Archives for September 2015

MotSaG Podcast Special edition with Bill King

September 24, 2015 by Leave a Comment

You ever wish you could maybe talk to a national radio personality for longer than the few minutes allowed when on air? Honestly I have always wished I could sit down and discuss sports with a lot of different sports talk show hosts. I can say I have’t called into any shows, nothing against it, I just never found the time to be on hold waiting in line (patience isn’t my thing). I decided for the heck of it a couple of weeks ago to tweet out to a national treasure, a walking college encyclopedia of college football to see if they would be willing to join the MotSaG Podcast. Now nine out of ten times you never hear anything back, but this day I had a response within minutes.

Bill King who has been a staple in college football, was the radio host I reached out to. Mr. King was kind enough to honor Chip and myself by joining our show to discuss Ohio State football. We were so fortunate to talk about the SEC, college playoff expansion, why won’t the SEC travel North, etc.

We had a great time talking with Bill King, we shared some laughs even surprisingly talked about beer. Now remember to smoke your brisket fat side up y’all and go give Bill a follow and if you haven’t heard his show before, take a listen I am sure you will enjoy it. Again thanks to Bill for honoring us with taking the time out of his busy schedule and discussing with us what we all love – college football.

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

Week 4: MotSaG B1G Pick ‘em and Tidbits

September 23, 2015 by Leave a Comment

By: Phil Schoch, Twitter me @osuphil95

Each week in this spot, we look to college football’s clandestine desert numerologists and predict each B1G match-up as well as a few national spotlight games.

This is how wannabe gamblers lose their house, car, wife…

In week three, Pick ‘em & Tidbits nearly flat-lined and registered a 4-11 record versus the spread. Brutal! I was 12-3 straight up. For the second consecutive week, my PM Stukenborg Fearless Prediction went to overtime and fell short. Nebraska (+3.5) scored 23 points in the final 8 minutes at Miami to force overtime. Then Tommy Armstrong lost his mind on the first play of OT and threw a horrendous INT. After moving the ball inside the five yard line, Miami settled for a field goal (and non-cover) and the win. After three weeks, I am 19-29 against the spread and 38-10 straight up.

The long-climb to respectability and .500 begins this week, or next.

Bret Bielema’s tears are bacon fat drippings. This week Texas Tech savors the flavor from their post-game victory chalice (which undoubtedly is shaped like gun). #burtforillini #chiefilliniburt

Disclaimer: You’ve seen the stats! Please do not wager any of your hard earned dollars based on anything written in this weekly post.

Around the B1G…

Saturday, September 26

BYU

12:00

ABC

Vegas says…

Wolverines -5.5

At Michigan

BYU has been through the wringer this season. Hail Mary victory at Nebraska. Final minute heroics versus Boise. One point loss at UCLA. Now they fly to the Eastern time zone for a noon kick versus Michigan. If BYU has anything left in the tank, I think they win straight up.

Pick ’em says… Come on Cougs! I want to see cutaways to sad Michigan fans. BYU, 27-24.

Kansas

12:00

BTN

Vegas says…

Rutgers -12.5

At Rutgers

Remember when the Velvet Mountain led the Jayhawks to a BCS Orange Bowl win – only 8 years ago?! But Mark Mangino was a big meanie, so Kansas brought in Charlie FUPA. Now they are basically a high school JV team and Charlie is piling his Kansas buyout checks on top of his Notre Dame checks. What an agent!

Pick ’em says… Rutgers is a rotting mess, but they’re not Kansas. Scarlet Knights, 31-17.

Central Michigan

12:00

BTN

Vegas says…

Spartans -26.5

At Michigan State

Mark Dantonio keeps his business socks on for game day too, because even against weak MAC schools It’s Business Time. NSFW ALERT! Flight of the Conchords, It’s Business Time- https://youtu.be/AqZcYPEszN8.

Pick ’em says… Two minutes in heaven is better than one minute in heaven. Spartans, 38-13.

Southern Miss

Favre draft party

12:00

ESPNN

Vegas says…

Huskers -22.5

At Nebraska

As these two know, crunch time INT’s are killers. I kinda feel badly for Armstrong. He willed the Huskers to the 23-point 4th quarter comeback against the ‘Canes. Which anyone will tell you, is quite a tough task with 50,000 empty seats yawning each play.

Pick ’em says… Huskers have suffered two crushing defeats this season (see BYU Hail Mary). Need this win to level out at 2-2. Nebraska, 35-21. 

