Archives for October 2014

Negative Buckeye: 10 Things We Learned from the Penn State Game

October 28, 2014 by Leave a Comment

by: Ryan Black

 

 

 

Sheesh…

Last Saturday was rough, rougher than teaching an Alabama fan to read. This Ohio State team has a lot of growing up to do to even think about beating Michigan State in two weeks.

Losing to Penn State would have been a disaster of epic proportions. The Ninny (whatever they’re called) Lions under new coach James Franklin have been recruiting extremely well since he arrived on campus and look to be a long term threat to coach Urban Meyer and the good guys. They weren’t supposed to be close to competing on the field with Ohio State for a few years due to crippling scholarship reductions. Didn’t matter, they gave the boys all they could handle and now it is time to reflect.

Here are ten things we learned about our loves from the 31-24 nailbiter Saturday evening:

10. It wasn’t as bad as you think:

With Bama looking pedestrian 2 times in 3 weeks against similar teams to PSU  (Arkansas and Tennessee) , Miss State continuing to be horrible on defense against a weak Kentucky team, an undefeated Ole Miss losing to one of the most average LSU teams in a decade, or Auburn struggling against a terrible USC team it’s easy to see it is tough to bring it every week. Also, Ohio State played in the toughest environment of all the teams listed, though LSU is close. Those who say they want the Bucks to compare themselves to the best in the SEC have to do it both ways.

This doesn’t even mention the fact that Oregon has looked pedestrian against bad teams such as Washington State or Michigan State against Purdue or FSU against NC State and so on…

The local radio guys like Common Man and T-bone (whom I really enjoy) will never admit that these other elite teams struggle against lesser opponents, it’s only us… Ohio State has blown out every team they should have until this weekend and that is still a very good percentage.

9. Ohio State got some lucky breaks:

Hate to admit it but the Buckeyes got two gifts in the first half with the non-pick and the delay of game. Two egregious errors by the striped dummies but…

Those who say the refs gave OSU ten points are taking away from what the players did. Penn State couldn’t stop Ohio State on the first drive and there is no way of saying it wouldn’t have ended up in a touchdown, even if it was started 20-30 yards back. Same as you can’t say the German wouldn’t have made the next kick, he has a huge leg.

8. Penn State got some lucky breaks:

Our friends to the East are screaming bloody murder but they won’t mention the refs willed them into the game in the fourth quarter. Two questionable personal fouls and a horrible pass interference cake walked the Nitts to the tying scores. They weren’t as blatantly obvious as Ohio State’s gifts but they had just as much impact.

7. The o-line still needs some work:

3rd and 1 now seems like 3rd and 10 for the team this year. These young pups are still getting their feet wet and I don’t think we will see a complete package until the bowl game this year. Next year should be an extreme step up or it will be a major disappointment.

6. The defense is for real:

Other than a few misplays on jump balls (which somehow still happen) the Ohio State defense is looking like they got some sense. Penn State has a horrendous offensive line which helped but you cannot doubt their playmakers at tight end and receiver, not to mention Hackenberg at quarterback.

5. Tom Herman/Urban Meyer get tight during close games:

I texted my friend that I was o.k. with the play calling in the first half because Penn State couldn’t even sniff midfield. Get out of there with a 24 or 31 to 0 win and just head home. But after the momentum switched on the pick 6 I think the coaches got too scared and it nearly cost us the game. Get the ball in the playmakers hands, don’t let the defense dictate what the offense should run. Where were the jet sweeps?

This is becoming a real worry for Buckeye fans.

4. J.T. Barrett is a freshmen:

He got rattled by the ridiculous crowd and their shady piped in music. He got owned by the defensive lineman dropping into coverage and really looked green for 4 quarters. The game Saturday would have been a blowout in my opinion with Braxton.

With that said…

3. J.T. Barrett has balls of platinum:

I think platinum is tougher than steel but I don’t really understand the elements. Playing with a MCL sprain and trailing in a living hell of an atmosphere-in overtime-in a score or die situation-J.T. Barrett said, “I got this.” The freshmen scored the tying and winning touchdowns. This gutsy performance will help out so much in two weeks at a much tamer atmosphere (albeit a much tougher team).

