Archives for January 2015

Warming the bench as the days grew colder in Columbus, Ohio was Cardale Jones’ priority over the college football season’s first 14 weeks. The redshirt sophomore took to the sidelines regularly for Ohio State, dressed to play but only throwing 17 passes in seven games. Flash forward to the Big Ten Championship Game on December 6, where a slew of injuries to quarterbacks Braxton Miller and J.T. Barrett forced Jones to permanently step in under center. A 59-point outburst against Wisconsin made heads turn, but it was his stellar performance against Alabama in the Sugar Bowl Game that catapulted him to overnight fame.

One game now separates Ohio State from claiming the first-ever College Football Playoff Championship, though the Buckeyes will have to get through a formidable foe in Oregon in order to carve their name in the history books. I’ve had a lot of people contact me to see if I could help them get their hands on some tickets for the big game. I had to regretfully inform them that yes, I am an alumni of the greatest university on earth, but no, my alumni contributions don’t put me in that rarefied air of having access to events like this. Such a shame. Fans hoping to watch Jones end his season with a bang at AT&T Stadium will have to open their wallets big, too, as the average price for College Football Championship Game tickets on TiqIQ is now $1,112.27. The game’s cheapest seat looks more like a top NFL team’s home secondary average, with get-in price listed at $417. (That’s a skosh out of my price range)

Such prices are significantly more expensive than last year’s BCS National Championship Game between Auburn and Florida State. Held at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, the average secondary price for tickets was $907.48, marking a price jump of 23% under the new playoff format this season. Jameis Winston and his Seminoles led a spirited late-game drive to defeat the Tigers last January. Cardale Jones will hope to do the same when his Buckeyes take on the Ducks in Texas next Monday.

At 13-1 and 8-0 in Big Ten matchups, the Buckeyes enter the National Championship Game on the heels of a 12-game win streak including monster victories over Wisconsin and Alabama. Oregon will likely serve as their most difficult opponent yet, however, as the Ducks hold the reigning Heisman Trophy winner in Marcus Mariota and one of the most dominant offenses in college football. Jones’ ability to lead the Buckeyes over his first three career starts has instigated a sense of confidence in the Ohio State locker room that they’ll need to carry into Arlington next week.

With secondary ticket prices reaching a four-digit average in its inaugural year, the College Football Championship Game will undoubtedly serve as one of the most anticipated events of the New Year. For Urban Meyer’s Buckeyes, an eighth national championship and first-ever under the new playoff format would be a fantastic way to greet 2015.

That feeling you have these days is a lighter back. The proverbial monkey which turned into an 800 pound gorilla is off the back of the coaches, players, fans, and the entire Buckeye Nation. It is a grand time to be a Buckeye fan for sure. Let’s give out some game calls shall we?

THE DEFENSE

Darron Lee- He gets a game ball for many things 7 solo tackles and 2 sacks were great. What I am giving him a game ball though is for his leadership. When Cardale threw and INT and Zeke fumbled it was Lee who could be seen talking to them and getting their heads fixed. When OSU made big plays on offense and defense it was Lee who led the charge to make sure he celebrated with and encouraged his teammates. He has gone from never heard of to team leader on a team going to the NCG.

Curtis Grant- What can you say about a SR who has heard and felt the footsteps of a young buck trying to take his spot all year. He didn’t lay down and take it. He flourished on the big stage leading the team in tackles with 10 and making several big stops. Most fans will never give him the credit he deserves this year.

The entire Defensive Backfield- Doran Grant and Eli Apple did a marvelous job most of the game and allowed the safties to help make plays with their 2 INTs. Sure there were some mistakes but they had to contain the best WR in the country and did a good job of it. Vonn Bell was POPPING people all game long with 8 solo tackles.

Steve Miller- Pick Six need I say more? What surprised me the most was his speed. It was fantastic.

THE OFFENSE

Ezekiel Elliott- 20 Rushed for 230 yards and 2 TDs and throw in 1 reception for 13 yards. The fumble was awful but he more than made up for it. He was our offensive MVP and he continues to get better and better as the year has progressed. OSU would not be playing for the NC without this youngman who already has the 4th best rushing year in OSU history with 1632 yards and has one more game to go.

The offensive Line- Replacing 4 starters 3 of whom are starting on NFL teams in the playoffs is really hard to do and OSU did it almost seamlessly which is an incredible feat. All of them get a game ball for dominating the #2 DL in the country. Practicing against the best DL clearly has helped them a lot.

The Pass Catchers- Evan Spencer is so important to the team for all the small things he does. Devin Smith and Michael Thomas make spectacular plays. The rest do their jobs so the team can keep moving the ball and they do it really well.

