Q&A with an Opponents Blogger: Rutgers

October 17, 2014 by Leave a Comment

Finally we are one day away from the Battle of The Scarlets. The Scarlet Knights of Rutgers try to invade Columbus with hopes of upsetting the Scarlet and Gray of Ohio State. This week I have had the great pleasure of getting to work with one Rutgers blogger and one Rutgers successful podcast host. I know shocking Rutgers has fans right (I kid). It has been a pleasure to work with Sal from salsoothsayer.com who not only is a big Rutgers fan but also a big B1G fan and have had the pleasure of working with him in the past. Also joining the conversation today is Jerry who is host of the R Big Show and in that link you can hear us talk some about the game last night.

Time to grab your favorite beverage and sit back and enjoy what they bring to the table for us today.

MotSaG: What are Rutgers fans thoughts of the Big Ten and becoming a part of the conference?

Sal Rutgers fans literally could not be more excited. There is a tremendous amount of pride that students, alumni and fans of the school feel in the acceptance into the premier athletic and academic conference in the nation. Most supporters of Rutgers realize this goes well beyond the athletic field and they understand how academic programs and research will benefit immensely. For half of a decade now Rutgers has been a team without a home. Fans and supporters feel that has ended now.

Jerry It has been everything we thought it would be. I’ve enjoyed the coverage on the Big Ten network. Rutgers has played Penn State. They have played Michigan. Both of the games were at home and were electric. They play Ohio State this week, with Nebraska next week and Wisconsin and Michigan State still down the road. As a college football fan you could not ask for more!

MotSaG: Whats more surprising that you didn’t think you would have heard in the preseason, Rutgers starts season 5-1 or Gary Nova first ever player to win Player of the Week award in three different conferences?

Sal I think that most would feel that one would have to come with the other. The only way that Rutgers could be 5-1 is with great quarterback play and the team has had great quarterback play this season. Including Nova’s forgettable game against Penn State he has completed 93 of 150 passes (62.0%) for 1601 yards and 13 touchdowns against 7 interceptions. He has thrown for over 280 yards in four or Rutgers six games. Nova also became Rutgers career leader in passing touchdowns this season. Most fans would have been excited by a 4-2 start so 5-1 has Rutgers fans very optimistic going into the second half of the season.

Jerry Gary Nova garnering POW is not the least bit surprising. He has always had very good games – he is the school’s all-time touchdown leader – it is the consistency against quality defenses that we are looking for. Many felt the Scarlet Knights could pull off a win against Penn State or Michigan. However, to do so and not stumble along the way with a tough road opener at Washington State and a gritty Navy team in the middle of the first part of the schedule has been a testament to the toughness of this team and the preparation of the staff.

MotSaG: Do you expect the Scarlet Knight players being lost in awe of playing in the Horseshoe?

Sal I think excited is more the correct term than awe. Certainly the players are recognize this opportunity. It will clearly be the biggest venue that the players have played in but two years ago the team went to Fayetteville, Arkansas in front of 70,000 plus and left with a 35-26 victory. At 5-1 this game on ABC at 3:30 is kind of like playing with house money.

Jerry They should be. It is one of the truly amazing venues in college football. Who could not take a moment, to imagine yourself as a kid on the Pee Wee fields and watching games Ohio State games on TV and then coming to the realization that here you are in front of 107,000 fans at Horseshoe! It is culmination of years of hard work and dedication that each player has put in over his career. However, don’t take awe as being shell-shocked. In fact, it is a great motivation factor to play in such an environment. Who wouldn’t want to star or put together their best effort on this stage?

MotSaG: Key players on defense Buckeye fans should keep an eye on?

Sal Well Rutgers defensive line has received a lot of credit this year and deservedly so. Redshirt freshman, athletic freak and pass-rushing specialist 6’6 235 Kemoko Turay leads the Big Ten with 5.5 sacks (and leads the nation with 3 blocked field goals). But the DL starts in the middle with the play of New Jersey native junior Darius Hamilton. Hamilton plays the 3-technique at 265 lbs so he will be undersized but he has been undersized all season and has still contributed 6 TFL and 3.5 sacks. Hamilton moves inside to nose on passing downs. Sophomore Steve Longa led the team in tackles last year from MLB but switched to play WILL this year. He has 41 tackles so far this season but has not put together a breakout game. That could come this week.

Jerry If they haven’t already, they should learn the name Kemoko Turay. Turay is already building his own legend with 5.5 sacks and three blocked field goals as a raw red-shirt freshman. A former basketball player, he is still very green and may be somewhat mitigated by the read-zone offense of Ohio State. But if it is 3rd and long, zero in on number 58 and you will see one of the most athletic players to ever don the Scarlet for Rutgers.

MotSaG: What concerns do the Scarlet knight fans have about Buckeyes offense?

Sal When a team averages 45 points a game the obvious answer is “a lot”. The biggest concern I have is the quarterback play of J.T. Barrett. Barrett seems to be getting better by the week. Certainly the first priority for Rutgers will be stopping the run but Barrett could really make Rutgers pay with his arm and his legs if Rutgers sells out to stop the running backs.

