I can tell thus far (and he is just a true sophomore), Pryor will never be an elite quarterback in the pros unless the NFL evolves away from the stereotypical drop back passer anyhow. Let's open it up and let the man play the way he knows how.

3. Ohio State is young, but good

This was not the debacle in the desert, or the slaughter in the Big Easy. Ohio State played better than good enough to win against probably the toughest team they will face all season.

This team will be just fine. There is still that nasty trip to take to Penn State, but you have to feel good about Ohio State's place among the college landscape this year. There is still plenty to play for the remainder of the season, and enough talent to do some pretty big things.

4. The offense is still searching for an identity

Most championship caliber teams generally can go back to their bread and butter when a game is on the line. They can dial up what they do best when a big first down or touchdown ending nail in the coffin is needed.

Tell me what Ohio State would go to. In several instances in the game when a big play was needed, it was if both the coaching staff and Pryor were just going through plays hoping that something good would happen.

Both the running and passing game lacked any type of consistency to end the game. There were chances to seal a huge win, Ohio State just didn't know what method to use to do it.

5. "Carroll Ball" trumps "Tressel Ball"

On several fourth and short opportunities, Pete Carroll did not show any inclination that he was going to settle for anything less than success. The confidence that he displayed to his team was rewarded with the desired outcome on each accord.

Tressel, on the other hand, waivered on a couple of key forth and short yardage situations. There was the thought to go for it on fourth and goal from the 1 before the nature of his personality got the best of him after a time out. The result: Ohio State settled for a field goal.

Then, there was the opportunity to kick a long field goal and go up by eight on fourth down. Again, the conservative side of the "sweatered one" decided to pin USC back and let the defense hold the fort. Almost everyone in Buckeye Nation in unison had the same collective thought: USC wins on a drive for the ages.

Carroll showed confidence to his team, while Tressel's second guessing has got to do nothing but reassure his team that he is not totally sold on the decision. If he is not totally sold, how do can you expect the team to reciprocate?

I usually rush to Tressel's defense, but the guy does need to learn from time to time that, all things being equal, the aggressor generally will get the best of the passive more times than not.

Nobody can argue that Tressel is a still a very good coach, but I would bet the farm that many fans wish he would grow a pair of Buckeye Nuts from time to time.

Alright, enough pining. It is time to move forward with the season. I only hope that these five lessons can be taken to heart.

One thing is for certain: The lesson that Ohio State has unfortunately gotten used to is moving on after a big loss.

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Ohio State-Southern California: Looking Back Historically—Looking Ahead Realistically

Written by HD Handshoe
Founder—BlockONation


Week two of the 2009 college football season features what will be the 23^rd all-time meeting between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the USC Trojans.

In recent years, a lot has been made of Ohio State's big-game losses on the national stage.

Because of those losses—all but one to a team ranked in the the top three—they have unjustly been ridiculed and labeled as an overrated program that always loses to every good team they play—usually in a blowout.

In this age of the Internet, and with the ease with which I was able to research and compose this article, you would think that today's fans outside of Ohio would know that college football was actually played before 2006.

Believe it or not, it's really true.

Way back in 1937, college football Goliaths, USC and Ohio State played each other for the first time.

Here is the all-time, head-to-head series listed by year, including the game result and where the game was played.


1937—Los Angeles

Southern Cal 13
Ohio State 12

1938—Columbus

Southern Cal 14
Ohio State 7

1941—Los Angeles

Ohio State 33
Southern Cal 0

1942—Columbus

Ohio State 28
Southern Cal 12

1946—Los Angeles

Ohio State 21
Southern Cal 0

1947—Columbus

Southern Cal 32
Ohio State 0

1948—Columbus

Ohio State 20
Southern Cal 0

1949—Los Angeles

Ohio State 13
Southern Cal 13

1954—Pasadena (Rose Bowl)

Ohio State 20
Southern Cal 7

1959—Los Angeles

Southern Cal 17
Ohio State 0

1960—Columbus

Ohio State 20
Southern Cal 0

1963—Los Angeles

Southern Cal 32
Ohio State 3

1964—Columbus

Ohio State 17
Southern Cal 0

1968—Pasadena (Rose Bowl)

Ohio State 27
Southern Cal 16

1972—Pasadena (Rose Bowl)

Southern Cal 42
Ohio State 17

1973—Pasadena (Rose Bowl)

Ohio State 42
Southern Cal 21

1974—Pasadena (Rose Bowl)

Southern Cal 18
Ohio State 17

1979—Pasadena (Rose Bowl)

Southern Cal 17
Ohio State 16

1984—Pasadena (Rose Bowl)

Southern Cal 20
Ohio State 17

1989—Los Angeles

Southern Cal 42
Ohio State 3

1990—Columbus

Southern Cal 35
Ohio State 26

2008—Los Angeles

Southern Cal 35
Ohio State 3


That adds up to 12 wins for USC, nine wins for Ohio State, and one tie.

