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.

Comments

  1. Predictions:

    Beanie with limited carries but still manages a breakaway TD.

    Boom will be a force and try to break his first 100 yard game.

    Pick 6? Since the Minnesota QB’s confidence is flying high after cruising through a cupcake OOC schedule, he will be in for a rude awakening against Jenkins, Chekwa, and Hines.

    OSU runs all over the Beavers. 31 – 13

  2. I’ve been burned too often recently by expecting great things out of this offense. Consider it a defense mechanism, but until this new offensive scheme has at least one explosive game behind them, I won’t pick high scores.

    I’m going with Tresselball until I’m shown otherwise; Bucks win 24-10.

  3. Gotta agree with sportsMonkey on this one. Granted Minnesota is coming in with a little too much confidence for their health, I still think it will be a bitter fight into the third or even fourth quarter. However, the score won’t indicate the close nature of the game due to a mid-fourth quarter big defensive play (prediction: Coleman pick 6).

    Bucks take it 31-10

  4. I think Ohio State will pull this one out, but it will be a game to at least through the 3rd quarter. Not sure about being an 18 point spread since we were unable to beat that last week. However, with Beanie and Pryor and Herron in we might have a whole different game.
    By the way with the USC loss…it may not bring back a win to us, but friends i CAlifornia have emailed me about how much trash talking USC has done about the BUckeyes and other teams they have not played yet. Trash talking always bites a team in the a….
    Go Bucks!

  5. With Pryor and Wells on the field for much of the game, I look for more consistancy from the offense. The defensive respect that needs to be payed to Wells and Pryor will open up both players to do great things.

    I would love to see an aggressive passing game. That means continuing to attack downfield. I expect the running game to be successful early, which will open up the PA passing game.

    The offense should score early and often but will be limited due to the defense giving up first downs to Minny’s spread offense which is operating at a high level. The Gophers will move the ball between the 20’s but stall out to kick FG’s and turn the ball over.

    I look for a 38-16 game.

    Wells: 120 yards rushing and 2 td’s.

    Pryor: 60 yards rushing/130 yards passing 3 total td’s.

    Look for Boeckman to get into the game at some point and the fans redeem themselves by giving him a standing ovation. Then he takes his place on the bench to let the freak do his thing.

  6. Ron Predicts: A thoroughly rejuvenated Buckeye team dominates the Gophers. Boeckman is brilliant in garbage time. 40-10.

  7. I’m liking these rejuvenated team/aggressive offense comments. Got me excited. I’ll have to agree. I guess I should have added my predictions to the post. I guess I’ll do them here:

    Beanie makes the most of his carries, goes for 150 and 2 TDs. Pryor throws for 2 and carries 1.

    OSU: 41
    Minn: 9

  8. wow … the Troy game showed that this team is gonna destroy Minn?? I agree – that troy team is better and more athletic than half of the B10, including Minny

    30-17 OSU

  9. It was good to see the offense finally open up!!! Great game for Terrel and I luv seeing #28 in the back field. Glad to see Robinske back in the game. Not happy the way they are playing Laurintus so far back. He should after the quarterback and the football. A good game to start the Big Ten with and some help from Michigan beating Wisconsin. However, they will be ready to play. I was not happy with seeing the players play so hard the first 3 quarters and then throwing in the 2nd and 3rd string to make the final game 34-21. Probably why we got no luv in the rankings. That is another whole blog. There were some really bad voting in dropping teams who got beat by unranked teams…hmmm…USC, Florida, Georgia and can I say more!! So, now onto Wisconsin…we have to play first string a full 60 minutes!! Bring home a win!! Go Bucks!!

Trackbacks

  1. […] – Men of the Scarlet and Gray may have written a descriptive term for the Gophers that best sums up OSU fan sentiment on the chat boards…”slump-buster“: […]

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