2. Ohio State has an all Big Ten player at every level of defense:

This probably won’t end up happening but I think Von Bell, Tyvis Powell, Doran Grant (DB) Darron Lee, Joshua Perry (LB)  Joey Bosa and Michael Bennett (DL) are all worthy of first team all big ten- as of now.

Slim chance Ohio State get’s more than three total but let’s start the campaigning now.

1. You know it’s coming:

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

 

This team has a very bright future and we may not get to see that peak this season. This extremely young team needs more seasoning but I tell you what, I wouldn’t want to play the Buckeyes this bowl season. Last year’s team peaked and didn’t improve at all over the long layoff. I think the 2014 team is a different animal.

 

Bonus:

The world lost a great man this year with the death of Richard Collins who portrayed “Philadelphia Collins” on Trailer Park Boys. Here is a NSFW Language tribute

 

Double Bonus:

For you Halloweiners here is a short 3 minute scary flick.

I watched 20 seconds of it. Please tell me how it ends:

 

Filed Under: B1G Football, College Football, Ohio State Football

B1G Weekly Recap: Michigan State Rolls, Ohio State Survives To Remain Undefeated

October 28, 2014 by Leave a Comment

While Michigan State dominated their in-state rival Wolverines to improve to 4-0 in Big Ten play, Ohio State needed double overtime to put away pesky Penn State in Happy Valley to move to 3-0 in conference play. Minnesota suffered their first conference defeat at the hands of the Illini as the Big Ten West turned even more chaotic as Wisconsin and Nebraska both won to remain at one conference loss.

Wisconsin 52, Maryland 7

Wisconsin took Maryland behind the woodshed in this one as the Badgers raced out to a 24-0 halftime lead on their way to an easy victory. Melvin Gordon continued his great play again this week, rushing for 122 yards and three touchdowns. The Wisconsin defense was excellent all day, holding Maryland to 175 total yards, including just 46 on the ground.

It was 52-0 late in the 4th quarter before C.J. Brown finally found Stefon Diggs for the Terrapins’ only score of the game. Both teams hit the road next weekend, Maryland goes to Penn State and Wisconsin takes on Rutgers.

Illinois 28, Minnesota 24

In the upset of the weekend, Minnesota fell to Illinois in Champaign after V’Angelo Bentley scooped up a fumble and took it to the house in the 4th quarter for the game-winning score. The Illini jumped out to an early 14-0 lead only to see their advantage slip away in the 3rd quarter thanks to a pair of David Cobb touchdown runs.

Reilly O’Toole threw for a touchdown and ran in another as Illinois won their first conference game of the season while simultaneously handing the Gophers their first Big Ten loss. Minnesota is idle on Saturday while Illinois makes the trip to Columbus to take on the Buckeyes in primetime.

Nebraska 42, Rutgers 24

Once again, it was the Ameer Abdullah show for Nebraska as they handled Rutgers easily to move into a tie for first in the Big Ten West at 3-1. Abdullah had 225 yards rushing with three scores, plus 90 return yards and 26 receiving yards.

Gary Nova was just 8-19 passing for 156 yards and a touchdown before he had to leave the game with a right knee injury. It is still unknown whether he will be able to play this weekend when the Scarlet Knights host Wisconsin. Nebraska will host Purdue after the Boilermakers had a bye week to prepare.

Michigan State 35, Michigan 11

The Wolverines were dominated by their in-state rivals for the second year in a row, losing by 24 points a year after losing 29-6. Michigan State outgained the Wolverines on the day 446-186 and allowed just 61 yards on the ground. Jeremy Langford ran for 177 yards and three scores as the Spartans won for the sixth time in seven tries in this series.

Devin Gardner finished 15-30 passing for just 125 yards and was picked off twice by the Spartan defense. The Wolverines now have one passing touchdown and 11 interceptions against Power 5 conference teams this season. Michigan State is idle this weekend to prepare for Ohio State and the Wolverines will host Indiana.

