As always, presented without comment.
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Stats are grabbed from cfbstats.com.
Archives for September 2013
Cal: By The Numbers
September 11, 2013 by 2 Comments
B1G Power Rankings- Week 2
September 10, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Power Rankings are not like top 25 rankings. Power Rankings are based on the weeks games played and not the entire season as a whole. Although to some extent the entire season will influence the weekly rankings. Having said that I am struggling to decide who should be no. 1 this week in the B1G. So I am going to write this out and sleep on it so here goes nothing.
1.) Ohio State (2-0)- Beat San Diego State 42-7. Ohio State had a dominating performance in every aspect of the game and did exactly what one would expect from a top 5 team nationally. They did all that using their back-up QB no less. Ohio State has a tough road game challenge this week when they go to CAL to play a night game. Time for them to prove they are a top 5 team against a quality opponent.
2.) Michigan (2-0)- Beat Notre Dame 41-30. Honestly I was torn if I should rank them no. 1 this week. They played a great game against a pretty good Notre Dame team. Devin Gardner played great but still made a really dumb play in throwing an awful pick 6. Also an area of concern their defense didn’t play very well against an avg. to bad ND offense. Giving up over 400 yards and 30 points is not acceptable considering the defense is suppose to be the teams strongest part of the team. FWIW it was extremely close and I nearly put Michigan no. 1 this week.
3.) Wisconsin (2-0)- Beat Tennessee Tech 48-0. Wisconsin needs to play someone decent so we can see how good they really are or aren’t. Until they do they won’t be able to move higher on this list.
4.) Northwestern (2-0)- Beat Syracuse 48-27. Northwestern is good possibly really really good. They have 2 quality wins already and no one else in the B1G can say that. This team will be fun to watch all year and will win a lot of games.
5.) Nebraska (2-0)- Beat Southern Miss 56-13. Southern Miss has lost 14 straight games. So this game is no way to judge whether or not Nebraska has solved their defensive issues. But they won and won big so kudos to them.
6.) Michigan State (2-0)- Beat South Florida 21-6. MSU continues to be what they seemingly always are really good at defense and really bad at offense. Not really sure what this team will do this year. I can see it going either way.
7.) Illinois (2-0)- Beat Cincinnati 45-17. The Bearcats absolutely destroyed Purdue last week only to have the exact same thing happen to them this week against the Illini. Nathan Scheelhaase looks well really good so far. The team looks improved at every aspect of the game under 2nd year coach Tim Beckman. This is a bowl team for sure barring the usual Illini meltdown.
8.) Penn State (2-0)- Beat Eastern Michigan 45-7. It is unfortunate that Christian Hackenberg likely will never see a bowl game while at PSU. That kid is a baller and is carrying this team as a true freshman. Bill O’Brien is well on his way to stealing another COTY trophy from a coach with more wins.
9.) Minnesota (2-0)- Beat New Mexico State 44-21. Minnesota is 2-0 and sure their opponents are not very good. But they are 2-0 and that is good for Jerry Kill. They are running the ball well and playing decent defense. Will make a bowl this year IMO.
10.) Indiana (1-1)- Lost to Navy 41-35. Indiana is built for offense. Their defense isn’t as improved as they would have hoped I am sure. Will need to outscore everyone to make a bowl.
11.) Iowa (1-1)- Beat Missouri State 28-14. Iowa has good defense and running game. The passing game is blah at best so far. If they can fix that this team could make a bowl game.
12.) Purdue (1-1)- Beat Indiana State 20-14. Purdue is just awful on both sides of the ball this year as they try to adjust to a new system under 1st year head coach Darrell Hazell.
This is how I see it this week. Who knows how it will play out next week. What do you think?
“Put Me In Coach”
September 10, 2013 by Leave a Comment
“Oh, put me in, Coach – I’m ready to play today;
Put me in, Coach – I’m ready to play today;”
~ John Fogerty, Centerfield
I realize that I am mixing sports metaphors here, as “Centerfield” was written about baseball, and this article is about Ohio State football, but please bear with me. No, this article is not being intended to serve as a voice of doom and gloom for this upcoming week’s contest against California.
