Archives for December 2014

There isn’t much to say that these can’t-Here is how I have felt since late Saturday night and it’s still going…

    

It’s a feeling I don’t think I’ve felt since the end of the Ohio State Michigan game of 2006. We all know the man who came out on top that year so let’s hope that is a sign of things to come.

The best part of being a negative pathetic P.O.S. fan like myself when something like Saturday night happens, is a feeling of pure surprise and joy that is indescribable. It’s like a perfect cocktail of a fine vodka shaken with man-emotion and a dash of rainbows. All you believers who saw this coming weren’t near as giddy as me and my father,Mr. Negabuck, were sitting in the stands Saturday night.

OK you probably were…

Here is how someone with a brain disorder like mine thinks from start to finish in a blowout:

7-0 “O.k. great start, wasn’t expecting that. It’s going to be a shootout.”

14-0 “Alright alright, pile on the points before the Badgers get going.”

17-0 “Daggumit we will regret not punching that in for 6; Melvin Gordon is too dangerous.”

24-0 “Couldn’t ask for a better start I guess.”

31-0 “I think the Big Ten record for points come back from is 31, need to get off that number.”

38-0 “What the hell is going on?”

45-0 “I think we may have enough points to start running out the clock.”

52-0 “This is certainly a dream; any second now I’m going to wake up in my hotel’s bed on Saturday morning. At least I’ll get to eat that free breakfast again.”

59-0 “…Speechless.”

Clock hits 00:00

It was the best performance for the Bucks under Urban Meyer and they’ll be plenty of time to look ahead to Bama. I say we take some time to enjoy a truly special season.

Let’s look back at the Top 5 Defining Moments of the Ohio State Season:

5. General Lee takes Down Navy:

With a million new faces on the field and the Buckeyes in danger of losing the season opener Darron Lee punched momentum right in the face and kidnapped his children.

4. J.T. Finally Arrives:

After solid games against Kent State and Cincinnati, the freshmen quarterback showed he was legit in his first road game at Maryland. The one that sticks out is his first touchdown pass (second highlight of video) in which he audibles, brings in an extra blocker and hits Jalin Marshall before he even cuts in the endzone.

 3. Paging Doctor Badass:

Ohio State was ready to lose against a hated rival after a dismal offensive performance in the second half in Happy Valley. Then, after two gutty J.T. Barrett td’s in double overtime, Joey Bosa decided to run through Penn State running back Akeel Lynch to sack Christian Hackenburg and keep the season alive.

2. Jalin takes over after disastrous week:

In the previous week at Minnesota, Jalin Marshall fumbled two crucial balls away to cost Ohio State important style points. Urban Meyer didn’t waver; he said the freshmen is not coming out of the game against Indiana. The most important of Marshall’s FOUR TOUCHDOWNS was the punt return to take back the lead for good.

1. After a total team effort-time to celebrate a championship:

Ohio State dismantled the favorite Wisconsin by 59 points to clinch the Big Ten Title and cement their spot in the Final Four. The team had a blast after the game.

The regular season ended with a bang but the fun aint over yet…

Ohio State players and fans get to measure up against the top dog- Alabama. Have the Buckeye’s used up all of their magic this season? Or does it reset to full in 2015?

Either way I know I’ll be high stepping and grooving through Christmas, still high off an outstanding year.

Bonus: This looks like fun for some reason, though I’m not sure he was trained properly…

Double Bonus: Don’t forget that Cardale Jones once killed a man:

The last memory most Buckeye fans have of the Big Ten Championship game, up until Saturday night, was Braxton Miller being stuffed short on 4th down, shortly followed by the infamous picture of Coach Meyer sitting on a golf cart eating Papa John’s pizza. It was a heartbreaking night for the Buckeye head coach, his team, and all of Buckeye nation. Win and you’re in. However, the Spartans of Michigan State had a much different plan as they played spoiler to the Buckeyes national title hopes.