Ohio State 31, Penn State 24 (2OT)

J.T. Barrett had his worst game since the Virginia Tech debacle, but rebounded well in the overtime periods to lead Ohio State to the victory in one of the most hostile environments in all of college football. Barrett had just 74 yards passing with one touchdown and two interceptions, one of which was returned for a score early in the second half. The redshirt freshman finished with 75 yards rushing and two overtime touchdowns.

Christian Hackenberg was 31-49 passing for 224 yards and a touchdown but was sacked by Joey Bosa on 4th down in the second overtime on the most important play of the game. DaeSean Hamilton had 14 catches, a Penn State record, for 126 yards. Ohio State hosts Illinois on Saturday while Penn State will play Maryland in Happy Valley.

What was your biggest take away from this weekend? Will the Buckeyes have an easier time of things this weekend with the Illini? Let us know what you’re looking forward to in the upcoming slate of games!

Filed Under: B1G Football, College Football, Ohio State Football

MotSaG BiG Power Poll Week 9

October 28, 2014 by Leave a Comment

Heading into the fourth week of conference play and there has been some movement this last week. We are getting ready to get into the heart of the schedule with five weeks left of regular season conference play better enjoy these, it’s going to go by quick.

1. Michigan State (7-1,4-0) After driving a stake into the Wolverines Saturday, Sparty and company get an extra week to prepare for the Buckeyes before their Nov. 8th battle.
Last Week: #1
Next Game: Bye

2. Ohio State (6-1,3-0) Controversial or not the Buckeyes escape Happy Valley with a win in double OT. Yeah that wasn’t an interception but was the 4 a.m. air horns called for? #karma
Last Week: #2
Next Game: Illinois

3. Nebraska (7-1,3-1) Cornhusker’s RB Abdullah has a record day against Rutgers with 341 all purpose yards, someone is entering the Heisman talk.
Last Week: #3
Next Game: Purdue

4. Wisconsin (5-2,2-1) Don’t count out the Badgers just yet they seem like they may have figured it out after their bye week by dismantling Maryland.
Last Week: #6
Next Game: @Rutgers

5. Minnesota (6-2,3-1) Oh the Gophers really let one slip through their paws by losing to Illinois they will take the week off to recoup and figure out what to fix.
Last Week: #4
Next Game: Bye

6. Maryland (5-3,2-2) The Terps let one man thump them now they get to play a very strong Penn State defense lets see if they can rebound.
Last Week: #5
Next Game: @Penn State

7. Iowa (5-2,2-1) The Dr Jeckel Mr Hyde bunch which shows up this week after having a bye to fix their issues?
Last Week: #7
Next Game: Northwestern

8. Rutgers (5-3,1-3) Can the Scarlet Knights stop the two game losing skid and upset the Badgers and become bowl eligible?
Last Week: #8
Next Game: Wisconsin

9. Northwestern (3-4,2-2) Wildcats started conference play strong but have lost their last two and looking to rebound this week against Iowa.
Last Week: #9
Next Game: @Iowa

10. Penn State (4-3,1-3) Nittany Lions defense is better than I gave them credit we will see what they have in store for Maryland Saturday
Last Week: #11
Next Game: Maryland

11. Purdue (3-5,1-3) Are the Boilermakers the Cinderella that is going to start to ruin everyone’s season? Hazell and company are getting this thing turned around and they are competitive.
Last Week: #10
Next Game: @Nebraska

12. Illinois (4-4,1-3) Upsetting Minnesota probably won’t save Beckman’s job but an upset over the Buckeyes might go a long way.
Last Week: #14
Next Game: @Ohio State

13. Michigan (3-5,1-3) Wow just wow Hoke is probably officially a lame duck coach and he has to know this.
Last Week: #12
Next Game: Indiana

14. Indiana (3-4,0-3) With how bad Indiana’s QB situation is would an upset of Michigan call for a rushing of the field by Hoosier fans?
Last Week: #13
Next Game: @Michigan

Always love hearing your feedback, don’t forget you can email me at AskMotSaG@gmail.com with any questions.