For the first two weeks of the 2013 season, Ohio State has held commanding leads late in the game, and has won convincingly. While this is not surprising to me, what is surprising is how the coaching staff is not using these opportunities to provide the backup players, especially on the offensive side of the ball, some game-time experience.
For example, in game one against Buffalo, Braxton Miller suffered cramps, and was ably replaced by Kenny Guiton. When Miller was able to return into the game, Guiton went back to the sidelines, and Ohio State remained in complete control, defeating Buffalo 40-20.
Late in the contest, with Buffalo clearly defeated, Braxton Miller was in the game. Why not give Kenny Guiton even more playing time?
Versus San Diego State, Ohio State was forced to play Guiton, with Miller suffering a knee injury early in the game. Again, Guiton played well.
Winning the game against San Diego State 42-7, Guiton was in the game, well after the game was decided. Why not use this opportunity to give playing time to Cardale Jones?
I could make the same argument regarding players such as Warren Ball (only carried the ball twice against San Diego State), or Bri’onte Dunn (no carries yet this season). Yes, I understand that Jordan Hall, Dontre Wilson, Rod Smith, and Ezekiel Elliott all carried the ball against San Diego State – why not give players such as Ball or Dunn playing time late in the contest? I even tweeted something along those lines ~
A case in point – notice how Ohio State’s defense has seemingly substituted many defensive backups into the games, and the benefits that this has provided Ohio State’s defense…
My article may seem alarmist or overly pessimistic by Ohio State fans, but please keep in mind the following points ~
1) Even Coach Meyer stated in his press conference on 09/09/2013 that Braxton Miller was a “day to day decision” (see below). Yes, I have complete confidence in Kenny Guiton.
What happens if Miller cannot go versus Cal, and Guiton is hurt during the game? Now Cardale Jones, or J.T. Barrett, enter into the Cal game, with NO game experience. And that scenario could have been completely avoided, by playing them late versus Buffalo and San Diego State.
2) Yes, I understand that it will be difficult to keep all of the running backs happy. Yes, I know that Dunn has not played because Dunn has not played on special teams. But think about this – running back depth is something to protect, not take for granted. I can certainly recall many seasons when Ohio State seemingly had to scramble to find capable running backs – is 2003 too far back for people to remember?
My point is, players can go down to injury quickly. Considerable depth can be eliminated very easily. Play as many players as possible, to provide experience if needed.
B1G Week Two Review
September 10, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Well it was almost a perfect weekend for the B1G this past weekend, as the conference went 11-1 in their games. Who came up short? Who was the biggest surprise? Let’s take a look:
Penn State 45 Eastern Michigan 7
This game was actually still close at halftime, as Penn State only led 17-7. But Eastern Michigan really never had a chance and Penn State was in control the whole way. It was a great tune-up game for the Nittany Lions, particularly on the offensive side of the ball. Freshman Christian Hackenberg threw for 311 yards and a touchdown, which was a 45 yard bomb to dynamic wide receiver Allen Robinson. The offense also rushed for 251 total yards, 216 which came from Akeel Lynch and Bill Belton.
Michigan State 21 South Florida 6
Well the Spartans were once again awful on offense. And it didn’t matter who they put at quarterback. Michigan State tried out three different quarterbacks in this game: Andrew Maxwell, Connor Cook and Tyler O’Conner. Combined they threw for only 94 yards and completed 12 of 24 passes. The running game wasn’t much better, as the Spartans only rushed for 171 yards total (a far cry from the Le’Veon Bell days). As horrible as the offense has been for Michigan State, that’s how good their defense has played. On Saturday, the player that stood out for the Spartan defense was Shilique Calhoun. Calhoun returned a fumble for a touchdown in the first quarter and had a 56 yard interception return for a touchdown in the third quarter. So I guess this makes Calhoun the biggest offensive threat on the team.