Jerry What is there not to be concerned about? Of late, QB J.T Barrett has been brilliant and RB Ezekiel Elliot has replaced Carlos Hyde quite famously. Rutgers will need to generate pressure from its front four and when the opportunities to take down Barrett are there they must tackle and tackle well. Keeping Ohio State’s offense off the field will be the best defense.

MotSaG: With the loss of RB Paul James for the year and Rutgers having a bye week was there a lot of focus on trying to improve run game?

Sal There needs to be. The teams running game is improved from last year but not by leaps and bounds. Rutgers struggled to run the ball against Penn State and Michigan. Against Michigan Gary Nova made them pay. Against Penn State he did not. Offensive Coordinator Ralph Friedgen will take what the defense gives him. If Ohio State commits to stopping the run look for Friedgen to get Nova some confidence with easy completions early on before taking the deep shot.

Jerry Most definitely! It is shame that James could not play in this stretch of games for Rutgers. His absence is missed not only by Scarlet Knights fans, but for the fans of the other teams to see him play. However, Offensive Coordinator has been a difference maker so as much as they may be working on the run they are surely game-planning to attack the untested parts of this defense. I would expect safeties Vonn Bell and Tyvis Powell to see a lot of action as the Rutgers has to attack the back-middle of this defense.

MotSaG: Speaking of Paul James what are your thoughts on Ohio State offering his brother Ronnie this week who is already a Rutgers commit?

Sal Well Urban Meyer changed recruiting in the Big Ten a few years ago with his disregard for gentlemen’s agreements. You can argue if that is good or not that isn’t the debate. Rutgers’ fans might be upset at Meyer for the timing of the offer but certainly it speaks highly of Rutgers Coach Kyle Flood’s ability to evaluate talent as the younger James is a borderline two or three star recruit based off of the recruiting services. Not usually the type of athlete Ohio State offers.

Jerry It surely shows the high-stakes game that is called recruiting. The timing was surely somewhat premeditated. On the flipside, it also validates that Ronnie James is potentially a great reel-in for the Scarlet Knights, as Urban Meyer is not just going to throw around scholarship offers.

MotSaG: Point spread is 19.5 do you feel that is disrespectful to Rutgers and what they have done so far this season?

Sal Many feel the line is disrespectful and it crept to 21 earlier today so I’m not sure where the line will finish up. The line seems about right to me. Ohio State buried Maryland by almost 30 points at Byrd Stadium two weeks ago. 19 on the road for Rutgers seems like a compliment if you look at it that way!

Jerry One thing we can all agree is that Vegas tends to know what it is doing. It is a good number. Rutgers could play very well and still come out of this down by two touchdowns or more. On the other hand they are a 5-1 team that has been playing well. Is it disrespectful? No. But it is to be expected, after all this Ohio State and this is Rutgers. This season is about perception for the Scarlet Knight program. They are playing to prove they belong here and they are playing to show a state that is deep in talent that they are not far off from playing for Big Ten titles with their help. We are no longer into moral victories, but a close game here even with a loss could go a long way as well.

MotSaG: Keys for Rutgers to pull off an upset?

Sal First, Rutgers needs to weather the first quarter storm. If the Knights are within one score after the first quarter that will bode well. The obvious key is Rutgers needs to get to the passer. Their pass rush against Ohio State’s pass protection appears to be the Scarlet Knights’ biggest strength. But the key is in putting Ohio State in predictable passing downs and that starts with defense on first down. If Rutgers can keep Ohio State in second and third and long that will give the aggressive blitzing scheme of Rutgers defensive coordinator Joe Rossi a shot. Beyond that, Rutgers needs to win the turnover battle and get either a blocked punt or a big punt/kickoff return.

Jerry Nova has to continue to play well and not revert back to the turnover laden QB he has been in the past against top competition. Michigan was a start for him and if the offensive line could protect him he will have to stretch the Buckeye defense.

On the flipside of the ball, Rutgers will have to pressure J.T Barrett and hope he reverts back to being the red-shirt freshman who struggled against Virginia Tech.

MotSaG: Final score prediction?

Sal Since most people are predicting more points I’ll go less and say Ohio State 31 – Rutgers 17. I think Rutgers can hang around for a while but Ohio State’s tempo and ground game could wear down the Scarlet Knights defensive line resulting in a stressful, but in the end happy Homecoming for the Buckeyes.

Jerry I don’t do predictions, but I will tell you this: I am fairly confident they can beat the 19+ point spread! Many knock the Scarlet Knights for losing to Penn State and beating a struggling Michigan team as well, but Ohio State is one of only two Top 25 teams that has not played another ranked team as well. This is a very talented roster for Ohio State and they start some highly rated young players. But the Buckeyes are also very young. How will the young players respond to adversity if tested? Whatever the outcome, this is the type of game that makes inclusion in the Big Ten so much fun.