Fast forward to Saturday December 6th, 2014 and wouldn’t you know, the Buckeyes seem to be in a similar position as they were the year before. Maybe there was less of a certainty to it, but it turned out being, win and you’re in. The difference between last years Buckeye team and this years was evident from the kick off. This team played with a level of emotion, passion, anger, and down right nastiness that last years team lacked.

When Urban Meyer arrived at Ohio State he had two demands from what he wanted from his football team. He wanted a hungry and angry football team. That team showed up Saturday night as they drubbed the 13th ranked team in the nation 59-0. They had been told all week by “experts”, Vegas odds, and whoever had a voice in college football, that they would lose to Wisconsin due to their inferior run defense and being down to their third string quarterback, Cardale Jones. When Ohio State took the field Saturday night, they did not need any extra motivation, with the world around them doubting, and the love and memory of their fallen teammate Kosta Karageorge, the Buckeyes played their best game under Urban Meyer.

From the opening drive Tom Herman wanted to get Cardale Jones comfortable so he opened with a roll-out to the right side and completed the pass to former Fork Union teammate Michael Thomas, who ended the night with 3 receptions for 41 yards. The pass was low and away from Thomas, but he made a nice diving grab to help his quarterback out. 5 plays later Jones would hook up with Devin Smith for 39 yard touchdown pass that put Jones at ease, Buckeye nation in a frenzy, and most importantly, Ohio State in the lead.

That script would repeat itself 2 more times in the night as Jones and Smith connected on a 44 yard touchdown and 42 yard touchdown, which led to Devin Smith’s ridiculous stat line of 4 catches, 137 yards, and 3 touchdowns. However, it wasn’t just his receivers that gave Jones an enormous amount of help. Jones was given very good protection from his offensive line. He was very efficient and did not abuse the amount of time his protection provided him. On several occasions Jones would work through his first, second, and third read, tuck the ball and scramble for whatever yardage he could get.

The offensive line also did a hell of a job blocking for running back Ezekiel Elliott. The sophomore stole the spotlight which was intended for Heisman candidate Melvin Gordon. Elliott went off, rushing 20 times for an astounding 220 yards and two touchdowns. His night was highlighted by an explosive 81 yard run on the Buckeyes second drive. Once again, the credit for that score goes largely to the offensive line who opened up a whole, led by Jacoby Boren, that you could drive a semi-truck through.

As dominant as the offensive line was, the defensive line was as equally imposing. Joey Bosa and Michael Bennett were the main disruptors on the evening, but there were contributions from everyone. Starting on the opening drive the Badgers rushed Gordon twice for a total of 1 yard and were forced to punt. On Wisconsin’s second drive Gordon began to have more success pulling off an 8 and 6 yard gain, but the Buckeye defense stiffened and forced yet another punt. Gordon ended his night and his Heisman campaign with a mere 26 rushes for 76 yards and a 2.9 yards per carry average, and also one fumble that was recovered by Joey Bosa and returned for a touchdown.

The key to shutting Gordon down was the exceptional play of the defensive line, either occupying blockers or creating penetration. They were quickly followed by Lee, Grant, and Perry flowing downhill faster than they have played all season. I suspect Ash had them playing relatively conservative this season to help out in the play action game which helped control the middle of the field, but given that Wisconsin had posed no legitimate threat to the middle of the field, Ash and Fickell gave the LB’s a green light to play downhill which suits Grant’s and Perry’s playing style.

While the front seven did their job, the back four of the Buckeyes defense, led by senior Doran Grant, played outstanding. Sophomore Vonn Bell baited Wisconsin quarterback Joel Stave in to an early interception. Bell sat in zone coverage and tracked Stave’s eyes back to the middle of the field which led Bell directly to the Stave’s target and the ball. Senior Doran Grant also got in on the interception action as he had two of his own. Stave finished his forgettable night just 17/43 for 187 yards and 3 interceptions.

It is safe to say that the Badgers were overwhelmed and outmatched Saturday night. They had little to no answer for the Buckeyes athleticism, speed, and depth. This was a program building win. In my opinion, this was the first time this program, under Urban Meyer has been able to establish itself as the top dog in the conference. Meyer has his recruiting classes rolling in, his players have bought in to what he and his staff are teaching, and the Buckeyes are the king’s of the Big Ten Conference. Next up: Alabama.