Iowa 28 Missouri State 14
The Hawkeyes got their first win of the season, although it probably didn’t feel like it at times. By no means it was a blowout, but Iowa pulled off a solid win. The offense had nearly 500 yards total and got a good game out of quarterback Jake Rudock (193 yards passing and two rush touchdowns). The real star for Iowa is running back Mark Weisman, who rushed for 180 yards and two touchdowns. If Iowa wants to at least reach a bowl this season, it’s going to ride on the legs of Weisman.
Illinois 45 Cincinnati 17
I’m sorry Illinois. I was wrong! You proved everyone wrong on Saturday. I predicted this game was going to be a slaughter, but in favor of Cincinnati. Instead the Fighting Illini turned the tables and pretty much had their way with the Bearcats. The only time it was really close was early in the fourth when it appeared Cincinnati quarterback Munchie Legaux scored a rushing touchdown to bring the game within five. But as he crossed the goal line he was fumbling the ball. Officials reviewed it and controversially overturned the touchdown, giving Illinois the ball back. But don’t let that overshadow a great victory by Illinois. I also have to note the fantastic game by Nathan Scheelhaase. His stat line: 26 of 37, 312 passing yards, four touchdown and zero interceptions. Watch out B1G.
Purdue 20 Indiana State 14
Purdue played like Purdue. They got out to a solid lead, but then decided to let Indiana State comeback and almost win. That best sums up this game. I actually predicted the Sycamores would get the upset, but they fell just short as they tried to drive down the field late and score. Indiana State still out gained Purdue, despite the loss (295-284). I don’t see great things happening for Purdue in the B1G.
Wisconsin 48 Tennessee Tech 0
Congrats on beating another high school team, Wisconsin! I look forward to you playing a formidable foe, which comes this weekend. Not much to report here. Wisconsin had another game with three 100 yard rushers and Joel Stave threw for three touchdowns.
Indiana 35 Navy 41
Indiana was the only B1G team to taste defeat, costing the conference a perfect weekend. As I expected, this game was a shootout and came down to the very end. The Hoosiers though, didn’t have an answer for the Midshipmen’s high-octane triple option offense. Navy rushed for 444 yards, including 127 yards from quarterback Keenan Reynolds. Indiana quarterback Nate Sudfeld threw for 363 yards and four touchdowns in a losing effort. I think both teams can make it to bowls and I’ll be curious to see how these two teams play from here on out.
Nebraska 56 Southern Miss 13
Nebraska looked much better in this game. Granted the opponent was Southern Miss, who has now lost 14 straight games, but it’s a start for the Cornhuskers. The Black Shirts picked off Southern Miss quarterbacks four times and held their running game to 62 yards. The offense was good for them too, as Taylor Martinez had over 200 totals yards and three touchdowns. Ameer Abdullah added 114 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. It’s a good thing Nebraska played well against the Golden Eagles too because they have UCLA next weekend.
Northwestern 48 Syracuse 27
So much for this being a repeat of their 2012 match-up. Northwestern came out firing on all cylinders and made sure this game was never even close. The Wildcats looked great all-around. The defense forced Syracuse quarterback Drew Allen into throwing four interceptions. The offense had a balanced attack, with 375 passing yards and 206 rushing yards (despite the absence of Venric Mark). Senior quarterbacks Trevor Siemian (259 yards, 3 TD) and Kain Colter (203 total yards and 2 TD) paced the offense. Wide receiver Tony Jones also had a great game, catching nine passes for 185 yards and a touchdown.
Minnesota 44 New Mexico State 21
Out of all of the B1G games this past weekend, you were most likely to forget about this one. The Golden Gophers actually got an easy win. Shocking, right? Minnesota dealt with the Aggies easily, thanks to a stout rushing attack and another great defensive performance. Gophers’ running back Rodrick Williams Jr. carried the ball 16 times for 148 yards and a touchdown, while quarterback Philip Nelson rushed for 122 yards and a touchdown (127 passing yards).