I’m not going to give my whole take on what I think the Buckeyes need to do this week as I pretty much summed that up in yesterdays pieced in my preview.

Once again I am so thankful for Sal and Jerry helping me discuss Rutgers for you Buckeye fans to see what they are thinking in the Garden State. You can follow Sal on Twitter @SalSoothsayer and Jerry @RUFANJERRY. Don’t forget to check out Sal’s site (plus you can see my weekly power poll there also) and check out Jerry’s podcast they do a great job covering Rutgers football. Hope you all enjoyed todays post. Have any questions feel free to send me an email to AskMotSag@gmail.com

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

Buckeyes Prepare For First Rumble Against Rutgers

October 17, 2014 by Leave a Comment

Rutgers University is off to a surprising 5-1 start to its 2014 season. With a surprising victory in the first week over Washington State, an inspiring victory at Navy, and a scrappy victory in its first B1G contest against Michigan, Rutgers is poised to make the second half of its inaugural season as a member of The B1G Conference quite successful.

While Ohio State has been established as a strong favorite (Ohio State is close to a 20 point favorite), it would be wise for Ohio State fans to not necessarily count this game as being a sure thing. One need only reminisce back to the second week of the season, when Virginia Tech entered Ohio Stadium as an underdog, only to be rejoicing happily upon the conclusion of that game. Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer will certainly be emphasizing the “don’t be cocky” theme to his well-rested squad this entire week. Both Rutgers and Ohio State come into this contest off a bye week.

The three primary areas of concern I have for this game are as follows:

1. How Will Ohio State Handle A Strong Rutgers Pass Rush? – While undersized by traditional B1G standards for defensive lines, Rutgers has strong pass rushers led by Darius Hamilton and Kemoko Turay. Turay was the player responsible for blocking the Michigan field goal that culminated in the Rutgers victory over the Wolverines. While the Ohio State offensive line has been improving since the struggles versus Virginia Tech, will the Buckeyes be able to adequately protect QB J.T. Barrett against what should be a blitzing Scarlet Knights pass rush?

2. Will Ohio State Be Able To Pressure Rutgers QB Gary Nova? – Nova has improved tremendously this season under the tutelage of new Rutgers offensive coordinator/QB coach Ralph Friedgen. Friedgen is a veteran college and NFL coach who may have some tricks up his sleeve to help Nova with what promises to be a fearsome Ohio State pass rush, led by DE Joey Bosa. Will Ohio State be able to pressure Nova into mistakes, as Penn State was able to in what turned out to be the only loss for Rutgers so far this season?

3. Will Ohio State Be Able To Run The Ball Offensively? – The improvement of the Ohio State offense since the Virginia Tech has coincided with the emergence of sophomore RB Ezekiel Elliott as Ohio State’s primary ball carrier. While undersized, look for Rutgers to stack the box against Ohio State. Will Ohio State be able to capitalize upon this strategy if Rutgers pursues it?

Even with all of my concerns, I believe Ohio State is starting to find its rhythm both offensively and defensively. The improvement along both lines of scrimmage, as well as within the secondary, will be too much for a talented Rutgers team making its first visit to Ohio Stadium. This game should be close until the second half, but Ohio State has too much size and speed for Rutgers to keep pace with the Buckeyes. I have it Ohio State 42, Rutgers 21.

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

MOTSAG TV Guide

October 16, 2014 by Leave a Comment

All games Saturday, October 18, unless otherwise noted.

BUCKEYES

Rutgers @ Ohio State. 3:30p, ABC/ESPN2.

People who gamble on college football like Ohio State a lot more in this game than they like Rutgers, and that makes Rutgers sad. Keep in mind that so far in the Big Ten, Rutgers has lost a close game to a middling Penn State team and barely beat a terrible Michigan team. On the other hand, Ohio State destroyed a Maryland team that, while not great, is still probably better than those other two.

UPCOMING OPPONENTS

Purdue @ Minnesota. Noon, Big Ten Network.

Michigan State @ Indiana. 3:30p, ESPN.

Penn State: no game
Illinois: no game
Michigan: no game

OTHER BIG TEN TEAMS

Iowa @ Maryland. Noon, ESPN2.

Nebraska @ Northwestern. 7:30p, Big Ten Network.

Wisconsin: no game

OTHER OHIO TEAMS
All games on ESPN3 (online) unless otherwise noted

Western Michigan @ Bowling Green, 2:00p.

Akron @ Ohio, 2:00p.

Army @ Kent State, 3:30p.

Miami (OH) @ Northern Illinois, 5:00p.

Cincinnati @ SMU. 3:30p, CBS Sports Network.

OTHER BIG NATIONAL GAMES

Baylor @ West Virginia. Noon, FS1.

Texas A&M @ Alabama. 3:30p, CBS.

Notre Dame @ Florida State. 8:00p, ABC.

This battle of unbeatens will get even more interesting if FSU QB Jameis Winston is suspended for yet another potential scandal, this time involving some autographed memorabilia.

Washington @ Oregon. 8:00p, FS1.