THE COACHES

Luke Fickell- It is time for the haters to admit Luke Fickell is a whale of a coach and recruiter and play caller. Luke calls the front 7 plays and it was he who had Steve Miller drop in coverage and get the pick 6. He was the only coach who believed that Darron Lee was worthy of becoming a Buckeye. He had to convince Urban Meyer to take a chance. Every fan should be grateful for his efforts.

Chris Ash- I dont want to point fingers at Everett Withers but he is gone and Chris Ash is here and the defense is much improved. His attack style is working amazing and he has done wonders with young DBs this year.

Urban Meyer- He had the most to gain and lose by beating Nick Saban and Bama. He built on his reputation immensely and shut up his doubters. One more win and he could arguably be called the greatest CFB coach ever. Not even joking a little.

SPECIAL MENTIONS

Special Teams- How about Corey Smith who has struggled a lot this year as a WR but came up huge on KO coverage for OSU this game? Sean Nuerenberger made every kick he was asked to and that is a feat for a true freshman playing in the biggest game of his life.

The Fans- We have been through a lot and had a lot of success the last 15 years. It has been a roller coaster ride for sure. Buckeye Nation is strong and goes everywhere to support the team they love. We deserve credit for that and a game ball for sure. YAY US!!!!

Best wishes to everyone for a Happy New Year. In the interest of full disclosure, this article is being written on New Year’s Eve, with a publish date of January 2, 2015. I anticipate being up late watching The 2015 Sugar Bowl with hopes of celebrating into the wee hours of the morning…

The news that the University of Michigan hired Jim Harbaugh to be its new head football coach has been largely viewed as a positive on a national scale and by former Ohio State players, but not by all Ohio State fans. An example Twitter dialogue between my esteemed colleague Jeremiah and myself will give you an idea as to what I mean…

Jeremiah’s concerns and viewpoints are understandable. After all, Ohio State has had its way with “The Team Up North” since January 18, 2001, when this speech was made on the day Jim Tressel was announced as the new head football coach at Ohio State…

Winning every game but two in a span since 2001-2014 is very rewarding and satisfying. It has allowed for a full generation of Ohio State fans to forget what it was like to suffer through the agonizing defeats to “The Team Up North”.

I want to emphasize this point – I never want to lose to “The Team Up North”. Let me make that abundantly clear.

However…I have enjoyed winning THE GAME much more so when “The Team Up North” was good, and not bad or mediocre.

Allow me to elaborate. The speech up above by Coach Tressel merely amplified the anticipation for THE GAME on November 24, 2001. The 26-20 victory in Ann Arbor was the first by Ohio State since 1987, and helped to eliminate “The Team Up North” from The B1G championship. In 2002, I was in attendance when “The Team Up North” was ranked twelfth as they entered Ohio Stadium with designs on eliminating Ohio State from the national championship game; Ohio State won on a nailbiter interception by Will Allen…

I was in attendance when arguably the most mediocre Ohio State team of the Jim Tressel era defeated the last “Team Up North” to win The B1G in 2004. Who can forget “The Catch” that helped propel Ohio State over the seventeenth-ranked TTUN to a BCS bowl game in 2005?

THE GAME, and B1G football, has not stood as tall since November 18, 2006. Ranked number one and number two, for the right to go on to play for The BCS Championship. Who did not relish that victory over “The Team Up North” when the stakes were so high?

Yes, in 2007, Ohio State won in Ann Arbor to clinch The B1G and deny “The Team Up North” a trip to The Rose Bowl, but it was not the same. After 2006, the quality of “The Team Up North” has been one of steady decline, and helping to contribute to a national perception that B1G football was not something to be respected, and certainly not feared.

Jim Harbaugh’s hiring helps to change that perception. Look at how @finebaum, noted troller of all things north of the Mason-Dixon line, tweeted about the hiring…

Think about the coaches in The SEC West – Nick Saban (Alabama), Dan Mullen (Miss St), Hugh Freeze (Ole Miss), Gus Malzahn (Auburn), Les Miles (LSU), Kevin Sumlin (Texas A&M), and Bret Bielema (Arkansas). While not all are impressive, Saban, Miles, and Malzahn have had teams compete for the national championship over the past few seasons.

Now compare that to what The B1G East will have to offer – Urban Meyer (Ohio State), Mark Dantonio (Michigan State), Jim Harbaugh (“The Team Up North”), and James Franklin (Penn State). While Meyer is the only one with national championship credentials, all of those men are truly well-respected for their recruiting prowess and abilities to develop teams into championship caliber units. The B1G East’s teams and reputation will be able to compete against any team from anywhere.

To put it another way, The B1G used to have men such as these roaming the sidelines thirty years ago (1985 season) – Earle Bruce. Bo Schembechler. Hayden Fry. Lou Holtz. All of those men are in the College Football Hall of Fame. The Harbaugh hiring helps to bring B1G football status back to its historical perspective.