Ohio State will play Alabama on January 1st in the Sugar Bowl. Saban vs. Meyer, SEC vs. B1G.

All while Mark May and Rece Davis’ heads are exploding.

Saturday will mark the second straight year Ohio State has reached Indianapolis for the Big Ten Championship, and the Buckeyes are headed into battle without Heisman contender J.T. Barrett for the first time this season. The game Saturday night also marks the 3^rd trip in 4 years to Indy for an also dinged up Wisconsin squad.

This game may be one of the biggest question marks in Ohio State history and anybody who knows how it will play out is a fraud. This match-up is riddled with questions and should make for entertaining TV, even for somebody not pulling for the Badgers or Buckeyes.

• How good is J.T. Barrett’s replacement Cardale Jones?
• How healthy is Melvin Gordon and Wisconsin’s offensive line?
• Which Ohio State defense will show up?
• Is the Badger defense really one of the best in the country?

All of these will be answered in this article Saturday night. Until then, here is what to look out for in this intriguing match-up:

 Ohio State offense vs. Wisconsin defense-

I don’t know. You don’t know. Hell, I don’t even think Cardale knows what kind of quarterback he is and Ohio State can use this to their advantage. Wisconsin knew what they were getting into with the 6’2″, 215 pound Barrett- an accurate passer with great vision and a decent arm.

Now Bucky has to prepare for a monstrous unknown in 6’5″, 250 pound Cardale Jones with a supposed cannon for an arm. It will be interesting to see whether the Badgers will try an attacking approach to try and rattle the newbie, or if they will sit back and force Jones to be accurate.

No matter the strategy, the goal of Gary Andersen will be to make Jones and OSU’s wideouts move the ball- not Ohio State’s explosive backs in Ezekiel Elliott, Curtis Samuel and Jalin Marshall. The latter will most likely see numerous snaps at the wildcat quarterback position this week. I would be absolutely shocked if Marshall does not throw at least a couple of passes.

Wisconsin doesn’t have a JJ Watt or Chad Borland on the 2014 team, but they are an outstanding unit. The numbers tell the story on the defense (national ranks):

• 4^th in scoring defense.
• 8^th in rushing yards allowed.
• 2^nd in passing yards allowed.
• 2^nd in total yards allowed.

These numbers are a little inflated by two factors, however. The Badgers are a top 7 team in time of possession so the defense is not facing a lot of plays from the opposition and teams they have played have been wretched on offense.

Wisconsin has faced one offense inside the top 40 in the country in yards per game (#35 Nebraska), with 7 match-ups against teams ranked 80 or higher. While this doesn’t prove that Wisconsin is a fraud, it should ease worried Buckeye fans a little bit.

Conversely, Ohio State has faced 4 top 20 defenses and 3 in the top 10 in yards allowed.

Honestly, these numbers mean nothing the second Cardale walks out of that huddle but they do paint an interesting picture.

Wisconsin offense vs. Ohio State defense-

While both teams have plenty of solid players on their respective units, both the Badgers and the Buckeyes have one guy who gets the pub.

Melvin Gordon is statistically one of the greatest players of all time and there is no arguing that from anybody. He looks to be a lock to head to New York for the Heisman ceremony next week and he was named Big Ten Offensive player of the year on Monday. His strength and speed has NFL scouts drooling and all eyes will be on him Saturday. A big play running back facing a defense of OSU that has been burned the whole month of November by explosive plays is a frightening thought for the scarlet and gray.

The scary part from the Wisconsin side is that Gordon is a little dinged up and two of his big guys up front are questionable to play. This could mean big things for Ohio State’s defensive line whom also boast one of the nations best players, Joey Bosa. The young man is the Big Ten Defensive player of the year and will need to make an impact to slow down the Badgers running game.

Bosa may be the best in the country at rushing the passer but is less consistent as a run stopper. If you’re Wisconsin’s coach Gary Andersen, do you stay away from him on first and second down, or are you going right at him hoping he over pursues?