Filed Under: Ohio State Football

Rutgers vs. Ohio State Preview

October 16, 2014 by Leave a Comment

Date & Time: Saturday, October 18, 3:30 p.m. EST

Where: Ohio Stadium

TV: ABC regionally and ESPN2 outside the region. Sean McDonough, Chris Spielman and Todd McShay will be the announcers

Series Record: First ever meeting 0-0

Initial Thoughts

During the preseason if you would have told me the game between Rutgers and Ohio State this Saturday would feature two teams that are 5-1 and 4-1 respectively, I would have laughed at you. No way did I see the Buckeyes coming into this game with a loss, they have Braxton Miller and Urban Meyer as head coach who hadn’t lost a regular season game at OSU. Rutgers scheduled looked tough, starting off on the road at Washington State facing the Air raid assault, having to play Penn State and Michigan. Then there’s this thing that happens that makes every expert wrong and college football exciting, its called playing the game (minus the injury part of it all). I am not going to rehash anything from the Buckeyes season so far because your an OSU fan and you already know whats been going on right, right.

Lets discuss Rutgers

How many of you that first week stayed up late to see the Scarlet Knights play Washington State? Probably not a lot of you but I did and I came a way a little impressed. Yes they won the game but that wasn’t what impressed me. They played with grit, they played with attitude, they hit hard (Big Ten Hard Hitting). Rutgers should really be undefeated coming into Columbus Saturday but QB Gary Nova had a bad day against Penn State throwing 5 INT’s. Those 5 INT’s really weren’t all of Nova’s fault but still they had a shot at winning the game and I believe that a costly interception at the end lost it for them as like what happened for Ohio State against Virginia Tech. This isn’t the same Rutgers team that is the laughing stock of college football but honestly it isn’t a team that is right now that is ready to be competing for a National Championship. They are improved and have a ways to go but the Buckeyes seriously cannot take this game lightly or they will lose their first Big Ten game since 2011.

When Ohio State is on Offense

Scarletshirt freshman QB J.T. Barrett will have more of an open play book this week, as it continues to keep opening up for him every week. Barrett who leads the Big Ten in total offense has weapons galore (just to many to list and honestly you should already know them!!). The young QB has 14 touchdowns and 1 interception in the last 3 games, he will be facing a Scarlet Knight defense that is 96th in the nation in passing yards. Rutgers allows 261.7 yards per game by air which means Barrett and his receivers should be able to make plays. The running back group lead by Ezekiel Elliott will be licking their chops going against a rushing defense that is allowing 135 yards per game on the ground plus Curtis Samuel should be in the mix coming back from his injury.

When Rutgers is on Offense

The loss of RB Paul James for the season is a blow to Rutgers offense but the bye week should help them try to improve and help try to fix that issue. They only had like 74 yards rushing against Michigan. QB Gary Nova who is the first ever player of the week in three different conferences comes off the Michigan game looking like a Heisman type QB throwing for over 400 yards. Nova did however have 5 INT’s against Penn State which means his cage can be rattled. Nova has some nice targets in John Tsimis, Andrew Turzilli, Janarion Grant, Leonte Carroo, and TE Tyler Kroft. The Scarlet Knights run a Pro Style offense so it will be interesting to see how the Buckeyes defense handles it.

When Ohio State is on Defense

The Buckeyes defensive hasn’t been great this season. But they have been showing signs of improvement. Ohio State only has 12 sacks so far which is next to last in the Big Ten and 32 tackles for loss and that is tied for worst in the B1G. They need to do a better job at getting to Nova and disrupting him. The secondary as we know have had their issues but you did see progress from the Cincinnati game to the Maryland game. After giving up 3 big plays they only gave up one big play to Maryland. The young Buckeye defense did have 4 INT’s against the Terps so lets hope for more of that Saturday. I’m sure during the bye week Urban, Fickell, and Ash helped teach the players more so we will see more of an improvement this week. Keep everything in front of you and keep them out of the endzone and Rutgers goes home with a loss.

When Rutgers is on Defense

DT Darius Hamilton and DE Kemoko Turay and company will be bring the heat and creating havoc for Barrett and the Buckeyes offensive line. Rutgers is third in the nation and leads the Big Ten in sacks (24). Ohio State gives up a little over 2 sacks a game. Rutgers secondary is suspect but it was able to keep Washington State’s Air Raid from out scoring them and they were able to hold off Navy when it seemed the Midshipmen went to an all out air assault and were mounting a comeback only to fall short. I’m sure that the Scarlet Knights will be licking their chops hoping they will be able to get to Barrett with ease like Virginia Tech did so their secondary isn’t exposed.

Bottom Line:

This is a game the Buckeye need to again come out fast come out strong. The Scarlet Knights need to be overwhelmed by not just playing in the largest stadium they have ever set foot in, but they need to be basically kicked in the teeth and set on their seat to show them this is Ohio State football. They beat Michigan and maybe they have some swag from it and little bite of a puffed out chest thinking they really belong to hang with the big boys of the B1G. If the Buckeyes let Rutgers hang around its only going to help build up their confidence and that won’t be good for the Scarlet and Gray.