Bowling Green

12:00

BTN

Vegas says… BG -1.5

At Purdue

Purdue stinks – the team and the air. I’m stunned Bowling Green is only a slight favorite.

Pick ’em says… Falcons, 41-28.

Indiana

Hoagy Carmichael - 1947.jpg

12:30

ESPN3

Vegas says…

No spread available

At Wake Forest

Ben Folds 2007.jpg

Bloomington, Indiana native, composer Hoagy Carmichael, is best known for composing four of the most-recorded American standards: Stardust, Georgia on My Mind, The Nearness of You, and Heart and Soul. Dweeby piano rocker, Ben Folds, grew up  in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

Pick ’em says… Indiana will likely be favored by about 6ish (?). Hoosiers, 27-21. 

Maryland

 

3:00

FOXS1

Vegas says… WVa -17.5

At West Virginia

 

A Baltimore legend. Give me a classic, refreshing Natty Boh over whatever bath tub hooch the Mountaineers swill.

Pick ’em says… ‘Neers, 42-24.

North Texas

3:30

ESPNU

Vegas says… Iowa -24.5

At Iowa

I know, Necessary Roughness went with Texas State Fightin’ Armadillos, but the film was shot on North Texas’ campus in Denton. The colors and uniforms are a nod to the Mean Green as well. Kathy Ireland kicks field goals. Sinbad is an offensive lineman. For all you youngsters, it’s a ensemble cast classic. Robert Loggia, in a defensive coordinator/interim head coaching role delivers the greatest halftime speech of all time. NSFW ALERT! https://youtu.be/ZEbN6Vnr1g8

Pick ’em says… Sorry Armadillos. Iowa, 31-10.

Ohio U

 

3:30

BTN

Vegas says…

Gophers -10.5

At Minnesota

 

At my advanced age, Halloween in Minnesota is far more appealing.

Pick ’em says… The Buckeye offense has been a juggernaut compared to the putrid Gopher O. 10-7 over Kent State? At home? After three outings, the Gophers are averaging less than 17 points per game! Gophers, 17-14.

Western Michigan

 

3:30

ABC

Vegas says… Bucks -31

At Ohio State

Image result for western michigan helmet

Establish a starting and lasting quarterback. Establish the power run game. Establish your true play makers. JUST ESTABLISH SOMETHING! The hodgepodge, grab bag play calling and below expectations O-line play have made the past two weeks maddening for Buckeye fans hoping to see 50-60 point outbursts.

Pick ’em says… No more excuses. Bucks, 51-13.

San Diego State

 

3:30

BTN

Vegas says… PSU -15

At Penn State

 

A win here and Penn State will be one of the ugliest, awfullest 3-1 teams in the country. Ugliest and awfullest also describes the hideous Nittany Lion mascot.

Pick ’em says… WE ARE! 3-1! WE ARE! UGLY & AWFUL! 27-10.

Middle Tennessee State

 

4:00

ESPNN

Vegas says… Illini -6

At Illinois

 

From 1966 – 2012, legendary Minster (Ohio) resident, Paul ‘P.M.’ Stukenborg (pictured above) posted his weekly sports predictions in the hometown paper, The Community Post. Each week, Pick ’em will make a P.M. Stukenborg Fearless Prediction and call for an underdog to to knock off the favorite.

Pick ’em says… Illini resoundingly declared themselves a B1G bottom feeder last week against an average North Carolina squad. MTSU, 38-28.

Ball State

 

8:00

BTN

Vegas says…

No spread available

At Northwestern

 

The Wildcats are off to a legitimately, semi-impressive 3-0 start. The NW victory over Stanford was certainly validated when the Cardinal trounced Southern Cal last week in LA. 

Pick ’em says… ‘Cats are giving up less than 6 points per game. 25,000 empty bleacher seats will watch Northwestern win by an undetermined amount.

Hawaii

 

8:00

BTN

Vegas says…

Badgers -24.5

At Wisconsin

 

Hawaii to Ohio. Ohio to Hawaii. Hawaii to Wisconsin. What day is it? Where am I? That is a brutal travel stretch.

Pick ’em says… Watch Blue Bloods staring water-hoarding Tom Selleck and the chip-on-the-shoulder Backstreet Boy. Friday nights on CBS! Badgers, 38-14. 

