The Basketball Buckeyes Are Back by Jesse M. Brake

With three and a half minutes left in the first half and the Ohio State Men’s Basketball Team up on Maryland 34 – 24, Senior Forward Jae’Sean Tate drove into the paint from the right wing.  The defense collapsed, leaving former walk-on and former Wolverine wide open for three in the corner.

With an opportunity to shoot, Andy Dakich, the graduate transfer from Michigan, took it and drained his third triple of the night.  The trio of 3 pointers gave him the same amount against Maryland as he made during his entire 3 year career at Michigan, while also putting Buckeyes up 13 in a game they would go on to dominate in the second half.

The Ohio State possession I just described is indicative of what this team has grown to become over the last few weeks.  There is no argument over who the best player is, nor is there an argument about the amount of talent on the roster.

Forward Keita Bates-Diop, the Big Ten scoring leader, is now in many minds the favorite to win Big Ten Player of the Year honors, but after Keita, there doesn’t seem to be any clear NBA-level talents on the roster.  This general lack of elite talent means Ohio State should have issues matching up against top teams, and in the early part of the season we saw exactly that play out.

The Buckeyes could not keep up with teams like Gonzaga and UNC.  They struggled to string together stops and to make the tough shots.  The other issue that gave many fans doubts about this team was a serious lack of leadership over the past two years.  Throw in a controversial head coach firing and the late hour at which it occurred and you get a team that many were worried could struggle with identity, decision-making, mental toughness or any number of off-court issues.

The early losses to Butler and Clemson, both coming after holding double-digit leads late in the second half, seemed to confirm our suspicions that this would be a rebuilding year.  Everything seemed to be pointing toward another unexciting season for Ohio State basketball, except one thing… They beat everybody else.

There were no losses to Florida Atlantic.  There were no losses to UT Arlington or Louisiana Tech.  Even more impressive were their early season Big Ten wins, handing Wisconsin its worst loss ever in the Kohl Center, 83-58, and then beating a solid Michigan team at home.

After a loss to #5 UNC in the CBS Sports Classic, the Buckeyes beat Miami (OH) and Iowa, and entered a matchup against the #1 team in the country with an undefeated conference record.  The team had done what it needed to do.  They weren’t surprising anyone too much yet, but, if you were really paying attention, you saw a team that was gelling.

They had their ups and downs, but under Head Coach Chris Holtmann, they were improving every single game. And so, the Basketball Buckeyes beat #1 Michigan State.  The reason they won is the same reason why this team is so much fun to watch.

They did it with the little things and one big thing.  This team is a team that plays hard on every play.  They fight for loose balls. They clog up passing lanes. They make the extra pass on offense and they’re all learning to take the open shot.

Of course it helps that they have a Keita they can feed when no one else’s shots are falling, but against Michigan State and again against Maryland the reason Bates-Diop was so extremely effective was because players like Kam Williams, CJ Jackson and even Andrew Dakich were stepping up to make plays when the defense sold out to stop their star player.

Over the last couple years, the complaints piling up against this team were many, but most of them boiled down to a team that didn’t care. This team plays like they care, and when good teams play like they care, they win games.  It also helps that Andy Dakich is draining threes.

Urban’s Two Car Garage

With Mike Weber hinting at a return for one more year with the Scarlet and Gray, we can now officially continue one of the most interesting debates of the 2017 season: can Mike Weber and JK Dobbins co-exist in Ohio State’s offense or will 2018 turn into a Fast and Furious style race to the finish? Conventional wisdom tells us that a team can never have too much talent, however, as we saw with the JT vs. Cardale debacle in 2015, the outcome of games is not based on how much talent is on the roster, but on how that talent is managed.

Over the course of the last 6 months, we have all been witness to the unfolding of a new saga. On one end of this story, we had the grisly veteran with a growling v8 under the hood. Here was a guy who had replaced an all-time great and was fresh off a somehow under-the-radar 1000 yard freshman season, but who was battling a preseason injury. On the other, we had an untested, yet highly rated true freshman powered by an imported prototype hybrid V12 engine, who had fought his own injury troubles to get onto the field. It was under these circumstances that Ohio State’s season began, with JK Dobbins thrust into the limelight, an inexperienced starter with no veteran backup options. Dobbins exploded onto the scene, with 29 carries and 181 yards in his first ever start. This freshman revelation led many to wonder what the coaches were going to do with Weber when he returned from injury. Was he going to lose his starting job or would he be slotted back in and pick up where he left off in 2016?

When Mike Weber returned to the lineup, it was immediately apparent that he was not being used in his former role. He still wasn’t 100%. And so, as the weeks continued along and the games in which he didn’t play (or was severely underused) piled up, a lot of fans forgot about Mike Weber as we were being wowed by this young, prancing colt in JK Dobbins who was galloping up and down the field. What we were seeing in Weber was a young man with a rugged and classic style of running who had been outshone in his first year as a starter by the versatility and game-breaking ability of Curtis Samuel and now in his second was being overshadowed by a true freshman that seemed like he had electronic traction control and lightning in his shoes.