Michigan 41 Notre Dame 30
There was a lot of hype surrounding this game coming in, as there is every year. And it was a typical UM-ND game. But it wasn’t as chaotic as I thought it would be. Michigan seemed in control for much of the game and kept the Fighting Irish in-check throughout. The Wolverine offense impressed me with their performance, especially quarterback Devin Gardner. Gardner was 21 of 33 for 294 yards and four touchdowns, while also adding 82 yards and a touchdown on the ground. (Side note: Gardner is now wearing #98 to honor Michigan legend Tom Harmon. It’s great to see a legendary player get honored, but I don’t know about that number. Only Michigan..) The other standout performer for Michigan was wide receiver Jeremy Gallon, who took his game to another level. Gallon caught eight passes for 184 yards and three touchdowns. For Notre Dame, Tommy Rees had a very similar game to the one he had two years ago against Michigan, throwing for over 300 yards and two touchdowns, but also two interceptions again. I said this game would come down to the better quarterback and Gardner was clearly better.
Be sure to check back Thursday as I take a look at the week three schedule!
Three Yards and a Cloud of Links
September 10, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Three Yards and a Cloud of Links is Men of the Scarlet and Gray’s newly renamed, semi-regular curated look at items that would interest the casual and hard-core Ohio State fan. These include news items, interesting blog posts and the occasional meme you’ve probably already seen. It’s all here and it’s all for you. Have a tip that should be included in the next TYAACOL? Drop us a line at motsag@gmail.com or through our Contact Page.
THE MOST IMPORTANT KNEE IN COLUMBUS: So here is what has been said recently about the most talked about knee in Columbus, the one attached to Braxton Miller.
Coach Urban Meyer has said:
“If he’s healthy to go, he’ll certainly go. If he’s healthy to play and play like Braxton plays, which, you know, he’s not your pocket quarterback, he does a lot of things for us, so those are decisions.
“We are not saving him or holding back. This will be everything we’ve got to win this game.â€
Meyer also said that Braxton is “day-to-day”. They are planning on traveling to Cal this weekend with all four QBs on the roster.
As for his teammates, they say he’ll be back for Cal. Corey “Philly” Brown thinks he’s going to play as does tight end Jeff Heuerman.
LEARNING FROM YOUR MISTAKES: It’s clear that Bradley Roby has been:
“If you forget what happened to you in the past, then you’re bound to repeat it,†he said. “I just want to keep that in my mind. I use that on the field, use that anger and aggression from that whole process.â€
It’s good to see him back in the good graces of the coaches and the team, because the Buckeyes are going up against the most prolific passer in this young season.
OSU/MICHIGAN: WHO YOU GOT? The draft experts at ESPN (don’t laugh!) Mel Kiper and Todd McShay breakdown who they think is the better team. It’s an Insider story, so I’m not going to quote the whole thing, but so sayeth the Kiper:
So I’d certainly put the Wolverines next to Ohio State right now. But don’t forget about the team in Evanston. Pat Fitzgerald’s Northwestern squad could be really good, and both Ohio State and Michigan have to visit. One or both could fall in that game.
Read the whole thing ($) (If you can).
ETC: This is a strange way to announce your new starter at QB, but whatever works for you, Lane Kiffin. Whatever works for you. Is this real life?
Noah Brown commits to the Buckeyes
September 9, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Well just over a month ago most people who follow and cover Ohio State recruiting had Noah Brown as a lock to pick Ohio State to play his college career at. Then he took a step back from the process and a lot of people started to believe he was going to stay home and play for his home state school Rutgers. Funny thing about that was Urban Meyer clearly had a different opinion and kept recruiting Noah as hard as he was before he slowed down the process. That leads to todays news that Noah Brown has officially committed to Ohio State.
Jeremy Birmingham of Eleven Warriors was the first person to have the story and broke the news on twitter…
Noah Brown is a 6’2″ 212 lbs 4 star Ath/WR/RB/TE from Sparta, New Jersey. Noah last year as a Jr. had 4 KO return for TDs, He had 850 yards rushing with 14 TDs, Also had 41 catches for 630 yards and 6 more TDs. He is a big recruit with speed. He brings to the table another guy who can play multiple positions and on both sides of the ball if need be. He fits perfectly into the mold of what Urban Meyer is trying to do with his offensive philosophy. 247sports ranks him a 4 star and the 201st best recruit in the country. Rivals ranks him a 4 star and the 212th best recruit in the country. Scout ranks him a 4 star and the 201st best recruit in the country. ESPN ranks him a 4 star and the 13th best player in the country.
