Is Ohio State that good or is the Big Ten that bad? I really can't tell. 49-0 so far against Purdue with about 10:00 to go in the 3rd. This year's OSU team treats the conference like early-season, mid-major punching bags.

Is Ohio State that good or is the Big Ten that bad? I really can't tell.

 

It could be both.

 

56-0 final.  And OSU took it easy on them.  (PU: It's not just the school's initials - it's the way they play football this year.)

Now that's '80s slang if I ever heard it! You gotta hold your nose when you say it.

They took their foot off the peddle before it got really ugly.

 

Michigan State looked really good today.  If the Buckeyes and Spartans meet in Indy, that could be an interesting game.

Purdue is the worst team in the Big Ten, worse than Minnesota, Illinois or Indiana.  OSU is hitting on all cylinders now

Purdue is a MAC team and would probably finish just above Akron and Eastern Michigan.

Now that's '80s slang if I ever heard it! You gotta hold your nose when you say it.

Two others: Boilermakers, it's not just our nickname - it's what we need to drink after the football game.

And: Purdue - more like Pur-Don't.

 

Purdue is terrible this year - but they'll be getting better.  They've got a bunch of freshman/underclass starters and a first year head coach.  The new HC was an assistant under Tressel at OSU from 2004 to 2010.  Then he was Kent State's head coach for 2011 and 2012 - going 11-3 (8-0) last year and named the MAC Coach of the Year.

Anyone else buying into the possibility that OSU might be left out of a national title game, even if they win out & claim the Big Ten Title?  I think at least one of the teams ahead of OSU will lose, it just happens every year.  I also think that OSU has such a huge fan base, one of the biggest in the country, they make such an attractive team to include on a national title ticket...  fan base for FSU & Oregon are nowhere near what OSU has.  it becomes much more of an attractive TV event having OSU on the bill as 25-0...  Advertisers want that matchup. 

^The NC game is not picked like a lot of other bowls based on, the event of a reletaive "tie", which team would bring the largest crowd contingent.  OSU needs two of the three teams ahead of them to lose in order to play in the NC game.  If they win out and two of the other three win out, then OSU won't be playing for the trophy.  They won't leap frog any of the teams in the polls and our weak strength of schedule prevents us from gaining on the computer points.  FSU is in the same boat to a certain extent.  Their SOS down the stretch is not good, at least not compared to Oregon's.  If Oregon wins out, they will surely jump over FSU to play 'Bama for the crown.

^The NC game is not picked like a lot of other bowls based on, the event of a reletaive "tie", which team would bring the largest crowd contingent.  OSU needs two of the three teams ahead of them to lose in order to play in the NC game.  If they win out and two of the other three win out, then OSU won't be playing for the trophy.  They won't leap frog any of the teams in the polls and our weak strength of schedule prevents us from gaining on the computer points.  FSU is in the same boat to a certain extent.  Their SOS down the stretch is not good, at least not compared to Oregon's.  If Oregon wins out, they will surely jump over FSU to play 'Bama for the crown.

 

^ This.  But there is still a good chance 2 out of 3 teams ahead of OSU might lose.  And if OSU wins out, we would be ranked first or second.  Kind of like the 2002 scenario.  Here's what is coming up this week:

 

Thursday - #3 Oregon at #5 Stanford

Saturday - #13 LSU at #1 Alabama

of course I'm biased but right now Alabama's only quality win was against Texas A&M, which was a very close game.  Texas A&M has not beat a ranked team yet themselves either, so...

It's easy to forget that Purdue beat us two out of the last four times we've played prior to this year, and even just last year, this was an adventurous game; OSU won 29-22.

 

As for Alabama's strength of schedule, Texas A&M was obviously a quality opponent, and the rest of the SEC has more decent nonconference wins than the Big Ten does overall, so they get more strength of schedule respect from their league opponents than we do, too.  Mississippi beat Texas; Alabama squashed Ole Miss 25-0.  Auburn, whom Alabama will play at the end of the season, beat at least Washington State team that has proven to be at least decent.