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

The Spread, Week Eight: Getting The Playoff Right

October 16, 2014 by Leave a Comment

Are we looking for the “best” teams or the “most deserving” teams? It’s an argument that came up frequently during the BCS era, and it’s not going away with the new committee-run College Football Playoff. While those terms aren’t really all that specific, what people usually mean is that there is a difference between the teams with the most talent or who are playing the best at the end of the year (the “best” teams) and teams who won the most games or played the toughest schedule (the “most deserving” teams). Most fans and followers of college football agree that one of these two approaches is correct, and since the playoff (as the BCS before it) will be filled based on varied opinions and not a single objective method, both of these ideologies will be represented. Most fans will be happy with the outcome, unless their school is among the few borderline teams on the outside looking in.

The problem with both of these ideas is that they are impossible to define, rely heavily on subjectivity and circular reasoning, and are prone to outside influence. “Best” is probably the most meaningless term in all of sports, meaning vastly different things to different people. To some it is simply whoever wins the most, yet others will tell us that the best team doesn’t always win. “Most deserving” only works if you define what makes a team deserving, but even then chances are you’ll eventually say the words “Strength Of Schedule” and any hope of objectivity is out the window. Schedule strength is an absurd notion that can be boiled down to this basic argument: We can’t tell how good a team is just by how many games they’ve won, we have to look at how good the teams they’ve played are, which we’ll determine by how many games they’ve won.

I will refrain from touting (again) an expanded playoff and focus only on making a workable four-team playoff that at least strives for some sense of objectivity. To do this, I’m going to borrow an idea from every single playoff that has ever been conceived for any other sports league: If you aren’t the “best” team in your conference, you aren’t the “best” team in the country, nor do you “deserve” a chance to win the title. All conferences have already agreed that their champion should be treated as the “best” team–that’s who got the big-time bowl bids or the BCS spots. That’s who gets the trophies and the rings. There is no reason to change that now.

Therefore, when selecting four teams to play for the national championship at the end of the year, the pool of eligible teams should be limited to the ten FBS conference champions. The committee can then decide between them by whatever criteria they wish. Chances are the five “non-power” conferences are going to be eliminated based on record and quality of opponents, but there’s a chance a Boise State-type team might make a worthy run.

Still, it’s likely that a four-team champions-only playoff would include only the Big Ten, SEC, Pac-12, Big 12 and ACC in most years, and of course, one of those is going to be left out. Again, it’s up to the committee to decide where to draw the line when it comes to comparing champions, but I honestly think there will usually be a fairly clear outlier.

Filed Under: Ohio State Football

By The Numbers: Rutgers

October 15, 2014 by Leave a Comment

As always, presented without comment.

Statistically Speaking
Ohio State
Value (Rank)
Value (Rank)
Rutgers
Advantage
Rushing Offense (ypg) 247.0 (18) 135.0 (44) Rushing Defense (ypg) Ohio State
Passing Offense (ypg) 276.6 (35) 261.7 (100) Passing Defense (ypg) Ohio State+
Pass Efficiency 183.5 (2) 131.5 (79) Pass Efficiency Defense Ohio State++
Total Offense (ypg) 523.6 (12) 396.7 (70) Total Defense (ypg) Ohio State+
Scoring Offense (ppg) 44.6 (5) 21.7 (43) Scoring Defense (ppg) Ohio State
Rushing Defense (ypg) 135.6 (45) 159.2 (75) Rushing Offense (ypg) Ohio State
Passing Defense (ypg) 178.8 (13) 267.5 (36) Passing Offense (ypg) Push
Pass Efficiency Defense 112.4 (28) 166.9 (4) Pass Efficiency Offense Push
Total Defense (ypg) 314.4 (14) 426.7 (57) Total Offense (ypg) Ohio State
Scoring Defense (ppg) 20.8 (31) 29.5 (71) Scoring Offense (ppg) Ohio State
Turnover margin +0.60 (28) -0.33 (90) Turnover margin Ohio State+
Penalty Yards/game 50.2 (52) 55.5 (64) Penalty Yards/game Push
Sacks (/game) 2.40 (68) 1.33 (28) Sacks Allowed (/game) Rutgers
Sacks Allowed (/game) 2.60 (74) 4.00 (3) Sacks (/game) Rutgers+
3rd Down Conv. (%) 48.4 (14) 42.1 (85) 3rd Down Conv. Def (%) Ohio State+
3rd Down Conv. Def (%) 35.8 (44) 42.3 (60) 3rd Down Conv. (%) Push
4th Down Conv. (%) 44.4 (83) 28.6 (16) 4th Down Conv. Def (%) Rutgers+
4th Down Conv. Def (%) 100.0 (127) 50.0 (55) 4th Down Conv. (%) Rutgers+
Redzone Offense (%) 82.1 (72) 75.0 (26) Redzone Defense (%) Rutgers
Redzone Defense (%) 91.7 (109) 90.5 (26) Redzone Offense (%) Rutgers++
 Legend
  Difference <25 in National Rank = Push
  Difference >25 in National Rank = Ohio State
  Difference >50 in National Rank = Ohio State+
  Difference >75 in National Rank = Ohio State++
  Differences >100 in National Rank = Ohio State+++

Stats are grabbed from cfbstats.com

Filed Under: Ohio State Football

A Look Around The Country

October 15, 2014 by Leave a Comment

The state of Mississippi has had a great two weeks after both the Bulldogs and Rebels pulled off huge wins. The SEC West is a monster division and the last half of the season will be fun to watch to see who comes out on top. Three top 10 teams (Auburn, TCU, Arizona) lost this week and this season is reminding me more and more like 2007. And we all remember how that turned out.

