The play of the Offensive Line will be the determining factor during this Playoff Semifinal Game as both teams have very disruptive personnel on their respective Defensive Lines and Linebacker corps.  The game within the trenches will determine who advances or who survives to reach the big dance, the Playoff Championship Game.  Both teams will look to maintain the line of scrimmage and dominate the other unit as they both collide.  The talent is evident and during this part of the series, I will be previewing the Offensive Lines for the Ohio State Buckeyes and Clemson Tigers.

Offensive Line:

Per ncaa.com, the edge on the Offensive Line goes to the Clemson Tigers and it isn’t even remotely close in relation to sacks allowed.  Clemson ranks #10 in the NCAA in this statistic category with 14 opponent sacks given up by their unit in 13 games.  They surrendered 72 yards to those sacks and are averaging 1.08 per game.  The Ohio State Buckeyes on the other hand have surrendered 25 sacks in 12 games, which doubles what Clemson has allowed.  In the Penn State loss and the Michigan win, the Buckeyes gave up a total of 14 sacks when faced with a disruptive front seven, and guess what Clemson has?  An athletic, disruptive and blitz happy front seven.  The Buckeyes have given up 127 opponent sack yards and they are giving up 2.08 sacks per contest.  Not what Buckeye Nation wants to see or hear, but you have to accept it for what its worth.  There has to be a lot of improvement from the Offensive Line, especially with Right Tackle Isaiah Prince being suc a liability for this offense.  If they want to come out on top, Prince needs to play his best game of the season because he will have a huge target on his back after giving up a ton of pressures to opposing defensive units.

 Mitch Hyatt, LT:

Mitch Hyatt is one of the recruits that Urban Meyer did not get during the 2014 recruiting cycle, and that is one of the biggest misses during his tenure as Head Coach at Ohio State as Hyatt has grown into a monster at the Left Tackle position for Clemson, as he has allowed one sack during his tenure at Clemson.  Hyatt comes from Suwanee, Georgia and after visiting Clemson during the recruiting cycle, he chose the nearby Tigers.  Hyatt is the image of consistency that the Tigers boast on their roster and he will be looked at and leaned upon by his teammates.  Hyatt is 6-5 295 lbs and like a had mentioned he is a beast on the Offensive Line.  He play with an edge and a degree of nastiness, and he always finishes his blocks.  Hyatt is in his second year at Clemson and he has improved a lot during his time there.  It should be a matchup to watch as he will see a few combinations of Defensive Linemen when going up against Ohio State.

Taylor Hearn, LG:

Taylor Hearn is the starting Left Guard for Clemson.  Hearn is 6-5, 325 lbs and he is the second heaviest Offensive Lineman on the roster.  Hearn looks and plays like a bull as he uses his weight and his size to bully opposing players to help Watson move the ball.  Hearn has spend three years developing his skill within the Clemson program and early-on, he took a redshirt.  Hearn played high school in Williston, South Carolina as he is living his dream in his home state.  Last season, Hearn registered 8 knockdown blocks in 180 snaps in 14 games in 2015, so he shows his ability to seek and destroy defenders on blocks.

Jay Guillermo, C:

Jay Guillermo is a Redshirt Senior out of Maryville, Tennessee.  Guillermo is 6-3, 310 lbs and is the starting Center for the Clemson Tigers.  Last season, Guillermo earned Second-Team All-ACC honors.  For this game he will face a Buckeye Defensive front seven that will attempt to give his unit fits on offense.  Guillermo has the experience edge because he has faced a supremely talented defensive front in last seasons Playoff Championship Game in the Alabama Crimson Tide.  He and his quarterback will be looking to take care of business for another berth in the big game, but for now the Buckeyes stand in the way of that.  Guillermo is the glue of the Offensive Line and he is a road grader on offense.  He will look to keep the interior defenders and any linebacker who are willing to blitz in check.

Tyrone Crowder, RG:

Tyrone Crowder at Right Guard, is the heaviest of the bunch, weighing 340 lbs.  He is 6-2, but his size will be a major concern for Buckeye defenders as he outweighs them all.  The closest defender is Michael Hill at 307 lbs.  Crowder is a Redshirt Junior and last season he earned Third-team All-ACC honors.  He also has big game experience, as he played against Alabama last season in the Championship Game.  Crowder is a run blocker who plays much bigger than he is listed as.  He play with a chip on his shoulder and he is very nasty.  He will be the focal point on offense as he will be utilized primarily as a run blocker.  At least that’s what I would do because he outweighs the entire defense that he is facing.  Watson and Gallman will be looking to run behind their big man as Clemson looks to shred the Buckeye Defense on the ground first, then eventually through the air.

Sean Pollard, RT:

Sean Pollard is the youngest member on the Offensive Line for Clemson.  He is a true Freshman, who is starting on one of the most prolific offenses this season.  Pollard is 6-5, 315 lbs and he hails from Jackson Springs, North Carolina.  Pollard was the 129 overall player on the Scout site, 173 by ESPN and 177 by Rivals, so he is no slouch.  Although he is young, he has found a role within the Offensive Line and he will look to develop against Ohio State.  Ohio State will likely attempt to test Pollard throughout the contest, for being the youngest and most inexperienced lineman on the Clemson roster.  It will be a stretch to undermine the 14 sacks given up, but whatever edge they can attempt to find is added motivation for Pollard and his teammates.