 

Also note that the computers, at least, continue to monitor the performance of the other teams you've played and adjust your SOS accordingly, and the human voters I'm sure do so as well.  Therefore, it matters that the Cal team that was supposedly our tough early season contest is now 1-8.

^It's tough because those non-conference opponents must be scheduled YEARS in advance.  Next year's game against VT has been scheduled for nearly a decade.  When you agree to those games, you never know how good the opponent will be when you actually play them.

What can you do when you schedule a team that's good when you book them but sucks by the time you play 'em? Or gets crippled by sanctions?

Nothing.  That's part of the luck of the draw ... and also why it's important the conference remain strong, because those are the ones you know you'll see year after year.

Perhaps a move to the SEC could help that...

 

...

 

...

 

OK, just waiting for the letter bomb or someone to spray some SARS in my window.

Geographically, why would a team from central Ohio join the southeast conference?

not really much different than Iowa/Minnesota & Maryland/Rutgers being in the same conference, geographically...

Geographically, why would a team from central Ohio join the southeast conference?

Columbus to Gainesville, 898 miles.  Columbus to Lincoln, 813 miles.  Columbus to Lexington, KY, 189 miles.  Columbus to Indianapolis, 176 miles.

I wasn't trying for sarcasm, I was honestly asking.

Geographically, why would a team from central Ohio join the southeast conference?

 

Why would teams from Texas and Missouri do so?

Geographically, why would a team from central Ohio join the southeast conference?

Columbus to Gainesville, 898 miles.  Columbus to Lincoln, 813 miles.  Columbus to Lexington, KY, 189 miles.  Columbus to Indianapolis, 176 miles.

 

Bloomington (IU) is another 40 miles SW.

Alternatively, I really don't see what would be logistically impossible about imposing a scheduling ban more than two years out.  That is something that NCAA probably has the power to do and which would actually be a productive use of their authority.  I don't know of any real planning reasons why such scheduling is necessary.  Heck, even the TV schedule often isn't set until the season has already started, for later games.

 

And, of course, I still want to know the story of why Vanderbilt backed out of their scheduled game with us.

Say you're Urban Meyer, head coach of the 9-0 Ohio State Buckeyes.  Holder of a 21-game winning streak.  And you're going into a bye week with not-so-mighty Illinois waiting two Saturday's away.  What does Urban Meyer do during that bye week?  According to ESPN, watch the battles between the top-ranked BCS teams coming up this week:  http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/9937571/ohio-state-buckeyes-keep-close-eye-top-matchups-bye-week

 

Tonight @ 7:30PM on Fox Sports 1 - #10 Oklahoma at unbeaten #6 Baylor

Tonight @ 9:00PM on ESPN - #3 Oregon at #5 Stanford

Saturday @ 8:00PM on CBS - #13 LSU at #1 Alabama

The last season of BCS chaos is beginning.  The Buckeyes got some help last night.

 

- #5 Stanford dominated #3 Oregon despite the close final score of 26-20.  Stanford was set to go up 29-7 with five minutes left in the game when Oregon blocked their FG attempt and ran it back for a TD.  Then Oregon recovers an on-side kick and scores another TD to make it close.

 

- #6 Baylor straight up blowed out #10 Oklahoma 41-12.

 

So OSU will likely vault over Oregon into the #3 position.  But the gap between undefeated OSU and one-loss Stanford and undefeated Baylor will also likely get tighter.  Can LSU help out the Buckeyes by upsetting Alabama on Saturday?

The last season of BCS chaos is beginning.  The Buckeyes got some help last night.

 

- #5 Stanford dominated #3 Oregon despite the close final score of 26-20.  Stanford was set to go up 29-7 with five minutes left in the game when Oregon blocked their FG attempt and ran it back for a TD.  Then Oregon recovers an on-side kick and scores another TD to make it close.

 

- #6 Baylor straight up blowed out #10 Oklahoma 41-12.

 

So OSU will likely vault over Oregon into the #3 position.  But the gap between undefeated OSU and one-loss Stanford and undefeated Baylor will also likely get tighter.  Can LSU help out the Buckeyes by upsetting Alabama on Saturday?