Of the 22 meetings, only seven have been played in Columbus. The other 15 have been either been played in Los Angeles or Pasadena. Since 1968, eight of nine have been played in California.

After the Ohio State-Navy game today, and the fact that USC has won six straight in the series dating back to 1974, the overwhelming sentiment is that Ohio will lose, and lose badly, once again.

It might be a little premature to make that statement since I believe Navy is a very good team that will win at least eight or nine games, and maybe even as many as 10.

The Buckeye O-line still needs to play better and defensively, a couple of personnel moves are needed in my opinion. That being said, Pryor, Herron, Saine, Sanzenbacher, and Carter were all bright spots for the offense, so all is not lost after this win.

Either way, I am not sure that USC is going to just show up in Columbus and win with their freshman QB. Technically, it is possible, so we'll just have to wait and see. I hope they are over-confident now after today's games.

To the haters reading this who will inevitably post comments below that say Ohio State sucks and that they are overrated, and how they will get crushed next week...

I'm sorry my Buckeyes invited a real team from the FBS, and coincidentally, the nation's leading rushing team four years running, into the Shoe instead of Akron, San Jose State, Louisiana-Monroe, or Charleston Southern.

But then, that's another article all together.

Ultimately, the bottom line here is that Ohio State is one of the top teams of this decade, and of all-time and college football existed before 2006.

Yes, in the past three years, Ohio State has lost to the likes of Florida, LSU, Texas, and USC, but they have also beaten the teams they are supposed to beat.

Go ahead and kick us while we're down (in your mind anyway), but just take note that we are only going to get better all year long from week to week, starting next Saturday night versus unsuspecting USC.

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Next Saturday, BlockONation will host another LIVE in-game chat for the OSU-USC game right here on-site, starting at 7:30PM.

No registration is required. All you have to do is show up, create a handle and join in the LIVE discussion. We hope to hear from you then.


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All Eyes on Starting QB Terrelle Pryor for No. 6 Buckeyes as Season Opener Nears

Posted by HD Handshoe
Founder—BlockONation



Everywhere he goes, the eyes are on him.

He would stand out anywhere because he stands 6-foot-6, a willowy athlete’s body replete with tattoos.

But in a city of more than 750,000 football-mad people—in a state that reveres its Buckeyes, and particularly the guy who directs the Ohio State offense, no one takes their eyes off Terrelle Pryor.

When he goes out, he wears dark sunglasses to avoid the swarms of Buckeyes fans.

“I try it but it doesn’t work,” he said.

During the team’s recent open scrimmage at Ohio Stadium, several thousand fans showed up. There wasn’t much question about who they came to see. The flashbulbs fired every time Pryor took a snap, made a run or threw a pass.

Pryor has become accustomed to the attention. He fed off of it as the nation’s No. 1 quarterback recruit out of Jeannette, Pa.

He dealt with it last year when he took over as Ohio State’s starting quarterback four games into what would be a 10-3 season, including a share of a fourth consecutive Big Ten title and a third straight Bowl Championship Series appearance.

Now, as one of the few recognizable names on a talented but not well known sixth-ranked Buckeyes squad, Pryor is a rock star in shoulder pads.

“I think he accepts that,” offensive lineman Andrew Moses said. “If you’re a quarterback at a university like this you’re going to know that’s going to be a part of the deal.

Terrelle just wants to be the best player he can be for his team. I don’t know
if he’s really nervous about it. He doesn’t show it.”

A year ago, Pryor came to campus as the school’s most acclaimed quarterback recruit since Art Schlichter in 1979. He watched Todd Boeckman, a first-team All-Big Ten player who led the Buckeyes to the national championship game the season before, direct the offense for three games.