Of course, the season didn’t end after the UNLV game, and Weber returned during the cupcake section of the Buckeye’s schedule.  In these games, it seemed like Urban, Kevin Wilson and Tony Alford were content to use the two backs in the exact same role, just trading them out every quarter to make sure they both had fresh legs in the 4th.  However, they were still growing into their own roles in the offense. Dobbins was able to create plays in the run game, and opening up holes for quarterback JT Barrett while in scoring position. Weber found his yards in between the tackles and in short yardage situations, including on the goal line. These new roles showed in the statistics, as Dobbins averaged 85 yards per game and had 4 touchdowns over the first 3 games of the Big Ten Schedule. In the same time frame, Weber averaged 61.7 YPG and added 4 touchdowns of his own. Bam! Ohio State had found its offense on the backs of two horses at tailback, one that could weave and one that could roar, and a quarterback that would take anything the defense would give him. What we thought we were seeing was a clearer definition of roles, however, both the Penn State and the Iowa game proved that no one really had any idea what this Ohio State team was. What these games did seem to show, each in their own way, was that Dobbins was becoming the clear number one tailback and Weber was once again fading into the background. This all lasted about a week until we were all once again proven wrong.

In the Michigan State game, the entire country saw what this Ohio State offense was supposed to look like under Urban Meyer and Kevin Wilson: a three-headed rushing attack with JT Barrett, JK Dobbins and Mike Weber pounding the front seven of opposing defenses along with weapons on the outside to keep the defensive front honest. It was an offense in which you could try to reign in the horses, but one would always break free. The Spartans could attempt to stop Dobbins, and so they were gashed by JT. Then they tried to stop JT, and Weber was able to run free like a stallion down the middle of the field, breaking touchdown runs of 47- and 82-yards. Both Dobbins and Weber had a great game, Dobbins as an every down type of back and Weber as a change of pace battering ram with surprising, yet elite top end speed. All Ohio State got out of it was a 48-3 victory over a Top-15 team. This was the team everyone was expecting when Kevin Wilson was hired in the offseason.

The Illinois game saw Mike Weber take another step forward in production, once again outgaining Dobbins in a blowout, however, after playing reasonably well against Michigan, something seemed to change for the coaches. After averaging 10+ carries and 100+ yards as well as more than 1.5 TDs per game over the last 3 games of the regular season, Weber had 4 carries for 6 yards in the Big Ten Championship and 5 carries for 18 yards in the Cotton Bowl. Granted, Wisconsin had one of the best defenses in the country in 2017 and USC sold out to stop the run game, but even so, JK Dobbins had 17 carries for 174 yards against Wisconsin and 13 carries for 39 yards against USC. The coaches had apparently made up their mind about what Mike Weber was and is.

Basically what we’re talking about are two completely different runners, like two different sports cars. JK Dobbins is an Italian import– a Ferrari– agile with some freakish off the line get-up-and-go. Like the Ferrari, he takes the corners extremely well and can excite you every time he fires that engine up. Mike Weber is a classic American muscle car– a Mustang– powerful and gritty, but when you open it up, fast as the wind. He was built for the quarter mile and he’ll fly if he’s got room to go, but he’s not as fancy as the Ferrari in the corners. And now, with Demario McCall and the newest model, Jaelen Gill, looking like they’ll be pushing for touches, along with Antonio Williams and the highly touted freshman tailback class that the coaches brought in for 2018, Urban’s garage is getting smaller and smaller. The problem is, Ferraris are made by a racecar manufacturer with racing technology, while Mustangs are made by a truck manufacturer. Unfortunately for Mike Webber, it looks like Urban is going to try to ride his Scarlet Ferrari to a National Championship in 2018.

Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic: Position Battles (Part III)

With this matchup being approximately a week away the focus will be on the defensive position battles between Ohio State and USC.  This matchup will feature Ohio State and their Top 10 defensive unit against a reinvigorated defense that has won 5 straight.

Defensive Line:

The Rushmen package that Coach Johnson has installed has worked tremendously well for the Silver Bullets.  The combination of Bosa, Lewis, Holmes, and Hubbard will be used to solely to disrupt Sam Darnold and cause chaos.  It has worked for most of the season, and why not go back to the well.

The depth and talent of the players on Ohio State’s bench are ridiculous, and most, if not all of them are starters at any other school in the nation.  That is the best part about having such a coach like Coach Johnson on to mentor them.

In the interior, Sprinkle and Jones will start the game with Hill and Landers relieving them when they get tired, and they are a pretty talented group of individuals who could all wreak havoc on the trenches.

They are 20th in the nation in total sacks and 13th in team tackles for loss.  They are averaging 2.85 sacks per game and 7.7 in total yards lost.  USC needs to control the trenches to succeed in this matchup because if the floodgates open, it’ll be a long day for Darnold.