Filed Under: B1G Football, College Football, Ohio State Football

Ohio State Player Dismissed From Team (Per Report)

October 27, 2014 by 2 Comments

A new report from our Friends at Eleven Warriors says that Rod Smith a Senior Running Back has been dismissed from the team…

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Senior running back Rod Smith has been dismissed from Ohio State, sources told Eleven Warriors Monday night.

This is certainly huge news given its timing. Rod Smith had gotten back in the good graces of the staff and was getting plenty of carries this season his final as a Buckeye either way. His time at OSU was always being stuck as a back up with huge size and lots of potential but never breaking through. No word on why he was dismissed as of yet but I am sure it will come out soon.

Filed Under: Ohio State Football

Ohio State vs. Rutgers 2014 Highlights

October 26, 2014 by Leave a Comment

Filed Under: Ohio State Football

Ohio State-Penn State: Post Game Reaction

October 26, 2014 by 2 Comments

Ohio State had a great opportunity to make a statement game Saturday night in Happy Valley and failed to do so, at least on the offensive side of the ball. While the Buckeyes did run the ball efficiently, it was a very poor passing performance from J.T. Barrett.

The Buckeyes dominated the first half after a poor interception call in favor of Ohio State, gave the Buckeyes a short field and a couple plays later Ezekiel Elliott had a very good touchdown run. His early score was the main offensive highlight of the first half for Ohio State. The Buckeye defense did the rest of the work shutting out the Nittany Lion offense in the first half.

The Nittany Lions did a great job right out of the locker room intercepting Barrett off of a zone blitz which began the slow and painful comeback of Penn State.

The Buckeye offense continued its poor and very conservative play. J.T. Barrett played arguably his worst game of the year. He under-threw a couple deep passes, was late on reads across the middle, all of which could be attributed to the lack of effort in play calling to get the young quarterback in rhythm early in a hostile environment. Barrett never really looked comfortable in the pocket all night.

This poor offensive performance put immense pressure on the defense that stood up to the task the best they could. They stifled the Penn State rush game, pressured, hit, and intercepted Hackenburg multiple times.

The defense was put up to one last test on the final drive. Hackenburg drove the Nittany Lion offense down to around the Buckeyes 45, after starting on their own 8 where Joey Bosa created a very clutch sack. Following the sack, Curtis Grant was flagged for a roughing the passer penalty that put the Nittany Lions in field goal range with 30 seconds remaining.

A phantom timeout was called by Penn State that coach James Franklin adamantly stated he did not call.

After a lot shot towards the end zone that fell incomplete, Nittany Lion kicker Sam Ficken drove through the tying field goal to force over-time.

In over-time it was the J.T. Barrett show as Barrett played with immense heart after suffering a knee injury early on. His performance was admirable and very mature in over-time. Barrett used his excellent decision making and his will and desire to score two touchdowns in over-time to lead the Buckeyes to a double OT 31-24 victory for Ohio State.

Filed Under: Ohio State Football

Let Me Fix Your Team: Florida

October 24, 2014 by 1 Comment

I look around college football and I see a lot of disgruntled fan bases. They aren’t happy with their team whether it’s the coaching, the play on the field, all of the losing or a combination of these three. When I see these problems I start to think of a solution for these teams, but I never put them on paper. But in you’re luck now downtrodden schools! Now I’ve decided to use my expertise to help you through your issues. With my help you’ll be a winner in no time. Just call me Doctor Josh.
After I successfully advised Illinois last week, I’ve decided to take on a bigger challenge this week. They just got embarrassed at home…

Patient: Florida Gators
Status: 3-3 (2-3 in the SEC)
Current Fan Base Mood: Cranky, on the verge of eating bath salts and tearing Will Muschamp’s face off. Also still blaming Urban Meyer for all of their problems.
Most Embarrassing Moment of the Season: Losing to Missouri at home during homecoming 42-13. Also the entire offense has been a dumpster fire.