Tennessee

 

3:30

CBS

Vegas says… Gators -1.5

At Florida

 

This rivalry used to be appointment TV. Now it’s worthless SEC East noise.

Pick ’em says… Florida writers would have you believe that Urban Meyer cursed the Gator program. More like Will Muschamp was more chump than champ. https://youtu.be/Ji-cT58rgNc. Vols, 24-17.

TCU

4:45

FOX

Vegas says… Frogs -7.5

At Texas Tech

TTBellJerk

A Horned Frog that will haunt your dreams and a Texas Tech bell ringer who may or may not be master of his domain.

Pick ’em says… Upset alert? I have a queasy feeling about this one, or maybe it’s the images above. Frogs, 48-38.

UCLA

 

8:00

ABC

Vegas says… Bruins -4

At Arizona

 

How lousy is this week’s schedule of games? This is the ESPN GameDay location and prime time game of the week. Big road test for UCLA’s true freshman QB Josh Rosen.

Pick ’em says… Rich Rod Football Rules! 41-35.

Filed Under: Ohio State Football

A Look Around the Country

September 23, 2015 by Leave a Comment

Upsets Galore Causes Huge Playoff Shakeup

Welcome to my weekly column, A Look Around the Country, which will highlight notable games from the week before and week ahead as well as the Heisman and Playoff race. Special features include an in-depth look at the Buckeyes, as well as a Michigan update, mainly for folks to bask in their misfortunes. As always, feel free to comment with your own opinions and I hope you enjoy!

Down goes Alabama, Auburn, and USC in what was the first weekend this season that featured a number of huge upsets. The Big Ten now has the top two ranked teams in the country in Ohio State and Michigan State but the Big 12’s TCU and Baylor are not far behind.

Notable Games Last Week

LSU 45, Auburn, 21

The Bayou Bengals looked very impressive in their dismantling of Auburn on Saturday and that is reflected in my rankings below. At this point in the season, LSU is my favorite to win the SEC and grab a berth in the Playoff. Auburn, on the other hand, should enjoy themselves in the Gator Bowl.

Notre Dame 30, Georgia Tech 22

Even after losing Malik Zaire and many others for the season, the Irish were able to take down perhaps the ACC’s best team in Georgia Tech. Notre Dame has slowly improved every week and despite their injury problems is slowly working its way up the polls. Clemson and USC still loom but they are starting to feel like the Buckeyes did last year…a team of destiny.

Stanford 41, USC 31

The Pac 12 race got a lot more interesting as the Trojans lost to the team they always seem to lose to when they’re good: Stanford. I had USC in my playoff to start the season but it appears that I might be wrong. Maybe my prediction was one year too early.
Ole Miss 43, Alabama 37
The upset of the year so far came in the form of Ole Miss taking down the Tide for the second year in a row. I hadn’t been impressed with Alabama yet anyway, but this just solidified that. Ole Miss is now a favorite in the SEC and their game with LSU on November 21 might be the game of the year in the South.

Big Games this Week

Western Michigan at Ohio State

After a completely underwhelming offensive performance against Northern Illinois, the Buckeyes hope to be much better against another MAC foe. The big headline now is who Urban Meyer is going to choose as his permanent starting QB. I think JT is our guy (I’ve been saying that since January) but if I had to guess, both are going to play this week. Luckily, the Silver Bullet Defense has been playing better than anybody else in the country and as long as they continue to do that, we should be fine. Stay tuned to MOTSAG for more coverage on this week’s game.

Saturday, September 26 at 3:30pm on ESPN2

UCLA at Arizona

An early season Pac 12 showdown pits two relatively underrated teams against each other. UCLA QB Josh Rosen has turned himself into a Heisman candidate but Rich Rodriguez (our old buddy) has brought resurgence into the Wildcat program. The winner of this game could really solidify a high ranking headed into October.

Saturday, September 26 at 8pm on ABC

Utah at Oregon

The other Pac 12 showdown of the week features two teams in transition. The Utes are undefeated and a win against the Ducks would go a long way toward a playoff campaign. Oregon needs to keep winning to make Michigan State’s resume look better and I expect that to happen this weekend.
Saturday, September 26 at 8:30pm on FOX
That is it for this week’s big games. If you have to go to a fall wedding, I hope it was scheduled for this weekend.

