A week after suffering their first loss of the season, the Buckeyes are back in The Horseshoe and they will be taking on the Northwestern Wildcats.  This game started off with a defensive stand that resulted in a Northwestern punt on their initial possession.  How would the wounded Ohio State Offense as a unit?  The Ohio State Offense has yet to score on their first possession of the game would this be the turning point? The Buckeyes responded and they finally have their first score of the season on their first drive of the game. The play calling was creative and sudden, just the way I like to see it.  J.T. Barrett looks like a different QB and he was quick on his release and he was decisive when involved in the passing game.  He took the ball from the Ohio State 6-yard line and took it 94 yards on 9 plays on the opening drive.  Mike Weber is doing work, he has 63 yards on 9 carries for two scores.  J.T. Barrett finished the half 14 for 21 and 129 yards.  He looks sharp but as the game wore on the playcalling became predictable once again.  Checkdown after checkdown, false start penalties, and another sack allowed by the Offensive Line.  Consistency isn’t what this Buckeye team is known for, but I believe they will improve as the competition rises.  The Silver Bullets and the Scarlet Curtain are doing well.  McMillan tipped a pass and Damon Arnette made a heady play and intercepted the ball and it resulted in a Durbin field goal.  The Rushmen have another sack added to their repertoire and they look to impose their will during the second half.  The Scarlett Curtain nearly had another pick, but it was bobbled by Ward.
The second half came and another batch of questionable and uninspiring playcalling on both the offensive and the defensive side of the ball.  The offense is banking on the speed option at a mind-numbing rate and so far it has been stopped dead in its tracks.  This year, I think both Offensive Coordinators are looking too far ahead than the task at hand.  They are auditioning for Head Coaching gigs elsewhere and it seems like they are just going through the motions this year.  The creativity is gone, the lack of a passing game, the constant swing passes and checkdowns overshadow what would’ve and what could’ve been another great year, but we are stuck in this alternate dimension with poor and predictable playcalling.  At this point, I am willing to try out Joe Burrow because Barrett seems to be disinterested in making an impact through the air.  It is sad to say, but I am about done with this year.  The stress that I feel watching these games, close games, that shouldn’t even be close, it hurts my heart and my soul to see my Buckeyes underachieve and lose themselves in mediocrity and terrible playcalling.  The defense is the same, Jerome Baker gave up on a pass that resulted in a touchdown pass to one of two Wildcats that the Buckeyes man to man defense can’t seem to contain or stop.  The nickel corner keeps getting beat and it is disappointing and a fall from grace from where the Buckeyes were at the beginning of the season.  Oh, in the middle of the 4th quarter, Barrett and Samuel finally become less predictable, well kind of, and score a touchdown on run down the middle. They also managed to pass the ball on a deep ball to K.J. Hill for 30+ yards on a pass play.  Finally, the Buckeyes score in the second half, finally answering the two scores that the Wildcats have earned in the second half.  Label me a pessimist, but it is not looking good.  We are too predictable, not as creative and we are as basic as they come on both sides of the ball.  I would love to see the Buckeyes prove me wrong, but since that Oklahoma game, what the heck happened?  Did we get too cocky?  Did we take the foot off the gas pedal?  I certainly think so, it pains me to see them struggle, but it shows my love for the sport and the teams they field yearly.  I am getting tired of barely surviving and with yet another close win, I still have yet to see the killer instinct that they used to have, the swagger and the sheer intestinal fortitude to take over games.  This 24-20 win is not what I like to see and we Ohio State fans have been too spoiled over the years, but the talent did not take a dive.  They just need to step up and show out.  Hope they fix things on both sides of the ball and open up the playbook.  The creativity needs to return for the whole game, just not on the opening drive.  We will see what the Buckeyes are made of when Nebraska comes into town and it should be another Top-10 matchup IF they go into Camp Randall Stadium and take care of business.  Until next week and hope I have better things to say about our team.
