OSU vs. Iowa Preview Part 3

OSU vs. Iowa, September 30, 8:13 PM, ABC

 

What To Expect

I think Iowa will have a hard time matching up with the receivers at OSU. I say this, despite the fact that Iowa leads the Big Ten in limiting teams to 46.8% pass completion. I don't think this unit has been tested yet. Look for OSU to go to the air early. On paper it appears Iowa stops the run, only allowing 93 yards on average. However, if you take a closer look, those stats are deceiving considering Montana only had 10 yards. Iowa State had 171 yards and even Illinois was able to get 121 yards. OSU should have no trouble running the ball. Look for the Hawkeye linebackers to be confused, expecting Troy Smith the run, since he torched them for over 100 yards last year, and instead he will pass. Do you remember how Texas did not scout Troy Smith correctly? As long as OSU keeps Drew Tate in line, they should be able to win this one. The night atmosphere and Iowa crowd will be factors, but they won't be enough to give the Hawkeyes the win. For what it is worth Iowa lost its only other 7 PM (CDT) start game in Kinnick Stadium to Miami (FL) in 1992. who was ranked #1 at the time. Iowa is 0-7-1 against teams ranked #1.

OSU vs. Iowa Preview Part 2

OSU vs. Iowa, September 30, 8:13 PM, ABC

How OSU Did Last Week
Penn State led at halftime 3-0. OSU took the lead for good after a 12-yard run by Antonio Pittman in the third quarter. Late in the third quarter OSU scored again on a 37-yard scrambling pass to Brian Robiskie in the endzone. If you missed that play, you should watch it on the web. OSU tacked on two more touchdowns late in fourth quarter to close out the game. Cornerback Malcolm Jenkins returned a 61-yard interception for a touchdown and the other cornerback, Antonio Smith returned an interception 55-yards. OSU beat Penn State, 28-6. Pittman finished with another 100 yard game, a total of 110 yards. Troy Smith was 12 for 22 for 115 yards and a touchdown. OSU intercepted the ball three times, which puts them at eight this year, three more than all of last season. The fans, especially the student section, did a great job of cheering and wearing scarlet, despite the wet conditions.

Guest Panel Week 5 Predictions

Week 5 Guest Panel Games

 

1. OSU at Iowa

OSU (BATMAN, CLEATUS, GREEK, PHILLY, SPAM, OLD BAG, FUNK, XBOX, SHADY, GUAPO, DEERE) Iowa ( )

BATMAN- its tough to get separation in the standings with only 5 games to pick.  I'd be surprised if anyone predicted anything different than what I picked.  Watch me say all this and go 0-5.  Is Michigan flying under OSU's radar this year?

CLEATUS- The critics will be looking for Iowa to give OSU a close game.  The buckeye defense matured a lot this past weekend against Penn State.  If "slippery ball" condition doesn't plague Troy Smith, look for an unexpected pounding of the Hawkeyes with over 450 yards of offense by Smith, Ginn, and company backed up by a defense that will hold Iowa to 10 points or less.  

GREEK- well, at least there will be something exciting to do in Iowa on Saturday night, which is a rare occurrence indeed.

OLD BAG- I'm not sure what a Hawkeye is but I know its not going to be able to stop the Buckeyes

SHADY- To be honest, I really don't think that we'll be able to pull it off but I'll be damned if I actually pick against them.

 

2. Oregon at Arizona State

Oregon (BATMAN, CLEATUS, GREEK, PHILLY, SPAM, XBOX, GUAPO, DEERE ) Arizona State (OLD BAG, FUNK, SHADY )

GREEK- Arizona State, you had your one and only chance with the Greek last week, and you blew it. You only get one chance with
the Greek, whether you be a college football team, a Greek restaurant, or a woman.

OLD BAG- Once again, don't care about the lackluster Pac-10, but I'm going with the home team on this one, Arizona State.

FUNK- Karma game for Oregon.

SHADY- Oregon can't even beat Oklahoma without cheating and Arizona ST is supposed to be good, just not last week.

 

3. Georgia Tech at Virginia Tech

Georgia Tech (XBOX, DEERE ) Virginia Tech (BATMAN, CLEATUS, GREEK, PHILLY, SPAM, OLD BAG, FUNK, SHADY, GUAPO )

CLEATUS- Sorry El Guapo, Virginia Tech will win by a plethora of points.  They will then celebrate with a plethora of piñatas.

GREEK- the Virginia love is coming out in full force this week. Virginia is for Lovers, indeed. (on a side note, two of VA Tech's players were suspended following their arrests on Sunday morning following an altercation at a downtown nightclub in Blacksburg, VA [where VA Tech is located]; the part that amazes me the most, you ask? not the arrests themselves, but that (1) there's an actual "downtown" Blacksburg; (2) that "downtown" Blacksburg actually has a nightclub!!!)

OLD BAG- Not really sure what makes a school a "Tech" but since Joe found two that play each other I'm going with Virginia Tech

FUNK- VT's going to get a little scare in their first game against a remotely talented opponent.  They'll win, but it will be close.

SHADY- Advantage to the home team even though I've never actually seen them in action yet.

 

4. Michigan at Minnesota

Michigan (BATMAN, CLEATUS, GREEK, PHILLY, SPAM, OLD BAG, FUNK, SHADY, GUAPO, DEERE ) Minnesota (XBOX )

CLEATUS- Michigan will continue winning until November 18th, the last game of the season. 

GREEK- well, it could be worse. At least Joe didn't make us pick the Notre Dame game this week.
SPAM- i know it sounds un-ohiostatian, but the more wins on michigan's slate will make our victory this november even more sweet!

OLD BAG- Minnesota needs the gopher from Caddyshack to win this one. Playing the part of Bill Murray will be Lloyd Carr. Michigan wins this one.

FUNK- It's really looking like the days of Big 2, Little 8 have returned.

SHADY- Are you serious?  A wolverine against a gopher

 

and the oddball game this week

5. Arkansas State at Florida International

Arkansas State (CLEATUS, PHILLY, OLD BAG, FUNK, XBOX, DEERE ) Florida International (BATMAN, GREEK, SPAM, SHADY, GUAPO )

CLEATUS-  Florida International would lose against most high school teams.