Dr. Josh’s Advice: Well up until the Missouri game I thought head coach Will Muschamp was doing a fantastic job. They had big wins over Eastern Michigan and Kentucky. The Gators also only lost by three touchdowns to Alabama. That’s pretty impressive. Muschamp also led them to a Sugar Bowl a few years ago. In the SEC! I think they won that game, but I’m not quite sure.

But after that game against Missouri it became obvious it was time for the Muschamp era to sadly come to an end for Florida. So many great moments! I look forward to the day they build his statue outside the Swamp. What was sauce for the goose is now for the gander though. Or in this case the Illini. Now you don’t have to lure him away from Gainesville, Illinois!

After Florida fires Muschamp, I have some advice for you Gator fans. You need to make sure you go through each of the 12 steps in the grieving process. I know you’ll feel traumatized after this transpires and I just want you to know it’s not your fault. You tried to work out your differences with Muschamp, but you both wanted different things in life. He has a gypsy soul and likes to travel, while you’re more of homebody (which explains why Florida never leaves the state for non-conference games). Muschamp listens to Lady Gaga and you’re more of a Taylor Swift fan. This is completely normal. The main thing is you tried. Remember that there’s plenty of fish in the sea. Speaking of that…

Prescription: You need an offensive mastermind. A guy who can really light a fire under the program and get people talking. You need someone that’s brash, cocky and isn’t afraid of commitment. A real man’s man! That is why I highly recommend you hire Alabama offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin. First and foremost by hiring Kiffin you immediately bring swag to your program and you stick it to Nick Saban by hiring him away. Remember Kiffin also has head coaching experiencing in the SEC. His 7 wins that season are the most wins Tennessee has had in a season the last five years. He led them to their last bowl game too. Are you not impressed?

Kiffin

To top it all off, by hiring Kiffin that guarantees comedian Daniel Tosh will make jokes about your program. Remember we’re not laughing at you, but with you. I think Florida could use some humor right now. Kiffin is the total package and I don’t see another coach out there that fits the Florida mold as well as Kiffin. Congratulations Florida! You’re not only going to be a successful program again, but also the coolest in college football.

Another satisfied patient! You’re welcome Florida. What lucky team will I help next week? Stay tuned…

Filed Under: College Football Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Penn State: Open Thread

October 24, 2014 by 1 Comment

In what has become a tradition for both Ohio State and Penn State fans, some of this series more iconic images are those of the sad panda QBs of the losing team. We all remember Terrelle Pryor, as a freshman, fumbling away a victory against Penn State and then sitting dejected, hands on helmet as the game ticked to a close. I’m sure some knuckle-dragging Penn State fans will point you in the direction of that image. But we can dish out as much as we take, and nothing makes us happier than seeing a Penn State QB sitting dejected on the sideline as the game slips away. So don’t be surprised if you see a few peppered through this open thread. clark_sadface

Oh, so soon? Hello there, Sad Panda Daryll Clark.

In the wake of last year’s throttling, Penn State fans have all the reason to be scared this Saturday. A night game, in Happy Valley, with the whole nation watching as Urban Meyer continues to build a case as to why his Ohio State Buckeyes should be included in the College Football Playoff discussion. It could get ugly for the home team.

Our resident Penn State Curmudgeon, YNBA, has put together his annual airing of grievances in the form of a game preview, and he doesn’t see things working out too well for Penn State. When you put the safeties of the defense on high alert, it can’t be good:

The two starting safeties for Penn State will be on full alert as Jalin Marshall and Dontre Wilson will add a playmaker element at the H-Back position that Penn State has not seen so far this year. Ohio State will do everything to get these guys into space and safety play will be imperative in keeping these guys from going crazy.

Like YNBA, Chip doesn’t put too much stock in the respective successes of Ohio State’s Offense and Penn State’s Defense. So what will Chip be keying in on?

Penn State’s defense has been keeping the team in games, ranking 6th in the country at points allowed (average 15 points a game). The strength of the Penn State defense is the run defense, while Ohio State prides itself on a powerful running game. With those statistics in mind, keep in mind that these are the opponents Penn State has played up until this point – Central Florida, Akron, Rutgers, Massachusetts, Northwestern, and Michigan. Penn State defeated Rutgers 13-10, largely behind five interceptions of Rutgers quarterback Gary Nova; Ohio State just thrashed Rutgers 56-17.