Again – I never want to lose to “The Team Up North”. However, I welcome the idea of going into Ann Arbor on November 28, 2015, with a highly ranked opponent in Ann Arbor, helping to propel Ohio State back into its second year of The College Football Playoff, thanks to the return of an old adversary.

It’s going to be hard to write this right now because I’m shaking and my heart is about to give out. Besides the 2002 National Championship game, I have never been so emotionally drained watching a game.

For the first half, it seemed like Alabama was just going to be the better team. Even though Ohio State was able to move the ball, they weren’t able to punch the ball into the endzone and after a couple turnovers, went down early, 21-6. Even from that point, although the Buckeyes were losing, it never felt out of reach. There were a couple times it looked like the momentum could turn in Bama’s favor and bury Ohio State.

Things started going better for the Buckeyes and going into the half just down one point, it felt like this really could happen. We could beat Bama.

Ohio State then came out in the second half and continued to move the ball against the vaunted Alabama defense. They would score 28 straight points before Alabama would find the end zone again, going up 34-21.

It would go back and forth but Steve Miller’s INT TD and Ezekiel Elliot’s 85 yard dash would be all it took to knock off Satan’s Team.

Yes, there were some head scratching coaching calls. Mistakes were definitely made. But Ohio State won the game and is going to the first “REAL” National Championship in the first College Football Playoff.

It seems like it was ages ago, but it was just a short four years ago we did this, in what would end up being Coach Tressel’s last game as the Head Coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes. The beginning of the end.

Now there’s a new SEC opponent and a new head coach patrolling the Ohio State sideline. In the inaugural College Football Playoff, it’s the Buckeyes vs. the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Join us in the conversation (or follow us on Twitter!)

Go BUCKS!

It’s finally here: the inaugural College Football Playoff. By now we all know who is playing in each game, but let’s take a closer look at each game and get to know the contenders.

The College Football Playoff at the Rose Bowl

2 Oregon Ducks vs 3 Florida State Seminoles

January 1, 2015 at 5:30 PM

Florida State hasn’t lost a game since Manti Te’o had a girlfriend. Oregon is riding an 8 game win streak after dropping an early season game to Arizona (who they then demoralized in the Pac 12 Championship Game). Both quarterbacks have Heisman Trophies. It’s the oh-so controversial Jameis Winston versus the quiet and reserved Marcus Mariota. By all imaginations, this would be a great National Championship matchup. Let’s take a look at some numbers.

Oregon

According to ESPN.com, Oregon is one of the top offensive teams in the nation. They rank 3rd in points for, 11th in passing yards per game, and 22nd in rushing yards per game. The high octane attack the Ducks run will be something that Florida State has not seen all season, and this offense will far and away be the biggest challenge that the Seminoles have faced. We all know the big name for the Ducks, Mariota, but there are plenty of playmakers around him who make this offense click. WR Darren Carrington, WR Bryan Marshall, and RB Royce Freeman all will have their numbers called against Florida State.

This offense will have no problem scoring points, as they averaged 46.3 points per game. The question will be about the defense. They gave up more than 20 points just twice in their last 6 games and have been improving as the season went on. That being said, they are 49th in rush defense (according to NCAA.com), and 82nd in Total Defense (also according to NCAA.com). Oregon also lost All American Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, their best cornerback, who will be replaced with a redshirt freshman. Expect the Seminoles to attack the redshirt freshman Chris Seisay. He is going to have a lot on his shoulders in his first start. However, Oregon is 3rd in turnover margin at +17, Mainly due to having only 8 turnovers all season, the fewest in the country. Oregon takes care of the ball well on offense, and Florida State will not have many opportunities to create turnovers should they fall behind early.

Florida State

After going 13-0 for the second consecutive season, the Florida State Seminoles seems to lack the national respect they probably deserve. As much as people malign them for the close games against weak competition, they never lost, which is something no other team in the Playoff can say.

Offensively, the team isn’t real flashy. 29th in points for, 14th in passing yards. The glaring stat is that they are 104th in rushing yards per game; their leading rusher has 905 yards on the season. They also have 27 turnovers, with 19 of those being interceptions. Yet as uninspiring as those numbers are, the Seminoles are 13-0. Jameis is the big name on this team, but some names to watch are RB Dalvin Cook, WR Rashad Greene, TE Nick O’Leary, and K Roberto Aguayo. Yes, the kicker. Aguayo, a sophomore, is 100% on extra points for the season, and has only missed three FGs in his entire career: he’s 46/49. If it comes down to a kick, FSU definitely has the advantage.

Prediction

If Florida State follows the trend of falling behind early, then they may not be able to dig out of this hole. The Oregon offense is too powerful and protects the ball better than anyone in the country, so relying on timely turnovers won’t be a viable strategy. Florida State is going to have to match Oregon punch for punch, which they have proven they can do against Georgia Tech. I expect Jameis to throw at least one interception, probably a bad one at that, but he will have to play like his Heisman campaign for FSU to have a shot. Expect him to put the ball in the air often, as calling their run game effective would be a stretch. However, Florida State does have the big men in the trenches that has always seemed to give Oregon problems, so the battle of the lines will be key.