GREEK- I actually did a bit of research on this game (yes, I have no life, we all knew that already, let's move on), and despite being 0-4, FIU has lost those four games by a total of 11 points (including to Maryland by 4 points). So, my pick is the mighty Golden Panthers. (What the hell is a Golden Panther anyways? Is it similar to a Golden Gopher? And why is everything golden?)

SPAM- i work with a guy who played on their baseball team... carlos sanchez (not really)!!

OLD BAG- It's a battle of the bottom of the Sun Belt Conference. Arkansas State however has a win this year so they'll probably get another one here.

FUNK- The NCAA should adopt the European soccer practice of relegation and demote FIU.  They are truly awful.

SHADY- They might actually be better than their record.

OSU vs. Iowa Preview Part 1

OSU vs. Iowa, September 30, 8:13 PM, ABC

 

Series History

This will be the 61st matchup between these two schools, with OSU holding a 43-14-3 lead. OSU won most recently, last year in Columbus, 31-6, and Iowa won the last game in Iowa City in 2004, 33-7. OSU has won 9 of the last games against the Hawkeyes. In the game last year, OSU was led by Troy Smith on offense with 191 passing yards and 127 on the ground. AJ Hawk led the defense with 11 tackles, four sacks and an interception, which helped limit Iowa to 137 total yards with -9 rushing yards.

 

Coaches

Jim Tressel is 54-13 in his sixth year at Ohio State. He is 15-8 in away games, 23-7 against top 25 teams, 31-10 in the Big Ten and 2-1 against Iowa. Coach Kirk Ferentz is 53-36 in his eighth year at Iowa. He is 1-4 against Ohio State. He is currently second on the list of wins by a Hawkeye Coach, behind Hayden Fry ('79-'98) who has 143 wins.

 

Scouting the Hawkeyes

Iowa is 4-0 so far this season, having beat Montana 41-7, Syracuse 20-13 in double overtime, Iowa State 21-7 and Illinois 24-7. They are currently ranked 13 in both the AP and USA Today Polls. The Hawkeyes are averaging 380 yards and 28 points per game. They average 229 yards in the air and 151 on the ground. The defense is holding opponents to 265 yards, 11 points, 93 rushing yards and 172 passing yards.

 

Quarterback

Senior Drew Tate is 58 for 93 for 687 yards this season. He is starting for a third season. Last year he was 62% for 2,828 yards and 22 touchdowns. He missed the double overtime game in Syracuse, due to an abdominal strain. He is a mobile quarterback and could hurt OSU with the screen pass.

 

Running Backs

Returning starter, junior Albert Young has rushed for 280 yards and caught passes for 152 yards. He has run for three touchdowns and caught one touchdown pass. Also running for the Hawkeyes is Scott Chandler with 164 yards and Shonn Green with 79 yards.

 

Receivers

Iowa lost senior Calvin Lewis before the Iowa State game due to an achilles injury. Filling his spot is freshman Dominique Douglas, who leads the Hawkeyes with 195 yards and 1 touchdown. At the other positions are senior tight end Scott Chandler with 167 yards and 1 touchdown and sophomore receiver Andy Brodell with 110 yards (on only 5 receptions) and one touchdown.

 

O-Line

This unit is lead by senior left guard Mike Jones, who has experience starting at left and right tackle. Filling the other spots are senior Marshall Yanda at right tackle (junior college transfer), senior right guard Mike Elgin, sophomore Dace Richardson at left tackle and red shirt freshman Rafeal Eubanks will fill the spot left at center by the coach's son, Brian Ferentz.

 

Kickers

Returning at place kicker is Kyle Schlicher, who was an impressive 17 for 21 last year. So far this season he is 5 of 6 with a long of 45. Senior Andy Fenstermaker continues to struggle at punting, last year he averaged 38.5 yards per punt and this year he is averaging 35.3 with a long of 48 yards.

 

Linebackers

Gone are the talented Chad Greenway and Abdul Hodge. The only returning starter is Edmond Miles. The other two spots are being filled with junior Mike Klinkenborg and junior Mike Humpal. Klinkenborg leads the team in total tackles with 41.

 

Secondary

Iowa had to replace both cornerbacks this season. Juniors Adam Shada and Charles Godfrey are starting at corner for the first time. Godfrey, originally a safety, is learning the new position. Shada has two interceptions this season. Two seniors return at safety. Returning for his second season as a starter, Miguel Merrick is at strong safety. At free safety is third year starter Marcus Paschal.

 

D-Line

This unit had an outstanding defensive stand against Syracuse in the second overtime. The Orangmen were not able to get the ball in the endzone in eight attempts at the five yard line. Junior defensive end Kenny Iwebema stopped four of the attempts with solo tackles. Filling the other spots are Matt Kroul at tackle , Mitch King at tackle and defensive end Bryan Mattison.

The Passing of an OSU Fan

You probably don't recognize the name, Glenn Webb, but more than likely he has been at most of the home games you have attended. This article describes his life and devotion to the buckeyes. Even though he was a dedicated fan, missing no home games between 1931 and the end of last season, it sounds like he still had plenty of time to give back to his community. Mike Harden with the Columbus Dispatch, has written another great article.

New Grass in Ohio Stadium

I know I discussed the possibility of new grass in Ohio Stadium with a few of you this past weekend. Well the process has already started. Here is the original article, which describes the thought process for changing the field. Here is the article from today's Dispatch, with details regarding the installation. It has already been pointed out to me by a BGSU alumnus (thanks Jeremy) that BGSU will essentially be playing on a home field when they come to Ohio Stadium in October, since the grass was grown and developed near Bowling Green.

Guest Panel Standings-Week 4

Guest Panel
Dr. Funkenstein had the best record this week, 5-0, and now has a one game lead over Ari the Greek. XBOX and El Guapo had the worst record, 2-3, and both moved down in the rankings. Philly Cheese had the biggest jump, moving up from 8th to a tie for 5th.