I’m going to go out on a limb and say Chip thinks OSU’s numbers are a little more realistic and the outcome will prove that out.

As usual, Shannon goes in deep with a Penn State blogger to get the feel for the fans of the other side. Optimism doesn’t seem to be one of the things they’re feeling:

Prediction? Pain. As I said on your podcast, I have Ohio State winning this weekend’s match-up in Beaver Stadium, 35-17 (which if you bet the over at 51.5 is just fine with you). I think Penn State’s defense keeps this game from getting out of hand as it did last season, but I can’t see Penn State ever making much of a game of this with their concerns on offense. I see Ohio State maybe jumping out to an early lead and cruising into the second half before Penn State gets a junk touchdown to make this closer than the score would actually indicate.

So let’s look forward to taking another sad panda to the taxidermist this Saturday. It will look nice next to Moxie McGritty

Sad Panda

I say
Ohio State 52
Penn State 20

What say you?

Filed Under: Ohio State Football

Q&A with an Opponents Blogger: Penn State

October 24, 2014 by Leave a Comment

This week I had the freat pleasure of sitting down with Kevin Mcguire to discuss the Penn Sate/Ohio State match-up tomorrow. Kevin who was nice enough to join our podcast this week is a contributor to NBC College Football Talk and has a site no2minutewarning.com. You can also follow Kevin on twitter @KevinOnCFB and he is a worthwhile and good follow for college football fans. Without further ado onto the PSU/OSU discussion.

MotSaG: Penn State’s run defense is only giving up an average of 60.8 yards a game but have given up over 100 to Northwestern and Rutgers. Do you feel they can contain Ohio State’s rushing attack?

KM: It should go without saying that the strength of this Penn State team to this point in the season has been the defense as a whole, and it starts up front with what has been a decent defensive line. Can they contain Ohio State’s running game? Probably, at least for a while. I wouldn’t expect Ohio State to break many big plays on the ground, although I think the Buckeyes could be able to wear down Penn State’s defense over four quarters

MotSaG: Do the Nittany Lions have the talent and depth to contain or keep up with the Buckeyes explosive offense?

KM: Penn State probably has the talent to keep up at the skill positions, but the offensive line is quite another story. Penn State’s o-line has been a complete mess this season for a number of reasons, most notably the two years of recruiting sanctions against the program. Because the line has been an extreme work-in-progress, Christian Hackenberg has been forced to try and make some things happen when they just are not there, and the running game has lacked a chance to get on track. So because of that, Penn State’s offense will have a tough time going point-for-point with Ohio State, and it may be up to the defense to come up with some big plays, and perhaps even some points.

MotSaG: Who are the key players on Penn States defense Buckeye fans should be aware of?

KM: Pay attention to a couple of players up front on the defensive line. Deion Barnes at defensive end is a form Big Ten Freshman of the Year and right by his side is Anthony Zettel. Both have been playing well this season and Zettel has come up with a number of key plays in the backfield. It will be up to these two to bring pressure on Barrett and maybe disrupt the running game before it can get going, but they will be up against their stiffest test of the season against this Ohio State line.

MotSaG: With Penn State coming off a bye do you think an extra week of preparation would help PSU fix some of the major problems on their offensive line?

KM: Well, it certainly can’t hurt. Penn State has now had two bye weeks out of the last three, so you would hope the stability of the offensive line would be a major focus. I am sure it has been, but ultimately I just do not think enough work can be done with what is available to them. Fixing Penn State’s offensive line is going to have to come through recruiting with a full set of scholarships to offer. This is not a line that can be repaired with some duct tape. It needs a complete overhaul.

MotSaG: Word is offensive guard Miles Dieffenbach has been practicing any status on him playing Saturday and being able to help that line out?