If anyone should be upset, it should be J.T. Barrett. Â His play late in the game became reminiscent of the Michigan State games that resulted in losses. Â Telegraphed and uber-scripted Quarterback runs and check-down galore. Â I am still upset, but the season can be salvaged. Â All J.T. Barrett and the Buckeyes need to do is be more balanced and less predictable. Â With Tom Herman leaving for Houston, the Buckeyes have depended solely on the run game, but just like when they failed to feed Zeke, Mike Weber should be just as upset as he was. Â The Penn State defense was stuffing the run all night, but whoever kept calling the Running Back wheel routes, consistently, the Offensive Coaches better get creative because Northwester, Nebraska, and the TTUN can score and we have them at home. Â We got to Maryland and Michigan State on the road and although Maryland is the home team, we should get a win, but a down year for Michigan State was unexpected and they will look to wreck our season once again on their home turf. Â J.T. Barrett and the entire team and coaching staff, to include the head honcho Urban Meyer needs to get better, and quick. Â The Game will be one for the ages as we look to see Ohio State revert back to their relentless ways on both sides of the ball.
The Slobs struggled mightily as the White Out caused a fair amount of penalties that hurt the Buckeyes throughout the night. Â The penalties with their inability to protect the edges and keep J.T. Barrett from feeling the pressure ruined their chance at an undefeated season. Â The Slobs will look to rebound against another scrappy Big 10 defense that is tied at #38 in the nation, along with Penn State, with 16 sacks so far in the season. Â They are tied for 49th overall in team Tackles For Loss with a total of 38 compared to the Buckeyes who sit higher at #31 for a team total of 42 Tackles For Loss. Â The Slobs will look to protect J.T. Barrett, dominate the line of scrimmage and they will look to be more consistent and return back to their strengths for the more difficult part of their schedule. Â A huge stat is Ohio State is ranked #2 in the nation in Tackle For Loss Allowed with a whopping 16 given up for 51 yards. Â That is alarming and it far from the standards that The Slobs hold themselves to. Â Hopefully, they get it together. Â The inexperience and youth has been showing and that, as of now is the lone glaring weakness. Â Pat Elflein and Billy Price need to get their unit back to the standards because they have been weak as of late.
The Silver Bullets and the Scarlet Curtain have a huge task at hand with these Northwestern Wildcats coming into town on a three-game winning streak. Â They have defeated an experienced Iowa team on the road and beat a young Michigan State team that is in the midst of down year. Â They also beat the Indiana Hoosiers at home extending their overall record to a modest 4-3 record, 3-1 in conference play. Â They put up points, but that has been their forte for quite some time. Â On the road, they put 38 points on the table against BIG 10 West winner Iowa and scored 54 points on a young, but experienced Spartan Defense, the BIG 10 East winner from just a season ago. Â Obviously, Michigan State represented the BIG 10 in last season’s playoffs and Iowa represented the conference in the Rose Bowl game. Â Both were demolished and defeated handily, but those defenses are no slouches. Â The Buckeyes tend to struggle against teams that spread them out and make them play from sideline to sideline. Â This will be no easy task, but the Buckeyes are should be looking for blood after suffering their 5th loss in five seasons. Â The Buckeyes will look to right the ship and maintain sight of their goal of competing in the CFB Playoffs once again, but it won’t be easy. Â The road will be tough, but Coach Meyer will guide them through the adversity after suffering a loss. Â Word is, after practice and during an interview, Coach Meyer mentioned that he saw an angry Buckeye team during practice and I, for one hope that it carries on for the rest of the season. Â The next few games will not be cakewalks. Â We have a potent Wildcat Offense at home, a Top-10 Battle at home against Nebraska, they will travel to Maryland and face TTUN’s former coach, then a matchup against MSU and then they will return back home for The Game against TTUN, which is another Top-10 matchup. Â This will not be easy, but if the Buckeyes win out and win the conference, they will 100% make it into the CFB Playoffs and it will be pretty difficult to say that they do not deserve to get in based on their performance this season and that is even including the close loss to Penn State. Â This will test the mettle of the Buckeyes and let’s hope that they can win and win big to regain the momentum for the hardest portion of their schedule.
