Archives for September 2008

Stiff Arm of the Week

The Stiff Arm of Justice™ proves that it’s not one-dimensional. It’s true. The SAoJ can fly:

2008 BlogPoll Ballot, Week #5

As you may have heard, the BlogPoll is movin’ on up (to THE top) and will be prominently featured on a real-life Sports Site. I’m sure Brian will post the details on his site, so I’ll leave the particulars to him. But going legit means our ballots have to be in sooner, hence you’re seeing this Monday morning instead of sometime late on Tuesday. Enjoy.

Rank Team Delta
1 Oklahoma 1
2 Alabama 11
3 Missouri 3
4 LSU 1
5 Texas 2
6 Penn State 3
7 Brigham Young 3
8 Georgia 4
9 Texas Tech 3
10 Florida 7
11 Southern Cal 10
12 Ohio State 1
13 South Florida 1
14 Utah 3
15 Auburn 1
16 Vanderbilt 4
17 Kansas 5
18 Connecticut 3
19 Wisconsin 11
20 Oklahoma State 6
21 Boise State 3
22 Oregon 3
23 Michigan State 3
24 Virginia Tech 2
25 Northwestern 1

Dropped Out: Wake Forest (#15), Nebraska (#18), Illinois (#23), TCU (#25).

Oh how the mighty have fallen. Having already suffered our own personal disappointment two weeks ago, it’s good to have company. Add our optimism to everyone else’s pain and it’s a great feeling.

As always, make fun of us in the comments.

Week #5 Open Thread

This is something I’ve wanted to do for a while, but have just now gotten around to it. Feel free to use this as an open forum to comment on everything else going on this fine Saturday of College Football.

Right now, two major upsets brewing, both involving hated Florida Teams. Go Ole Miss!

Florida: 30
Ole Miss: 31

It’s parity in the SEC, people. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

Holy CRAP! I leave for dinner at the half of the Wisky/UM game and come back to a huge upset? Luckily, those Baja Fresh tacos were worth it. What happened in the second half?!

Update: This PSU/Illinois is fantastic and the UGA/’Bama game is pathetic. Alabama is absolutely hammering the #3 team in the Nation. Oh that’s right. Forgot about that parity.

Minnesota Game Semi-live update

First Quarter

Beanie rumbles for 28 after his first carry went no where and then Pryor turned on the jets for the touchdown. That was exactly how we needed to start this game.

OSU: 7
Minn: 0

That was a nice strip by the Minnesota Dlinemen. It was also nice to see the D hold strong and only allow 3 points
touchdown. That was exactly how we needed to start this game.

OSU: 7
Minn: 3

Second Quarter

This Pryor kid is going to be pretty good, I think. If he can keep up that almost 20 yd/carry average, he’ll do just fine.

This settling for field goals again will not do.

OSU: 13
Minn: 3

Hurdling defenders is the new black. Nice touch pass from Terrel to Robiskie. It appears Evil Robo is taking the day off.

OSU: 20
Minn: 3

Half-time

A few thoughts: Beanie doesn’t look 100%, but this just further proved an 85% Beanie is pretty much better than anyone else out there. Although that hurdle there in the second quarter throws my initial appraisal in doubt.

I don’t want to sound like a broken record, but I can’t gush enough about how Terrel Pryor is becoming THE MAN.

The line is still shaky but is getting the job done most of the time.

Third Quarter

Virtual MotSaG Standing Ovation© for Todd Boeckman.

OSU: 34
Minn: 6

Final

Good on Minnesota for not quitting after beeing down big. They put a couple nice drives together against an OSU defense that was still playing some of its starters. And double good on Boeckman for that nice TD pass, but that catch by Robiskie was a thing of beauty.

Now it’s time to spend the rest of the day watching the rest of the nation play.

Week #5: University of Minnesota – Open Thread

As the season turns. As I type this, I’m watching USC lose to lowly Oregon State, and things are no longer making sense to me. I don’t think OSU (the other one. No, the other one) is going to pull off the upset, but who knows at this point. (Update: Okay, they did it. And I knew it all along) Either way, this isn’t going to look good for the Buckeyes.

Ohio State is at a crossroads as Big Ten play starts. Minnesota is a great team to open against. The Buckeyes need a slump-buster, something to get them out of their current funk. I think Pryor and Beanie in the backfield can do that. I think shaking up offensive and defensive lines can do it. If Terrell Pryor is the leader going forward, he needs a good Minnesota game to get things before the real adversity comes next week in Madison. So a lot rides on a game that OSU is heavily favored in.