 

OSU fans need the LSU upset more than anything. Baylor could leap ahead of OSU. Baylor's best win is a blowout of ranked Oklahoma, OSU's is a 7 point win

against Whisky. On common opposition, Baylor beat Buffalo 70-13, OSU 40-20. Baylor has 2 ranked teams on the schedule, and Texas who could be

ranked again at 6-2. As it stands now, OSU has no ranked teams remaining on the schedule, although Michigan could get ranked again. Baylor's

remaining SOS is much better than OSU's.

Alternatively, I really don't see what would be logistically impossible about imposing a scheduling ban more than two years out.  That is something that NCAA probably has the power to do and which would actually be a productive use of their authority.  I don't know of any real planning reasons why such scheduling is necessary.

 

Schedules set 7 years in advance is another college football tradition that has worn out its welcome and is no longer part of the charm. That's like back when you'd get late in the NFL season and MNF would suck because they made the schedule before the season started. Now with the two-game MNF it's not as much of a risk.

^^I suspect MSU will be ranked if/when we play them in the BIG title game.

 

OSU was very fortunate Oregon made it a game in the fourth quarter.  A blowout of the #2 team in the country would have given Stanford a really good argument to leapfrog ahead.

LSU couldn't pull off the upset at Alabama.  Oh, and WF barely missed upsetting Florida State by 56 points!  So its Bama #1 and FSU #2.

 

And then its a gap to the next bunch of teams.  OSU leads that bunch at #3, followed closely by Stanford and Baylor.

 

http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/9957763/stanford-cardinal-no-4-oregon-ducks-fall-6th-bcs-standings

Since this was OSU's bye week, there's no game to dissect from Saturday.  So in place of that, enjoy the last two TBDBITL halftime shows at the Shoe.  The marching band is well-known for the Script Ohio.  But this year, they're taking it to the next level. 

 

- The first youtube video is the Michael Jackson Tribute Show from 10-19-13.  Go to 4:00 in the video to see "the moonwalk"!

- The second video is Hollywood Blockbuster Show from 10-26-13.  This amazing routine features Superman, Jurassic Park and Pirates of the Caribbean, among others.

 

 

The Buckeyes dominated Illinois as expected.  But the defense shockingly gave up 35 points - fortunately bailed out by the offense (and Carlos Hyde in particular) putting up 60.  Hyde gets 246 yds on 24 carries with 4 rushing TD's and 1 rec TD.  Two of them late in the 4th to make the score more BCS friendly.

 

A lot of Illini fans stared around cluelessly like Taylor Swift hearing an Obamacare parody.  For them, and to the tune of a song undoubtedly overplayed in the bars of C-bus Saturday night:

 

 

Very much unlike you

We’ve just won 22

Tried to put up a fight

But then we crushed you

 

The Hoosiers go down next

And then we Stomp Blue

Everything will be alright

Cuz we ain’t stopping at just

22….

 

The Buckeyes dominated Illinois as expected.  But the defense shockingly gave up 35 points - fortunately bailed out by the offense (and Carlos Hyde in particular) putting up 60.  Hyde gets 246 yds on 24 carries with 4 rushing TD's and 1 rec TD.  Two of them late in the 4th to make the score more BCS friendly.

 

 

I knew Illinois would put up a few scores, Nathan Scheelhouse has been a starter there for what seems like forever.  He's a very mobile, accurate passer.  OSU secondary has been picked apart on several occasions already this year.  I like our chances in a shootout with anyone though, whether it's Baylor, Oregon or whomever.  A National championship seems like a remote possibility at this point, but I'll take another undefeated season & a big win in a BCS matchup

A National championship seems like a remote possibility at this point, but I'll take another undefeated season & a big win in a BCS matchup

If Alabama and FSU win out, there's no way OSU can catch them.  If only the four-team playoff started this year!

 

But, there's still at least three more weeks to let this BCS swan song play out.  OSU was in the same situation in 2002 (with many saying the same things about OSU not being in the same class as Miami - that year's Alabama/FSU).  So you never know until it gets to the last one.