Current Standings after Week 3
1. FUNK (23-4), Last week (5-0 )
2. GREEK (22-5), Last week (4-1 )
3. BATMAN (21-6), Last week (4-1 )
4. SHADY (20-7), Last week (3-2 )
5. DEERE (19-8), Last week (3-2 )
5. CLEATUS (19-8), Last week (3-2 )
5. PHILLY (19-8), Last week (4-1 )
8. XBOX (18-9), Last week (2-3 )
9. OLD BAG (17-10), Last week (4-1 )
10. SPAM (16-10), Last week (4-1 )
11. GUAPO (15-11), Last week (2-3 )

1. Penn State (XBOX ) at OSU (GREEK, OLD BAG, SHADY, CLEATUS, GUAPO, SPAM, BATMAN, DEERE, FUNK, PHILLY )



2. Notre Dame (GREEK, OLD BAG, SPAM, BATMAN, DEERE, FUNK, XBOX, PHILLY ) at Michigan State (SHADY, CLEATUS, GUAPO )

3. Arizona State (GREEK, CLEATUS, SPAM, DEERE, XBOX, PHILLY ) at California (OLD BAG, SHADY, GUAPO, BATMAN, FUNK )



4. Minnesota (OLD BAG, SHADY, GUAPO, BATMAN, DEERE ) at Purdue (GREEK, CLEATUS, SPAM, FUNK, XBOX, PHILLY )



And the oddball game this week...
5. Central Michigan (GREEK, OLD BAG, SHADY, CLEATUS, SPAM, BATMAN, DEERE, FUNK, PHILLY ) at Eastern Michigan (GUAPO, XBOX )

Week 5 Guest Panel Games to Consider

The Guest Panel is currently considering the games listed below.

 

1. OSU at Iowa

2. Oregon at Arizona State

3. Georgia Tech at Virginia Tech

4. Michigan at Minnesota

and the oddball game this week

5. Arkansas State at Florida International

 

Check back later this week for their picks and unique commentary!

Penn State vs. OSU Preview Part 3

Penn State vs. OSU, September 23, 3:36, ABC

How OSU Did Last Week
Ohio State is now 3-0 after the 37-7 victory over Cincinnati. That gives OSU 10 wins in a row, the second longest wining streak behind TCU's 13. OSU was down 7-3 to the Bearcats at the end of the 1st quarter. That was the first time OSU had been behind in a game this season. OSU went on to score 34 unanswered points. Troy Smith was 21 of 30 for 203 yards and two touchdowns. OSU had 444 yards of offense. Ginn had two touchdown receptions in the second half. Antonio Pittman had a stellar day, racking up another 100+ day with 155 yards on 16 carries, 9.7 yards/attempt. Did you see the 48 yard touchdown run by Pittman with Ginn making the first block and then sprinting down and sacrificing his body to make the last block, wow. It is worth a view on the web. The kicking team had a great day, with Pettrey hitting 47 and 43 yarders and Pretorious hitting a 52 yard field goal. The defense stepped up limiting Cincinnati to 212 yards and only 56 rushing yards on 22 attempts. OSU racked up 8 sacks, 10 tackles for loss and three interceptions.

What to Expect
Penn State's secondary looks suspect against the pass. They give up 205 yards a game, and Notre Dame had 287 yards. They are effective against the run, only allowing 63.3 a game. As I mentioned earlier they only score, on average, 9.3 more points than they allow. I think the Notre Dame game showed this team has some areas to address. They will depend on a passing game, as OSU will probably stuff the running game. It will be interesting to see how well Derrick Williams will do, considering all the positions he can play. He is the player I am most concerned about for this game. Nothing fancy this week, OSU needs to establish the running game and have some solid receiving. I see OSU winning by 7-10 points, having the lead for most of the game. Remember this is a revenge game for OSU, just like Texas was earlier this year.

PSU vs. OSU Tailgate

I will be having a tailgate party with one of my old friends from college. We will have a tent or two setup prior to the game with adult beverages, grilled food, snacks, cornhole, etc. We will be parked between Longaberger and the Fawcett Center on Olentangy River Road across the street from the Schott. Some of us do not have tickets, so we will probably pack up and walk to a campus establishment to watch the game. Contact me if you want more details. Go Bucks!

Guest Panel Week 4 Predictions

Week 4 Guest Panel Games

1. Penn State at OSU

Penn State (XBOX ) at OSU (GREEK, OLD BAG, SHADY, CLEATUS, GUAPO, SPAM, BATMAN, DEERE, FUNK, PHILLY )

GREEK- I think that Penn State is due for another winning season (a la 2005) around 2013. Strangely enough, scientists predict
that'll be the same year that swine bear wings.

OLD BAG- Joe Pa decides to drive the team bus here, they leave on Friday night and after a stop at Perkins in New Jersey, they arrive in Maine by Sunday night....missing the OSU game and thus saving themselves from embarassing themselves against us.

SHADY- I wonder if JoePa has ever cried after a loss.  I hope someone makes sure he's wearing his Depends.

CLEATUS- Joe Pa will poop his pants in the 3rd quarter but won't realize it until midway thru the 4th. 

GUAPO- There's no place like home

FUNK- Remember last year's redemption game against Iowa?  This one could be uglier for Penn State.

 

2. Notre Dame at Michigan State

Notre Dame (GREEK, OLD BAG, SPAM, BATMAN, DEERE, FUNK, XBOX, PHILLY ) at Michigan State (SHADY, CLEATUS, GUAPO )

GREEK- I think that Joe apparently has a crush on Brady Quinn or Charlie Weis or something...every week with the
Notre Dame games Joe. Seriously, it pains me and the other guest panelists to pick these games; we want to win the weekly picks (why we usually pick Notre Dame ton win), but, it's like cheering for the Yankees or something. It's just wrong.
OLD BAG- Once again can they both lose? If not then Notre Dame.

SHADY- I know I know, the visiting team always wins this game.  The Spartans will learn from the Wolverines and don't forget, Drew Stanton is pretty damn good.

CLEATUS-I hate to pick Notre Dame to win this game, so I won't.  Michigan State always tends to pull out a big win sometime during the year and being at home will help them beat Notre Dame. 