You can follow Noah Brown on twitter by clicking @nb_dosuno
5 Things I Think: After Week 2!
September 9, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Another weekend of games completed and it was quite eventful. The lineup of games in Week 2 wasn’t overly strong, but it turned out to be an exciting Saturday nevertheless. We saw an SEC team fall to an ACC team for the second straight week. We saw that Devin Gardner is the real deal at quarterback. We saw our first coaching casualty as Texas’ defensive coordinator, Manny Diaz, as fired. We saw a potential Heisman candidate go down (Braxton Miller) and another one who might finally be getting noticed (Lache Seastrunk). How about Washington State, a team starting three former walk-ons on their offensive line, beating USC in Los Angeles Coliseum? I don’t think anyone saw that coming. Auburn fans had to be happy about that as it only helps their résumé, having beaten the Cougars in Week 1. Let’s talk about a few things from Week 2.
1. I hope Braxton Miller is okay! Miller went down during the first drive of the game against San Diego State Saturday and I know Buckeye Nation’s collective heart stopped for a second. We all had flashbacks of the Purdue game last year, after which I think we felt a little better about it as we remembered Kenny Guiton playing very well and leading the team to an overtime victory against the Boilermakers. Miller’s status is unclear. Coach Meyer said he expects him to be back next week, but I don’t know if I believe that. In addition, I don’t know if I want him to rush Miller back so quickly so that he can recover fully if the injury isn’t serious enough to require surgery. I think Guiton can play well against California next week and Florida A&M the week after. Why not rest Miller until Week 5 when Wisconsin comes to Columbus? I realize Miller is making a run for the Heisman, but Miller’s health and winning games are more important. Miller obviously gives the Buckeyes the best chance to win every week, but it’s not as if Guiton is terrible. He has a strong arm, he’s mobile, and handles pressure well. He’s a senior, so it’s not as if Meyer would be throwing a freshman out there to the wolves. I’m sure we’ll hear more details about Miller’s injury status as the week progresses and I certainly wouldn’t be upset to see number five in the shotgun on Saturday versus the Golden Bears (doesn’t that always make you think of Super Golden Crisp cereal?), but I would be fine seeing number thirteen back there as well.
2. The best player in the country is being wasted. Marqise Lee, wide receiver for USC, is the victim in the quarterback race. Lane Kiffin is having trouble choosing a starter and after this week, it’s clear why. Cody Kessler and Max Wittek are both terrible. I think we now know why Robert Woods left after his junior season, as he knew what the quarterback situation was going to be and his draft stock had no chance of rising if he stayed. I know Kiffin will reevaluate after losing to Washington State Saturday, a game in which his quarterbacks threw for a combined 54 passing yards. That wasn’t a typo … 54 yards! Athletic Director Pat Haden was adamant in the preseason that Kiffin’s job was in no danger, but if the passing game doesn’t improve, I don’t see how that remains true. I realize both guys are sophomores, but that’s no excuse. Texas Tech is starting a walk-on true freshman (Baker Mayfield) and he has more completions (64) in two games than the Trojans had passing yards on Saturday. It’s a shame too, because Lee is a beast and they should be feeding him as much as they can, but neither guy can seemingly handle the spoon. Boston College comes to town next week. The Eagles have allowed an average of 175 yards passing in their two games so far and those were against Villanova and Wake Forest. If USC can’t throw against them, they can’t throw against anyone. Any chances of Lee winning the Heisman, already minimal because of his position, are nearly gone and it’s a shame.