But after the Buckeyes were throttled by Southern California 35-3, Ohio State coach Jim Tressel stunned many by benching the fifth-year senior starter and replacing him with Pryor, who had yet to attend his first day of college classes.

The results were mixed. Pryor’s numbers were good—631 yards rushing and six touchdowns, a 61-percent completion rate with 12 TDs and four interceptions, and an 8-1 record as a starter (he was at wide receiver for the first play of the bowl game, even though he played most of the game at quarterback).

But he came up short against the two toughest opponents left on the Buckeyes’ schedule. He failed on a short fourth-down run while trying to lead a fourth-quarter comeback at home against Penn State and then had a mediocre outing against Texas in the Fiesta Bowl. Ohio State lost both games.

He seldom threw the ball farther than 15 yards all season, leading some to question whether he could throw it far and accurately. He often disdained the pass to break out of the pocket on a run.

Tressel said he believes there’s a natural progression for a young quarterback, and compares Pryor’s maturation with that of the Buckeyes’ 2006 Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback, Troy Smith.

“He’ll evolve every year from that standpoint, not unlike Troy,” Tressel said. “Troy’s first year, he was a 700-yard rusher. Then he was a 500, and his last year around 175 because he got more experienced and he knew more about coverage and knew more about checking down and all those things.

Terrelle has a lot more experience than Troy had at the outset, so I’d like to think he’ll grow into that mold.”

Pryor often is compared to Vince Young, the tall and lanky ex-Texas quarterback now with the NFL’s Tennessee Titans.

Pryor has tired of the comparisons. Young also was considered a run-first quarterback, even though he hit several memorable passes while leading his team to the national championship as a senior with a stirring win over USC.

“I have to play my game, play Terrelle Pryor’s game,” he said.

“I’m not trying to be someone I’m not. (I’m) trying to be better someday. I don’t strive to be Vince Young. Because I’m not Vince Young. I won’t be Vince Young.”

One reason Pryor is such a focal point this year—for opposing defenses as well as Ohio State fans—is that the Buckeyes are without most of their top weapons from a year ago.

Leading rusher Chris “Beanie” Wells, top receivers Brian Robiskie and Brian Hartline and three starters on the offensive line are gone.

During a preseason scrimmage, with the defensive line bowling over lineman and applying heat on Pryor, it was clear that he was frustrated.

“Yeah, he was,” defensive tackle Doug Worthington said. “He’s just somebody who wants the best for his offensive line, his running backs and the team as a whole. When we pressured him a few times he got really, really flustered and a couple of times I just told him to calm down and keep playing and whatnot. But he’s a competitor. You’ve got to love it.”

If the fans’ massive expectations are weighing on him, he’s not showing it.

Asked about being selected as the Big Ten’s preseason player of the year, he swatted aside the question like an off-balance, undersized tackler.

“It’s one thing to be an All-American and All-Big Ten and the player of the year at the end of the season. Before it, it doesn’t mean anything,” he said. “It’s great to have that before the season, but it means nothing. I didn’t do anything yet.”

Whatever he does, a lot of people will be watching.


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Original article written by RUSTY MILLER--AP Sports Writer

USC—Ohio State: Five Six Reasons It Might Be Time to Panic Trojan Fans

Written by HD Handshoe
Founder—BlockONation


No. 1

Mark Sanchez bolting school a year early for the NFL hurts a lot, even though "Slippery Pete" begged and pleaded with him not to leave him hanging (ten).

Never mind the silly surfing joke there. You probably missed it anyway.

No. 2

USC had a stellar defense in 2008—one of the best in the nation in fact—but eight of those 11 starters are now gone. Yes we all know USC reloads with more talented four and five-star blue-chippers, but it's the lack of experience that can kill you.

No. 3

Starting center Kristofer O'Dowd could be out several weeks after dislocating his right kneecap during a scrimmage last week.

I know that Ohio State center Mike Brewster is the anchor of the Buckeyes O-line and if he went down, that would be devastating.

Even though the Bucks have plenty of young, highly-touted linemen waiting in the wings, it would be nearly impossible to overcome a loss this significant. Therefore, I have to believe the loss of O'Dowd is huge for USC.

No. 4

USC fans should be concerned that true freshman Matt Barkley was named the starting QB. Yes he won the Gatorade POY in 2007 and he was the top QB prospect in the nation this past season coming out of Mater Dei.