Final: Oregon 38 Florida State 34

The College Football Playoff at the Sugar Bowl

1 Alabama Crimson Tide vs 4 Ohio State Buckeyes

January 1, 2015 at 8:00 PM

The final game of the “36 hour football bonanza” will be for the final spot in the National Championship Game. The perennial contenders, Alabama, versus the surprise Ohio State Buckeyes. The vaunted SEC versus the lowly Big Ten. No contest, most people say. Well, the numbers say a little different.

Alabama Crimson Tide

The 2014 Alabama Crimson Tide avenged last year’s miracle of the Kick Six by dropping 55 points on Auburn to cap a one-loss regular season. They hung 42 points on Missouri in the SEC Title Game. Before Auburn, the Tide ripped Western Carolina for 48 points. The offense has been at a high level the last three weeks of the season, mainly thanks to WR Amari Cooper. On the season, the Alabama offense ranks 16th in points for, 34th in rushing per game, and 22nd in passing per game. Offensively, QB Blake Sims can be very Jekyll and Hyde. He especially struggles away from Bryant-Denny Stadium, though he had a terrible first half against Auburn there in the Iron Bowl. He has enough athleticism to escape pressure, but sometimes makes poor decisions throwing the football. However, if Amari is left in one-on-one coverage, expect Sims to find him, likely for a touchdown. Even if Amari is kept in check, the Alabama run game led by TJ Yeldon will punish you in attempt to open up room in the passing game.

Their reputation comes heavily from their defense. The Alabama defense ranks 4th in points against, at 16.8. They gave up more than 23 points just once. Auburn scored 44 points on over 600 yards of offense. Auburn, the only true spread team on the Alabama schedule, torched the Alabama secondary for over 450 yards. Alabama is 57th in the country in passing yards allowed per game. This is their weakness on defense.

Ohio State Buckeyes

If you read this blog regularly, then you’re likely very familiar with the Ohio State football season thus far. After losing Heisman Trophy contender Braxton Miller before the season even started, and losing a game early at home to Virginia Tech, many assumed the Buckeyes (and the Big Ten) had lost all hopes for a playoff team. The Buckeyes ran through the rest of their schedule, picking up 11 wins in a row. Even after losing another Heisman contender in Joe Thomas Barrett IV (or, more commonly known as JT Barrett), the Buckeyes dismantled a very good Wisconsin team in the B1G Championship Game with Cardale Jones.

Going into this game, the Buckeyes are known for their offense, especially their running game, as they average 260 yards per game, good for 11th in the nation, at a clip of 45 points per game, good for 5th in the country. However, the Buckeye defense has experienced a 180 revolution from last year. The “Silver Bullets” may finally be returning in Columbus, as the Buckeyes give up just 21 points per game, and the much maligned pass defense has found its way to 15th best in the country. The Buckeyes are also a very opportunistic defense, producing 29 turnovers, 21 of which are interceptions (4th most in the country). However, the defensive line is still the bread and butter of the defense, with 40 sacks on the season (10th in the nation) and 100 tackles for loss (7th in the nation). Expect the defensive line to be in the Alabama backfield, hoping to at least disrupt Blake Sims. However, Sims does have some escapability, which has been a bit of a problem for the Buckeyes, especially against Michigan when Devin Gardner managed to turn sure sacks into positive gains. The Buckeye defense will have to keep contain on Sims. Amari Cooper will also be a problem. Expect to see senior Doran Grant on Cooper, with a safety over the top. To leave Cooper in one-one-one coverage is a mistake, and will likely end with him in the end zone and 6 points for the boys from Tuscaloosa.

On offense, the Buckeyes will have no problem scoring and moving the ball on the Alabama defense. The Buckeyes run a very similar offense to Auburn, who torched Alabama for over 600 yards. Getting playmakers like Jalin Marshall or Dontre Wilson (who may play) into space will open up the middle for the run game of Ezekiel Elliott. The big question mark remains Cardale Jones. He looked great in his first career start, winning MVP of the B1G Championship Game. However, against a defense that has three weeks to prepare against him, it remains to be seen if his confidence gained from Indy will carry over.

Prediction

I hate predicting games involving Ohio State and having to be objective. Though, given that this is an Ohio State centric website, I suppose showing favor isn’t a sin. This one is going to be a shootout, despite both defenses being pretty strong. Saban and Meyer with three weeks to prepare for each other? I’ll take my chances with Urban this time.

Final: Ohio State 31 Alabama 30

*All stats courtesy of ESPN.com and NCAA.com