Jamarco Jones, LT:

Jamarco Jones is the starting Left Tackle for the Ohio State Buckeyes out of Chicago, Illinois.  Jones stands at 6-5 and 310 lbs and he will be facing the most dangerous front seven, rivaling arch rival Michigan’s.  He will be facing a lot of former Buckeye targets as Coach Meyer has lost more than a few prospective defensive players to Clemson.  Christian Wilkins and Dexter Lawrence, who were both major needs/wants for Urban Meyer, but the prospect of playing near family won out in the end as both players chose Clemson over Ohio State.  Jamarco Jones is one of the better Offensive Linemen on the roster behind upperclassmen Pat Elflein and Billy Price.  He will look to keep J.T. Barrett upright against a blitz happy Clemson Defense.  Jones has a knack for being up for the challenge and he will look to continue his pursuit of a National Title berth.  Jones has been one of the most consistent member of the Slobs, he earned Second-team All-Big Ten honors last season and he has gained valuable experience that helped him develop into the player he is now.  He will be looked upon the entire game.

Michael Jordan, LG:

Michael Jordan is the starting Left Guard who hails from Canton, Michigan.  He is one of the four Michigan players that chose the Scarlet and Gray over the Maize and Blue.  Jordan is massive, standing at 6-7, 310 lbs and he, as a true Freshman, has exceeded expectations as he earned a starting spot over Redshirt Freshman Matthew Burrell.  Jordan is the first Buckeye since Orlando Pace in 1994, who had started a season opener and he has started all 12 games so far this season.  He beat out a ton of talented Offensive Lineman and that speaks volume to the depth that Coach Meyer has created within his program.  Jordan has quietly pieced together a great season.  He has grown into the consistent road grader that this staff loves to see and produce.  Being on the interior, Jordan will face an athletic and rangy defensive front that blitzes a lot.  He will face his biggest test during this game, but there isn’t a better way to grow.  He will use this as a test to gage where he stands and how he can improve because they will need his consistency.  The Buckeyes love to pull the guard and the center so look for them to try to isolate the edge defenders when the need arises.

Pat Elflein, C:

Pat Elflein is the Ohio State starting Center and one of the team captains on the roster.  Elflein is one of three offensive starters from a season ago.  A Redshirt Junior, Elflein looks to potentially finish out his career as a Buckeye as a National Champion, but prior to that he and his unit need to do their jobs against a stout Clemson Defense.  Elflein is 6-3, 300 lbs and make no mistake, he is the outright leader of the Slobs.  Elflein was a little known Offensive Line prospect that has grown and flourished with the Buckeyes.  He was selected for and received the Rimington Award for the top Lineman of the year and the Big 10’s version, the Rimington-Pace Award.  He stands out and he will be leaned upon to make the proper shifts and callouts during the game.  Clemson loves to blitz and they will likely do so, but I feel like they will try to catch the Buckeyes off guard with some zone blitzes, but we will see.  The offense moves quicker when Elflein is on top of his game and making the proper reads on the line.  Look for him to motion out to seal the edges because the Buckeyes will look to run the ball a lot with the many questions at Wide Receiver looming.  He has the most experience out of the entire line and he knows what it takes to succeed as he was a starter for the 2014 National Champion Buckeyes at Left Guard.

Billy Price, RG:

Billy Price is another under-the-radar recruit out of Ohio who developed into another nice player for the Buckeyes.  Price is one of the three returning starters for the Buckeyes from a season ago and he looks to finish his Redshirt Sophomore season on top of the College Football mountain, but first he has to take care of business against the Clemson Tigers.  Price has been inconsistent lately and this is a concern for the Buckeyes because he has the experience.  Price is 6-4, 315 lbs and he is the heaviest Slob of them all.  With the body and strength of a wrestler and a interior Defensive Lineman out of high school, he will look to punish the Clemson Defenders when they look to break through the line of scrimmage.  He has the ability to become the nastiest Slob of them all this season and he earned First Team All Big Ten honors this season.  He and Elflein will look to pick up the younger player if they are beginning to doubt their abilities, during moments of adversity.  That is what Price and Elflein have been doing the entire season and I don’t see anything changing.  Price helped pick Prince up after the loss to Penn State and for the entirety of the season, he will not leave a fellow Slob behind.

Isaiah Prince, RT:

The biggest liability on the Offensive Line, Isaiah Prince will start once again as the Right Tackle for the Buckeyes as he looks to redeem himself against a dangerous Clemson front seven that loves to blitz.  He stands at an imposing 6-7 and he weighs 310 lbs.  He is a true Sophomore with a ton of upside and potential.  Unfortunately, Prince has been the weakness of the Slobs for the entirety of the season and although as a fan it is easier to talk from the outside in, he hasn’t done that bad of a job for his first year starting.  People need to quit going after him, but he will use the criticism to motivate him.  Since the Buckeyes began bowl practice, and since Conference Championship Week, Prince has been getting extra reps and working on his craft.  He shows the want and the determination to get better.  Will his work pay off?  We won’t know until game day, but his confidence has been up and down and his fellow Slobs have been there through it all.  The staff still trusts him so until he stops trying, I would expect to see him out there instead of Malcolm Pridgeon, who recently had his black stripe removed.  The Buckeyes will looks for Prince to improve on pass protections scheme’s and they will look to make an impact in the run and pass game.  There is a reason why Alabama wanted when he was coming out of high school.  He is a balanced Offensive Lineman who is capable of blocking and when he grasps success, he will be a threat.  Growing pains are necessary and I have this odd feeling that he will exceed expectations during this game.  He has been under fire a lot this season and this might be his coming out party.