GUAPO- Why stop picking an ND loss now?

SPAM- since i'm lacking in the scores, i must pick notre dame... since brady quinn blew his chances for heisman, does charlie weis have any hot daughters???

DEERE- From Crushed to a win

FUNK- I really want to pick State in this game, but I just have a feeling ND will bounce back from last week.  I think one of these teams will win comfortably, I'm just not sure who.

 

3. Arizona State at California

Arizona State (GREEK, CLEATUS, SPAM, DEERE, XBOX, PHILLY ) at California (OLD BAG, SHADY, GUAPO, BATMAN, FUNK )

GREEK- this is the sort of game that'll make or break a Joe's Buckeye pregame guest panelist's entire season. Does one go with his mind or his gut with this game? The devil (literally) or the angel (not so literally)? If I don't finish in first place this week, this game will be the reason why (yes, I am gloating about my two straight weekly first place finishes here).

OLD BAG- The Pac-10 is about as useful as an asshole on an elbow. But since Joe put it on here I'll go with California.

SHADY- The Pac-10 is having a down year, I give the edge to the home team at night.

GUAPO- Upon further review, there is indisputable video evidence that the Pac-10 has been reduced to cheating in order to beat non-conference opponents (see Oklahoma v. Oregon).

SPAM- asu since they are so friendly to us when we travel to columbus-west

FUNK- It's nice to see the Sun Devils returning to form, but they're not going to get to 4-0.

 

4. Minnesota at Purdue

Minnesota (OLD BAG, SHADY, GUAPO, BATMAN, DEERE ) at Purdue (GREEK, CLEATUS, SPAM, FUNK, XBOX, PHILLY )

GREEK- afterwards, the Purdue students tear down the goalposts and parade through West Lafayette, knowing quite well that this will
be their biggest win of the entire season.

OLD BAG- Still not sure what a boilermaker is (it can't be a beer whiskey concoction, it just can't). Also didn't think a gopher was that mean but they'll win this one.

SHADY- Go Gophers!

CLEATUS- Wasn't Jim Purdue the guy in all those Purdue chicken commercials?  I like chicken. 

GUAPO- The battle for Big 10 mediocrity hits full tilt.

SPAM- purde will recover from their close call last week.  62 points is impressive for any team, but i think minnesota will struggle with some big ten competition
DEERE- The Gophers will puncture the "Big Drum"

FUNK-  A couple years ago, this was a really intriguing matchup.  What happened?

 

And the oddball game this week...

5. Central Michigan at Eastern Michigan

Central Michigan (GREEK, OLD BAG, SHADY, CLEATUS, SPAM, BATMAN, DEERE, FUNK, PHILLY ) at Eastern Michigan (GUAPO, XBOX )

GREEK- what the hell is a Chippewa anyways?! Gotta love these small schools and their random team nicknames. If I ever start a university, the team nickname will be "The Fightin' Scissors," or something equally random like that.

OLD BAG- Is this a gang war? Eastside vs. South Central, word-up. Central since I saw them on tv and they looked decent.

SHADY- and the battle for the directional Michigan trophy goes to – it doesn't matter.

CLEATUS- Eastern Michigan is like the Cleveland Browns of the MAC.

GUAPO- Why wasn't Jesus born in Michigan?  Because they couldn't find three wise men and a virgin.

SPAM- i'm picking cmu... just because i was recruited by eastern michigan for a swimming scholarship, so their athletic department must definately suck!

FUNK-  Chippewas eat Eagles.

Penn State vs. OSU Preview Part 2

Penn State vs. OSU, September 23, 3:36, ABC

 

Scouting the Nittany Lions

Penn State is 2-1, having beat Akron and Div 1-AA Youngstown State, while losing in South Bend to Notre Dame. The Nittany Lions are ranked 24th in the AP, but are unranked in the USA Today/Coaches Poll. Penn State is running a fairly balanced offense averaging 400 total yards almost split evenly between rushing and passing. They are averaging 29.3 points and allowing 20.0 points per game. Let's look at their matchup with Notre Dame. This would have been the most anticipated game of the day, had it not been for the OSU vs. Texas game that evening. The two teams had not met since 1992, but Notre Dame is scheduled to play in Happy Valley next season. Penn State had a number of mistakes that came back to haunt them. In the first half they mishandled a snap for a 26-yard field goal, fumbled at the Notre Dame 45 yard line and were called for clipping on a 30-yard pass. The Irish had the ball for 18:58 of the first half and built up a 20-0 lead. In the first possession of the second half, Penn State QB Anthony Morelli fumbled and ND recovered running it 25 yards for a touchdown. The Nittany Lions did have some success after that, posting 17 points, but it was not enough, they lost 41-17.

 

Quarterback

Junior quarterback, Anthony Morelli is starting for the first time, replacing Michael Robinson. He came to Penn State with high expectations. In fact before Robinson was the starting quarterback, Morelli was expected to take the role. Last year Morelli hit 13-20 for 155 yards as a backup. He looked great in his first pass of the season this year, hitting a 42-yard over the shoulder touchdown pass to Deon Butler. He was the first PSU player, since they joined the Big Ten, to hit three TD passes in his first start. So far this season he is 48 of 92 for 549 yards, with 4 touchdowns and one interception.

 

Running Backs

Senior Tony Hunt returns this year. He has 1,970 rushing yards in his career, having led Penn State in rushing in the past two seasons. He has only had one 100+ yard game this year, having carried for 36 yards against Akron, 74 against Notre Dame and 143 against Youngstown State. His totals this season are 253 yards, average of 5.8/carry and two touchdowns.

 

Receivers

This is the strongest part of the Nittany Lion offense. Returning this year is sophomore Derrick Williams, junior Deon Butler and sophomore Jordan Norwood.  Williams is back after his impressive, but short freshman year. He seemed to be capable of playing every role, receiver, kick returner, quarterback and even tailback. He suffered a broken arm in the Michigan and missed the last five games. So far this year he has 79 receiving yards with one touchdown, 54 rushing yards with one touchdown, 59 punt return yards, and 69 kickoff return yards.  Butler was the leading receiver for Penn State last year with 37 catches for 691 yards. This season he has 95 yards with two touchdowns. Norwood was second in receiving yards last year and this year he has 152 yards with one touchdown.