Big Games Last Week

Oklahoma 31 Texas 26

The Sooners were able to bounce back last week as they took down the Longhorns by 5 in Dallas. This has been a bad first year for Charlie Strong as Texas sits at 2-4. The biggest take away from this game was how Oklahoma’s defense struggled against a bad Texas offense. A date with Baylor on November 8 (a big day for us Buckeye fans) looms.

Mississippi State 38 Auburn 23

I’ll be honest; I completely underestimated Miss State and didn’t give them much of a chance in this one. But they proved me wrong. Dak Prescott is becoming a legitimate Heisman contender and the Bulldogs should be able to coast until mid-November where they’ll play Alabama and Ole Miss in two of their last three games. Auburn’s schedule is even more difficult with games against Ole Miss, Texas A&M, Georgia, and Alabama left. They will lose at least one of those.

Baylor 61 Texas Christian 58

Have either of these two teams ever heard of defense? I think not. Bryce Petty and Baylor have possibly the most explosive offense in the country but with a defense giving up 58 points, it’s hard to believe they won’t slip up eventually especially since they have the meat of their schedule still to come. It was certainly a tough loss to take for TCU as they had a 3 touchdown lead with 9 minutes to go. They may lose another before the season is over.

Oregon 42 UCLA 30

Don’t count out the Ducks. Despite a loss to Arizona, Oregon is still in the thick of things in the playoff race. Marcus Mariota is still the key to their success and I think he takes over as a leader into the last half of the season. They really don’t play too tough of a schedule the rest of the year so I see them ending up at 11-1 before heading into the Pac 12 Championship.

Big Games This Week

Rutgers at Ohio State

The Buckeyes start the last stretch of the season with the other Big Ten newcomer, Scarlet Knights. J.T. Barrett and the rest of the offense has been on a roll and I’m hoping this bye week hasn’t affected their rhythm. They just need to stay healthy, play one game at a time, and things will fall in place for them. I truly believe if we are sitting here in early December at 12-1 and Big Ten Champs, we’ll be in the playoffs.

Saturday, October 18 at 3:30pm on ABC or ESPN 2

Texas A&M at Alabama

This game has been a classic the past two years, but we can all thank Johnny Football for that. Now that he is gone, the Aggies will have to pull something else out of their pocket to get a huge W in Tuscaloosa. Both of these teams have been exposed in recent weeks and that will pose a problem going forward. I have the Tide by 10 in this one.

Saturday, October 18 at 3:30 pm on CBS

Kansas State at Oklahoma

In a game that could end up being a trap for Oklahoma, the Sooners will look to get a win over a ranked team which would help in their playoff chances. K-State came close to beating Auburn back in September and if that same team shows up, this game will be go down to the wire. But since it’s in Norman, I’m going with OU.

Saturday, October 18 at 12:00pm on ESPN

Notre Dame at Florida State

I’ve been waiting all year to see this one. Brian Kelly and the Irish will roll into Tally on Saturday night against a Seminole team once again reeling from negative Jameis Winston news. It’s an embarrassment to the sport that he’s still suiting up but I won’t even get started on that one. Everett Golson will come alive before our eyes and the Irish D will shut down the FSU offense. I’m going with the upset, Notre Dame by 6.

Saturday, October 18 at 8:00pm on ABC

Michigan Update

Hey they one won! Michigan was able to hold off Penn State by 3 on Saturday Night and improve to 3 wins on the season (yippee). They play the Spartans after their bye week and will most likely be absolutely obliterated. November 29 should be fun.

My Playoff if the Season Ended Today

1. Florida State (beat Syracuse 38-20, plays Notre Dame this week) The Seminoles even looked lackluster against the Orangemen. They’re number one right now, but that will be different next week.

2. Mississippi State (beat Auburn 38-23, plays Kentucky next week) I strongly considered putting the Bulldogs at number one this week but decided to stick with FSU. They destroyed Auburn and have themselves set up for an SEC title run.

3. Notre Dame (beat North Carolina 50-43, plays Florida State this week) The Irish keep on moving up in my rankings (even though most people think I’m crazy) and I don’t think they stop at 3. Their game with Florida State will prove that.

4. Baylor (beat TCU 61-58, plays West Virginia this week) Baylor’s defense is horrible and they will pay for that the hard way eventually. Even WVU poses a real threat to them this week. But for now, they remain in my top 4.