Playstation Fiesta Bowl Playoff Semifinal:

As the season winds down and as bowl games have been dispersed to deserving teams around the nation, the casual college football fan cannot hide their excitement for the upcoming playoff semifinal matchups, along with the New Years Six matchups.  There will be many great and exciting matchups, and I think that the Playstation Fiesta Bowl matchup between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Clemson Tigers will be the game to watch.  That isn’t to downplay the matchup between Alabama and Washington because that will also be another good matchup and a test for Crimson Tide Defense that will see a crop of talented receivers that the Huskies.  The pundits are predicting a rematch of last season’s Championship Game, with Alabama and Clemson.  Will we see another rematch this year or will we get a surprise matchup?  Only time will tell as we count down.  We all know that you shouldn’t count Urban Meyer out of it, and Clemson would not be smart if they did.  Although the Buckeyes are a slight 3-point favorite, I won’t be surprised if by the time the game rolls around, the Buckeyes end up as the underdogs because everyone seems to like the rematch from last year.

The Quarterbacks:

The Quarterback position is the most important position in football and they are what makes the offense function to move the chains.  For both teams, they have two battle-tested Quarterbacks who have won a lot of games and this is what makes this matchup so exciting for the fans of the game.  On one side you have Deshaun Watson, who has a high octane offense that is capable of scoring in a ton of ways and on the other, you have an offense struggling to find their identity and they are searching for additional playmakers outside of Curtis Samuel, who can consistently separate from opposing corners and get open.

Deshaun Watson was a highly coveted Quarterback prospect out of Gainsville, Georgia.  He was heavily targeted by Ohio State for the duration of his recruiting venture before he ultimately decided to stay in the south.  This was one of the few misses Urban Meyer has had on the recruiting trail.  The rest is history as now he is set to face-off against Meyer once again.  For those who don’t remember (or choose not to), Clemson handed Urban Meyer one of his 5 losses in the 2014 Orange Bowl in which they won 40-35 in a shootout.  The Quarterback was not Watson, but he eventually committed to Clemson.  Watson is a Dual-Threat Quarterback who can sling the rock and run it, if necessary.  He has a variety of weapons at his disposal and he is dangerous for opposing defenses.  For the season, he is 329 for 487 and he has thrown for 3914 yards and has 37 touchdown passes.  He rushed 129 times this season for 529 yards for 6 scores.  He is capable of turning the game around in Clemson’s favor, but he has a single weakness, ball security.  This season, he has thrown 15 interceptions, which is a career high for him.  He will look to keep turnovers to a minimum against a greedy Ohio State Defense, who excels at taking the ball away from opposing offenses.  You could say that it is strength versus strength, but we will have to see how it all unfolds.

J.T. Barrett was a moderately pursued Quarterback out of Texas in 2013, who wanted to play at the next level at Texas. Luckily, the offer he wanted the most, never came and Texas’ loss is Ohio State’s gain.  Barrett was another Dual-Threat Quarterback, who is also capable of shredding opposing defenses through the air and on the ground.  This is why this matchup will be exciting and fun to watch.  Barrett isn’t as accomplished as a passer when being compared to Watson’s numbers, but he has provided his team with leadership and the ability to will his team to victory.  We all saw it during the Michigan game, The Game, and I don’t expect anything less this game.  Barrett is 214 for 346 for 2428 yards and 24 total touchdowns through the air and he rushed 194 times for 847 yards and 9 scores.  Unlike Watson, he has been known to take care of the ball, as he has only thrown 5 interceptions all season.  Turnovers and offensive production will be the determining factor for this contest.  You really don’t know what will unfold, and with the Jekyll and Hyde offense that Ohio State has, you never know what you will get until the game is on the line and in the hands of Barrett.  This will be a matchup to watch.

Running Backs:

Wayne Gallman was recruited out of Grayson High School out of Loganville, Georgia.  He wasn’t a highly rated recruit, but he was recruited as a four-star Outside Line Backer prospect and ended up signing his letter of intent with the rest of the 2013 recruiting class.  Gallman stands at 6-0 feet tall and a solid 210 lbs.  He doesn’t shy away from contact and that effort has put him over the 1,000-yard rushing mark with 1,002 yards total for the season and he has 15 rushing touchdown’s to go along with it.  He has shown the ability to catch the ball out of the backfield, but he has only managed to reel in 16 catches for 103-yards with no touchdown receptions.  This may surprise you, but his job is to pound the rock and get the first down yardage when faced with short yardage situations. That doesn’t mean that he isn’t fast because he is.  He can get outside if he finds a lane, and that is what makes him dangerous.  He will be used to grind out the clock and to keep the Ohio State Defense honest. He will look to rack up the yardage on the Ohio State front seven, but it could be a contest of wills and determination.

Mike Weber was heavily recruited by the Midwest Powerhouses, such as Michigan and Michigan State before eventually signing with Ohio State after some drama toward the end, close to signing day.  When the dust settled, Coach Harbaugh did not get his man and Weber embraced the Scarlet and Gray.  Weber went to high school at Cass Tech, a well-known recruiting pipeline for Michigan.  Weber is the third player from Cass Tech, who has picked Ohio State as the Buckeyes look to keep their presence there to establish their very own pipeline.  Weber is 5-10, 212 lbs, but he plays like a former Buckeye, Carlos Hyde.  He runs with an aggressive and punishing style that leaves defenders bruised and battered. Like, Gallman, he has the ability to run away from people, but he does not have the breakaway speed like Zeke has, but Hyde 2.0 is not a bad thing to have in the backfield either. Weber has racked up 1072-yards on the ground on 177 attempts for 9 touchdowns and he has reeled in 2o catches for 87-yards.  His touches have been sporadic as of late, as the staff has been concentrating on splitting the touches between J.T. Barrett and Curtis Samuel.  Whenever he has the opportunity to touch the ball, sparks usually fly, as he makes the best of it.  He wears defenses down with his aggressive running style and has shown the power and the ability to block when asked to do so.  This game will depend on their ability to control the clock and get the offense humming.