 

O-Line

This is the weakest part of the Penn State offense. They only return one starter and one letterman and that is senior Levi Brown at left tackle. Filling the other holes is senior John Shaw at right tackle, junior Gerald Cadogan at left guard, Robert Price at right guard and AQ Shipley at center.

 

Kickers

Sophomore Kevin Kelly returns as place kicker. Last year he was 16-23 on kicks. He gave Nittany Lions fans a bit of a scare, by missing two field goals that would have beat Florida State in the Orange Bowl, but he finally hit one in the third overtime for the win. This year he is 6-9, with a long of 49 yards, having missed three kicks in the 30-39 range. Senior Jeremy Kapinos returns for punting duty. Last year he averaged 41.3 with a long of 60 yards. This year his average is down to 34.1 with a long of 40.

 

Linebackers

This is the strongest part of the Nitany Lion defense. Penn State has long been known as Linebacker University. Just like OSU they are usually talented and loaded at this position. They return all the starters from last year, senior Paul Posluszny, senior Tim Shaw and junior Dan Connor. Posluszny won the Butkus, Bednarik and first team All American last year. Oh do you remember who he was up against him for those awards, yeah AJ Hawk. This season Posluszny has 27 tackles. Connor has 30 tackles so far. Shaw has 9 tackles.

 

Defensive Backs

This is the weakest part of the Nittany Lion defense. Penn State had to replace all four starters going into this year. Starting at corner is sophomore Justin King and Tony Davis. At safety is senior Donnie Johnson and sophomore Anthony Scirrotto. King so far has 12 tackles at corner.

 

D-Line

Last year's potent rush defense is missing three starters, Tomba Hali, Matthew Rice and Scott Paxson. Returning is senior Jay Alford. At the other positions are seniors Tim Shaw, Ed Johnson, and Jim Shaw.

 

Musburger Screws Up

Ok, this isn't big news, but I figured there are plenty of people reading this blog that don't have a high opinion of the ABC commentator Brent Musburger, that would want to know when he makes mistakes. I didn't watch the Nebraska vs. USC game, but evidently during the game he revealed a hand signal USC uses when the QB sees one-on-one coverage. This article also reveals Troy Smith's hand signal for Ted Ginn.

Wear Scarlet to the Penn State Game

This email has shown up a couple times in my inbox. If you have tickets for the game, grab the scarlet shirt this week.

October 8, 2005 - Penn State students rallied the Nittany Lions to victory against the Buckeyes with a sea of white jerseys. IT'S TIME TO RETURN THE FAVOR. WEAR SCARLET TO THE PENN STATE GAME!!

Despite an early season loss to Texas, the Buckeyes arrived in Happy Valley the favorites. Undaunted, the Penn State students showed their support for the Nittany Lions by wearing white shirts. The effect was amazing. The white shirts transformed the ordinarily imposing Penn State student section into a unified wall of noise. No one who watched that game can deny that the screaming white mass of students had an impact on the outcome.

On September 23, the Nittany Lions hope to repeat their performance of a year ago and topple the favored Buckeyes in an early season match-up. But this year things are different. This year the game isn't in Happy Valley. This year the Nittany Lions have to play in the greatest college football town in the country. This year the Buckeyes will exact revenge for the white out! This year, we'll PAINT THE SHOE SCARLET!! Imagine not just the student section, but THE ENTIRE STADIUM awash in a sea of scarlet shirts. If the Penn State fans think they're going to waltz into Columbus and intimidate us with their white jerseys this year, they will be sorely mistaken! When the Nittany Lions step onto the field and see all of Buckeye Nation united in scarlet and screaming for vengeance, they'll learn what we already know. THE BUCKEYES REMEMBER THE WHITE OUT, AND PENN STATE IS GOING DOWN!

WEAR SCARLET TO THE PENN STATE GAME!!!

Penn State vs. OSU Preview Part 1

Penn State vs. OSU, September 23, 3:36, ABC

Series History
This will be the 22nd meeting between OSU and Penn State. Penn State leads, 11-10. OSU has won seven of the last 12 played in Columbus, the last time Penn State won in Columbus was in 1978. The home team has won 11 of the last 13 and the ranked team has won 14 of the last 15 in the series. The two teams have met each year since Penn State joined the Big Ten in 1993. Penn State won last year, 17-10. The Nittany Lions took a 14-3 lead in the second quarter. OSU scored before the half, making it 14-10. Penn State shut out OSU (ranked #6 at the time) for the entire second half and hit a field goal. OSU had two turnovers and Penn State racked up five sacks against OSU.

Coaches
Jim Tressel is in his sixth year at OSU and he has a record of 53-13, which includes a 33-4 home record. He is 3-2 against Penn State. Coach Joe Paterno is in his 41st year at Penn State, with a 356-119-3 record. To put that in perspective, since Paterno became head coach in 1966 there have been 775 head coaching changes in Division I, an average of six per school. Paterno moved ahead of Bear Bryant for the lead in Division I-A wins in 2001 in a comeback win over Ohio State, 29-27, but he is now behind Bobby Bowden at Florida State (361-108-4.) Some have argued that 31 of Bowden's victories should not count since they occurred at Samford University, currently a Division I-AA school, but the school was then known as Howard College and the NCAA did not split division I at the time. JoePa is 7-10 against OSU.

Week 4 Guest Panel Games to Consider

The Guest Panel is currently considering the games listed below.

 

1. Penn State at OSU

2. Notre Dame at Michigan State

3. Arizona State at California

4. Minnesota at Purdue

And the oddball game this week...

5. Central Michigan at Eastern Michigan

 

Check back later this week for their picks and unique commentary!