Saturday, September 26, 8:30 PM on FOX

Michigan Update

Michigan was able to take down 1990s basketball power UNLV over the weekend and are now sitting at 2-1. BYU comes to Ann Arbor and I expect them to take down the Wolverines. That QB situation is just not good.

Heisman Watch

Leonard Fournette, LSU: +

Derrick Henry, Alabama: E

Trevone Boykin, TCU: E

Ezekiel Elliott, Ohio State: E

Connor Cook, Michigan State: +

Cardale Jones, Ohio State: –

My Playoff if the Season Ended Today

*Editor’s Note: This will be a volatile poll every week based on performance in the past week and resume to date, very similar to the Playoff Committee.

1. Ohio State (beat Northern Illinois, plays Western Michigan)

2. Michigan State (beat Air Force, plays Central Michigan)

3. LSU (beat Auburn, plays Syracuse)

4. Baylor (bye week, plays Rice)

Just Missed the Cut

5. Ole Miss (beat Alabama, plays Vanderbilt)

6. Notre Dame (beat Georgia Tech, plays Umass)

7. TCU (beat SMU, plays Texas Tech)

8. Georgia (beat South Carolina, plays Southern)

9. UCLA (beat BYU, plays Arizona)

10. Clemson (beat Louisville, bye week)

Filed Under: Ohio State Football

MotSaG Podcast Western TUN Preview with Huskie Dissection

September 23, 2015 by 1 Comment

Welcome to another great show. Chip and myself breakdown, discuss the possible offensive woes plaguing the Buckeye offense. We go over some of the Northern Illinois game while also giving high praise to a stellar defensive performance by the Silver Bullets- they are back.

We had the great pleasure of previewing the Western TUN game with hustlebelt.com Justin Coffin. It was great to get to discuss the upcoming game against the Broncos with him while also sneaking in some adult beverage talk.

Chip and I give our game predictions for a few games that are coming up this weekend, I have gained some ground. Only being a game behind this week looms big for our predictions since this was the first time we didn’t agree with each other at all.

Hope you enjoyed the show don’t forget you can listen to us on iTunes (subscribe, rate and comment-we appreciate it), Soundcloud, Stitcher, etc. Also we can be heard on Buckeye Sports Radio. Please follow our twitter @motsagpodcast and like us on Facebook.

We also had a major show announcement, we will be dropping another show this week. We will be having the great honor of discussing Buckeye football and college football in general with the King, Bill King.

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

B1G Weekly Recap: Northwestern Impresses Again, Michigan State Jumps to No. 2

September 22, 2015 by Leave a Comment

The majority of the Big Ten continued non-conference play this week, and was successful for the most part, racking up a 9-3 record with all three losses coming to Power 5 opponents. In the first conference game of the season for the Big Ten, Penn State easily handled Rutgers.

Maryland 35, South Florida 17

Caleb Rowe got his first start of the year at quarterback for the Terrapins and it went well, at least on the scoreboard. Rowe did throw for nearly 300 yards and three touchdowns but he also was intercepted three times and put the ball on the ground another three times. Fortunately for Maryland, they were able to recover all of those fumbles.

The Terrapins improved to 2-1 on the season and face a tough test next week when they go on the road to face Big 12 foe, West Virginia.

Michigan 28, UNLV 7

Ty Isaac paved the way this week for the Wolverines, rushing for a career high 114 yards on just eight carries. The USC transfer essentially ended any chance of UNLV making a game of this one when he took a toss 76 yards to the house halfway through the 2nd quarter.

Jake Rudock did his best to manage the game for the Wolverines, throwing for just 123 yards, one touchdown, and an interception. Another home game awaits Jim Harbaugh’s 2-1 crew, this time with BYU coming to town.

Michigan State 35, Air Force 21

In a game that was not as close as the score indicates, Michigan State was impressive enough in victory over the Falcons to jump to No. 2 in the polls after Alabama’s loss and TCU’s struggle with SMU. Connor Cook stole the show for Sparty, throwing for 247 yards and four scores.

Aaron Burbidge had his way with the Air Force’s secondary, catching eight passes for 156 yards and finding the end zone three times. The Spartans will face their second Directional Michigan of the season this week when the Chippewas come to East Lansing.

North Carolina 48, Illinois 14

Woof. This is more of what people were expecting out of the Illini when Tim Beckman was fired just a week before the season started. A Josh Ferguson 2nd quarter touchdown was the only score for the game until there was less than a minute left in the game, down 48-7 at that point.