Ohio State will need to focus on stopping the running game and dare Joel Stave to make the throws downfield to win. The Badgers are one of the worst passing teams in the nation statistically. No real threats have emerged for the Badgers and OSU needs to keep it that way. A team cannot stop MG3 for 60 minutes and needs to contain all other threats to keep the Badgers from going off.

Here are both teams by the numbers:

• Wisconsin- 3^rd in rushing yards, 119th in pass yards, 15^th in scoring offense,  21^st in total offense.
• Ohio State- 40^th in rush defense, 17^th in pass defense, 29^th in scoring defense, 19^th in total defense.

The game may be decided by red zone trips and Wisconsin definitely holds the kicking edge.

How it will end-

This may be the most difficult game to predict of the weekend, even for the sharpest bettors. There are way too many unknowns with injuries and unproven players, but I believe the good guys pull it out.

Ohio State 27 Wisconsin 20.

This game is going to be a lot of fun and the pressure has dropped immensely after Barrett’s injury. Most analysts are picking Wisconsin and saying how unfortunate the Buckeye’s luck has been.

But if they can pull it off…

Rankings reflect current College Football Playoff rankings.

Friday, December 5

PAC-12

#7 Arizona vs. #2 Oregon. 9:00p, Fox.

Saturday, December 6

BIG 12

Iowa State @ #3 TCU. Noon, ABC.

#9 Kansas State @ #6 Baylor. 7:45p, ESPN.

SEC

#1 Alabama vs. #16 Missouri. 4:00p, CBS.

ACC

#4 Florida State vs. #11 Georgia Tech. 8:00, ABC.

BIG TEN

#5 Ohio State vs. #13 Wisconsin. 8:15p, Fox.

If the world was perfect, we’d be getting ready to watch eight conference championship games and few other games that would have a direct impact on which teams made it to the sixteen-team College Football Playoff. We’d calmly watch Sunday’s Selection Special to see where the teams will be seeded, and which non-champions get at-large nods. Maybe some of those choices would bug us a little, but we would also know that each and every team had the ability to control their own destiny.

Instead, we’re getting the same thing we’ve been getting forever: controversy. TCU is ranked 3 spots ahead of a team that beat them, despite identical records, similar schedules and not really that much difference in terms of on-field performance. Sure, I get it, Baylor hasn’t played Kansas State yet. But if the Bears win big on Saturday, is the committee really going to knock TCU out of the #3 slot? Maybe they will, but it seems hard to believe, considering the Frogs are also in front of undefeated Florida State.

And Seminoles fans should be pretty worried about that too. I see no reason to believe that this committee won’t leave an unbeaten team out of the playoff if they think four other teams are better. If Florida State stumbles around for three quarters before barely beating Georgia Tech (a script the Noles know quite well this year) and Baylor blows Kansas State’s doors off, what’s keeping the committee from putting the Bears in? Some “statement” about non-conference scheduling?

Well, maybe. That would explain why Baylor is so far behind TCU, despite the teams’ similarities and the head-to-head win. And while I agree that a team shouldn’t be rewarded for weak scheduling, and that a 3-point win doesn’t necessarily mean one team is “better” than the other, it is sort of frustrating that a playoff system whose very purpose is to settle things on the field would completely ignore the on-field result of a game between two top teams.

But what’s most frustrating is that these arguments have to happen at all. We can stage a sixteen-team playoff beginning the week after the conference championship games, take a week off for whatever snow-holiday you celebrate, then play the final four and championship games at the exact same time we will anyway. Did some teams “have to” play a couple extra football games? Yeah. Do you really think any of the kids on those teams are going to complain about that?

Every team could enter the season knowing exactly what they need to do to make it to the playoff instead of trying to guess what a roomful of spectators is going to value. Tons of games every single weekend would matter. Nearly a dozen games this weekend would be vital. And then it would all get settled on the field.

At the end of it all, a single champion would remain. Would they be the “best” team according to the “eye test” or some binder full of charts?

Who would even care?