The game started off with the battle of the defenses. Â Another slow start and a scoreless first quarter for the Buckeyes. Â Special Teams has helped the team and tonight is no exception. Â Tyler Durbin has been a godsend for the Buckeyes with Sean Nuernberger being sidelined due to injury. Â Durbin has kicked in a pair of field goals, but he missed an extra point due to fellow Special Teamer, Cameron Johnston’s inability to maintain control of the snap. Â Cameron Johnston is also contributing to the cause, during the first half he punted the ball 4 times and has 199 yards. Â Per punt, Johnston is averaging 49.8 yards per punt. Â Crazy. Â To think that Special Teams is keeping the Buckeyes afloat until they get some momentum, hopefully the Buckeyes wake up in the second half.
J.T. Barrett and the offense has struggled through the first half, but prior to halftime, he picked up the team and threw a touchdown strike to Tight End Marcus Baugh. Â Barrett finished the first half 13 for 24 for 125 yards and a touchdown. Â He has 34 rushing yards on 6 carries and he pulled a Houdini as he used the football to stay upright to scramble for a 19-yard gain. Â Curtis Samuel is trying to help out, but the inconsistencies with the playcalling is evident and it is hurting the production of the offense once again. Â Mike Weber is also running with a purpose as he looks to become a mainstay in the Buckeyes offensive attack. Â Weber has 60-yards total and on 12 carries. Â Barrett is looking to share the load, but the Penn State Defense seems to be ready for the Ohio State Offense.
The Silver Bullets are flying around once again and they will look to assert their will and keep the Penn State Offense from making big plays. Â The Rushmen are looking as lethal as ever, constantly causing pressure in the pocket. Â The Scarlet Curtain has smothered the Penn State Receivers, but prior the halftime, they gave up back to back 20-yard plays that resulted in a touchdown. Â Nick Bosa also notched another sack to his season statistics. Â This is tough sledding for now, but the Buckeyes will weather the storms like they did against Wisconsin and they will do their job until they slow down the Nittany Lions. Â Good news is they struggled early against Saquon Barkley, but they have slowed him down enough to only allow him to gain 56 total yards.
Curtis Samuel scored on a 74-yard scamper on his first carry of the second half.  This is the longest rushing play the Buckeyes have had this year and it comes during a perfect time to kill the vibe of the White Out.  Ever since the play the crowd is noticeably quiet and they were silenced by the Buckeye Silencer Curtis Samuel.  You think he single-handedly silenced the White Out?  Penn State gave up a Safety to the Buckeyes Defense and they are now up by 14 with the ball after the punt.  That is where the momentum stopped.  The Buckeyes coaches got too cute and J.T. Barrett should just change his name to Captain Checkdown.  Someone needs to go and the Receiver flat out stink.  A nice pass get thrown to you and you lose it?  Sour grapes.  Bad taste in my mouth.  Everything.  I never thought that a Special Teams blunder which led to a touchdown would do the Buckeyes in.  Meyers road streak is over and TTUN will probably wreck the Buckeyes at the end of the season.  I am pessimistic, but this hurts.  I am upset.  Goodbye CFB Playoffs.  Whoever calls the offensive plays…  Please quit…
Coach Meyer and his staff will look to extend their road winning streak against the dreadful White Out conditions that will be in full effect upon their arrival to Happy Valley.  Urban Meyer as the Head Coach is currently 20-0 on the road and it has been that way for a couple of years now.  He now has his sights set on besting his record against a scrappy Penn State team that has won its last two games after a loss to TTUN.  This will not be an easy game and a cake walk is not expected in this contest.  The last two games against the Nittany Lions were two different types of games.  Last year was in Columbus and that was a snoozer of a game, the Buckeyes won handily by a 28-point margin 38-10.  Ezekiel Elliot ran wild during that game and racked up the yardage on the ground.  The year before that?  Ohio State escaped a White Out after the extra period on a walk-off sack by now San Diego Charger Joey Bosa 31-24.  This year looks to be the same after Saquon Barkley regained his confidence.  He will look to soften up the Silver Bullets and attempt to wear them out.  This, of course, would not be as easy because Dante Booker will return and he will look to reestablish himself into the lineup.