So what are we looking at this Saturday. Does Minnesota have a chance? Most signs point to know. Ohio State stacks up rather favorably against our Gopher brethren. The three headed monster of Beanie, Pryor and Herron will probably be too much for Minny’s defense to handle.

Right now, OSU is an 18 point fave. What’s your prediction? I’m gonna wrap this up now, because the college football world is currently being upended. Give us your final scores and other thoughts in the comments.

What does USC’s loss mean to Ohio State?

First, let me say I love college football. My outlook on this season just brightened a little.

This year wasn’t supposed to be like last year. Things were supposed to be more cut-and-dry. The elite teams were supposed to rise to the top and teams like Oregon State were supposed to be punching bags for everyone who played them. Then something happened in early September in Corvalis.

FAIL

So what does USC’s loss mean to Ohio State? At this point in the season, not a whole lot. It will, indirectly, reflect poorly on OSU’s performance two Saturdays ago. It won’t help things in the polls, either. There’s still a lot of football to be played, though. Let’s look at some things this loss means.

First and foremost, it really highlights how poorly prepared Ohio State was. The offensive line was unprepared. The coaches were sorely unprepared. It shows how important a good running back that can run between the tackles is against a defense like USC. Beanie’s absence can’t be understated.

Homefield advantage. Can’t be understated. Oregon State is a different team at home. College football is about emotion, confidence and swagger. These can not be coached, but they can be harnessed. Right now, OSU lacks all three, and this game shows what a difference maker they can be.

Another thing we’ll learn is how dumb some OSU fans can be. I’ve been skimming the comments on the ESPN and SI boards, and there are Ohio State fans are already talking smack. Don’t forget, friends, that we lost to USC. We can laugh and point at the TV, but we have nothing to say. Penn State fans, however, can smirk rather smugly right now. That makes me sick.

We’ll learn about the pollsters, as well. OSU lost to the #1 team, dropped to #14 in the polls. Will USC drop further? Should they be ranked lower than OSU now? Earlier this season, Penn State completely destroyed Oregon State. That makes me nervous.

And finally, this USC loss probably means there’s a good chance people will be clamoring for a rematch in the Rose Bowl.

The theme of redemption just took on new life for OSU’s season.

The Boo-birds

I’m going to be frank. If you booed Todd Boeckman last Saturday after his underthrown pass, you are not a good person. Plain and simple.

I had written a really long post why you are a bad person, but it just wasn’t coming out right. Suffice it to say, he didn’t deserve it. No one in his position, having done what he did, deserved that.

2008 BlogPoll Ballot, Week #4

Rank Team Delta
1 Southern Cal 25
2 Oklahoma 24
3 Florida 23
4 Georgia 22
5 LSU 21
6 Missouri 20
7 Texas 19
8 Wisconsin 18
9 Penn State 17
10 Brigham Young 16
11 Ohio State 15
12 Texas Tech 14
13 Alabama 13
14 South Florida 12
15 Wake Forest 11
16 Auburn 10
17 Utah 9
18 Nebraska 8
19 Oregon 7
20 Vanderbilt 6
21 Connecticut 5
22 Kansas 4
23 Illinois 3
24 Boise State 2
25 TCU 1

Dropped Out:

Not a lot to say this week. Here’s our BlogPoll, with all the goofy deltas due to the fact we didn’t submit a ballot last week. We promise it wasn’t because of the Buckeyes loss. Okay, it wasn’t completely because of the Buckeye loss.

Wells to return this weekend, will see different looking huddle

That whooshing sound you heard this afternoon was the collective sigh of Minnesota fans as they realized their team won’t be starting 5-0.

ESPN is reporting that Beanie Wells will return to the huddle this weekend against Minnesota. A huddle that will look quite different – with Pryor at the helm and at least one freshman (possibly two) on the line.

All we asked after the SC debacle was significant personnel changes, and it looks like Tressel is trying to make amends.

If you feel bad for Minnesota fans, consider the poor Gopher front seven. The energy and anger Beanie built while being injured, watching his Heisman shot go by the wayside, and not being there for the SC loss is going to be taken out on the conference’s 9th ranked rush defense. I predict 972 yards of rushing, before he is spelled in the second quarter by Boom Herron.

Stiff Arm of the Week