Guest Panel Standings-Week 3

Guest Panel

Ari the Greek had the best record again this week and he has jumped into a tie for first with Dr. Funkenstein . Batman also had a 6-1 week, which places him in a tie for third. SPAM Sandwichsan had the roughest week with a 3-3 record, which puts him in last place. He also abstained from picking a winner for the Michigan vs. Notre Dame game, so he only has a record for 21 games.

Current Standings after Week 3
1. FUNK (18-4), Last week (5-2 )
1. GREEK (18-4), Last week (6-1 )
3. SHADY (17-5), Last week (5-2 )
3. BATMAN (17-5), Last week (6-1 )
5. DEERE (16-6), Last week (4-3 )
5. CLEATUS (16-6), Last week (5-2 )
5. XBOX (16-6), Last week (5-2 )
8. PHILLY (15-7), Last week (5-2 )
9. GUAPO (13-8), Last week (6-1 )
10. OLD BAG (13-9), Last week (6-1 )
11. SPAM (12-9), Last week (3-3 )

Week 3 Games
1. Cincinnati ( ) OSU (SHADY, OLD BAG, SPAM, FUNK, BATMAN, CLEATUS, DEERE, PHILLY, GUAPO, GREEK, XBOX)
2. Nebraska (SHADY) USC (OLD BAG, SPAM, FUNK, BATMAN, CLEATUS, DEERE, PHILLY, GUAPO, GREEK, XBOX)
3. Michigan (OLD BAG, GUAPO) Notre Dame (SHADY, FUNK, BATMAN, CLEATUS, DEERE, PHILLY, GREEK, XBOX)
4. LSU (SPAM, CLEATUS, PHILLY) Auburn (SHADY, OLD BAG, FUNK, BATMAN, DEERE, GUAPO, GREEK, XBOX)
5. Florida (SHADY, OLD BAG, BATMAN, CLEATUS, PHILLY, GUAPO, GREEK) Tennessee (SPAM, FUNK, DEERE, XBOX)
6. Texas Tech(OLD BAG, SPAM, GUAPO) TCU (SHADY, FUNK, BATMAN, CLEATUS, DEERE, PHILLY, GREEK, XBOX)
and the oddball game..
7. Tennessee Tech (DEERE) Middle Tennessee (SHADY, OLD BAG, SPAM, FUNK, BATMAN, CLEATUS, PHILLY, GUAPO, GREEK, XBOX)

Roy Hall to Return

Roy Hall is expected to return to the lineup, after missing the first two games for an ankle sprain. It is not likely that he will take his place back at third receiver. Tressel said the following, "I don't know that Roy can go that much. He could be in there in the (four- and five-wide formations). I don't know that it would be fair to him to have him play 40 plays, but maybe if he could get a dozen or 15 plays, that would be great."

Cincinnati vs. OSU Preview Part 4

Cincinnati vs. OSU, September 16, 12:05, ESPN Regional

 

What to Expect

Analysts are saying OSU could have a Texas hangover and letdown going into this matchup. Well in all honesty, what other storyline can they come up with as OSU prepares for a 1-1 Big East team, after a game in which OSU defeated the #2 team, defending National Champs. Cincinnati comes into this game after dominating the EKU Colonels of the mighty OVC conference. Then the Bearcats shot themselves in the foot several times to lose to Pittsburgh. So on paper this does not appear to be much of a game, although check back earlier in the preview to read about the 2004 game or check the blog and read the Buckeye History post, which covers the 2002 game between these two schools. OSU has to be careful when they play Ohio colleges, because those kids more than likely wanted to play for OSU, but instead they are at Miami, BGSU, Akron or Cincinnati. They see a visit to Ohio Stadium as a way to show Jim Tressel what he missed by not recruiting them. In fact many players for Cincinnati played at high schools in Columbus, one of those is starter cornerback/track star John Bowie, who played at Northland High.

However, all that being said I think this will be a relatively easy game for OSU, assuming OSU doesn't have a bunch of turnovers. I think the O-Line for Cincy is inexperienced and vulnerable. Look for OSU to expose that weakness. I think the Bearcats have some decent defensive backs, so OSU will want to establish a running game to help bring in the defenders. Cincy did give up 267 yards against Pitt through the air, but there were two passes for 80 and 55 yards, which make up half that total. OSU has struggled to defend the run, but I don't see Cincy having much luck rushing, they had 30 attempts for 35 yards against Pitt. Depending on how Cincy does its matchups, we could see the star sprinter John Bowie on Ted Ginn, which could be interesting. Look for OSU to score early by passing, which should allow all three running backs to gain some significant yards. Sorry Coach Mark Dantonio, this homecoming will give you another loss, putting you at 0-2 against your old boss Jim Tressel.

Cincinnati vs. OSU Preview Part 3

Cincinnati vs. OSU, September 16, 12:05, ESPN Regional

How OSU Looked Last Week

OSU 24 Texas 7

Check the blog for a detailed text replay of the game. OSU scored first and never trailed Texas in this #1 vs. #2 matchup. OSU was only up by ten points in the fourth quarter, but through some great clock management, OSU didn't give Texas much of a chance to win the game. Credit deserves to go to the OSU defense, more specifically linebacker James Laurinaitis who was involved in two critical turnovers. In the first quarter Texas had a great drive stopped short when Laurinaitis hit Billy Pittman and forced a fumble, which was picked up and returned for 49 yards by Donald Washington. That return setup the first OSU touchdown, which in turn was a 14 point swing, considering Texas did not score. In the third quarter Laurinaitis stepped in and intercepted a pass and returned it 25 yards, which setup a drive that led to a field goal. Before this game the concerns for OSU were the temperature/climate and an inexperienced defense. Through aggressive practice and hydration methods in training camp, OSU overcame the temperature issues. OSU also rotated a lot of people, keeping fresh legs on the field. Texas did get 326 yards, 154 in the air and 172 on the ground, but OSU only allowed the Longhorns to score once. Consider the fact that A) this was at Texas B) it was a night game C) Texas is the defending National Champs and D) Texas had not been kept to under 40 points in the previous 12 games. It is safe to say the OSU defense addressed a lot of the concerns and came back to Columbus with a big win. Hats off to AJ Trapasso for his outstanding punting. He averaged 50.8 yards on six punts, which included a 59-yard beauty. His single-day of punting ranks as third-best in OSU History!