During the last White Out game in Happy Valley, Ohio State barely escaped with a win. Â It took an extra period in Overtime on a walk-off sack to beat Penn State. Â If I remember correctly, Saquon Barkley was a huge factor in that very game and he is back again for another contest against the Buckeyes. Â He recently reestablished his presence in the run game and he is as confident as ever. Â He will look to gain huge chunks of yardage against the just as Corey Clement did when Wisconsin nearly upset the Buckeyes on their home field. Â I fully expect Trace McSorley to utilize his receivers on jet sweeps to confuse the Silver Bullets to open up the runs down the middle. Â McSorley is a scrambler and a passer and that could also be a factor in their strategy to defeat the Buckeyes. Â McSorley has 1436 passing yards and 8 touchdowns with 3 interceptions. Â Barkley has 582 rushing yards on 117 carries and 8 touchdowns. Â The leading receiver is DeAndre Thompkins and he has 328 receiving yards and a touchdown. Â The three will try to take down the Buckeyes and there is also a ton of intrigue behind the scenes as well. Â Receiver Chris Godwin, Quarterback Tommy Stevens and Tight End Mike Gesicki were all huge Buckeye targets that went elsewhere. Â Gesicki was the more outspoken out of the bunch and he will look to make an impact during the game.
The clash in Madison, Wisconsin between #2 Ohio State traveling on the road against a #8 Wisconsin who, earlier in the season upset LSU during the season opener at Lambeau Field. Wisconsin also played valiantly against TTUN and only lost that game by the same margin of 7 points.
This game had big College Football Playoff implications and both teams looked to solidify their standing within the College Football Playoff conversation. Ohio State and Quarterback J.T. Barrett added another hard fought, but yet impressive win against a raucous Wisconsin crowd that reacted relentlessly when their home team made a play on either side of the ball. They made their presence known and through all the adversity J.T. Barrett, Pat Elflein and Billy Price, the three offensive holdovers from last seasons Ohio State Offensive team proved to be valuable just as the game looked to get out of hand. After a poor first half and with a huge discrepancy with yardage gained compared to Wisconsin, the Buckeyes looked toward the three key cogs within their offensive scheme to compile positive plays to get the offense running smoothly and to right the ship that seemed to be on the verge of sinking. Although the yardage discrepancy looked insurmountable, J.T. Barrett took over in the second half, making huge impactful plays. one after another and he willed the Buckeyes toward victory. He finished throwing 17 of 29 passes for a modest 226 yards and a key touchdown pass during the overtime period of the game. Barrett also rushed 21 times for 92 yards and two touchdowns to aid in defeating the Badgers pesky defense that shut down the Buckeyes offensive attack during the first half leaving the then defeated Buckeyes with only 6 points by the end of the first half.  Once again the Buckeyes offensive playmakers failed to be less predictable and it showed. The loss of Tom Herman has left the remnants of their players with a far more conservative gameplan game after game and questions need to be answered before The Game because their passing deficiencies need to be addressed and improved because The Game could be for all the marbles this year. Although dependable playmakers such as Samuel, Wilson and Weber were “contained” they did manage to pick up key first downs and it proved that they can be depended on during big moments during a game.