Rasheem Green was once an Ohio State target when he was coming out of high school, but things did not work out.  Unlike Ohio State, who runs a 4-3, USC runs the opposite, a 3-4.  Rasheem Green, Josh Fatu, and Christian Rector all start for the Trojans, and they all are space eaters in the trenches.

USC is 6th in the nation in team sacks edging out the Ohio State’s unit with 3.31 sacks per game.  Running a different scheme has its advantages, but the Ohio State Offensive Linemen are one of the most talented groups that USC has faced, so it will have to be determined come gameday.

Linebackers:

Both teams have an embarrassment of riches at the LB positions.  Ohio State has Baker, Borland, and Worley as starters, with Jones, Harrison, and Booker in the wings.  Together, they make a formidable trio for defenses and they are the second level behind the Rushmen.

Baker is a potential first rounder that can do it all.  In coverage, as a spy, even as a blitzer, he will do everything he can to make an impact.  Worley and Borland play well at their new positions.  Worley moved back outside while Borland took Worley’s spot in the middle, and it has worked out pretty good.

USC has quite a formidable combination at LB, and I think they are the reason why their defense has so many sacks.  The USC linemen occupy blockers while the LB’s knife through to seek out the Quarterback.

Led by Iosefa and Smith, this unit is scary good and they could give the right side of the line fits.  They are ranked as the 56th best team in the nation in tackles for loss, but I have a feeling that they will get to Barrett a lot this game due to the inconsistency of the right side, but I do not think it will be as bad as two years ago.

They will do enough to disrupt Barrett and his decision-making process, and they will most likely take the Buckeyes backs down a couple of times in the backfield.  This matchup will be between NFL Linebackers prospects, who are trying to make it to the next level.

Defensive Backs:

Denzel Ward leads another talented group of DB’s at Ohio State, along with Damon Arnette and Kendall Sheffield at Cornerback.  The definition of a shutdown corner in a long line produced by Coach Coombs, he will look to stop USC’s best playmaker on offense like he has done all season.

At Safety Damon Webb, a hard-hitting safety will patrol the top quarters along with Jordan Fuller to prevent the big plays downfield.

Collectively, BIA will be looking to prove once again that they are the Best In America by locking up USC, but Arnette and Sheffield must avoid the costly penalties that have been a problem for them this season to be successful.

Jack Jones, Iman Marshall, and Chris Hawkins lead the DB’s, and they will look to stop the Buckeye speed.  A lot of teams outside of Oklahoma and Iowa were unsuccessful in preventing the speedy WR’s from getting behind them, but they have the talent in the secondary to do so.

Like Ohio State’s starters, they will be tasked to stop a talented offense and they have the skills and the talent to certainly do so, but it is easier said then done.  Ohio State loves those crossing routes, but I feel like in order for this unit to succeed, they must stop Dobbins and Weber, and Barrett too from establishing a balance and establishing the run.

If they successfully make Ohio State one-dimensional, they will most likely have success.  If not, I think it’ll be a long day.

Position Battles:

DL:  Due to the different defensive schemes, this matchup is close.  From a talent standpoint, I will give the edge to the Buckeyes, but the production edge goes to USC.  The biggest factor will depend on which offensive line shows up.  If 2016 Ohio State shows up, USC wins easily.  If this seasons team does, Ohio State wins.  I am counting on the 2017 team to show up so I will give the slight edge to Ohio State.

LB:  Both units have a lot of talent that is starting and on the bench.  With Ohio State, they have been good, but inconsistent.  Baker tends to gamble and run himself out of position and Borland is good, but young.  USC will blitz like crazy and they have a lot of former Buckeye targets on their roster that will show up in the game.  With that, I declare this draw because there are too many variables that could swing either way.

DB:  This matchup features NFL prospects on both sides.  Ward is a lock in the 1st Round and everyone else is looking to get drafted.  Ohio State suffers from inconsistency outside of Ward, and when Arnette and Sheffield struggle, the game is almost unwatchable.  On USC’s side, Marshall and Marvell are looking to improve their draft position with a great performance against a Top 5 team and fellow conference champion.  I will give the Buckeyes the slight edge.

Special Teams:  I did not forget about this unit, but it will be an important part of the game in regards to the field position battle.  Ohio State has improved a lot over the course of the season, but USC’s unit is better in my opinion.  If USC can dominate this phase, they will be in line for an 8th straight win over the Buckeyes, but I think they finally break the streak.

Prediction:  Ohio State defeats USC 31-20

All things considered, I think the Buckeyes earn a victory in this contest.  The 7 wins in a row comment on Twitter, kind of gave the “Basic Defense” vibe and the last thing the Buckeyes need is more bulletin board material after being left out of the playoffs in favor of Bama.  I would love to see a decisive victory over USC, but I think both teams come out swinging with NFL draft positions being up for grabs.

Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic: Position Battles (Part II)

The positions battles that I will be focusing on this week are WR, TE and the OL.  Each side has their fair share of talent and weapons.  In order to be effective, the skill positions must make plays to move the chains and keep drives alive.  In the trenches, each team needs to be flawless and they must execute to establish the run.  Quarterback play will also be a key to victory for either team.