Ryan Switzer hit pay dirt twice, catching one of Marquise Williams’ three touchdowns and returning a punt 85 yards to put an exclamation point on the victory. Illinois looks to bounce back next week when they face off against Middle Tennessee.

Minnesota 10, Kent State 7

In an ugly scrum of a game, Minnesota’s defense stepped up and made sure the Golden Gophers got the W. Kent State managed just 142 yards of total offense (79 rushing, 63 passing) and got their only score of the game when Demetrius Monday picked up a fumble and scampered 80 yards to the end zone.

Mitch Leidner hit KJ Maye from 14 yards out late in the 2nd quarter to give Minnesota what would end up being the game-winning score. Another MAC school makes a trip to Minnesota when the Ohio Bobcats will face off against the Gophers.

Northwestern 19, Duke 10

Special teams and the running attack carried the Wildcats to their first 3-0 start since 2013, which was also the last time Northwestern was ranked in the Top 25. Down 7-3 at half, Solomon Vault returned the 2nd half kickoff 98 yards to the house to give the Wildcats a lead they would never relinquish.

Warren Long sealed the victory in multiple ways, first by rushing 55 yards on a 3rd and 1 to give Northwestern a 19-10 lead and then later picked up a fumbled punt return. The Wildcats return to Evanston for a primetime game on Saturday against Ball State.

Ohio State 20, Northern Illinois 13

In one of the worst offensive displays by the Buckeyes under Urban Meyer, the Silver Bullets stepped up to save the day and avoid a major upset at the hands of the perennial MAC power. Darron Lee picked off Drew Hare late in the 3rd quarter and returned it 41 yards for the third touchdown of his young career.

Ezekiel Elliott rushed for over 100 yards yet again and the quarterback situation remains unclear, as J.T. Barrett replaced Cardale Jones in the first half and threw a touchdown pass to Michael Thomas. The Buckeye offense will look to get back on track in another home game Saturday when Western Michigan comes to Columbus.

Miami (FL) 36, Nebraska 33 (OT)

Nebraska nearly pulled off an improbable comeback victory on the road in this one. The Cornhuskers were down 33-10 with just 8:36 left in the game before Tommy Armstrong Jr. threw three touchdowns and completed two two-point conversions to tie up the game.

Brad Kaaya threw for 379 yards and two touchdowns for the Hurricanes while Michael Badgley kicked five field goals, including a 28-yard game-winner in overtime. Nebraska falls to 1-2 and will try to get back to .500 when Southern Miss takes the trip into Lincoln.

Virginia Tech 51, Purdue 24

Purdue played their ACC foe tough for a half in West Lafayette before the Hokies stormed out of the locker room in the 2nd half, outscoring the Boilermakers 27-7 over the final two periods. Austin Appleby struggled with the Virginia Tech defense, completing just 9 of 28 passes for 110 yards and was intercepted two times.

The Boilermakers were outgained 471-265 and converted on just 2 of a possible 15 third downs in the loss. Things might not get any easier next week when Bowling Green visits.

Wisconsin 28, Troy 3

The Badgers were consistent in victory over their Sun Belt visitors, passing for 202 yards and rushing for 199 as a team while not turning the ball over a single time. Joel Stave did well, going 13-17 passing for those 202 yards and a 4th quarter touchdown pass.

Dare Ogunbowale spearheaded the rushing attack for Wisconsin, rushing for 75 yards including a game-opening touchdown early in the 1st quarter. Hawaii makes another trip east on Saturday when they check out Camp Randall.

Indiana 38, Western Kentucky 35

Another lesser conference opponent, another closer game than Hoosier fans would have been hoping for. After trailing the Hilltoppers 28-17 at the break, Indiana used a huge 21-point 3rd quarter to move to 3-0 on the season.

Nate Sudfeld threw for 355 yards and three touchdowns while Jordan Howard added 203 yards on the ground. Next up for the Hoosiers is a trip into ACC country to take on a poor Wake Forest team.

Penn State 28, Rutgers 3

It’s a good thing Rutgers brought that TV market with them to the Big Ten, because they’re not offering a whole lot else. Penn State ran the ball for 330 yards as a team to overcome another so-so day of quarterback play from Christian Hackenberg.

Hackenberg was just 10-19 passing for 141 yards and an interception. Chris Laviano threw for 251 yards and two picks for the Scarlet Knights as they fell to 1-2 on the season. Rutgers hosts Kansas in what is sure to be a thrilling game while San Diego State will try to take down Penn State in Happy Valley.