KM: It does sound as though Dieffenbach is close to returning, and the way things have ben sounding I would not be shocked if he makes a return this weekend. He is supposed to be the veteran anchor of this young line, but he is still week-to-week as he recovers from an ACL injury in the spring. The bye weeks were supposed to be big for him, and perhaps that will be the case. If Penn State can get him on the field, expect them to do so, but not if it comes at a risk in losing him before he is physically and mentally ready for jumping right in against Ohio State

MotSaG: I know the sanctions really hurt Penn State’s depth, how big of a factor will that play in the game Saturday and possibly for rest of season and possibly getting bowl eligible?

KM: This season was supposed to be the toughest in terms of depth on this roster, and that is exactly how things are playing out. I don’t think that will change the rest of the way, and it will show in some games more than others. This game in particular is one that could turn ugly in the flash of an eye given the talent differential overall. The Michigan State game could as well, but the depth concerns may actually be put more to the test in games like Temple and Indiana. These are games Penn State will never lose when fully equipped, but could easily see slip away if not careful right now. I still think Penn State has enough to get two more wins the rest of the way, and those extra practices in the postseason could help in the long-term, but Penn State should probably feel fortunate to get to six or seven wins at this point

MotSaG: How nice is it to finally get the sanctions lifted and being allowed to be able to compete for a B1G Championship and Bowl games and get a full roster together?

KM: From a purely football perspective, it is fantastic. How can it not? Penn State went into the season with two years of a postseason ban and some scholarship restrictions still to play through, but early in the season the NCAA lifted those terms. This, in effect, gave the players and coaches something else to play for and that is great for them. In theory, the team can now compete for a Big Ten championship and make plans for a bowl trip. There is still work to do, of course, but being able to focus on something positive is a bit of fresh air for the program, its fans and alums. Moving forward, the program appears to be heading in a good direction and things will certainly get better on the field as long as James Franklin and his staff prove they can develop talent as well as they can generate excitement in recruiting.

I would have loved to see what Bill O’Brien would have done with a full recruiting class, but now that falls on Franklin and his crew.

MotSaG: What are Penn State’s fans biggest concerns for the game Saturday?

KM: I think most fans are probably realistic in expecting Penn State to lose this weekend, so I think the biggest fear would be getting tanks in front of the home crowd. Last year’s 63-14 loss showed how far away Penn State is from the top of the Big Ten, so there is a bit of pride on the line here as well. If Penn State is going to lose, keeping it at least somewhat respectable would at least be something moving forward. I know moral victories are for losers, but nobody wants to get blown out at home. The biggest fear may be seeing Hackenberg laying face first in the ground like the famous (infamous) image of Anthony Morelli against Michigan (Google it, you’ll find it).

MotSaG: Do you feel that the Paterno statue should be returned or should everyone just finally close the chapter and move on?

KM: I may be foolish in thinking there will be a time in the future when the statue is returned to sitting somewhere outside Beaver Stadium. While I think people should move on and no longer worry about something as trivial as a statue, I do believe there will come a time when we can reflect on everything Joe Paterno did for the university and football program and community and properly place his good deeds side-by-side with his shortcomings. I think a statue can help paint a full scope and offer a chance to reflect on both positive and negative, but the time is just not right at this moment and it may not be for quite a while.

MotSaG: Final prediction for the game?

KM: Prediction? Pain. As I said on your podcast, I have Ohio State winning this weekend’s match-up in Beaver Stadium, 35-17 (which if you bet the over at 51.5 is just fine with you). I think Penn State’s defense keeps this game from getting out of hand as it did last season, but I can’t see Penn State ever making much of a game of this with their concerns on offense. I see Ohio State maybe jumping out to an early lead and cruising into the second half before Penn State gets a junk touchdown to make this closer than the score would actually indicate.

What I am curious to see, for better or worse, is how Barrett handles this environment. As was suggested on your podcast, this should be different compared to playing at Navy or Maryland, but I think at this point he is as prepared as can be to handle it.

I agree with what Kevin is saying it will be interesting on seeing how Barrett and company will handle the environment seeing how this is going to be the loudest and craziest they have played in front of this season. I do however believe that Urban and company will have this team prepared for this and the Nittany Lions. They are on a historic run and J.T. has really grasped the offense well and has to many weapons for Penn State to handle in my opinion. Penn State’s depth is still a major concern and that’s a huge advantage for the Buckeyes hence the reason i said on the podcast I called for OSU to win 56-3.