Playmakers Galore

Deontay Burnett, Tyler Vaughns, Steven Mitchell Jr, and Michael Pittman Jr are all ballers at WR, and they will be tasked to battle Ohio State’s BIA, with Denzel Ward leading the secondary.

On the next level at TE, Tyler Petite leads the charge with former Buckeye targets Josh Falo and Daniel Imatorbhebhe are athletic enough to utilize the invisibility codes against the Buckeyes since they seem to have trouble keeping tabs on both the RB’s and the TE’s this season (a la Iowa).

Together, all the players mentioned above account for 3,133 yards and 25 TD’s, which is crazy considering who they have at the Quarterback position.  If they get lose or open, it will be a long day for the Silver Bullets for sure.

K.J. Hill will be the key Zone 6 member as he goes up against this USC team that features another set of former targets, Iman Marshall and Porter Gustin.  Hill will be the go-to receiver on third downs and Johnnie Dixon, Terry McLaurin, Binjimen Victor, Austin Mack, and Parris Campbell will be looking to make an impact as well.

At TE, Marcus Baugh will be a multipurpose threat in the passing game and the blocking game along with Rashod Berry.  Baugh was a good player coming out of high school, but injuries and being underutilized during his time here has hurt his numbers, but the last two drafts we saw Jeff Heuerman and Nick Vannett drafted by NFL teams, so the dream is alive and well.

Collectively, they account for 2989 yards and 36 TD’s, which is surprising.  Barrett won’t take that many chances, but if the play is there, they are gone!  Speed kills and with most of Zone 6 being speedy and dynamic, it will be interesting.  Victor, Berry, and Baugh are the big, strong threats, but sometimes being big and strong is all for naught because dropped balls have been a problem as of late.

Road Graders

Billy Price leads this year’s Offensive Line at Center in his last season at Ohio State.  He moved on from Guard, but the move was seamless.  Coming out of high school, Price was actually a DT for all of you who don’t follow recruiting, and with a background in wrestling, it was natural for him to thrive in the trenches.

This line is big, strong and nasty at every position, with the smallest members being Price at 6’4″, 312 lbs and next man up, Demetrious Knox, who replaced Bowen, being 6’4″, 308 lbs.  The others are 6’5″ and over, which should help in the trenches.  A season ago, the right side of the line was a major issue, but this season, they improved drastically.  Prince and Knox will be targeted more often on blitzes than Jones and Jordan, but we will have to wait to see how they respond to the pressure.

Nico Falah leads the Trojan trench warfare effort against the Rushmen.  Freshman RG Andrew Vorhees will go up against a combination of linemen that will target him because of his youth.

The average height for this line is 6’5″ with Toa Lobendahn being the shortest at 6’3″ and the tallest being Vorhees at 6’6″.  The average weight is around 300 lbs, which might be enough to at least slow down the defense.

I could not find a statistic for USC in sacks allowed, but I don’t know whether that is good or bad news for the defense.  I guess we will have to find out.

Position Battles

WR:  This battle is production versus talent.  Both teams are dead even in both categories, with slight differences in their approaches.  Ohio State has less overall yardage, but more TD’s and USC has more yards, but fewer TDs.  Both groups are going against good DB’s, but I will declare this a draw.

TE:  Baugh and Berry versus Petite, Falo, and Imatorbhebhe.  Like the WR matchup, it is a dead heat.  Both teams have athleticism in the back 7 which will be another toss-up when both teams show up.  Draw.

OL:  This matchup, in particular, will tell you a lot.  The battle in the trenches will be one to watch with all the NFL prospects participating.  Price, Jones, and Prince are eligible to improve their draft stock and the same goes for all but Vorhees on USC’s side.  The Buckeyes have seasoned members but will be going up against their first 3-4 defense of the season.  USC will go up against a 4-3 defense that has NFL prospects at all levels.  This will be the most depth and talent to date this season, and I will give the edge to Ohio State.

 

Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic: Position Battles (Part I)

Bowl Season is inching closer, the 2017 College Football season regrettably is coming to an end.  The last game of the season will feature two conference champions who were not voted into this seasons College Football Playoffs in favor of non-conference champion Alabama.  Even though neither team isn’t a part of the big dance, it does not mean that this game will lack the drama, the intensity, and the sizzle of the teams that made it.

The BIG 10 Champions, the Ohio State Buckeyes finished their regular season at 11-2, with losses against Oklahoma at home by 15 and at Iowa, by a whopping 31 points to an above average team.  The Iowa loss was the Buckeyes worst conference losses to date, that I could recall, but that was the factor that eliminated them from the conversation.

The 11-2 USC Trojans were never really in the conversation even though they were crowned as the PAC 12 Champions.  They suffered both of their losses on the road, to Washington State and Notre Dame.  Their losses were not as bad as Ohio State’s, losing to Washington State late, by a FG and a 35-point throttling at the hands of the Irish.