J.T. Barrett wasn’t the only person who made plays when they counted the most. The entire Ohio State Defense made up for their lack of discipline and came back from the depths of oblivion. They weren’t tackling like they normally did throughout the season and they look visibly shaken for the first time and it showed. The halftime speech from Defensive Captains and the coaching staff had to be epic for the Silver Bullets to rebound the way that they did. They left the field during halftime with a 10-point deficit and they came back and allowed just 7-points during the second half which ended up as the first rushing touchdown surrendered by the Silver Bullets by way of a Fullback Dive play that caught the defense off-guard. They were ground up by Clements as he gashed the Buckeyes for huge chunks of yardage and it seemed like he would surpass the 164 yards that he ended the game with, but he looked visibly battered as he limped in-and-out of the offensive lineup. The Silver Bullets were also gashed on huge plays made by Jazz Peavy (6 rushes on the same play for 70-yards and 4 receptions for 76 and a 36-yard touchdown reception). The Badger Tight End Troy Fumgalli was also a huge part of the passing attack and he caught 7 passes for 84-yards, but he was held without a touchdown. Peavy and Fumagalli were both held in check during the entire second half because Coach Fickell and Schiano’s second half adjustments were to negate huge plays from those two Wisconsin playmakers and they succeeded. Factor that and the huge sacks during the second half and overtime victory, the young Buckeyes have grown from this near disaster. Gareon Conley also came up huge and his experience and with him being on of the three holdovers from last years squad, he was clutch for Urban Meyer and his unit. He ended with a single interception, but it should have been two. I am not an expert by any means, but I don’t understand it up to this very moment. A fumble was also not to be because Clement made contact with the ball when his elbow fell out of bounds. Again, I am not an expert but that was more plausible than the interception, but that is none of my business. There is still going to be some growing pains, but I think with these testy games against good competition against Indiana and Wisconsin, we will have to see where this leads and if they could execute better in the future.
Ohio State is coming off of a 21-point win against a Hoosier team that has exposed them a bit.  They played to their strengths, which is the run to make up for their lack of an effective passing attack.  The Buckeyes used a lot of eye candy to try to fool the Indiana Defense, but the were prepared.  They weren’t fooled by the constant movement by the Buckeye offensive playmakers and the constant shifts along the offensive side of things and it essentially shut off Ohio States ability to pass the football downfield.  Their inability to throw the ball is one of the biggest concerns for the Buckeyes and Coach Meyer and we will have to see if they can succeed against an experienced Badgers Secondary that is looking to further entrench themselves into the College Football Playoffs conversation.  The Buckeyes have a tall task on their hands because this Badger Defense has a ton of talent left over from the 59-0 shellacking that started the run to becoming the Inaugural College Football Playoff Champions.  Most Buckeye sites are claiming that a few still have that bad taste in their mouths and that they believe that it is their turn to embarrass the unbeaten Buckeyes squad that is young in just about every position on offense and on defense.  My biggest concern is that the Buckeyes aren’t an elite passing offense and that they will be one-dimensional.  The  Badgers will do their best to ensure this happens to increase their chances to secure a win, but we will see what Urban Meyer will do because he is a tactician during big games like this.  The Silver Bullets will be ready and luckily, they weren’t called out like the backup Oklahoma Quarterback did.  The bulletin board material was provided by former Badger Defensive Back Jim Leonhard.  He stated that the Buckeyes Receivers, namely Noah Brown “will not run away from you” and that no corner this season has “utlitlized the proper press technique” against him.  Basically saying that they run a “simple offense”.  I don’t know about you, but I see Coach Meyer mentioning this every chance he gets to J.T. Barrett and company.  I would like to see some offensive fireworks just like that BIG 10 Championship Game, but it is easier said than done and we will just have to see it live this Saturday.
Wisconsin is coming off a bye week and they had two weeks to prepare for the visiting Buckeyes. Â They suffered their first loss of the season to TTUN in what was a hard-hitting affair with TTUN outlasting the Badgers 14-7. Â The revamped Badgers Defense looks like a stiff test for the Buckeyes and the crowd will look to get their team into the swing of things. Â Their offense looked bleh against TTUN, but that might not be the case against the Buckeyes. Â The Buckeyes play similar to TTUN’s Defense and they could go player for player, at just about every position because both teams recruit well enough to stay dominant. Â The Quarterback position is the key part and we will have to see if he can withstand the pressure from the Buckeyes Defense, the Silver Bullets. Â The pressure will surely be turned up because the starter looked uncomfortable for the majority of the game against our Arch Rival. Â The strength of this Badger team is with their Defense. Â They match up similarly with the Silver Bullets, but with one major difference, Wisconsin is tied for 22nd in total sacks with 15 total and they average 3 per game. Â The Buckeyes Defense leads in Defensive Scores, Interceptions and Turnovers Forced. The Art of Defenses. Â This will be a test for both teams and the chip on the remaining BIG 10 Championship Game players shoulders will play an integral role during this game because it is the first time in two years since that beat down and they will look to return the favor.