But, he has never taken a snap at this level and his second career start is going to be in Columbus, Ohio on ABC, in primetime, versus an out-for-blood and revenge Buckeye team, in front of their own 100,000+ crazy-loud, rabid, scarlet and gray clad fans in the biggest must game win of all must win games of all-time—yet despite all that, he's going to just waltz right into the Shoe, be as cool as the other side of the pillow, and lead USC to victory?

Good luck with that Matt.

No. 5

Fifth, if you haven't heard by now, starting WR Ronald Johnson will be out six to eight weeks after breaking his collarbone during the Trojans' mock game Saturday at the Coliseum, depriving Barkley of one of his top targets until at least mid-October.

Johnson was the Trojans' third-leading receiver last season with 33 catches for 570 yards and eight touchdowns. Coach Pete Carroll said the injury was "the hit of the hit of the weekend," and called Johnson's absence "just a crusher."

No. 6

Lastly, USC projected starting corner back, Shareece Wright, has been ruled academically ineligible. Please don't say he wasn't going to srart anyway, or losing him is no big deal. He was the projected starter for a reason USC homers!


Now, if USC fans STILL believe Ohio State has no shot to win this game, you must have some super-secret weapon stored away that none of us have a clue about.

Please, do tell.

USC is still USC and I don't expect them to come in to Ohio Stadium and just wave the white flag. But, realistically, the odds of them winning have decreased over the last couple of weeks.

The sad part is, as many others have already said, this is a no-win-situation for Ohio State because if they do win, everyone will say it was because of these USC injuries and that the Trojans were overrated and rebuilding.

If they lose, it will be because Ohio State is overrated and they choked again like they always do on the big stage.

I want and fully expect the Buckeyes to win this game, but it's a shame that if they do, it will be with this dark cloud hanging over their, dare I say, impending victory.

They may have been able to beat USC at full strength, but now we will never know.

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Pardon the Pun—Injury to USC WR Ronald Johnson is "Bone-Crushing"

Posted by HD Handshoe
Founder—BlockONation


LOS ANGELES -- Just when freshman quarterback Matt Barkley made another stride forward, the USC offense took a big hit.

Starting receiver Ronald Johnson will be out six to eight weeks after breaking his collarbone during the No. 4 Trojans' mock game Saturday at the Coliseum, depriving Barkley of one of his top targets until at least mid-October.

Johnson was the Trojans' third-leading receiver last season with 33 catches for 570 yards and eight touchdowns. Coach Pete Carroll said the injury was "the hit of the hit of the weekend," and called Johnson's absence "just a crusher."

Johnson was hurt during the second series of the mock game when he was tackled after catching an underthrown 34-yard pass from Barkley, who went 10 for 17 for 159 yards with one touchdown and one interception on a tipped pass against the Trojans' scout-team defense.

Johnson dropped to the turf while running off the Coliseum field, and X-rays later revealed the break.

"We'll be OK," said Damian Williams, the Arkansas transfer who led the Trojans with 58 catches for 869 yards last season. "We've still got great guys there. We'll keep pushing, but we're definitely going to miss him."

Williams will take Johnson's spot at flanker, where Williams played last season. Carroll said junior David Ausberry will move into the starting lineup at split end, while promising freshmen Brice Butler and De'Von Flournoy also will move up the depth chart.

"I'm ready for it," said Butler, a Georgia high school star who had a team-leading four catches for 66 yards in the mock game. "Last year I wasn't ready. I thought I was, but I wasn't. But now I feel like I'm ready and more mature."

Although Barkley tripped and fell to the turf on his first snap in the mock game, he looked cooler and more collected in his second run-through with the first-team offense at the Coliseum, where he had a forgettable debut scrimmage earlier in the month.

Carroll selected the freshman to be his starting quarterback Thursday, pre-emptively ending his training camp competition with Aaron Corp before the mock game.

"It's a great feeling, but it didn't change the way I'm approaching anything or how I play the game," Barkley said. "It's great that the team supports me and they're behind me."

Barkley played a controlled, steady mock game, regularly finding empty spots in the defense and rarely making risky plays. Despite his opening-snap slip, he managed to pitch to tailback Joe McKnight for a 6-yard gain -- but he threw an interception on a tipped pass to end the first drive.

Barkley eventually threw a touchdown pass and ran for another score before giving way to Corp. Running back Stafon Johnson rushed for two scores, and Williams had two catches for 36 yards.