Both teams have a lot to prove, and with an abundance of NFL talent on each team, this is a must watch.  Both teams were pre-season favorites to make the playoffs, but things happen as both are aiming to finish this season on a high note with a victory in Dallas.

Head-to-head, USC has won 13 out of 23 contests against Ohio State’s 9 and a single tie.  USC has won 7 straight and is looking to add an 8th consecutive win at the Rose Bowl.  Ohio State’s last win against the Trojans was back in 1974 under Woody Hayes.

Dynamic Duo’s

Both Ohio State and USC have a playmaker at every single level, but both teams have studs at the QB and RB positions, which will most likely attract scouts to the game.

On one side you have a surefire first round pick in Sam Darnold, a RS Sophomore and Junior Ronald Jones II competing against Fifth Year Senior, J.T. Barrett and RS Sophomore Mike Weber, with J.K. Dobbins, a talented True Freshman in the rotation.

In Darnold, you have a talented QB capable of making plays on the fly with his arm.  For the season he is 277-435 and has thrown for 3787 yards, 26 TD’s against 12 INT’s, with 100 yards on the ground and 5 TD’s.  He has a lot of talent around him at WR and TE that could give the Silver Bullets fits.

With Barrett, he is a dual-threat that tends to take over during crunch time.  He is 229-354 for 2939 yards with 35 TD’s and 9 INT’s.  He also has rushed for 732 and 10 TD’s.  He holds a variety of BIG and NCAA records, but he is a long shot in this years draft to make in on an NFL roster.  Barrett has weapons at WR and TE, but they aren’t as established as USC’s is, but they can flat out fly past defenders and make people miss for yards after the catch.

In the backfield, Ronald Jones is a load at running back with 1486 yards and 18 TD’s for the season.  Ohio State has a two-headed monster in Mike Weber and J.K. Dobbins, who combined for 1972 total yards rushing and 17 TD’s, with Dobbins becoming the the 4th Freshman at Ohio State to break the 1,000 yard mark and surpassing Weber’s mark from a season ago.

Both teams will try to impose their will against each others defenses and it will start with these two positions.  Neither team can afford to start out sloppy because the game could get out of hand quickly.  Turnovers will give the other team the edge.

Position Advantages

QB:  Objectively, I will give the slight edge at this position to USC.  Yes, Darnold is prone to turnovers, but like we saw against Washington, he is elusive in the pocket and has the awareness and accuracy and arm strength to get out of trouble.  I love Barrett, but his accuracy has been an issue this season and throwing just isn’t his strength.

RB:  Ronald Jones II is a beast, but the depth isn’t there.  Carr is a good player, but I will give Ohio State the edge at RB.  J.K. Dobbins has been a pleasant surprise this season and leads the Buckeyes in rushing, but Mike Weber has also come on as of late.  Together, they make up one of the best duo’s in College Football, and they are both looking to tear up this USC defense.  Jones is an all-purpose back, but so is Dobbins.  The deciding factor is Weber’s ability to run north and south.

 

 

 

BIG 10 Champs! Down goes Wisconsin!

 

As the last weekend of the College Football season draws to a close, bowl season is about to begin.  Sadly, that means the season is coming to an end and the dreaded offseason is looming, but for now until next year, we can call our team BIG 10 Champions.

The game began with Ohio State winning the toss and deferring to the 2nd half.  The defense came ready to go with the conference championship up for grabs and forced a punt early in the game.  On the next Badger possession, Denzel Ward turned Hornibrook away in the red zone with an interception on a pass intended for Fumugali.

On the ensuing drive it did not take J.T. Barrett long to respond when he found a wide open Terry McLauring for an 84-yard pass to put the first touchdown on the board.  The lead was short-lived though, after forcing another punt Barrett eyeballed his receiver and did not notice Andrew Van Ginkel lurking underneath before he threw a terrible pass that resulted in a pick six to tie the game at 7-7.

Barrett has uncharacteristically been turning the ball over laterly at an alarming rate.  This has been the story since the Iowa game, and it has turned Buckeye fans against him, but how would he respond?

He responded with another long touchdown pass to Parris Campbell for 57-yards on a screen to put the Buckeyes in the lead position once again.  The Silver Bullets swarmed the offense forcing back to back Wisconsin punts before Barrett punched it in the endzone for a 1-yard score to go up 21-7.

The Wisconsin defense began to take over as they forced a Mike Weber fumble at the Ohio State 11 yard line, which led to a field goal and they blocked a Buckeye attempt to close the half.  This is by far, the best collection of player from a talent standpoint, and it showed.  The Buckeyes went over the Wisconsin average for total defense, 236.9 when they finished the half with 309 total yards.  They have given up 80.5 rushing yards and 156.4 through the air per game, and at the half Ohio State had 127 yards and 182 yards in those two categories respectively, surpassing both averages easily.

The second half began with an Ohio State punt before each team added 3 more points a piece.  A couple of back to back punts later, Barrett threw behind Marcus Baugh and was picked off for the second time this game.  The decision to throw it so late infuriated Buckeye Nation because it led to another Wisconsin touchdown as the Ohio State lead dwindled.