Just Missed the Cut

5. Michigan State
6. Ole Miss
7. Oregon
8. Oklahoma
9. Auburn
10. Alabama
11. Ohio State

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

Players to Watch: Week 8 Ohio State-Rutgers

October 15, 2014 by 1 Comment

The Scarlet Knights of Rutgers pay their first visit to Ohio State on the Buckeyes homecoming weekend this Saturday. Entering Saturday’s game the Knights have an impressive 5-1 record after upsetting The Team Up North two weekends ago 26-24. The Scarlet Knights will look to improve to 2-1 in the first season in the Big Ten, but will face a stiff test from a Buckeye team that is looking to make a push for a spot in the AP top ten, and eventually work its way back in to the playoff picture. Lets take a look at a few players to watch in this Saturday’s match-up.

Rutgers

Kemoko Turay, Defensive End

Turay is a very unique player. He just started playing football his senior year of high school, was a relatively unheralded recruit coming out. Despite those two factors, in his redshirt freshman season he leads the Big Ten in sacks with 5 1/2. Turay also leads the nation in kicks blocked with 3.

Turay says that he models his game after his favorite player Jason Pierre-Paul. A very appropriate comparison since both are incredible athletes. If Turay had started playing football any earlier in his career, there is little doubt he would have received looks from larger programs. He stands at 6-5, 240 pounds, and although he is used situationally, he is still a handful to deal with.

Turay’s inexperience playing has led to coaches only using him in pass rushing situations, and also on kick block units. However, when Turay is on the field, very few players can match his athleticism.

Turay

Gary Nova, Quarterback

Nova has become the superstar on the Rutgers offense after his Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week game versus the Team up North, where Nova threw for four touchdowns. However, Nova is much more talented than just one game. The senior quarterback has put up solid performances in his last three outings and will look to improve upon his performances even more this Saturday.

Nova is a pure pocket passer with a pretty big arm. He has some mobility to get out of the pocket and make throws, but operates best from inside the pocket. Nova and his receivers will look to exploit Ohio States coverage with dink and dunk passes over the middle, and then take several shots deep downfield. Nova excels on the deep balls, and also fitting balls in to very tight windows, so the Buckeye defensive backs will have to be disciplined and aware because Nova’s throws will be on them quickly.

The knock on Nova is his poor decision making. He did have a five interception performance against Penn State and for a senior to perform like that generally means he is stuck in his ways. He will definitely try and force throws, especially if Rutgers find themselves down early. If he does, the Buckeyes should have a couple of opportunities at turnovers and turning Saturday’s match-up in to a blowout.

Ohio State

J.T. Barrett

Barrett could be in for a tough match-up Saturday. The Rutgers defensive line leads the Big Ten in sacks and Ohio State coaches have taken notice. The Knights like to rotate their lineman on third and long situations when they have a specialist package for pass rushing. They do not blitz heavily, except on third down. It will be important for Barrett to keep his offense on schedule, avoiding Rutgers specialist package as well as their creative blitz schemes.

If Barrett does manage the game well, like he has in the past three games, he could be in for another big day. The Rutgers defensive strength is in their front four. If the Buckeyes can neutralize that with a balanced attack then expect Barrett to see less blitzes and have more time to pick apart the Rutgers secondary Saturday.

Joey Bosa

This game is another where Bosa could cause absolute havoc. Even though he will be the focal point of the Rutgers offensive line, the Rutgers offense sets up perfectly for Bosa to have a good day regardless.

The Scarlet Knights do not have much of a run game, but they will try stubbornly to establish it. If they can not, and find themselves down early, then Nova will be asked to carry the team. That is where this Ohio State defensive line, especially Bosa, thrive. Pure drop back passer’s tend to have nightmare days versus the sophomore All-American. If Rutgers can’t manage to keep this defensive line from pinning its ears back then expect to see Bosa have another multi tackle for lass game, as well as maybe a sack or two.

However, it is worth mentioning, that since Bosa is the focal point of the Rutger’s offensive line he will likely see a couple of double teams thrown his way early. That should open up lanes for the likes of Michael Bennett, Adolphus Washington, and others to contribute. I expect Bosa’s impact to be felt later in the game, than right away.

Filed Under: Ohio State Football

MotSaG Live Podcast #9 – Playoff Predictions & Ohio State’s Matchup With Rutgers

October 14, 2014 by 1 Comment

Time for episode #9! If you missed last week’s episode of MotSaG Live, you can watch it by clicking here. It airs live every Tuesday at 6 pm ET.

As always I will be hosting the podcast this week and be joined by fellow MotSaG writers. For this show, the following MotSaG writers will join me: Shannon, Andrew, Chip and Nate. On this show we’ll talk about the Big Ten’s performance from this past weekend, make playoff predictions and preview the biggest upcoming games around the country along with the slate of Big Ten games this weekend. We’ll also of course preview and predict the outcome of Ohio State’s matchup with Rutgers this weekend.