3. What the heck happened in Provo? BYU played host to the Texas Longhorns on Saturday in a game that many experts thought was going to be close because of BYUs highly-ranked defense last year. I picked Texas to win going away in the fourth quarter. Boy was I wrong on that one! Look at the box score of this game and you’ll do a double take. BYU rushed for 550 yards on 72 carries! This was not Madden, folks. It really happened. Maybe the rain slowed them down against Virginia in Week 1 because they only rushed for 187 yards on 53 carries against the Cavaliers. Manny Diaz, the Longhorns’ defensive coordinator, was fired yesterday which seems like a bit of a kneejerk reaction in my opinion. I realize that allowing that many yards is never acceptable (we’ve all hit the reset button on the Playstation when things get out of hand), but I don’t know that you can totally blame Diaz. What is Greg Robinson (Diaz’ replacement) going to do so radically different that will result in the Longhorns being able to tackle? Teaching tackling is one of the things for which Diaz is best known. Offensively, Texas didn’t play poorly at all, but it’s hard to put up a lot of points when the opposition is able to run it 72 times. The strange thing is that with that many carries you’d think BYU would have dominated the time of possession, but they only had the ball a little over 2 minutes longer than the Longhorns. If Texas wants to make a run at a title this year, and I still think they can, they’ll have to really look at that run defense. I realize that the Big 12 is known more for the passing game, but teams like Oklahoma and Baylor run quite a bit.
4. The ACC is starting off with a bang. I realize it’s just Week 2, but the ACC is already dominating the headlines. Clemson started it with their win over Georgia in Week 1. Then redshirt freshman Jameis “Famous Jameis” Winston lit up the box score in his debut to finish that week off when he completed 25 of 27 passes for 356 yards and 4 touchdowns (he also ran for one). Saturday, Miami took down another SEC foe, when they beat Florida. Friday I wrote that if Miami was going to win the game, “Either they’ll need to get a fairly big lead (ten points or so) early and force the Gators to go to the passing game or Florida will have to turn the ball over three or four times.” Miami was up 8 after the first quarter and the Gators turned the ball over 5 times. Jeff Driskel averaged nearly nine yards per pass, but both of his interceptions were horrible throws that were easy picks. Florida State beat a decent Pitt team in Week 1 (and had a bye last week), but we don’t really know yet how good they really are. They certainly look like they’re overrun with talent, especially in the backfield, with Winston, James Wilder, Jr., and Devonta Green, but I want to see them against a better opponent. Nevada comes to town next week, and that should be an interesting one to watch. Clemson, Florida State, and Miami could all be undefeated going into Week 7, as I don’t think any of them will really be tested until then. That week Clemson and Florida State play each other and Miami plays a solid North Carolina team. This is the best I’ve seen the ACC look in a while, but it’s only Week 2 so I’m not too excited just yet.
5. R.I.P. Nick Pasquale. Pasquale was a redshirt freshman receiver for the UCLA Bruins. The former walk-on was killed after a car hit him as a pedestrian in San Clemente, CA. It happened at 1:27am PST Sunday morning. There have been no arrests but authorities are investigating why he was in the street. Reportedly, there was no indication that the driver was intoxicated and it was the driver who called police and remained at the scene. Pasquale was pronounced dead at the scene. Pasquale was in San Clemente, his hometown, this weekend as the Bruins had a bye week. I feel badly for his family, friends, and football team, as all indications were that he was a hard worker. I love the game of college football and I could talk about it all day, but I felt like it was the right thing to do to give mention to Mr. Pasquale in this spot this week. I’m sure the Bruins will honor him with a patch or decal for the rest of the season and I look forward to seeing what they do. Remember folks, every day we wake up is a great day!
Sorry Ladies and most Men the Swoon is taken
September 9, 2013 by Leave a Comment
In what has become the happiest sad story in the history of Ohio State Basketball. Aaron Craft has gotten engaged to his girlfriend. Essentially taking him off the market for Swooners everywhere.
Per the satirical and awesome Twitter Account @CRAFTroomies here is the lucky lady and the swoontacular guy himself with a giant rock on her finger….
MotSaG Top 25 Poll- Week 2
September 9, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Week 2 was kind of fun, no? There was quite a lot of movers this week. None bigger than Michigan which jumped up into the top 10 this week after 2 pretty impressive home wins. More on them later and everyone else as well. Here is my top 25 for this week.