Iowa 27, Pittsburgh 24

Marshall Koehn started and finished the scoring in this Big Ten-ACC matchup in Iowa City. Koehn hit a 43-yarder in the 1st quarter and bombed a 57-yarder as time expired to give the Hawkeye faithful a thrilling victory.

Tyler Boyd caught an 8-yard touchdown pass with 52 seconds left before C.J. Beathard drove down the field to get Koehn in position. Iowa moved to 3-0 for the first time in six years and will look to stay undefeated when North Texas comes to town Saturday afternoon.

Who were you most impressed with this weekend from the Big Ten? Is there any chance that the conference could actually get two teams into the College Football Playoff at the end of the year?

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

Don’t Let High Expectations Mask Your Enjoyment of Buckeye Football

September 22, 2015 by Leave a Comment

Ohio State’s national championship victory was a bittersweet moment for me this past January, and I’m sure that the rest of Buckeye Nation felt the same way. While that might sound ridiculous at first, it’s true – after all the exuberant yelling, celebratory text messages and tweets shared with friends, and a futile attempt to get a solid night of sleep, the reality settled in: college football season was over.

Sure, I was excited to watch SportsCenter highlights and listen to college football analysts talk about how impressive Ohio State’s playoff run had been, and couldn’t wait to buy my “Undisputed National Champs” t-shirt from the local sporting goods store. But it still meant that, for the first time in four months, I didn’t have another OSU football game to look forward to.

The college football offseason lasts a painfully long time, leaving fans craving August training camp. It’s this mentality we should keep in mind as Ohio State continues to navigate its way through this 2015 season. Think about it – not counting a potential appearance in the Big Ten championship game and the College Football Playoffs, this season is already 25 percent complete. Think about that the next time you want to fast-forward the season to see Urban Meyer square off against Jim Harbaugh or a potential “Game of the Century 2.0” against Michigan State in late November.

It’s important that Ohio State fans cherish the moment. The 2015 Buckeyes are a talented bunch that, three weeks into the season, certainly isn’t without flaws. It has surprisingly seemed like the opposite – as if OSU has had more “lowlights” than highlights – at least on the offensive side of the ball – despite putting together a 3-0 record. There is a lot of chatter about the offense lacking an identity, the lack of an established full-time quarterback hurting the team’s rhythm, and a lack of touches for arguably the country’s best running back. While that’s all true, fans shouldn’t let those concerns completely cloud the excitement and potential that each week presents over the course of the season. We should all embrace each week for what it is: a work in progress; improvements being made and chess pieces being moved so that the Buckeyes are playing championship-level football in November, December and January.

Fans should continue to look forward to each Saturday, whether Ohio State is playing against a marquee opponent at 8 p.m. or against a heavy underdog at noon with Beth Mowins announcing. It’s the coaching staff’s responsibility to figure out solutions to any shortcomings the team might have less than a month into the season; it’s important to use some good wet pour safety surfacing to keep things safe. Don’t fret about how the Buckeyes offense will fare against more athletically gifted defenses when they only score one touchdown against Northern Illinois; enjoy the triumphant return of the Silver Bullets defense. Don’t waste your energy arguing on behalf of J.T. Barrett or Cardale Jones taking 100 percent of the quarterback reps; focus on the Dez Bryant-esque body control and playmaking ability of Michael Thomas.

The college football season is too short to put too much attention on the negatives. Ohio State has an elite coaching staff to go along with elite facilities and elite players. Regardless of this season ends months from now, embrace each week for what it is – one of the last few times that Braxton Miller will don the Scarlet and Gray; potential All-American performances by multiple players; young players beginning to scratch the surface of their OSU legacy. Trust in the process and enjoy the three hours of Buckeye football we get to watch every week. Don’t take it all for granted because, before you know it, we’ll be stuck with nothing but baseball and an anxious anticipation of the 2016 season.

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

5 B1G Observations: Week 3

September 22, 2015 by Leave a Comment

And we thought last week was ugly, am I right?  Look, I know you don’t want to read another person’s take on how awful the game was or how Ohio State is under-performing or how the sky is falling etc. etc.  So I won’t be doing any of that.  I’m an optimist.  And to me there is only one direction this team can go from here: up.  I already feel bad for Western Michigan.  Now, to the Big Ten.

