This past Saturday morning I woke up at about 8 o’clock, got out of bed, made some breakfast, and sat down in my recliner to get ready for what as about to be a great day of non-stressful football since my Buckeyes were on a bye week. Not 10 minutes after devouring my breakfast burrito did I first see the story on Twitter reported by Eleven Warriors that JT had received a OVI the night before. Of course when I read this news my heart jumped into my throat. ” This can’t be true can it?” I asked myself. It was true and once word got out the news spread like wild fire in a bone dry forest. So much so that it was the lead story on College Gameday.

I just could not believe what was happening. The absolute last guy on the team you would expect to pull this move is the one that did. At first I was angry. “How could he do this, he is smarter than that,” I thought to myself as steam rolled out of my ears, but once I was able to take a step back and look at it from another angle I  was able to calm myself down. The thing that we all need to realize is that these guys are 18-19-20 years old, 23 at the oldest. They are YOUNG. People make dumb mistakes every single day. Take 2 minutes and think back to when you were 20 years old, I bet you might have done a few things your not exactly proud of. This is all a part of growing up and maturing as a man. Yes I understand that guys like JT Barrett have to be held to a higher standard because of the position that they are in. Do any of you really think that Uban Meyer isn’t going to absolutely unload on JT? Trust me he is going to pay for his sins 10 times over for this one, and mainly because he is looked at as a leader on this team. Urban has already suspended him for next weeks game against Minnesota, which seems to be par for the course across college football for players that have gotten similar violations. At the end of the day we all know JT is a good kid, he made a mistake it happens, time to move on.

Now the reason I titled this post the way I did is to direct this next section to you keyboard warriors out there who are the first to jump on a 20 year olds back for doing something that other 20 year olds get caught doing every day across the country. The same people who were cheering his name last week decided to call for his head this week. Here is a news flash fellas, your not real fans! A real fan is able to have prospective, to look at a situation and realize we are not talking about a guy who gets paid 20 million a year to stay out of trouble, we are talking about a kid! Do you really think JT needs anyone else telling him what a POS he is right now? The kid is probably on suicide watch from all the idiots telling him how worthless he is. The only thing you can hope is that these players realize that every fan base has a group of people who THINK they are fans but in all actuality are simply losers in life and that the real fans will always have their backs!

Hope everyone has a good week, Go Bucks!

Ohio State is on a bye this week, but Urban Meyer, the team, and most fans would rather keep rolling after last week’s utter destruction of Rutgers. It’s also the last weekend before the first College Football Playoff standings come out, and it’s probably better to have a solid performance fresh in the committee’s mind than not, but fortunately for the Buckeyes, most of the other top teams are off this week too. There’s also the issue of injuries, and like most teams this time of the season, Ohio State is pretty banged up. A week off before the most important month of the season is probably for the best, even if it slows momentum a little.

Michigan is coming off their bye week today, and the break couldn’t have come at a better time for the Wolverines. With an extra week to move past the shocking, devastating loss to Michigan State, they can focus on the future and a Big Ten title that is still within their reach (although they’ll need help to get there).

Michigan travels to Minnesota to take on a struggling Gopher team coming off not only a bye week, but also a tearful goodbye from head coach Jerry Kill, who retired Wednesday on the advice of his doctor. I’m a big believer in the impact of intangibles on college football games, and it will be interesting to see how the competing intangibles manifest themselves on the field tonight.

For Michigan, there’s desperation. Realistically, the Wolverines need to win out to still have a shot at the Big Ten title and potentially a spot in the playoff (although that ship may have already sailed.) Michigan is also looking for redemption. The bizarre, instantly-viral way the Michigan State game ended has the potential to be a season-defining moment. It’s Coach Harbaugh’s job to make sure that doesn’t happen. Losing tonight could be severely damaging, with two more road trips coming up in the next three games.

From Minnesota’s perspective, there’s the obvious intangible of winning for a beloved, outgoing coach. Emotions will be running high, especially considering the circumstances of Coach Kill’s departure. He isn’t being fired for lack of performance or some scandal. He was already inspirational just for being able to coach at a high level in his condition, and now he becomes the kind of inspirational that can fuel a player or two (or an entire team) to a lights-out performance. Playing at home and under the lights only adds to that potential.

by: Ryan Black

photo: sweetfudge.com

The Bucks are going bye this Halloween weekend and have 4 (hopefully 5) games left until the bowl layoff. What’s a man/woman to do to fill the time? How about some good old fashioned trivia?

Trivia is defined as “information of little importance or value.” Well, it’s still cool to me damnit.