Defending Champs?

I want to give all the credit in the world to OSU, but clearly Texas had some missed opportunities and mistakes. First off, did anyone else think coach Mack Brown looked sick and/or dazed and confused during the game? Texas was clearly out coached in this one. Mack Brown said after the game that they were surprised by two things, Troy Smith not running much and the skills of Anthony Gonzalez. Ok, who is doing your scouting Mack? Going into this season everyone in Columbus, including yours truly, was saying Smith would run less this year, and he showed that in the NIU game. Gonzo a skilled player? Did you see his catch in the Michigan game last year? Ok I would never want to give an opposing team advice, but why didn't Texas run the ball more? First off, NIU had great success on the ground against OSU, and secondly Texas was gaining some decent yards whenever they ran. Why did they put single coverage on Ginn on his touchdown before the half? Have you seen any clips of this guy? Do you watch Sportscenter?

What Still Needs Improved
I continue to have concerns over an opposing team rushing over 100 yards. So far OSU has not stopped the run well. The defense is coming up with turnovers and not allowing a lot of points, but one of these days 100+ by an opposing team could put the team in a position to beat OSU. Kicking, kicking, oh we miss Huston and Nugent. I like that we stayed with Pettrey, but seriously folks, missing a 28-yarder? According to my records we are 1-4 on field goals this year.

Mike Harden article in Columbus Dispatch

Here is yet another entertaining article from the Columbus Dispatch. Mike Harden describes OSU football back in 1897. Imagine this, the OSU president cancelled football, but through fundraisers the students got the troubled program back on to its feet. Wow, OSU football cancelled, hard to imagine...

Guest Panel Week 3 Predictions

Week 3 Guest Panel Games

1. Cincinnati at OSU

Cincinnati ( )   OSU (SHADY, OLD BAG, SPAM, FUNK, BATMAN, CLEATUS, DEERE, PHILLY, GUAPO, GREEK, XBOX)

SHADY-Not only will Zwick get some snaps but so will Boeckman

OLD BAG-Cincinnati....Bengals.....ah hell it doesn't matter. OSU

FUNK- I wouldn't mind getting a look at our backup qbs in this game.  I think there's a good chance of that.

BATMAN-  What a dominant performance for OSU v. Texas.

CLEATUS- Bearcats will look like Bearkittens.

GUAPO- Would anyone else like another slice of Bevo steak?

GREEK-  I wonder if Bob Huggins will be making a guest appearance as the Bearcats punter and continue to inflict his unique brand of "coaching" upon the University of Cincinnati?  I guess we'll see come Saturday afternoon!

 

2. Nebraska at USC

Nebraska (SHADY)   USC (OLD BAG, SPAM, FUNK, BATMAN, CLEATUS, DEERE, PHILLY, GUAPO, GREEK, XBOX)

SHADY-Believe it or not, I think they seriously have a chance.  This is Callahan's third year and I think that he's ready to put the Huskers back on the map.  USC won't be ready.

OLD BAG- I'm not sure what a cornhusker is and I sure as hell know I ain't going to pick one to win either.

SPAM- usc (as much as i hate to do it)

FUNK- Nebraska is returning to national relevance, but they're not quite there yet.  This game won't be close.

CLEATUS- Would love to see Nebraska walk away with a "W" but I don't think they can hang with the Trojans.

GUAPO- Where is Trev Alberts these days?

GREEK-  to Nebraska's credit though, I do expect the game to be relatively close. And by relatively close, I mean that USC will be able to pull its starters by midway through the second quarter.
 

3. Michigan at Notre Dame

Michigan (OLD BAG, GUAPO)    Notre Dame (SHADY, FUNK, BATMAN, CLEATUS, DEERE, PHILLY, GREEK, XBOX)

SHADY-I'm pulling for Michigan, I really am and even though the fact that no one is expecting them to win will fuel them, they still won't be able to get it done.   Brady Quinn should get raped.

OLD BAG- I hope the stars align, that Charlie Weis's belt needs a new belt hole, that Brady Quinn gets a prostate exam from the dr. on family guy and claims he was raped....actually I hope they both lose but for some reason I think right now I hate Notre Dame more. I can't say I want M@chigan to win, but I do want Notre Dame to lose. That's my final answer.

SPAM- michigan will win their own dimension, and notre dame will win in their own dimension.  fortunate for us, lloyd carr is too stupid and charlie weis is too fat to traverse the spacetime fabric to reach our dimension, so i am forfeighting my pick for this game.  i know for a fact that both teams eat sh*t for breakfast, and for that reason, both teams will loose.

FUNK- Michigan has not fared well in their first games of the season away from the Big House in recent years.  Combine that with the strong performance ND put up last week, and this could get ugly.  I don't think it will, but Notre Dame will win this one somehow.

BATMAN- Very diappointed in Penn State's Perfomance.  I looked forward to that game for 3 years.  Joe Paterno is a heck of a football coach.

CLEATUS-This is the game of all things evil.  Even picking a winner here makes my blood boil.  Staying true to what it means to be a buckeye I have to pick against Michigan. 

GUAPO- One of these times Notre Dame will actually lose, and El Guapo will be there to rub it in everyone's face.

GREEK-  no help from Touchdown Jesus will be needed here. Just put Tom Zbikowski out there, and he'll knock out each of the Michigan offensive players, one by one.

 

4. LSU at Auburn

LSU (SPAM, CLEATUS, PHILLY)    Auburn (SHADY, OLD BAG, FUNK, BATMAN, DEERE, GUAPO, GREEK, XBOX)

SHADY-They both have GREAT defenses but I don't see Russell getting it done in this type of situation.

OLD BAG- Auburn...I was saying Booourns. Auburn it is.

SPAM- lsu, defense is on a roll!

FUNK- Great SEC matchup.  It's Auburn's turn to win the SEC West.

CLEATUS- Auburn will get au-burnt in this upset. 

GUAPO- Auburn can prove it is a national title contender with a victory over the purple abomination.

GREEK-  the Tigers beat the Tigers.