#1: Heartbreak for the Huskers

When Bo Pelini was shown the door in Lincoln my reaction was one of shrugged shoulders and an uninterested blink or two.  The volatile nature of the man was both his allure and his downfall.  He is like Kerry Coombs if Kerry Coombs had a mean streak and a drinking problem.  So now that Pelini has been replaced by the nicest guy in the game, I kind of expected Nebraska to play a more feng shui style – good for interior decorating, bad for football.  This was exactly the product Nebraska put on the field for three quarters on Saturday when the Miami Hurricanes went ahead by a score of 30-10.  But something put a pep in these corn-eater’s step in the fourth quarter.  Tommy Armstrong suddenly looked like Pelini was personally chasing him all over the field.  He connected on three touchdown passes AND completed a pair of two-point-conversion passes, including the game-tying score with only 33 seconds remaining in regulation.  Nebraska had all the momentum in the world… until they didn’t.  Miami’s field goal won the game in overtime.  Nebraska is 1-2 on the season and is more brokenhearted (after this game and the BYU Hail Mary) than a Taylor Swift song.

#2: Wolverines prepare for another West Coast Test

Remember back when everyone was complaining about the Buckeyes schedule a couple of weeks ago until they realized how much bad #karma it was?  My biggest gripe on all of that was the fact that schedules are made years and years in advance – Virginia Tech was probably still in beast mode when we agreed to the home-and-home.  Now transfer that logic to the Wolverine’s 2015 schedule and it’s almost comical how it has turned out for them.  Five years ago or so the likes of Utah and Brigham Young would sound a lot like tune up games.  But as it turns out, Utah (who beat Michigan) and Brigham Young (who comes into Ann Arbor this Saturday) are ranked 18 and 22 respectively.  I don’t know what the infatuation is with bringing in teams from the west coast (the other two opponents have been Oregon State and UNLV) but it could bite the weasels in the ass if the Cougars can put another loss on Michigan’s record before Big Ten play even begins.

#3: So much for Illinois being good

So for the last few weeks I’ve been harping on the Illini and their ability to put the Beckman garbage behind them and really crush some teams that, admittedly, they should be crushing.  We Buckeye fans know that even the lowliest of opponents can give you fits.  So when Illinois managed to go ham for the first two weeks of the season, I started to believe that they just might surprise some people.  Then Saturday happened and North Carolina put them back in their place again.  A 48-14 loss to a middle of the road ACC team sounds bad enough, but when you see the box score it looks even worse.  The Illini allowed two Tarheel running backs to accumulate 234 yards on the gournd with an average of 9.4 yards per carry.  Ouch.  Even the special teams was markedly un-special with two missed field goals and a punt return for 85 yards and a score allowed.  #BringBackBeckman?

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#4: Buckeye Spartan Showdown

Sparty is good, really good.  And they will probably get better as the season progresses.  I’m not sure if that means that they can keep their record without a blunder up until we meet in November, but time will tell.  The big development from this weekend wasn’t the victory over Air Force but the victory in the AP poll.  The Big Ten is well represented now with both the #1 and #2 teams in the country.  With the Alabama loss, Michigan State has jumped up just beneath the Buckeyes, setting up for a potential massive showdown on November 21st in the Horseshoe.  I was in Ohio Stadium the last time the top two teams in the country met in Columbus.  Wouldn’t it be something if history would repeat itself this season?

#5: The best Buckeye fan I know

It was a morose afternoon in Buckeye nation this past Saturday.  When all were hoping for a rebound game of punishing football against an over-matched foe, the resulting defensive struggle was both unsettling and uninspiring.  But even during these more bleak times, I still get to enjoy the game with the best Buckeye fan in the Land.  Lot’s of friends used to ask me to meet them at the bar or maybe Buffalo Wild Wings to watch the game.  But in all honesty, I’d rather not.  Because right at home I’ve got one of the few people that understands my passion for Ohio State football.  This person shares my sentiment of the importance of Buckeye football Saturdays and agrees that any interruptions are completely egregious and will not be tolerated regardless of the circumstances.  This person is savvy enough to pick up on the small things like seeing blitzes before they happen and catching missed calls by the referees.  And as far as emotion goes… ha!  I’ve never heard someone demand more pain and agony for the opposing team than her.  Oh, did I say her?  Yes, yes I did.  That’s because this person is my wife, Michele.  She doesn’t only understand my obsession with Buckeye sports, she echos it.  While her fellow female students at Ohio State would take out their phones for a selfie in the stands during the game, Michele would berate them for not paying attention.  In fact she still does it today, yelling at the television, “Get off your phone and watch the game you dumb broad!!”  And it’s even more volatile now that she’s pregnant.  She’s awesome.  She lives through the fall from one Saturday to the next, hinging her emotion on those few glorious hours of Buckeye football.  I wouldn’t want to watch the game with anyone else, ever.  If you’re reading this, Shelly, know this: you’re the best Buckeye fan I know.  I love you.