Nothing gets the juices flowing like springing a “did you know” on a fellow employee or friend, other than Pam from The Office, of course.

I’ve spent countless hours (1.5) researching stats and game film to come up with some fun did you knows based on the 2015 season. Sharpie these on your hand, post up at the water cooler and get ready to be the smartest guy in the office.

Here is your Buckeye Bye Week Trivia:

5. LSUWHO?

LSU is the new favorite to usurp Ohio State’s throne (because keeping the defending champs who have a 23 ppg winning margin at number 1 is too boring for the media).  Did you know that the LSU defense has given up over 20 points in every game this season but 1 (Mississippi State, 19).

Yes this includes 4-3 Auburn, 3-4 Syracuse, 1-7 Eastern Michigan, 3-4 South Carolina and a respectable 6-2 Western Kentucky. Can you imagine the heat Ohio State’s defense would be taking if their defense was performing against similar competition every game?

4. Checkdown King

Ohio State’s receivers have been up and down this season but have really turned it on the last three weeks. Despite a plethora of talented receivers, did you know that Ezekiel Elliott is second on the team with 23 receptions?

Elliott is such a luxury when everybody else is covered down field.

3. Special

Special teams decides games (ask Michigan). Did you know that Ohio State is top 8 in the nation in punting and kickoff coverage units?

This team is more than just offense and defense. If the field goal unit get’s it going, it’s hard to imagine a more complete team in the nation.

 

2. Half a hundred

Big plays seemed to lack for the Buckeyes after the Virginia Tech game for awhile but Ezekiel Elliott was tired of that. Did you know the only team with more rushes over 50 yards in the country than Ohio State (6) is the triple option Georgia Southern squad (8)?

Zeke may have the most impressive Buckeye highlight film ever by the time he’s done.

1. Conspiracy!!!

Many in the Big Ten (cough Penn State fans) believe refs always favor the “golden child” Buckeyes. The stats usually tell a different story: Did you know Ohio State’s opponents only average 47.6 penalty yards per game? This is good for 96^th in the nation.

But, the “tin foilers” will still spin it somehow.

Bonus: The Boys in Blue

Michigan has already reached their number of wins from last season under new coach Jim Harbaugh with great defense, special teams (save 1 play) and ball control. Did you know that Michigan still sucks?

Double Bonus: Here’s a spooky video

I paused it at 1:48, can somebody tell me how it ends?

By: Phil Schoch, Twitter me @osuphil95

Each week in this spot, we squint and peer at the college football landscape – the story-lines, point spreads and match-ups – and predict each B1G game as well as a few national spotlight games.

The season is a long journey, but we’re right back to where we started – back to .500! After a 4-3 mark versus the spread in Week 8, Pick ‘em & Tidbits has emerged from the dank despair reserved for degenerate gamblers, hobos on smack and rail-riding blues men. I can breathe again, if only for one week – 49-49 against the spread. But this train ain’t stopping. There are more gigs to be played. More tips to chase down. More back alley scores to be made. Come on, man. We didn’t choose this life! It chose us!

My Week 8 PM Stukenborg Fearless Prediction was an outright bust once again as the Utes were exposed by Southern Cal. I
was 5-2 straight up last week, keeping me slightly above the 75% threshold at 74-24 (75.5%).

Week 8 was an on-paper clunker – ahhh, but the story-lines continued to develop. Two of the previously undefeated got their comeuppance. The Utah Utes were mauled at the Coliseum by Southern Cal and Florida State flamed out in dramatic Michigan/Hindenburg-style versus Georgia Tech. Undefeated Baylor appears to have lost it’s starting quarterback due to a fractured vertebrae. Bama needed a 4th quarter rally at home to defeat 3-4 Tennessee, yet the Bristol agenda pushers are already lobbying for 1-loss-er’s, Bama and Stanford. [Note to Buckeye fans: Do not rage watch ESPN! It’s more hazardous to your health than processed meats. Relax. Let November play out. Just whisper – not yell (I’m being specific) – “Serenity now” a few times, turn off the TV, grab a beer or take a walk. Relax. Breathe.]

Disclaimer: Although to the outsider it may appear glamorous, the hobo’s life is not for everyone. Do not wager your hard earned money or your shopping cart full of aluminum cans based on anything seen in this article. You’ll thank me in the comments section.

Around the B1G…

Saturday, October 31 – Happy Halloween!

Penn State continues to masquerade as a quality opponent with their 6-2 record and Christian Hackenberg is wearing his bottom-half-of-the-B1G-QB costume again this season.  In conference play and against their one Power 5 non-conference opponent (North Carolina), the Illini have yet to score over 20 points. A very wart-y match-up.