Now I’m going to list the following ways to view this podcast. Below is the video player to listen to the podcast. You will be able to listen to it here on the site every week. Don’t fret if you can’t listen live. Once the podcast is over with you will be able to view it as many times as you want, just like any YouTube video. If you’re unable to view it here on the site for some reason we also have you covered if this happens. I’ll link to our YouTube channel right above the player every week and you will be guaranteed to be able to view it there. You can also listen through our Google+ page or follow the main @MotSaG account on Twitter. I will also have the link posted on my Twitter page (@SchottJosh).

You can also subscribe to MotSaG Live on iTunes. You can find our page by typing “MotSaG Live” in the iTunes search box or click here. This episode should be on iTunes later tonight.

It’s going to be fun and informative as always! Hope you tune in!

To view it on YouTube, click here.

To view the Google+ event page, click here.

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

Negative Buckeye: Sort of Midseason Awards

October 14, 2014 by 2 Comments

by: Ryan Black

awesome photo courtesy: The Eddie Mauldin Show

 

 

Hey there jerks and complainers, it’s that time of week again. We’re in week 7 of a 14 week college football season and for some voodoo hogwarsh (as my dad would say it) reason the Buckeyes have already had two bye weeks. The only reason I made it through Saturday without scraping my tiny brains out was the fact that I was able to head downtown to see the Blue Jackets, who are pretty freaking fun to watch these days- Try not to dance

It could be worse though… Penn State is now on their second bye in three weeks while Bowling Green will go 18 days between games after this Saturday (that’s 432 hours or 1,522,200 seconds). Talk about Chinese water torture, sheesh. Another fact I dug up about the Bowling Green Falcons is they have one Saturday game left… for the rest of the year. Thank Tressel I’m a Buckeye for I could not ever deal with a Tuesday night game, let alone one every week.  I still don’t know how I’ll handle a labor day game to kick off next season against VA Tech.

I’ve been complaining all year about the things that really get my goat and I don’t plan on stopping. However, I’m ready to give back to this Buckeye team with my mid season awards.

Yes, Ohio State is only 41% through their season, but we are almost halfway through the entire NCAA season and one can only talk about another god-forsaken bye week so many times. Let’s give the best Buckeyes as of now, their due.

Here it is, the first ever MidSeason Ohio State Buckeye Awards (awards are named after my favorite people because I’m selfish):

 

The Footsteps Shane Falco Best Quarterback Award:

You think I’m going to say J.T. Barrett, and I am, it’s J.T. Barrett.

 

The Petey Jones Top Running Back Guy:

It appeared as Curtis Samuel was poised to win this coveted prize but then Ezekiel Elliot was like, “Nuh Uh (I bet you read this in Monique’s voice)”. The winner is Ezekiel.

 

The Tweeder from Varsity Blues Best WR Bro:

Michael Thomas has become the top target on this team for the first half and I’m sure he’s happy to earn this award, but hopefully not the S.T.D.’s of Tweeder.

 

The Workaholic’s Top Tight Butt Ho… I Mean Tight End Award:

Jeff Heuerman has been injured for most of the games so far and Nick Vannett has been an outstanding blocker as a replacement. Also added on 8 catches and a touchdown, the winner is Nick.

 

The Tyson Walter Knock Out Offensive Lineman of the Year:

You young bucks may not get this reference but that’s cool. In Cooper’s last year, LeCharles Bentley knocked out fellow lineman Tyson Walter during practice; no big deal. Taylor Decker has been outstanding so far as the only returning starter on the offensive line, save a few false starts, so he will win this illustrious fat guy award. Hope Ohio State can keep him for one more year.

 

The Joey Bosa Most Dreamy Defensive Lineman:

Joey Bosa.

 

The Bobby Boucher Linebacker Who Opens Can’s of Whoop Ass Champ:

Darron Lee is a dog among men. He certainly reminds me of a smaller Ryan Shazier.

 

The Antoine Winfield “I’ll Name My Cat After You” Defensive Back:

When I was just a boy, I was given the privilege  of naming the family cat. I chose Winfield because, hell, Antoine was bad ass. My cat Winfield may die soon, so I am in need of a new one.

This year goes to Doran Grant.  He had one fudge up against Cincy but he has been very consistent at shutting down is side of the field. And I think Grant is a very classy name for a feline friend.

and finally…

 

The Larry David God of the Year:

Larry David is the only non Buckeye I will put on a Jim Tressel “lord like” level. He’s my idol and he will take issue with anything or anyone. So who better to name the MVP award of the first half after than the “social assassin”? I’m going with a cop out and am picking two winners, don’t yell at me.

 

And the winners are….

 

 

 

 

Joey Bosa’s parents. These two created the perfect human and without them there would be no reason to wake up in the morning.

 

 

I wanted to go really in depth with this post and do my “first and second team” all Buckeyes but then I realized that would just be the depth chart….

 

Whatever, see you next Tuesday.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: B1G Football, Blogging, Blue Jackets Hockey, College Football, Ohio State Football
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