"I think I've seen every trick in the book from our defense," Barkley said. "I think we're better prepared than a lot of offenses are from what we see in practice, all the looks and fronts our defense can give you."

Corp also looked sharp for the Trojans in his late-game work, going 5 for 7 for 89 yards and moving smoothly on his left leg just three weeks after getting a small break in the bone below his knee. Easily moving inside and outside the pocket, Corp proved himself ready to play next week in the season opener against San Jose State.

"I said to him, 'When you finally take off and hook-slide, I'll know you're ready," Carroll said. "He did that, and he kind of turned and looked at me. He showed he's ready to play, and he's available for Saturday."


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This article was posted on ESPN.com
Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press

Sudden Impact Countdown—10 Buckeyes You Don't Know About Yet, Part VIII

Written by HD Handshoe
Founder—BlockONation


Welcome to Part VIII.

As previously stated, I will continue to repost the opening few paragraphs from Part I in all ten segments in the event that a new reader who may have missed a previous segment begins to follow along so if you've been following from the beginning, please bear with me and thanks!

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First off, let me say this article is not for die-hard Ohio State fans. I suspect you will know the players I highlight.

Instead, I wrote this in response to my recent preview article about the OSU/USC football matchup in Columbus this fall.

A lot has been made by non-OSU fans of how USC will be reloaded as usual, and thus, many of these people believe that Ohio State will have zero chance of beating the Trojans.

Pretty much everyone who isn't a Buckeye fan seems to believe this, but the problem is, they are overlooking the fact that USC lost far more than OSU and OSU reloads just as well as USC!

They are also making a generalization about how good or how not-so-good the Buckeyes will be based on Ohio State's big-stage losses, starting with Florida in the 2006 BCS title game and culminating with their lop-sided loss in Los Angeles last September.

They are also focusing on the players OSU is losing and aren't looking at the players who are here and ready to start, including a several key guys from the last two highly-regarded recruiting classes, and that's where I come in.

To help educate those doom-and-gloom prognosticators who make those type of general statements about the Buckeyes 2009 season outlook, I've decided to create a 10-part series to spotlight 10 players who will make a name for themselves nationally and step in for Ohio State to sufficiently fill the holes left by the likes of Beanie Wells, James Laurinaitus, Malcolm Jenkins, Marcus Freeman, Alex Boone, Brian Robiskie, etc.

Obviously, no Buckeye fan, player, or coach will deny that losing Beanie Wells is a big deal—but remember, Terrelle Pryor is an amazing dual-threat quarterback who will carry the load more often in 2009 if needed.

But he's not the only potential game-breaking playmaker that will see action for the Buckeyes. The Bucks have plenty of them on both sides of the ball and now, the series resumes.

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Originally this installment was going to be a feature on starting MLB Tyler Moeller, but with his season ending head injury, the show must go on. We wish Tyler all the best.

In his place, I've decided to feature two Buckeye linebackers who can, but more importantly, must step up and fill not only Tyler's shoes, but also those of James Laurinaitis and Marcus Freeman, both now in the NFL.


No. 3A—Brian Rolle
MLB (5-11, 220)

Rolle is now slated to start in place of Moeller at middle linebacker because of his speed and ability to shift quickly to help with containment on the outside.

In his H.S. days in Immokalle, Florida, Rolle was a two-time all-Florida selection and is the only two-time recipient of the Naples Daily News Broxson Trophy, given to the best player in South Lee and Collier counties.

That's saying quite a bit as NFL star Edgerrin James is an alum of the same high school, yet he only won the award once.

Of course, Rolle himself was an all-star at Immokalee High, posting some impressive statistics.

In his final two seasons, he had a combined 283 tackles at linebacker and as a fullback, rushed for 1450 yards and 25 touchdowns.

He is a gifted athlete and the Buckeye staff is confident in him. In 2005, he helped lead Immokalee High to a state title. In 2009, he's expected to a big part of the Buckeyes quest for their fifth straight Big Ten title.

In his freshmen and sophomore seasons at Ohio State, Rolle saw some spot-duty at linebacker, but was predominantly an impact player on special teams, earning varsity letters each season.

The junior-to-be plans on making the most of his opportunity this season for the Buckeyes. He has openly said he intends on being one of the best to ever play for the scarlet and gray.

Those is certainly a high self-imposed expectation, but if he continues to play as he has since the Spring game, he'll be well on his way to meeting that goal and may even help bring another BCS title to Columbus over the next two seasons.