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

Pick em says… Illini, 20-17.

Nebraska is 3-5. The 5 losses have been by a total of 13 points! The Huskers must go 3-1 to reach bowl eligibility. A pair of undefeated teams, Michigan State and Iowa, are on the schedule for November. It’s going to be a long cold winter in Lincoln. Purdue is 1-6 and the locals are ready for basketball season to tip off.

Pick ’em says…  Huskers, 27-17.

Despite mounting injuries, Wisconsin is 6-2 with a November schedule that should land them in a sun-drenched Florida bowl. Rutgers is 3-4 and once the dangling carrot of bowl eligibility is eliminated, look for this team to implode and for Kyle Flood to get whacked.

Pick ’em says… Badgers 31-13. 

Iowa – good. Maryland – bad.

Pick ’em says… Iowa 27-17.

Minnesota was a popular pick as preseason favorite to win the B1G West. The Gophers are 4-3, but must face Michigan, Ohio State, Iowa and Wisconsin in four of their last five games. Not very B1G Coach of the Year-like Jerry Kill! The Wolverines should be plenty motivated to get back on the field and playing the thoughts of the Spartan game out of their thoughts.

National Spotlight Games… Michigan, 31-14.

This annual clash used to known as…

The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party.

But in 2006 both refined institutions and the Southeastern Conference asked CBS and the city of Jacksonville to abandon the name in promotions due to concerns about alcohol abuse by students and other attendees. As a result, fans of both schools have had to get blackout drunk for a rivalry that lacks an official name.

Pick ’em says… Last year a Muschamp-led Gators crew embarrassed the Dawgs and rushed for 418 yards. Gators again, 34-31. 

Pleeeeease Temple? Pretty please – with we’ll-forget-Bill-Cosby-is-your-most-famous-alum on top?

Pick ’em says… Irish 34-20.

SO LONG AL GOLDEN… 

In yet another Buckeye night game, the night wasn’t so friendly to the Knights, the Scarlet Knights. The real scarlet knights weren’t wearing scarlet, but white, being lead by a new starting quarterback.

I’ve never been happier to admit how wrong I was in my life because finally…after eight long and underwhelming weeks…someone seized the position and solidified that position.

I’ve converted – #TeamJT.

On the business side of this recurring piece, I’ve decided to replace The Players section with a The Opponent section, which will reference the team from the game I’m writing about – in this case, Rutgers.

Urban said – “J.T. doesn’t surprise me. That injury, I didn’t see it in spring, I didn’t see the J.T. Barrett because he was immobile and couldn’t go. Training camp he was getting better and better and better, and he’s still only a redshirt sophomore. I think he’s in full swing now, obviously, and that was a progression throughout practice, development and I thought he played great.”

• The Fans – Obviously he is in full swing. We saw it for the first eight weeks – glad you finally woke up and smelled the roses.
• The Media – So what is Cardale’s role going to be? Now that you’ve finally picked a starter after eight weeks of us badgering you to name one.
• The Opponent – He sure surprised us. Darn you Eli Apple for not coming to the school in your home state to help us stop him.

Last week, Miller was the one who pulled the offense together, but this week it’s safe to say the offense is in good hands with Barrett at the helm.

Over the past few games, the Buckeyes have finally limited some of the bonehead mistakes that plagued them earlier in the season.

Urban said – “The thing you’re not seeing: You’re not seeing the self-destructive stuff. The turnovers, interceptions or penalties. That was a loud environment and to not have any penalties, someone just told me that as I was leaving the locker room, that might be the most impressive thing. That’s how locked in they were.”

• The Fans – We see it Urban. Once again, we’ve been seeing it for eight weeks. Sign me up for an assistant coach position because I’ve been right this whole season!
• The Media – You probably didn’t have as many penalties and turnovers this time because of who you started at quarterback.
• The Opponent – A loud environment? Ask these guys if it was a loud environment:

Those poor guys. Well, at least they got paid. . . I’m assuming…

Meanwhile – Ohio State be like:

In case you haven’t seen the news, there’s a new book coming out that probably puts this column in the coffin. Rather than me writing Urban’s dictionary, he has written his own!

Urban said (via Twitter) - 

• The Fans – I’d love to learn how to get the most out of this team…oh that’s right, I knew how for eight weeks – by FINALLY STARTING JT BARRETT.
• The Media – Will you sign my book?!? And get JT to sign it for me too.
• The Opponent – Maybe this book will help us to recruit better kids…

https://twitter.com/mercernole/status/649537041076645888

As we approach a bye week in the schedule, until next time – bye.