This game will depend on their ability to control the clock and get the offense humming.  Both teams have the talent and the weapons to do so at the Quarterback and Running Back positions, but it is a matter of consistency and willpower to show up come game day.  That is it for this preview, on the next installment, I will be previewing the Wide Receivers and the Offensive Line.  Until then enjoy the suspense while you can. Go Bucks!

Recruiting Recon:

Boom!  The staff has added another blue-chip recruit with a high ceiling in Indiana’s four-star and #2 overall prospect, Pete Werner.  Werner is an Outside Linebacker prospect who was once committed to Notre Dame.  Werner is talented and hard working and he is certainly capable of growing into a Middle Linebacker after working with Coach Marotti and his staff during the offseason.  He needs to improve his strength, but his ability to diagnose a play quickly and his ability to pursue the ball carrier is second to none.  He is very instinctual and very fast for his 6-3, 220-pound frame, he is a sure tackler and he can also lay the boom as well.  The Buckeyes are getting a player that is ready to assume a role on Special Teams as he works his way up the depth chart.

Baron Browning, like Werner is an Outside Line Backer prospect, but of the five-star variety out of Kennedale, Texas. He committed before Werner, so this Linebacker group will be a good one.  Brendan White, who is listed as an Athlete, could eventually grow into a Linebacker, but that is still up in the air.  Browning flashes the speed and the tenacity to shed blocks at will and to blow by slower linemen to get into the backfield.  He is another sure tackler, that has a high ceiling. He committed to Ohio State knowing that they might possibly lose some starters from this season and that the staff can help him grow, both on and off the field.  He is also in line to play on Special Teams.

Kerry Coombs committed to the Buckeyes after rumors began swirling due to the potential hiring for Cincinnati of Luke Fickell.  Days after the official announcement Coach Coombs took it to social media, officially committing to the Buckeyes. The Buckeyes lucked out because Coombs is the door to Michigan’s recruiting fields.  Not to mention that he is well-liked and respected by the local coaches.  He also recruits everywhere and he is loved in Cincinnati because he used to coach at Colerain High School.  Coach Coombs is like the spark plug for the team, the proverbial energy bunny who can recruit like no other.  He is fifth in the 24/7 recruiting list with a total of 6 recruits that he assisted on or single-handedly brought in.  Those recruits are Amir Riep, Isaiah Pryor, Marcus Williamson, Jerron Cage, Blake Haubeil and recent commit, Pete Werner.  His best recruit to date?  Vonn Bell, Eli Apple, Damon Webb and Justin Hilliard.  Pretty good player and talents, but now he has his eyes set on Donovan People-Jones, during a winter storm.  He, accompanied with Coach Meyer made it to gauge his interest or the Buckeyes chances.  He is another highly ranked recruit and if they steal him (not likely), they will do it after Michigan thought they had the last visit and he will be a part of a Wide Receiver class that already has a five-star and a high four-star in Trevon Grimes and Tyjon Lindsey.  That would be a three-headed monster that would spell trouble for defenses, but once again, it is highly unlikely.  The other Buckeye coach who ranks higher?  Mr. Zone 6, Zach Smith who is ranked #1 with recruiting wins as he sealed the deal with Nick Bosa and Jalin Marshall and currently in the 2017 class, he convinced the aforementioned Lindsey and Grimes, Wyatt Davis, Haskell Garrett and the recruiting machine, Tate Martell.  Each member, especially Coombs is a valuable recruiting asset and from a continuity point of view, he will receive an expanded role with the departure of Coach Fickell.  He will looks to continue his efforts to building recruiting classes in 2017 and beyond.

Thanks for everything Coach Fickell:

If you haven’t paid attention, Coach Fickell just received a 6-year deal to become the next Head Coach at Cincinnati.  He will take over a program that is suffering a bit after Tommy Tubberville had decided to step down.  The Bearcats signed a defensive minded coach that has seasoned himself under the tutelage of Coach Tressel and Coach Meyer.  He endured one of the worst seasons prior to Coach Meyer being hired and was retained after the higher ups recommended it.  It certainly has paid off as he got the defense back on track and has developed his players with his passion and knowledge of the game that he loves.  This is what you are getting and you should be happy with it.  It is truly a huge loss for the Buckeyes as they search for a suitable replacement.  Another thing the Buckeyes will miss is his recruiting prowess, on being able to spot diamonds in the rough.  He earns the trust of all those involved in recruiting and as he moves on, he will assume control of the Queen City where he helped find a Notre Dame Lacosse commitment playing dodge ball, who eventually grew into a starter for the Buckeyes.  He is valuable, but he needed to grow outside of Ohio State and what a perfect opportunity it is for him to stay in Ohio and grow.  Also, Jerimiah, I do agree with you that the one’s who said #FireFickell, this is a huge loss and I too, cannot forgive them nor forget about the travesties that occurred that season.  You certainly will be missed, good luck and God bless you and your family in your journey as Head Coach.

The sheer magnitude, excitement, and dread of this game as it quickly approaches.  The #2 Ohio State Buckeyes and the #3 Michigan Wolverines will have just their second Top-3 matchup in the series between the two teams.  This will be another epic clash between the rivals.  There is a lot riding on for both teams. Both Ohio State and Michigan need a win to stay in the College Football talks.  Ohio State needs a win and a Penn State loss to represent the Big Ten East for the Conference Championship game.  Michigan needs a win to be the East’s representative for that same game.  This game, The Game is pretty much an elimination game.  The winner of this contest will hopefully keep their playoff hopes alive.  The loser, will be eliminated from the equation.  This will be as intense as it can be and the entire fanbase and sports world will keep their eyes on this game.

This game started with both teams eagerly waiting to see what the other would do.  Ohio State sent the defense out after they deferred and they forced a punt on their first time on the field. Ohio State, on their first possession, moved the ball quickly against the Wolverines defense.  They moved well into field goal range, but the pressure was too much for Durbin as he pulled it wide left.  On Michigan’s third possession, they put up the first points on the scoreboard.  Three punts later, the Buckeyes pinned the Wolverines at the Michigan 6-yard line and Malik Hooker snatched his 6th interception of the season for a 16-yard pick six.  The Wolverines were unfazed as they took the ball into the Buckeye red zone and punched in a touchdown at the 1-yard line, retaking the lead. As the half ended, the Buckeyes trail 10-7.  The Jekyll and Hyde Offense is scaring me, hopefully, the Buckeyes can gather themselves for a battle because so far, the defense looks good, it’s just the questions of the offense that overshadow their achievements.  I will keep calm and keep the faith, and the Buckeye Captains will ensure that they are ready in the second half.

What a bit of karma.  Buckeye fans always taunt Jabrill Peppers about not having any interceptions.  Guess what?  He got his first, and against the Buckeyes.  Granted it was on a tipped pass, but he got it.  The Wolverines took it to the Buckeye 1-yard line and the Buckeyes Defense recovered a critical turnover that could’ve put this game out of reach. Davon Hamilton saved the Buckeyes, but unfortunately, Meyer gambled on the fake punt and it backfired.  The block wasn’t there and Johnston was stopped short of the line to gain.  On the ensuing drive, Hill scored his second touchdown of the game extending the lead to 17-7. Another couple of punts later, the Buckeyes get their third turnover of the game, gathering their third turnover to yet again, swing the momentum.  A couple Michigan penalties later, the Buckeyes are deep into enemy territory, they plug it into the endzone.  Mike Weber, a Detroit native, brought the Buckeyes climb back into the game on a 1-yard Running Back dive.  Michigan still leads 17-14.  After forcing another Wolverine punt, the Buckeyes got the ball back on their 16-yard line.  J.T. Barrett will attempt to gain some momentum after the defensive stop.  Let’s hope the playcalling can move the ball.  The momentum was short-lived as the Slobs have allowed 5 total sacks so far with 12:03 left to play.

The Rushmen Package along with this stout Ohio State Defense is keeping it close.  Nick Bosa, the younger brother of Joey Bosa, made his first sack in this rivalry.  Ohio State forces another timely punt and the ball is back in the hands of J.T. Barrett.  After a dropped pass in the numbers to Parris Campbell, Barrett used his legs as he saw an opening in the middle and gained 41-yards to put the Buckeyes in scoring position to either take the lead or at least tie the game.  The drive ended on another missed field goal by Tyler Durbin, who has missed his first two field goals, during this game.  The defense needs to make another stand to preserve some time for J.T. Barrett to orchestrate another offensive drive.  The theme of another forced punt has returned for more face time and Barrett comes out to get another drive going inside of their own 20-yard line. They’ve had many chances to take the lead, and if Durbin made those kicks, the Buckeyes would be enjoying a 3-point lead, but the pressure of the game has obviously gotten to him.  Hopefully, he has the opportunity to redeem himself.  With a couple of seconds left on the clock, Durbin got his chance, his last shot for redemption.  With the Buckeyes trailing by a field goal, Durbin lines up for another attempt, and he kicks it through the uprights to tie the contest.

Overtime, overtime.  As the overtime quarter begins, my heart is racing, my blood pressure is off the charts.  I am sure the rest of Buckeye Nation is in the same boat.  The Wolverines won the toss and chose to play defense to begin the extra period.  To start the overtime, Samuel takes the option play inside the 1-yard line.  Shortly after, J.T. Barrett scores on a QB draw.  The quick strike mentality strikes again.  Now, we will depend on the Silver Bullets and the Scarlet Curtain to seal the deal against our most bitter rivals. The crowd is roaring and the place is rocking.  Let’s see what happens.  The Wolverines respond accordingly as they tacked on a field goal.  The Wolverines were on the verge of securing a win, but J.T. Barrett and Curtis Samuel came up huge for the Buckeyes.  Barrett took a loss during the first two plays, then Samuel pulled off some crazy run that ended a yard short.  J.T. Barrett was nearly stopped on a key 4th and 1, but his momentum brought him over the marker for a key first down.  The next play, Samuel took it for 15-yards on a mini option play for the game-winning touchdown to secure a 30-27 win against their most bitter rivals.  Raekwon McMillan needed to play today and he ended the game with 16 tackles.  The Slobs played poorly as they allowed 8 sacks in the game. Improvements will be made and now it’s just a matter of seeing what happens at Happy Valley.  Enjoy the win and hopefully, the staff gets more good news in the recruiting game.  Go Bucks!!!  And for what it’s worth, I was fairly close as I predicted a 24-21 score.  I was a little off, but a win, especially against this team is worth the stress.

Hate week is upon us and after narrowly escaping East Lansing with a win against a struggling Spartan team, the Ohio State Buckeyes are on a collision course against TTUN.  This game is the definition of what a rivalry is and what it should be.  High stakes, high reward, high pressure to secure another win in this series.  Rivalry week is the best week in College Football.  Hands down.  This years installment of The Game will feature two Top-3 teams in the nation.  This will be the second time in the series, where both teams are ranked, and in the Top-3.  The last time?  The last time this happened was ten years ago when The Game featured the #1 Ohio State Buckeyes at home against the #2 ranked Team Up North.  This game was played in high stakes fashion as the 42-39 win helped the Buckeyes stay undefeated and into the BCS National Championship Game, coincidentally against an Urban Meyer coached Florida Gators team.  Flash forward ten years later, we have another high stakes game with huge College Football Playoff implications. #2 Ohio State will be wearing the LeBron Soldier cleats against the newly minted, #3, Jordan Branded Team Up North.

Last week, we saw a Buckeye team that barely walked out of East Lansing with a win.  A one point win.  I am a strong believer in “a win is a win”, and no matter how ugly it was, it is still added into the win column.  The Buckeyes gave up huge chunk plays, early and often, only to stiffen up in the red zone. The coaching staff leaned on J.T. Barrett to move the sticks and with help from Mike Weber and Curtis Samuel, they won the game.  On TTUN’s side of things, they also won, but not as big as some thought they would win.  They played at home and beat Indiana by 10, with a final score of 20-10.  Yes, it is a double-digit lead and win, but TTUN could have scored more.  I mean for what its worth, Ohio State faced the same team and beat them 38-17 after struggling in the first half.  Indiana is a tougher team, and they tend to improve year after year.  We cannot judge it accurately based on both teams’ performance against a 5-7 team, so we will just have to wait and see.

I cannot emphasize how great this rivalry has been to me as a die hard fan.  I think back at it, I lived in Guam for most of my life and I was introduced to College Football in 2005 when I joined the USAF, and I have been a fan ever since.  Now?  You would think that I was from Ohio.  The passion and the affinity I have for the Buckeyes is very hard and too difficult to explain in simple words. This rivalry has ruined holidays for me and it stresses me out. This week has killed my soul a little bit because I do not want to lose to TTUN.  This year will break the record for Number of Times Major Rivals met ranked in the Top 5 (11), edging the Red River Rivalry between Oklahoma and Texas (10).  This game, The Game, is usually a high-pressure game, with both teams clawing, fighting and scrapping the entire game for bragging rights.  As long as I have been a fan, I have seen great games that add to the tradition for both schools.  Seasons are made or ruined in an instant and during this weeks game, the emotion of the game will be electric because so much is on the line.  I can’t undersell the importance of this game.

The Ohio State Big-3 on offense, J.T. Barrett, Mike Weber and Curtis Samuel will be leaned on heavily.  I cannot emphasize this enough as Coach Meyer often shrinks down his playbook to do enough to win.  During The Game, with the crew from College Gameday and with a laundry list of highly ranked and touted recruits, and a ton of talented blue-chip prospects, I would hope that the offense starts off strong and continues it until the end.  A lot of eyes will be on this game and the stakes are the highest that it has been in a long time.  J.T. Barrett will need to move the stick early and often against a team led by upperclassmen.  Jabrill Pepper and Jourdan Lewis will look to shut Barrett down by pressuring him early and consistently.  The Slobs need to almost play a perfect, penalty free football game, and this is where it gets interesting.  Ohio State has two experienced Slobs in Senior Pat Elflein and Junior Billy Price. After those two, you have a Junior in Jamarco Jones, a Sophomore in Isaiah Prince and True Freshman Michael Jordan, who played High School Football up north in Plymouth.  Jones and Prince are prone to penalties, often holding on to defenders to keep Barrett upright.  Elflein and Price also tend to earn flags, so we will see if they could work as a cohesive unit to control the line of scrimmage and to protect Barrett.  Mike Weber will also be leaned on and he is one of three starters for the Buckeyes, who played up north in high school.  He needs to be fed like Zeke and Hyde to control the clock.  I will say that Curtis Samuel will also need more than the 8 touches he had during the Spartans because things looked bleak for a little while before they went for two.  Noah Brown and Dontre Wilson, and the rest of the Zone 6 will also need to get separation against the opposing Defensive Backs.  The team cannot be one dimensional as TTUN ranks in the Top-5 in just about every defensive statistic in the nation.  Ohio State is in the Top-5 in most rushing statistics this season.  Hopefully, they play with passion because this game is really important.  Maybe Coach Meyer and his staff have some bulletin board material because I saw an excerpt from an interview with Peppers with him saying that “Ohio State does not do anything over the top that they cannot handle” and that “it is nothing that we cannot handle.”. I hope they have some plays  that they have stashed away, that will unleash havoc on those Wolverines.

The Basic Ohio State Defense needs to show up this week. Last week, the Buckeyes faced a pro-style offensive scheme, that is similar to or close to what TTUN runs.  Two Tight End sets with a steady dose old school, big boy football.  L.J. Scott nearly beat the Buckeyes by himself and the team needs to focus on wrapping up the ball carrier and not overpursuing or overshooting plays.  We saw that a ton against the Spartans and they will need to play a flawless game like the offense to get the win.  Jake Butt, Amara Darboh and Jehu Chesson will be the trio of receivers that the Silver Bullets and the Scarlet Curtain will have to stop.  The Rushmen will have to stop De’veon Smith and the Running Back platoon that TTUN has.  This will be a test as the TTUN’s Offensive Line is pretty good.  There are a lot of variables that could change with injuries, fights, and ejections.  The biggest question would be which Quarterback will they face.  John O’Korn played last week and he did good enough to win.  Wilton Speight, the starter for the majority of the season, was injured during the loss at Iowa, and his status is unclear at this point.  There are reports that he is out for the season with a broken collarbone, but his head coach refutes those stories.  Mind games or not, we cannot take this team lightly, and I doubt that they would, but it wouldn’t hurt to know.  Until we do, we will have to prepare for both.  It will be interesting to see if Malik Hooker matches up against Peppers, since he plays both ways.  I am sure that the jet sweep will be used a lot, stretching the defense to open up holes.  You truly never know and hopefully a Buckeye legend or Senior Captain will inspire each unit to maintain the dominance.

Prediction:  Buckeyes over Wolverines 24-21.

Ohio State faces a Michigan State team that is having a rare down year, but that won’t mean that the Buckeyes won’t take them lightly.  As I mentioned in the preview, Coach Meyer versus Coach Dantonio duel and they both play for keeps.  They have won two games a piece and they are both sitting tied at 2-2 during their stay at their respective schools.  This game will be another battle in the trenches as both teams look to get a win.  Both the Buckeyes and the Spartans are locked-in and ready, but the weather could prove to be a hurdle for both teams.  For now, during the pregame festivities, the snow did not come, but it could make an appearance later in the day during the game.  Coach Meyer has a tendency to get uber conservative with playcalling if that happens.  Hopefully, he can buck the trend and go for broke because TTUN comes into Columbus, so any momentum would be positive.  The team as a whole needs to gain some confidence and momentum and if they have to run through the Spartans to gain it?  Then so be it.

Well this is certainly not the start that Buckeye fans would like to see.  A two-play drive that the Spartans effortlessly executed to go up 7-0 early in the game.  They caught the defense off guard as they did the Wisconsin end around by R.J. Shelton that gained 11-yards and then they executed a well-timed double screen pass to earn the touchdown that went for 64-yards.  Definitely, not a good start, but I will stay positive.  The Buckeyes first drive ended in a sack and then a punt that pinned the Spartans on their 4-yard line. The Buckeyes stiffened up and forced a punt.  This will be another heavyweight fight, another brawl until the bitter end.  This looks to be a good one.

The Buckeyes started rolling as they were getting more settled in.  The next drive was in the hands, or should I say the legs of J.T. Barrett.  He noticed that the Spartans were spread too thin, trying to contain Zone 6 members, and he took the run every time they called that defensive play. To finish the drive, Barrett hit Samuel on a post route for 24-yards where he beat the double downfield.  It is starting to heat up.  The Silver Bullets forced another punt and Barrett goes back to work on another Quarterback run for another first down.  Sadly, the Buckeyes ended up punting as well.  When the second quarter started, Michigan State kicked a field goal and the Buckeyes chipped in one as well.  The defenses are playing with the passion and fire that you would expect both teams to play with.  On Michigan State’s next drive, Ohio State secured their 16th interception of this season.  It goes to show that they are athletic at every level and a Linebacker in Chris Worley surely proved in once again. The play was sorely needed, but after the play ended, Jaylin Holmes was on the floor and was injured during the play.  Hopefully, it isn’t a bad one, he is one of the emerging stars on this young Buckeyes Defensive Line and a key piece for Coach Johnson’s Rushmen package.  On Ohio State’s possession, the Spartans forced only the second red zone turnover of the season.  Of course, they do!  I dread playing the Spartan’s because of games like these, but I will continue to stay positive.  The Buckeyes forced a punt, but trouble almost hit as Samuel muffed the punt in the Buckeyes own 3-yard line.  This game is surely filled with suspense and drama, and I am hoping for a score to ease my tensions a bit.  At the half, it is 10-10 and the Buckeyes get the ball to start the second half.

The second half began with consecutive punts.  Strong defensive play on both sides was evident as the struggle to hold the line rages on, but eventually, someone had to make a play.  Someone had to break a big one.  Mike Weber broke through for a 52-yard run that put him over 1,000 rushing yards for the season.  Weber is the third Ohio State Freshman, at the Running Back position, who broke the 1,000-yard barrier and he joins Robert Smith and Maurice Clarett as the only ones to accomplish that task. Hopefully, Meyer continues to feed the beast.  You would think that coach would emphasize the potential fake punt play.  Well, he did not think they would go to that so early in the 4th, but it worked as a defender took it 25-yards for the first down.  The moral victory was short lived though, as the Buckeyes forced a punt on 3rd and long by gathering their first sack of the game, courtesy of Sam Hubbard.  Michigan State came right back at Ohio State as L.J. Scott racked up huge chunks of yardage before scoring on a 1-yard touchdown run.  Coach Dantonio then decided to go for two, for their first lead in a while, but it failed and was intercepted by Erick Smith.  The defense has been slacking, but the young Buckeyes make big plays during big moments, and this was needed.  The defense ended the game in a big way, as Tyquan Lewis pressuered O’Connor on their last possession in the game and it forced him to underthrow the ball into the waiting arms of Gareon Conley for Ohio State’s 17th interception.  This is why I love College Football.  Although, we all wanted a blowout, I understand that we can’t win it all.  The Spartans came to play today and they showed it.  We will need to shore up the defense and play better as a team.  There were a lot of overpursued plays and missed tackles.  We are now entering the final week of the regular season, and you know what that means.  I know that it is early and I will not start until we officially begin the week.  So, for now, enjoy the hard earned win and Go Bucks!!!

Ever since Coach Meyer began his coaching career at Ohio State, Coach Dantonio was always that thorn in his side.  Year after year, the Spartans find a way to be uber competitive against the Buckeyes, and they have certainly played spoiler in contests against the Meyer and company.  Head to head?  Meyer and Dantonio are tied with two wins each.  An even 2-2 record that has created a rivalry against the entire state that sits up north.  This rivalry has decided the BIG 10 East representative the last couple of seasons and even if the Spartans are 3-7, don’t expect them to lie down and take a beating.  For some reason, they almost always are motivated by their Head Coach, a former Ohio State Assistant Coach.  He will look to once again, ruin the Buckeyes hopes and dreams as the Buckeyes travel to East Lansing to face a struggling Michigan State team on their own home turf.

This was Coach Meyer’s first taste of defeat at the hands of Michigan State in the BIG 10 Championship Game and it still hurts. This was the beginning of the rivalry as Michigan State went on to play in the Rose Bowl representing the conference at the end of the year.  The Buckeyes didn’t miss out that much because they went on to face a potent Clemson offense to end the season, but caught a loss as Braxton Miller injured his shoulder during the game.  Coach Meyer’s only two game losing streak.  Think about that for a second.  The losses to Michigan State and then Clemson was his first consecutive game loses in his now five-year tenure at Ohio State.  Since then Meyer has not lost two consecutive games or two games in a season (KNOCK ON WOOD!).  Coach Meyer is 59-5 over his coaching stint at Ohio State.  He has a National Championship and has fielded highly competitive teams.

Here was another loss at the hands of Michigan State.  As the Spartans knocked in a last-minute field goal to upset the Buckeyes who had championship aspirations.  This time they fell to a kicker and a team filled with Ohioan outcasts that resented the fact that they were overlooked by the Scarlet and Gray when they were high school prospects.  This game is fueled by pure emotion as the Buckeyes can’t sign every Ohio prospect.  They are delighted to play spoiler every time these two teams play each other.  This has lead to the Ohio State coaching staff fabricating a code word that aggravates the Buckeyes because they heard it constantly.  “GO GREEN” constantly being said, day in and day out would become a nuisance and it would make me angry too.  This game will be about getting the win.  The Buckeyes are focused on Michigan State.  This will be another classic, but with a variety of new players on both ends.

The Slobs will dictate how the game goes.  They have to establish themselves against a stout, but young Spartan Defensive Line.  Last year, the Slobs were getting manhandled by the Spartans and they pretty much shut down the Buckeyes Offense.  That and the lack of Elliott touches was puzzling as it resulted in a close loss for the Buckeyes.  The whole Offensive Line will be the focus and the key to winning the game.  You have to win in the trenches and as long as I have been watching this series, whoever controls the trenches usually wins the game.  This will be the best time to earn their keep as this line is much younger than the TTUN’s Defensive Line.  So, if they want to continue building the confidence and momentum, they should find a way to dominate or there might be another meme coming for Coach Meyer.  Buckeye target, Josh King anchors the Spartan Defensive Line along with a host of experienced Linebackers like Andrew Dowell, Riley Bullough and Chris Frey.  This will be a tough task to contain them because they are good in both passing defense and they excel at rushing the passer.

Mike Weber and Curtis Samuel are a pair of playmakers that Coach Meyer needs for this game.  They need to thrive and make plays to keep the potent offense afloat and dangerous as usual.  Weber needs to win on the ground and on dump-off passes and Samuel needs to find a way to break a big one on the “No Fly Zone” remnants.  Again, this defense is young, but their strength lies in their pass rush.  They have returned more than enough of their Linebackers from last year and they will look to repeat the trend from last year.  Not only do Weber and Samuel have to succeed, Zone 6 members need to find a way to separate from the Defensive Backs to make plays.  They flat out need to get open.  They showed some improvement against Nebraska and Maryland so I hope they show more signs of life to help the Buckeyes’ cause.

There will be a steady dose of J.T. Barrett during the game.  He will receive a ton of reps to develop himself into a more prolific offensive weapon.  He rarely has to run lately, but if he needs to, I don’t see him hesitating to extend drives and keep the offense humming.  Barrett has been more dependent on his arm and with the season quickly coming to a close, he will look to improve his skills.  Last week, he threw for nearly 253 yards, for 2 touchdowns and ran for 47 for another 2 scores.  Balance, is the name of the game with this young Buckeye team and with youth at just about every position, I feel the need to take a huge step forward or another level, is needed to come close to their or to exceed their true potential.  J.T. Barrett will have to manage the game and play a perfect game.  His Offensive Line would also need to block for their Quarterback for him to succeed.

Lastly, the Silver Bullets and the Scarlet Curtain need to show up for this contest.  I am hoping the Defensive Line can hold up and dominate the Spartan Offensive Line.  The Linebackers need to clog the run and pass lanes and just flat out wreck havoc and cause chaos.  The Scarlet Curtain need to cover those short drag routes because I have a funny feeling that they will try to use some plays that Wisconsin used against the Buckeyes.  They will need to play a perfect game and Michigan State’s prized recruit and former Buckeye target, Donnie Corley is becoming a rising star in the Spartan passing attack.  Another Buckeye target, LJ Scott is also rising and he has become the workhorse of the running game.  Tyler O’Connor is the starting Quarterback but Damion Terry is still there as well, so expect both Quarterbacks to get some playing time to confuse the defense.  R.J. Shelton also returns as he looks to make plays against the opposing teams’ defense.  We will see if they are up to the task as this will be another good one and another close game.

Prediction:

I want to believe that the Buckeyes come into East Lansing and blow the doors off from the get-go, but I will stick to my conservative roots and predict a close one.

Buckeyes over Spartans 35-24.