No. 3B—Austin Spitler
OLB (6-3, 235)

Much like Rolle, Spitler has seen most of his playing time on special teams.

Unfortunately, he has been roadblocked since 2006 from playing at middle linebacker by three-time all-American James Laurinaitis. Now he finally will get his chance to step up, but with enormous shoes to fill.

Coming out of Bellbrook H.S. in Bellbrook, Ohio, Spitler was named all-Ohio as a senior. He had 252 tackles combined in his junior and senior years and was named first team all-conference and linebacker of the year both seasons.

After red-shirting at OSU in 2005, Spitler has amassed only 44 career tackles in two and a half seasons. He missed several weeks of the 2008 season due to a knee injury.

Originally a middle linebacker, Spitler is a strong, tough and physical defender, but not as fast as Rolle so he has moved to the outside.

While he's considered solid on run defense, he will most likely be spelled by Etienne Sabino on all assumed or obvious passing situations.

His teammates have faith in him and respect for him as he was voted as one of the 2009 team captains.

This season, he will has the chance to prove he belongs on the field, but should he falter, Ohio State has a plethora of depth at his position so his leash may be a short one.

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Previous installments in this series:

Sudden Impact Countdown Part I: Brandon Saine

Sudden Impact Countdown Part II: Boom Herron

Sudden Impact Countdown Part III: Justin Boren

Sudden Impact Countdown Part IV: Etienne Sabino

Sudden Impact Countdown Part V: Michael Brewster

Sudden Impact Countdown Part VI: Thaddeus Gibson

Sudden Impact Countdown Part VII: DeVier Posey


Part IX: Coming soon!


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How Matt Barkley Being Named USC's Starter Changes the OSU/USC Matchup

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BREAKING NEWS

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by Tim Bielik
BlockONation Analyst



ESPN reported just moments ago on College Football Live that true freshman QB Matt Barkley has out-seated redshirt junior Aaron Corp for the starting job at USC.

This comes as a mild surprise due to Corp's recent fibula injury and Barkley's rapid progress in the spring and fall camps.

However, starting a true freshman at QB is an unprecedented move in the Pete Carroll era at USC. But no mistake, Carroll has not misfired much when it comes to starting certain personnel.

The early reports are that Barkley will start against San Jose St. in USC's opener, but it did not confirm whether he would start also in the September 12 rematch against the Ohio State Buckeyes.

So what does this mean if Barkley makes his second start in Columbus?

Alot of it has to do with the stable of running backs USC has in CJ Gable, Joe McKnight, and Stafon Johnson.

Expect USC to run the football early in games to give young Barkley some confidence and open up USC's great play-action offense.

And with a great offensive line anchored by Kristopher O'Dowd and Jeff Byers, they should give him plenty of time to get the football out to skilled playmakers Damian Williams and Ronald Johnson.

With the playmakers and offensive linemen the Trojans have at their disposal, Barkley might just be asked to play smart, simple football and just distribute the ball to let the playmakers do what they do best.

This now means that Barkley will be the starter for Saturday's mock game in USC along with the opener on Sept. 5. And unless he fails against the Spartans or is injured, expect his second start to come in the Horseshoe, not the most hospitable of stadiums in college football.

This no doubt is an interesting move by Pete Carroll, but if he thinks his freshman QB, the top prospect by many recruiting services in 2009, gives him the best chance to win, that is who he is going with.

So what does this mean for the Buckeyes if Barkley does indeed start at the Shoe in Week 2?

Ohio State features one of the best defensive lines in the country and a young, but fast and hard-hitting linebacker corps ready to fight for playing time.

Look for them to try to get to Barkley early and confuse the freshman in order to force turnovers.

More, no doubt, will be revealed after the scrimmage in Los Angeles this weekend and USC's opener.

But now, there is more than enough significance that both the top QBs from each of the past two recruiting classes, Barkley and OSU's Terrelle Pryor are on a collision course in Columbus.

OSU fans, be warned that just because Barkley is a freshman doesn't guarantee anything whatsoever. The fact that he beat out two upperclass QBs at one of the top schools in the country for football says a lot in itself.

Barkley has potential to be the next top pick from USC, and he is getting his indoctrination right away. But he has a lot of great talent that will help take a lot of pressure off of him with the USC offense.


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