The Buckeyes Defense was pretty good when they sorely needed a key stop. Â Although the Buckeye Offense put up numbers well below their season average, 383 total yards rushing and passing, they did their best and kept Indiana below their season averages, 281 combined. Â The offense gave up two turnovers, but the defense took it away twice and one was a pick-six, but it was negated due to a chop block during the return. Â This was a game where the defense looked like they were just going through the motions, expecting to show up and win, but for some reason, Indiana came out swinging for the fences and every time they hit the Buckeyes, the Buckeyes responded accordingly. Â This game baffles me. Â Indiana shouldn’t be in this, but like Jeremiah stated, Indiana IS the trap game, every year. Â They always play Ohio State close and although they eventually lost by 21 points, the game was much closer than the final score looked to be. Â There will be a lot of talk between the coaches and both units and I want them to be angry for the rest of the year. Â Like angry after the Virginia Tech and Michigan State losses angry and I think that they will get lit up by Urban Meyer because he looked furious. Let’s hope the Silver Bullets reload because again, it is only going to get harder as the season progresses on. It always seems like, during a couple of games, our offensive play callers seem to forget our strengths, our bread, and butter. Â This was close to last years Michigan State. Quarterback runs galore. Â Cute, ineffective trickeration, mass movement, you name it. Â Tim Beck and Ed Warriner tried it all. Â Hope they fix it prior to our date against TTUN. Â I am still a tad salty, but I still love my Buckeyes. Â Now, on to Wisconsin. Â O-H!!!
On the other side of the equation, you have Richard Lagow and Devine Redding. Â Lagow, a Junior from Plano, Texas has put up some eye-popping numbers so far this season. Â He is 79 of 127 for 1278 yards, with 9 touchdown passes against 6 interceptions. Â He completes 62% of his passes and has been sacked a total of 8 times so far. Â He threw 5 of his 6 picks against a scrappy Wake Forrest Defense that forced him to make errant throws en route to a 33-28 win on Indiana’s own home turf. Â If the Silver Bullets can force turnovers for the entirety of the game, they will be in good shape. The Buckeyes possess a stout defense that can turn offenses away and get to the Quarterback. Â It might take a little bit, but they will get what they want. Â At Running Backs Devine Redding returns and last season, he ground out 45 tough yards on 30 attempts for two scores and he will look for better results against a Buckeye Defense that made him earn every single yard from last year’s scrimmage. Â With just as many defensive weapons donning the Scarlet and Gray, we will see if the depth at every position prevents Redding from having a great game. Â The Buckeyes are a force to be reckoned with and they will impose their will against Indiana.
The Buckeyes rushing game was also highly effective, racking up 410 rushing yards on 53 carries for 4 scores.  Mike Weber led the way dicing up the Rutgers defense with 144 yards and a touchdown.  He scored on a 46-yard run and outran a host of defenders.  True Freshmen Demario McCall and Antonio Williams made the most of their opportunities when their numbers were called.  McCall showed his speed and he had 10 carries for 85 yards and a 39-yard scamper for a score.  Williams failed to score and he didn’t produce as much, but he toted the rock for 28 yards and the future sure looks bright for Ohio State at Running Back.  Receivers Parris Campbell and Johnnie Dixon both had one rush for 5-yards a piece, both for scores to put the game out of reach.  They will look to rebuild against Indiana prior to heading to Camp Randall Stadium and to Beaver Stadium.  With the lone road game being at Norman, Oklahoma, it is always interesting in the BIG 10.