The Buckeye rebounded with another field goal to put them 27-21 before they put it on the defenses shoulders.  The Silver Bullets responded and sealed the game with a late interception on 4th down by Damon Webb to squeak past Wisconsin to become the BIG 10 Champions.  With this win, J.T. Barrett earned his 37th win to become the winningest Buckeye signal caller passing Art Schlichter.

This game, was back and fourth, but it should have been a blowout.  The Buckeyes left a ton of points on the field and Barrett needs to play better and he needs to make better desicions.  This game should have been won easily, but with the turnovers and overthrows, he left a lot more to be desired.  J.K. Dobbins left as the BIG 10 Conference Championship MVP, running roughshod through the top ranked defense in the nation for a total of 174 yards with a 53 and 77 yards runs.

With a conference title and quality wins against #2 Penn State, #4 Wisconsin, and #12 Michigan State, the Buckeyes are in limbo and they will leave it up to the CFB Playoff powers that be.  The blowout loss at Iowa hurts their chances, but for now enjoy the win and the team achievement.  Go Bucks!

Battleground Indy: Clash of the BIG 10 Titans

In what has been an interesting and telling season for the Buckeyes, the battle for the conference championship at Lucas Oil Stadium is nearly here.  An undefeated and dangerous Wisconsin Badgers team will face a 10-2 Ohio State Buckeyes squad that is coming off of a comeback win against their archrival that almost cost JT Barrett.

Both teams still have a lot to play for, and both of them will come focused and motivated when they face off.  Wisconsin is searching for their 3rd conference title and Ohio State is hoping for their 2nd.  Both of these teams are at .500 in the conference title game, Wisconsin 2-2 while Ohio State is 1-1.  Between the two, the Buckeyes hold a win against the Badgers as they beat them 59-0, and the Badgers haven’t forgotten.

Points A-Plenty?

Wisconsin and Hornibrook have bullied teams with their bruising running game.  True Freshman Jonathan Taylor is leading his team with 1806 yards on the ground with 13 TDs as the Badgers are ranked 18th in the nation in rushing offense averaging 243.3 YPG.  They also have a star at the TE position in Troy Fumugali who was a matchup nightmare for the Buckeyes that is 42nd in the nation averaging 426.0 YPG.

Ohio State is led by JT Barrett and a pair of talented RBs, JK Dobbins and Mike Weber.  Together, along with Zone 6, they are ranked as the 4th best team in total offense that is averaging 529.8 YPG.  Barrett, Dobbins, and Weber account for 60 of the 105 TD’s that Ohio State has scored so balance among the many weapons on this stacked Buckeye team needs to be maintained to be successful and unpredictable.

Negating Offenses

The Badger defense is also stout and they are capable of turning the ball over and turning it into points.  They are ranked 2nd in the nation, behind only Alabama in defensive TDs and scoring defense, scoring 5 TDs and surrendering 12.0 PPG respectively.  Their strength is their defense, where they are #1 in the nation, giving up 236.9 YPG, #2 overall with 156.4 YPG through the air and 80.5 on the ground and they are also 8th in team sacks with 3.25 per game and 39 total, which does not bode well for the Buckeyes and their Offensive Line.

The Buckeyes are a capable team, also with a stout and suffocating defense.  They are 8th in scoring defense, giving up 291.8 YPG, #15 in passing defense with 179.0 YPG, and #13 in rushing defense with 112.8 YPG.  They are 20th in the nation surrendering 19.8 PPG and this group of defenders in 19th in the nation in team sacks, putting the opposing QB’s down 34 total times, while they average 2.83 per game.

Buckeyes Barrett-less?

I am no rocket scientist, but the circumstances around the Ohio State sidelines were shady at best given the magnitude of The Game and what was at stake for either team, bragging rights.  With Ohio State defeating Michigan five straight years and looking to earn their 6th, any devoted fan would be desperate to inflict injury on a star player to prevent the streak from continuing.

Luckily for the Buckeyes, it was not a serious issue and it has been an on-going issue for him the entire season.  Now, Barrett is probable for the big game at Indy, but the staff will be cautious as they give Barrett and Haskins some reps just in case.

Prediction

With both teams vying for a spot in the CFB Playoffs this game will have the drama and suspense that people crave will draw people across the nation to witness this.  As it currently stands, Ohio State’s on-field product remains among the best in the country and a Big Ten Championship Game matchup with the Wisconsin Badgers will likely have the Buckeyes favored by the displayed sportsbooks at mytopsportsbooks.com.

Even if favored, this will not be an easy task to accomplish and a repeat of the last conference title game between the two is unrealistic at this point.  Both teams will come to play and they will play harder than they ever had to this Saturday.  With the status of Barrett and the potential of Haskins getting the starting nod, I believe that it’ll be close.  Whoever starts, each would struggle.  Wisconsin will have answers for everything Ohio State has in store for their opponent, but a late score will secure a win.