Filed Under: B1G Football

MotSaG B1G Power Poll Week 4

September 22, 2015 by 2 Comments

The Votes Are IN

Teams Points Record (Conf) Position Last Week
msu 8 3-0 (0-0) 2
Ohio State 12 3-0 (0-0) 1
northwestern 25 3-0 (0-0) 5
wisconsin 31 2-1 (0-0) 3
michigan 31 2-1 (0-0) 6
iowa 38 3-0 (0-0) 8
nebraska 44 1-2 (0-0) 6
minnesota 49 2-1 (0-0) 3
penn state 66 2-1 (1-0) 11
maryland 68 2-1 (1-0) 13
indiana 2 72 3-0 (0-0) 12
illinois 82 2-1 (0-0) 9
rutgers 89 1-2 (0-1) 10
purdue 94 1-2 (0-0) 14

Can’t say we are a homer blog anymore. Seems folks are thinking Sparty is playing better than the Buckeyes right now. Minnesota makes the biggest drop with a tight win over Kent State. Some movement here and there but nothing else major than the top two spots flipping and the Golden Gophers dropping.

Love to hear you input, leave us a comment and let us know how your B1G Power Poll would shake out

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

Ohio State vs. Northern Illinois 2015 Highlights

September 22, 2015 by Leave a Comment

Filed Under: Ohio State Football

The rise of Darron Lee

September 21, 2015 by Leave a Comment

He’s funny, he’s outgoing, he’s a play maker, and he is not afraid to say anything that comes to mind. He is Darron Lee. The starting Linebacker for Ohio State has made plenty of noise on the field, but what may be even more interesting about him is what he did before he even played a down for the Scarlet and Grey. Darron Lee, who grew up 20 miles away from campus in New Albany, has ever only wanted to attend The Ohio State University.

High School:

Being from New Albany, he attended New Albany High School for his 4 years before Ohio State. At New Albany, he was  a 3 star recruit who played Quarterback, Receiver, and Safety, and led his team to the State Championship his senior year, only to be beat by 1 point. He was recruited by some very good collegiate programs like Duke, Cincinnati, Marshall, and Purdue, but was overlooked by a 5 star chaser like Ohio State. He went to camp after camp, being rejected time and time again. The one person who saw the potential in Lee was the line backers coach Luke Fickell. He kept telling Urban Meyer to take a shot on Darron Lee, who he saw future in and when Meyer finally agreed and offered him the scholarship, he accepted on the same day. Lee would then make it his personal mission to prove Fickell right.

Freshman Year:

After being behind Ryan Shazier his true freshman year, he played only 2 games of special teams before an injury forced him to medical red shirt. He made his presence known quickly replacing Shazier at Linebacker the next year by returning a 61 yard fumble recovery in the opener against Navy, in a game where the offense was struggling and the score was close. He then went on to record 81 tackles in the 15 games they played, with 7.5 tackles and 16.5 tackles for loss. The true breakout performance he had were the 3 final games of the year in the postseason, recording 22 tackles and 2 sacks, and was the defensive MVP of the run to the championship for Ohio State. Lee, along with Tyvis Powell, made their names nationally known by their performance on the field, and antics off of it.

Current Season:

Even after his incredible first season and his MVP performance, Lee was left off the 51 player Butkus award preseason watch list. To add a little more fuel to the fire, his fellow linebacker teammates Joshua Perry and Raekwon McMillan were on the list. So far this year he has 12 tackles and 2.5 sacks in 3 games and, in their game 2 days against Northern Illinois, he had the game changing interception for a touchdown that just might have saved Ohio State from the upset of the year. If I have learned anything from Darron Lee, it is that whenever this team needs a play, he is always right there to step up. After all the snubs he gets and how overlooked he constantly is, I am very excited to see what he has in store next. One thing is for sure, he loves the attention.

 

 

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