 

As it stands right now, its not much changed from last week.  Its Bama and FSU.  Then OSU and Baylor.  Stanford drops out with their 2nd loss.  OSU barely stays ahead of Baylor by .0013 BCS points.  Full standings at http://espn.go.com/college-football/bcs

Alabama still has to play @Auburn and then either Mizzou or S. Carolina in the SEC CCG. 2 difficult games.

FSU will win out. Baylor has 3 games left @Okie St, @TCU and Texas. Computers will like 2/3 of those games.

OSU has Indiana, @Michigan and probably MSU in the Big Ten CCG. Computers will have that about the same

as what Baylor has left. Wild stuff.

So, the Buckeyes took care of business in this season's home finale against Indiana.  OSU went up 42-0 before two 4th quarter TD's by Indiana made it look like less of a blowout.  Ohio State clinched going to the Big Ten Championship Game in two weeks to face Michigan State.  There's just that game at that other Michigan school next Saturday to prevent the Buckeyes from going into that Championship Game undefeated.

 

---

In BCS scoreboard watching news: Apparently it was "take-a-break-from-your-tough-conference-schedule-and play-a-weakling-day" for #1 Alabama and #2 Florida State.  They both easily stayed undefeated.  But former high-flyers #4 Baylor and #5 Oregon both got laid low yesterday.  Formerly undefeated Baylor lost to Oklahoma State 49-17.  Former one-loss Oregon lost to Arizona 42-16.

I think OSU could beat UofM quite badly this coming weekend.  They are stumbling badly, lost yesterday to Iowa, should have lost the week before to NW.  Devin Gardner is regressing at QB, and Brady Hoke is getting out coached on a weekly basis now

 

The real story is whether Jameis Winston gets charged with rape/sexual assault this week and derails their championship run.  The mere allegation has likely ruined his Heisman chances

OSU edged closer to Bama & FSU and distanced themselves from the closest one-loss teams in the latest BCS standings:

 

1) Alabama        .9881

2) Florida State  .9697

3) Ohio State    .9200

4) Auburn          .8236

5) Missouri        .8077

 

Full BCS standings at http://espn.go.com/college-football/bcs

I think OSU could beat UofM quite badly this coming weekend.  They are stumbling badly, lost yesterday to Iowa, should have lost the week before to NW.  Devin Gardner is regressing at QB, and Brady Hoke is getting out coached on a weekly basis now.

 

Never write off Michigan when it comes to OSU, especially at the Big House.  They've had imperfect teams that still ruined perfect seasons for us before.  Heck, John Cooper practically turned it into an art form.

 

The real story is whether Jameis Winston gets charged with rape/sexual assault this week and derails their championship run.  The mere allegation has likely ruined his Heisman chances.

 

It's FSU.  If it were OSU, the charges would have already been brought and they'd have done a perp walk just to make a media spectacle.  At FSU, they'll probably charge the accuser with heresy and attempted sabotage.

I think OSU could beat UofM quite badly this coming weekend.  They are stumbling badly, lost yesterday to Iowa, should have lost the week before to NW.  Devin Gardner is regressing at QB, and Brady Hoke is getting out coached on a weekly basis now.

 

Never write off Michigan when it comes to OSU, especially at the Big House.  They've had imperfect teams that still ruined perfect seasons for us before.  Heck, John Cooper practically turned it into an art form.

 

The real story is whether Jameis Winston gets charged with rape/sexual assault this week and derails their championship run.  The mere allegation has likely ruined his Heisman chances.

 

It's FSU.  If it were OSU, the charges would have already been brought and they'd have done a perp walk just to make a media spectacle.  At FSU, they'll probably charge the accuser with heresy and attempted sabotage.

 

This isn't a Lloyd Carr Michigan team with NFL locks, higher round draft picks. It seemed that Michigan always had future NFL QB, WRs, RBs during the Carr era.

Michigan is averaging about 3.5 yards per rush, OSU is probably closer to 8. Gardner with 11 picks, Miller only 4. Lewan and Schofeld's draft stock is dropping.

