OSU/Iowa – Semi-live update

OSU FootballEnd of First Quarter

Good to see Smith, et. al drive right down the field on the first drive. However, words cannot describe the disgust I feel at the obvious bias of the officials. OSU was called for one phantom interference call (that allowed Iowa to score a FG), and two – count ’em, two – pass interference calls were ignored when Iowa’s DBs committed them. The first clearly showed the DB dragging the WR by the shirt from behind; the second, a clear tackle before the ball got to the WR.

Buckeye Commentary pointed out the statistical bias the Big 10 officials seem to have against OSU “Play OSU, enjoy few penalties.” I know I sound a bit like a “whiny fan”, but his statistics seem pretty persuasive, and the first quarter of this game offers more evidence. Let’s hope that the officials step up for this game.

End of Second Quarter
Tressel’s game plan is having some success. If you want to beat Iowa, you’ve got to pound, pound, pound in the first half. Wear the not-as-deep Iowa defense down for the second half (OSU is leading fourth quarter scoring by 52 to 9 because of this game plan!) Beanie and Pittman are carrying the game right now, which is perfect.

Nice to see the OSU offense get 7 after the INT; conversely, it was nice to see OSU’s defense make Iowa go three-and-out after they got field position in OSU territory after the shanked punt. The defense is definitely getting into Tate’s head.

OSU is “in control” of this game, so I’m not as nervous as I was in the first quarter. Still, don’t count Tate out. And who is this Iowa TE, Chandler? What is he, like 11 1/2 feet tall? Seems like it. What a great football player. Gonna be a good pro TE someday if he keeps it up.

End of Third Quarter
Classic Big10 third quarter. OSU is pounding the Iowa D-linemen. Gonzo’s catch and run for TD is (to me) the best highlight of the year so far. Tressel is clearly happy with 28 points, and Tresselball has ensued.

Iowa is continuing to spiral down, although they caught a break by the official’s overturning the TGII first down catch. Third and long, deep in Iowa territory. They’ll go for the TD, then try a FG try to start the fourth quarter. Here we go…

End of Game
Final: OSU 38 – Iowa 17

Not much to say. OSU has beaten the spread for the past dozen or so games. When will Corso get it?

Helmet stickers to the defense, who got in Tate’s head tonight. Two turnovers in the last quarter – and yes, the Little Animal got one of them.

Boy… if Tressel had gone for the FG in the last drive, my prediction of OSU’s 41 point offensive performance would have been right on. Sweatervest decided to play it classy, though, and run his third team O-line and RB until time ran out. So el Kaiser was right on predicting Iowa would get two TDs, and Zeke and I were right on regarding the proficience of the OSU offense.

I was pretty nervous about MSU, but looks like they decided to start choking a week or two early. Now, it looks like OSU has a downhill ride to UM… and holy cow, both teams might be undefeated by then.

Comments

  1. good post! GO BUCKS! I’m so excited to see Corso pick against us time and time again. lol. What a moron

  2. Hey I just wanted to let you know that Korso and Herby think that it should be OSU number 1 and the team up north number 2. Makes for an interesting Nov. 18th…..O….H…..

  3. Yeah, that overturn was weird, mostly because it happened during a commercial break apparently and the announcers never felt the need to point it out. We went to commercial with a first and ten, then returned from the break about to attempt a 3rd and 11, and Brent didn’t say anything about it. Weird and disorienting for a second…

  4. I watched the game twice, and especially the end of the third quarter. TGJr’s “incomplete” pass was “incomplete” with 22 seconds left on the clock. When they reviewed it, they were like “that’s the end of the third quarter.” I was totally confused. If it is incomplete and there is “indisputable video evidence” then don’t you have to get the clock right? What if one team needed the 22 seconds (or at least one more play)? The call was total bs, and the clock work by the officials compounded the error. Maybe they were trying to keep the game from going four hours. Didn’t that seem like a long game?

  5. Andy – I’ve watched a more diverse amount of football this year than at any other (probably due to this blog and my cable sports package!). I’ve seen more SEC games this year than ever before, and more PAC Ten, Big East, even some MAC games thrown in (the ones FS runs at 3am!)

    Big Ten officials are, without question, consistently the worst I’ve seen from any of the major conferences. It’s too consistent and obvious to be coincidental. The Big Ten, for instance, is simply not calling holding this year. Clock management mistakes are rampant. It’s disgusting.

    Not sure why that is… except maybe that over the past couple of years, the Big Ten has turned it on so-to-speak with this “basketball on grass” style that Tressel, et. al. are playing now. Maybe the game is moving too fast for them.

    Sooner or later, someone’s going to get jobbed, like Oklahoma did against Oregon. Let’s hope that when it happens, it doesn’t happen to OSU.

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