Once again I would like to thank Kevin McGuire for his help this week and you should honestly check his stuff out, very knowledgeable on college football and informative. Have any questions? Feel free to drop me a line at AskMotSaG@gmail.com.

Filed Under: B1G Football, College Football, Ohio State Football Tagged With: ,

2014 OSU Football ~ Buckeyes @ Nittany Lions Will Be “Happening” Valley

October 24, 2014 by Leave a Comment

Ever since the loss to Virginia Tech on September 6th, Ohio State has been rolling offensively. Proof? Ohio State has averaged 56 points a game over its last four opponents (Kent State, Cincinnati, Maryland, and Rutgers). Granted, none of those opponents are considered to be college football juggernauts, but it would be fair to state that Ohio State has exorcised the demons (I figured Halloween is right around the corner, so why not be a little colorful with the analogies?) that plagued them as the 2014 college football season began.

Conversely, Penn State seems to be going in the opposite direction. Penn State began the season with a stirring last second victory over Central Florida (26-24) in the season opener, and the Nittany Lions concluded the first month of the season with a 4-0 record. The positive momentum was surprisingly blunted by visiting Northwestern (27-6), then Penn State lost at Michigan (18-13). Considering Penn State had a bye that preceded its visit to Ann Arbor, and still lost to a struggling Michigan team, had to be disconcerting to Penn State coaches, players, and fans. For what it is worth, Penn State is coming into this game with Ohio State off another bye week.

Here are the three areas I will concentrate upon as the kickoff begins at 8pm EST on ABC:

1. Can Penn State’s Defense Slow Down Ohio State’s Offense? – Penn State’s defense has been keeping the team in games, ranking 6th in the country at points allowed (average 15 points a game). The strength of the Penn State defense is the run defense, while Ohio State prides itself on a powerful running game. With those statistics in mind, keep in mind that these are the opponents Penn State has played up until this point – Central Florida, Akron, Rutgers, Massachusetts, Northwestern, and Michigan. Penn State defeated Rutgers 13-10, largely behind five interceptions of Rutgers quarterback Gary Nova; Ohio State just thrashed Rutgers 56-17.

2. Will Penn State’s Offensive Line Be Able To Protect Christian Hackenberg? – Even Penn State coaches and fans recognized going into the 2014 season that the Penn State offensive line was the decided weak link of the team. It would be generous to say that Penn State has struggled to run the ball; Penn State ranks 121st in the country at rushing the ball. Against Michigan, Christian Hackenberg was continually under siege. Ohio State’s defensive line, led by stalwart Joey Bosa, may be extremely difficult to slow down, let alone stop. Will Penn State head coach James Franklin move Hackenberg out of the pocket in order to keep the Ohio State defensive line in check?

3. Ohio State Gets A Sizable Lead; Send In The Backups? – As stated up above, Ohio State has averaged 56 points a game over its last four victories. While it has been rewarding to witness the continuing maturation and development of Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett, it has also been somewhat disappointing that the Ohio State coaching staff has not been giving backup players such as backup quarterback Cardale Jones more playing time. Perhaps I am concerning myself too much on possible negative consequences, but Jones is literally only one play away from having to run the Ohio State offense, yet has had little to no playing time this season. Will Ohio State play its backups and rest its starters if the Buckeyes get a commanding lead over Penn State?

Penn State Head Coach James Franklin will be using the night game atmosphere to his advantage, relying upon the 106,000 fans in Beaver Stadium to impact and disrupt Ohio State with as much noise as possible. As stated up above, Penn State had a bye weekend, so perhaps Coach Franklin has figured out a few things that will keep Ohio State off balance defensively this game. Then again, the oddsmakers in Las Vegas have installed the Buckeyes as 13.5 point favorites, and I always believe there is a reason why there are new buildings and casinos continually being built out there by these individuals. I have it Ohio State 56, Penn State 17.

Filed Under: Ohio State Football
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