21-28 Ohio State defeats Wisconsin.

 

Battleground Ann Arbor:  Scarlet vs Blue

In what will be the final regular season game of the 2017 season, the Buckeyes CFB Playoffs hopes are still alive and well, but before getting too ahead of ourselves, the Buckeyes will face their archrival in Ann Arbor in The Game before facing Wisconsin in the BIG 10 Championship game.  The stage is set for another clash between rivals Ohio State and Michigan, Urban Meyer versus Jim Harbaugh will square off for the third time with Meyer looking for his third straight victory over Harbaugh, while Harbaugh is looking to secure his first victory over their most hated rival.

This collision will not be without emotion on either side after the twitter was among former Alums is still on-going.  Current Michigan RB Karan Higdon stated earlier this week that “everyone here knows that we won that game last year”, noting the questionable spot from a season ago.  The bitterness will plunge this game on a different level, as the Wolverines are looking to dash the Buckeyes’ CFB Playoffs hopes to avenge last season perceived screw job by biased referees.

This year, Ohio State will be wearing another alternate uniform, and what better way to debut them during The Game when everyone will be watching.  Per The Lantern, these uniforms will be all white, with wolf accents to make the uniform pop.  The helmets will also include a Terry Glenn decal, dedicating their respects to a Buckeye Legend who passed away earlier this week from a car accident.

This will give the Buckeyes added motivation as they travel into a hostile environment with a lot on the line.  The uniforms will also resonate and appeal to prospective recruiting targets, which would not hurt at all, to be honest.  With Coach Meyer and his assistants constantly get top tier, hidden gems in, but this will definitely help their cause.

The Game is a yearly tradition, but with so much at stake and with an excess amount of national exposure, this game will be one to watch and it will be as intense as previous years because the Wolverines are in a position to upset the Buckeyes and ruin their dreams of another playoff berth.

J.T. Barrett will look to become the first Buckeye starter at QB to go 4-0 against TTUN and after last season, this will not be an easy task to accomplish.  He will lean on his big-game experience to will his team to victory.  He has not had to depend on his arm the last couple of weeks, but I do not anticipate that he would need to during this game due to the emergence of Dobbins and Weber in the run game.

#83 Terry McLaurin will look to have a big game, dedicated to Terry Glenn and his family. He and the rest of Zone 6 will look to make clutch and timely plays for Barrett to keep the chains moving.  The value of earning their Gold Pants, their last pair of them as well, will fuel this Buckeye team, but they will most likely be tested early and often by another stout front seven that could give them fits.

The Offensive Line will need to perform at their highest level to keep Barrett upright to give him time in the pocket to find his playmakers.  With good pass rushers, Michigan will look to disrupt the flow of things to put them in more favorable conditions. This will be a physical game for both sides, which only adds to the anticipation and the excitement of the game. The passion will undoubtedly be there, but it will be up to either team to take advantage of the momentum swings

There is no doubt that defenses can certainly win championships, but during this game, the defense needs to come up big to stop the Wolverine power running game.  They possess three capable ball carriers that have their own style of running, and four if you include Hill, their goal line FB who scored twice against the Buckeyes last year.

The biggest question for the Buckeyes defense will be, who will end up being the starting QB?  Peterman has not been cleared of his concussion issues and it is a toss-up between O’Korn and Speight, who is also coming off of an injury.

The Opposing WR’s will be a tough test for the secondary, who has had the tendency to give up a few bad plays or penalties here and there.  Thankfully, no one was ejected in the last game, so it will be something to watch if any Buckeye, whether on offense or defense lets their emotions get the best of them, but I think each side will be up to the task of handling business.

Prediction:

I cannot stress what a rivalry game can do, and the outcome is usually unpredictable.  I would like to see a blowout, but I know it’ll be another hard-fought BIG 10 game that will feature the power running game often. With the Buckeyes and the Wolverines having something to play for, Ohio State a potential CFB Playoff berth and Michigan playing to dash those hopes, it will be another fun edition of The Game.

Buckeyes defeat Wolverines 34-21

Illibuck stays in Columbus

In Columbus, on their last home game for the season, J.T. Barrett and the other seniors on the roster looked for a perfect send-off from friends, families, and coaches before heading to Ann Arbor to cap off their rollercoaster regular season.

The game began with Ohio State taking the first possession of the game and it really did not take long for the Buckeyes to impose their will against the Illini.  Their main objective was to run into the defenses teeth and they definitely made that happen.  By the time the game ended, after all the smoke, the Buckeyes ran all over the defense and registered 325 rushing yards for 4 TDs.

Mike Weber proved that he is healthy once again and for the second consecutive game, he went over the 100-yard mark again after busting through for a 43-yarder to essentially put the game further out of reach.  Weber also notched another game where he scored multiple times.

Dobbins and Barrett combined for 84 yards, with a TD a piece.  After their day was done Antonio Williams came in for relief duty and he ran with determination and power before finishing the game with 19 carries and 74 yards.