Their run game is bad. OSU by double digits.

I think OSU could beat UofM quite badly this coming weekend.  They are stumbling badly, lost yesterday to Iowa, should have lost the week before to NW.  Devin Gardner is regressing at QB, and Brady Hoke is getting out coached on a weekly basis now.

 

Never write off Michigan when it comes to OSU, especially at the Big House.  They've had imperfect teams that still ruined perfect seasons for us before.  Heck, John Cooper practically turned it into an art form.

 

The real story is whether Jameis Winston gets charged with rape/sexual assault this week and derails their championship run.  The mere allegation has likely ruined his Heisman chances.

 

It's FSU.  If it were OSU, the charges would have already been brought and they'd have done a perp walk just to make a media spectacle.  At FSU, they'll probably charge the accuser with heresy and attempted sabotage.

 

This isn't a Lloyd Carr Michigan team with NFL locks, higher round draft picks. It seemed that Michigan always had future NFL QB, WRs, RBs during the Carr era.

Michigan is averaging about 3.5 yards per rush, OSU is probably closer to 8. Gardner with 11 picks, Miller only 4. Lewan and Schofeld's draft stock is dropping.

Their run game is bad. OSU by double digits.

 

You spelled Llllloyd wrong.

 

I'm going to say the Buckeyes by double digits as well.  The difference is the defense, Miller, and the coaching. Fred Flinstone's not a great coach under the best of circumstances, but especially against Meyer.  I expect Urban to go Jim Tressel on the teams from up north.

OSU has so much more big play ability than Michigan.  OSU could go up big early & force Michigan to abandon the run game, it's all over.  Gardner has regressed with his passing form, he drops the ball in his right arm as soon as the rush gets close, struggles to find the open man, and generally makes bad decisions.

I only worry because this is the one way to salvage TTUN's season.  If they derail the undefeated Bucks, all will be forgiven in that cestpool outside Detroit.  I hope our guys are fully aware of this and the way it could tarnish the run they are on.

that cestpool outside Detroit.

 

jeez

The real question is will Alabama lose in the next 2 weeks?

^ I doubt it.  I would rather ohio State make it to the rose bowl than get blown out by FSU in the championship game, anyways.

Another question for everyone - which would be a better opportunity - go to the BCS championship and possibly lose, or take a step down bowlgame, win and beat the Michigan 29 game win streak next year?  Personally I would take the win streak.  Thoughts?

Another question for everyone - which would be a better opportunity - go to the BCS championship and possibly lose, or take a step down bowlgame, win and beat the Michigan 29 game win streak next year?  Personally I would take the win streak.  Thoughts?

 

Agreed, I'd rather miss out on a national title game, whip on someone in a BCS matchup like Stanford or Baylor and keep the streak going into next year.

As if we couldn't "possibly lose" a different bowl game, or couldn't possibly win the title.

 

We could "possibly lose" any game.  Heck, we've got two games left to go, and we could possibly lose either of those, too.  Still, assuming we win out in the regular season and conference championship, if we're going to have the win streak snapped, I want to see it happen in the title game.  Championships are the kind of thing you put your win streak on the line for--after all, it's on the line every game anyway.  And the emotional letdown of *not* making it to the championship game can cause surprising levels of underperformance; it's happened before when a team that missed out on a "bigger" bowl game lost to the "inferior" opponent in the "lesser" bowlgame because of mental carelessness.

What's that saying?  Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.

 

I know Buckeye Nation took/takes alot of stuff for those consecutive BCS National Championship Game losses in 2007 and 2008.  But I still remember how great that 2002 season and national championship was.  And lots of people back then thought OSU had no business playing for the championship.

 

I'd be dang disappointed if after two straight undefeated seasons, the Buckeyes don't even get a chance to play in this year's National Championship Game.  Particularly if a one-loss SEC team would happen to jump ahead of OSU (as some are predicting).  If OSU ends up behind an undefeated Alabama and undefeated Florida State, I could understand that.  Wouldn't like it, but would understand it.

 

Bring on the four-team playoff one year early! :wink: