Schedule/Results
Overall Record (8-0)
Youngstown Stat - 38 - 6 (W)
Akron - 20 - 2 (W)
Washington - 33 - 14 (W)
Northwestern - 58 - 7 (W)
Minnesota - 30 - 7 (W)
Purdue - 23 - 7 (W)
Kent State - 48 - 3 (W)
Michigan State - 24 - 17 (W)
Team Overview
Well, where do you start with the #1 team in the land? Great defense, efficient strong offense, and great special teams play just about covers it. The Buckeyes lead the nation in scoring defense (7.88), total defense (208.5) and pass efficiency defense (86.83). The defense has allowed only four touchdowns this season – four. The Buckeyes have forced opponents to go three-and-out on 49 possessions this season. Todd Boeckman's pass efficiency rating of 161.36 leads the Big Ten and ranks seventh nationally. Boeckman has thrown touchdown passes to nine different Buckeyes this season and no less than 14 different players have caught a pass this season. Chris "Beanie" Wells turned in the ninth-best rushing effort in Ohio State history with 221 yards on the ground against Michigan State.
Offense
The offense starts with Chris Wells who has gained 896 yards and scored 7 touchdowns. Wells averages just under 108 yards per game and 5.8 yards per carry. Wells left the Purdue game in the third quarter with an ankle injury, and played sparingly against Kent State so his numbers should be even better. The running game opens up play action pass opportunities and Boeckman has made the most of them. Boeckman is completing 65 percent of his passes on the year for 1,546 yards, with 18 touchdowns passes with 7 interceptions. He tied an Ohio State record with 12 consecutive pass completions over two games. Boeckman's favorite target is Brian Robiskie who has caught 37 passes for 728 yards and seven touchdowns this season. All-Big Ten right tackle Kirk Barton is a team captain and leader of a strong offensive line that includes three year starter and fellow Outland Trophy candidate Alex Boone at the other tackle spot.
Defense
Remember the 2005 Posluszny/Hawk showdown matching up two Butkus award nominees; well we get to relive that with Dan Connor and King Cobra
James Laurinaitis – both Butkus award semifinalist. Laurinaitis has led or tied for the OSU team lead in tackles in 14 of the last 20 games. For the season he has 64 tackles 4 sacks and 2 interceptions. Like Penn State, Laurinaitis overshadows two other good linebackers in Larry Grant who can play all three linebacker positions and Marcus Freeman who is on the Bednarik watch list. Both safeties are first year starters but Donald Washington was OSU's nickleback last season and has a 70 yard interception return for a touchdown. Corner Malcolm Jenkins is on the Thorpe Award watch list and is third on the team in tackles. Returning All-Big Ten defensive end Vernon Gholston leads the defensive line and is on the Bednarik and Hendricks watch list. Gholston has five sacks on the year. The other three defensive linemen are all first-year starters. That doesn't mean they aren't good it just means they are inexperienced. They only have one sack amongst all three of them on the year.
Special Teams
Brian Hartline broke an Ohio State record that had stood since 1950 with a 90-yard punt return for a touchdown against Kent State. Larry Grant has blocked both a punt and a field goal attempt. Punter A.J. Trapasso is on the Ray Guy Award list and is averaging just under 42 yards per punt. Kicker Ryan Pretorius is converting 81 percent of his field goal kicks and is 5 of 6 in the 40 to 49 yard range.
Game Outlook
Apparently we should just accept the fact that this game is over before it starts. Ohio State's defense is the best there ever was in the history of college football and we've had two pathetic seasons the last couple years and the Ohio State win in 2005 was a fluke because it was wet and the Buckeyes were dazed by the student section and their white shirts and it was Penn State's best win ever. But no, this Buckeye team will be ready for the white out and our pathetic program that no one views as relevant outside of Happy Valley will might as well just lay over and take our ass whippin'. Ohio State will score early, take the crowd out of it and prove they deserve to be number one. I'm just paraphrasing of course.
Sure Ohio State is a great football team but the best team in the country? No fucking way. It sure is going to be a lot of fun, just like the 2005 game was but I, for one, am not hanging the entire season on this game. Our entire season ended when Penn State chose the moronic game plan against Michigan. Penn State has absolutely nothing to lose in this game – win and PSU gets a quality win against a good (albeit overrated) team. Lose… well it's #24 vs. #1 right? You wouldn't expect #24 to win. The only way Penn State comes out of this game looking bad is if they turn the ball over and play sloppy like they did against Michigan and Illinois.
Kool-aid drinkin' unabashed head in the clouds nostalgic prediction
Penn State 14
Ohio State 10
Posts
18 comments:
Excuse me Galen, it's THE Ohio State University. Please don't disrespect our conquering lords.
I read the OSU blog that you essentially paraphrased...talk about your all-time delusions. Apparently we think it's 2005 all over again, yet all any Buckeye fan talks about is how this year's team is basically a better version of 2002's.
Whatever. Let them think we're going to roll over and die. If they think the boys in blue and white won't be ready, they have another thing coming.
What I don't understand is how they were so surprised by the white out last time. I understand that when they first came into the stadium, it was a surprise. For the rest of the game, did they keep forgetting & get surprised every time they looked up. I think of what people say about goldfish having no memory & being surprised to see the little diving guy in their bowl each time they swim around.
Also, I think think we should refer to them as jaOSU - just another Ohio State University.
jaOSU!!!! Brilliant!
Please please please let this spread across the intartubes.
Let's all go post comments on EDSBS with jaOSU in them.
elihu,
A thousand adult beverages to you sir! jaOSU is now the mantra of TNL. Wonderful.
One thing is for certain, there is no stopping them; the Buckeyes will soon be here. And I, for one, welcome our new Buckeye overlords. I'd like to remind them that as a trusted blogging personality, I can be helpful in rounding up others to toil in their underground public library investigative reporter factories.
OSU is the best!!!....ur blog is awesome man ....keep blogging
Um, e-critic, welcome and all that, but didn't you get the memo? It's jaOSU on this blog...
PENN STATE SUCKS! MORONelli will not lead your shit team to victory. Tressel is half the age of JOEPA, but twice as intelligent and doesnt have to make a trip to the shitter during a field goal. Bottom Line, GO BUCKEYES, screw LIONS!
45 + 40 + 14 = PAIN IN THE ASS! Make that a new t-shirt for the rest of your season.
Wow, you take a short cut on one blog post and look what happens.
I give you credit for a great scouting report (as opposed to my general smack talking).
However, while my post was meant to get the Penn State fan's skin, I think you are missing some key points.
1) I would never suggest that this game is over before it starts. I think this will be our toughest game of the season. Probably a more difficult game than the Michigan game (Unlike you guys, Michigan fans are amazingly lame.)
2) I don't think 2005 was a fluke either. You guys caught us off guard. And by you guys, I mean the fans. Wasn't that the first "White Out?" It was impressive and I remember watching it on T.V. and thinking...Oh shit.
I do think the Buckeues will be better prepared for this year's hostile crowd. I don't remember a Penn State crowd like that before 2005.
3) The comments about the rain and the offense were not an excuse, it is a fact. Smith and Ginn were just coming of age as a passing team. We were relying on the offense. This year, the rain won't be the same factor as this will be a defensive game...on both sides of the ball. I think defense will win or lose this game--for either team.
3) Lay over and take you're ass whippin? Bow down before...? Where you guys get that stuff? There is no question that if Ohio State wants to win this game they need to take the crowd out of it as quick as possible. The best way to do that is to hit hard and early. If we can get an early jump, it will be much harder to get the crowd momentum.
4)Yeah, I did call your program, or at least your recent seasons, pathetic. I want to see Penn State return to glory. With fans like you guys, you deserve it. The Big Ten needs as many top five teams as we can get.
5) Finally, I think I opened some of my Michigan stuff a little early. I thought we had a rivalry here. I'm not sure what to make of the response I've been getting. This "Ohio State must be the greatest" sarcasm...I'm not sure what to do with it."
Maybe it's that you guys are relatively new to the Big Ten. Maybe it's that you don't know the hatred of a true rivalry.
For those of us who were suckled on the Ohio State/Michigan rivalry however..
Check out my response at the original post. I'm giving you guys way more respect than I would ever give a Wolverine.
(Oh, and I could give a shit about the tOSU thing. There is only one OSU in my book.)
GO IRISH! NO LOSS THIS WEEK, BUT PSU WILL LOSE!
Irish...where'd he come from?
He must have heard something about pathetic and irrelevant football teams.
Annapolisbuckeye,
That's why I said "paraphrase". That way I get to put words in your mouth and get everyone fired up. Didn't you read the bloggers manual yet?!?
Man Galen, you would think I would have known better. Like a fish on a hook, you got me fired up.
Enjoy the game. I wish I was there.
Still, I'm a little uncomfortable with the Ohio State/Penn State rivalry thing. After so many years directed at Michigan, us Buckeyes are a little lost.
Nobody commenting here tonight?:) GO BUCKS!
Congrats
Annapolisbuckeye & Jeffrey OSU kicked Penn State's ass and I was there to see it... yeah for me!
Wow, thanks for that. I'm still not sure how to handle you Penn State fans. It's really throwing me off balance here.
You should the see comments Florida fans can leave after you play them.
No go out there and kick some Penn State ass!!
Annapolisbuckeye,
Not all of us Penn State fans are beer throwing, message board trolling assholes. Most of us are reasonable.
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