Barrett did not have a turnover this game, but he was an effective passer as he reached 101 total passing TDs in his career.  He was 11 for 19 with 2 TDs hitting Victor and Baugh for touchdowns.  Once the game had been decided, the backups Dwayne Haskins and Joe Burrow got their chance for a few reps, and Buckeye nation got a snapshot at what should be one hell of a QB battle next season along with Tate Martell for the starting QB spot.

On the initial Haskins drive, he tried to take it past the first down marker, but he was hit hard and he fumbled the football and it was returned for Illinois’ first score of the game, effectively breaking the shutout.  He was quickly benched in favor of Barrett for one last drive and after he finished the drive, Burrow was put in and he also fumbled but was able to recover before punting the ball.

Illinois score with a younger QB after Crouch went down with an injury and he made the most of his shot because, on the first play, he rushed for a 9-yard score.  The backups got a lot of work, but they showed a lot of promise.

With the Buckeyes rolling, the game ended with a 52-14 victory as they have retained the trophy for another year.  Another bit of good news is with TTUN losing to Wisconsin, Ohio State have secured the BIG 10 East division spot for the Conference Championship Game, but the next opponent on the docket is TTUN, which should be interesting, to say the least.  For now, enjoy the win.  Go Bucks.

Battleground Columbus: The Battle for Illibuck

This matchup pits #9 Ohio State and Illinois on Senior Day, which will obviously be their last game at the Shoe and it has the makings of another emotional game.  Ohio State will be facing a team that is struggling to find their identity and also a team that still has not gotten a conference win this season, that is sitting at 2-8 overall.  The Buckeyes will not overlook this Illini team because besides this being their last home game, the Illibuck trophy is up for grabs again.

Since 2001, Illibuck has been stashed away at Ohio State, but a baller named Juice Williams upset the Buckeyes and took it away for a short vacation to Champagne.  There are many players that will ensure that chaos does not happen.  From J.T. Barrett to Damon Webb, each Senior will play their hearts out.  The underclassmen and potential early entries for the draft will also ensure that their Seniors are not disappointed in their last game at home, especially before the Game.

Ball Security Dilemma:

One thing of concern will be J.T. Barrett and turnovers.  In the last two games, he has thrown 6, yes 6 interceptions.  He has difficulties with accuracy and ball placement, but this game will present an opportunity to fix and adjust prior to traveling to Ann Arbor for the Game.

Last week, Barrett was all over the place in the passing attack, but he rarely needed to air it out because the run game was unstoppable against a normally stout Spartan defense.  The Buckeyes beat the snot out of them and routed them, and with their playoff hopes on life support, they cannot afford any more hiccups and they must win out and win the conference, but that is not what is important.  The important thing for them is staying focused and taking care of the ball, and that starts with Barrett at the helm.

This Lovie Smith led defense is surrendering 204.1 passing yards and 198.9 rushing yards per game, but they have not faced the caliber and types of athletes that the Buckeyes have on their roster.  Look for Meyer to establish the run early and often to soften the coverage for play action passes.  This will be a confidence booster and they will need all they can get.

Defenses Last Stand:

The question on everyone’s mind, and mine especially, is who will get a targeting penalty this time?  Ward, Bosa, Jones, and Arnette have been ejected for targeting and it has been a trend for this team this year.  The Buckeyes cannot afford any stupid targeting penalties, especially in the second half because another pair of gold pants will be on the line against the TTUN.

Jaylin Holmes, Tracy Sprinkle, Dante Booker, Chris Worley, Tyquan Lewis, Michael Hill, and Erick Smith will play their last game and they would love to finish the season with a conference championship, their only goal right now.  There are others like Bosa, Baker, Ward, Arnette, and Hubbard, who may leave after this season, but a lot is on the line in this game, even with an overmatched team in your way.

Illinois will have a new QB after Dudek went down with an injury, and may not be back next year. George has thrown 10 INT’s so far during his time in the fire and I am sure that the defense will force a few due to his inexperience.

Ground and Pound:

The duo of Weber and Dobbins will be featured in this contest a lot.  They ran all over Michigan State and will look to add to their momentum just in time for the game.  They all do not want to let their Seniors down in their last game at the Shoe, especially when Weber might potentially leave after this season.

Billy Price and Jamarco Jones, along with Barrett will fight alongside both RB’s for Illibuck and for bragging rights and Zone 6 will also try to explode onto the scene to put the game away early to rest for the Game.  This game is their last chance to correct any and all quirks on the offensive side of the ball to walk into Ann Arbor with added momentum and focus because the Game is always exciting and unpredictable.

Prediction:

Ohio State picks up where they left off in the running game and finely tunes the passing attack to prepare for TTUN.  Barrett throws at least one pick in the game, but has 3 TD’s to Zone 6 and a rushing TD.  The RB’s run wild and salt the game away and combine for 180 yards and 4 scores en route to a 56-6 thrashing of Illinois.

Ohio State defeats Illinois 56-6.