 

5. Florida at Tennessee

Florida (SHADY, OLD BAG, BATMAN, CLEATUS, PHILLY, GUAPO, GREEK)    Tennessee (SPAM, FUNK, DEERE, XBOX)

SHADY-Well, the injury bug hit Tennessee right according to plan.   The question is whether or not Fulmer will have a job by the end of the season.

OLD BAG- Tennesee won last weekend because Air Force got greedy and for some reason went for 2 by running the ball (when it clearly says "air" in your school name). That's like seeing a bird run from danger when it can obviously fly. So I'm going with Florida.

SPAM- after the near miss with air force, tennessee will hopefully decide to show up to saturday's game to rally a victory!

FUNK- You guys are going to think I'm some sort of Tennessee homer, but Dr. Funkenstein actually grew up cheering for the Commodores.  Tennessee was looking past Air Force last week to Florida, and will be ready this week.

GUAPO- Former football powerhouse seeking level-headed decision maker.  Must have leadership skills and an ability to close in the 4th quarter.  Apply within.

GREEK-  my law clinic partner is a Florida alum, so, I'm kinda obligated here. Plus, Tennessee barely beat friggin' Air Force at home last week. The Volunteer Navy appears to be on the verge of sinking.

 

6. Texas Tech at TCU

Texas Tech(OLD BAG, SPAM, GUAPO)   TCU (SHADY, FUNK, BATMAN, CLEATUS, DEERE, PHILLY, GREEK, XBOX)

SHADY-I don't really like either of these teams but I'll give the edge to the home team.

OLD BAG- How many f-ing schools are there in Texas. Not sure what a horned frog is but I'm sure it can't last for 60 minutes. Texas Tech.

SPAM- just to make tcu mad, i hope texas tech starts tcu's journey as far away from a bcs bowl as possible with this early season upset.
FUNK- I didn't even know Texas Tech had a football team.

CLEATUS- Why do I always think of that movie "PCU" from the mid 90's…

GUAPO- Texas matchup.  Boring.

GREEK-  can't pick against a team with the nickname of "Horned Frogs." Just can't.

 

and the oddball game this week...

7. Tennessee Tech at Middle Tennessee

Tennessee Tech (DEERE)    Middle Tennessee (SHADY, OLD BAG, SPAM, FUNK, BATMAN, CLEATUS, PHILLY, GUAPO, GREEK, XBOX)

OLD BAG- Reaching in grab bag of sh*t....Middle Tennessee

SPAM- the slogan 'when tennessee's best choose a college...' is enough for me to pick mtsu.

FUNK- Aha!  Dr. Funkenstein knows all about Tennessee football.  MTSU wins easily.

CLEATUS- Look for Middle Tennessee State to be in the national championship game against OSU…..or not.   

GUAPO-  Interesting Fact: Inbred individuals exhibit reduced health and fitness and lower levels of fertility.

GREEK- just based on these two schools and the University of Tennessee, I've determined that the state of Tennessee has entirely too many colleges for one state.

Buckeye History

This week we visit a game from 2002, the National Championship season.

Ohio State vs. Cincinnati, September 21, 2002

The sixth ranked Buckeyes went on the road for the first time since 1934 to face an in-state opponent. The game was held at the home of the Bengals, Paul Brown Stadium. OSU went into the game 4-0 and Cincinnati was considered a 17-point underdog. The crowd topped out at a reported 66,319, which is said to be a record for a game in Cincinnati. Gino Guidugli and the Bearcats struck first, with a touchdown drive in the first quarter, but the PAT failed. Later that quarter Cincinnati hit a 44-yard field goal. One of the biggest plays of the day was Craig Krenzel hitting tight end Ben Hartsock for a 20-yard touchdown pass, putting OSU on the scoreboard. Cincinnati brought out the kicking unit one more time and hit an impressive 49-yarder later in the second quarter. At halftime, OSU was down 12 to 7. OSU had three turnovers in the first half, a fumble by running back Maurice Hall and two interceptions thrown by Krenzel. OSU forced Cincinnati to a three and out early in the second half. OSU drove the field with Lydell Ross, who was in for the injured Maurice Clarett. Krenzel connected with Chris Vance for a touchdown, giving OSU their first lead, 14-12. However, the Bearcats had a long drive, finished with a touchdown to take back the lead. OSU followed with a long drive, and they almost went for it on 4th and 2, but a penalty for too many men on the field, forced a field goal attempt, which was good for 24-yards. Later that quarter Chris Gamble came up big with an interception in the endzone, allowing the Buckeyes to go back on offense. OSU drove the ball with a big catch by Michael Jenkins and some impressive running by Ross, with Krenzel running the ball into the endzone. The 2-point conversion failed. OSU had the lead, but Cincinnati was able to drive the ball yet again. Matt Wilhelm popped a potential touchdown pass into the air, allowing Will Allen to make the interception. OSU came out with a close win, which happened often that season, 23-19.

Cincinnati vs. OSU Preview Part 2

Cincinnati vs. OSU, September 16, 12:05, ESPN Regional
Scouting the Bearcats
The Bearcats, 1-1. have played both games at home, with a win against Eastern Kentucky, 31-0, and a loss to Pittsburgh, 33-15.
The EKU game was the first school shutout in 11 seasons. The Bearcats stopped three drives by intercepting the ball. Cincinnati rotated quarterbacks, using starter Dustin Grutza in the first and third quarters and backup Nick Davilla in the second and fourth quarters. Grutza had the better stats with 9 of 15 passing for 161 yards and one touchdown.
In the Pittsburgh loss, QB Grutza threw an interception with 1:49 left in the first half, which allowed Pitt to take the lead 7-0 going into halftime. In the first play of the second half, Pitt hit a 80-yard touchdown pass. Later in the game the Bearcats gave up a safety on an intentional grounding penalty in the endzone. Cincinnati suffered from turnovers, giving up a total of two interceptions and a lost fumble in the loss to Pitt.

Quarterback
Sophomore Dustin Grutza has been the starter this whole season, but Senior Nick Davila has had minutes in both games. Grutza is 30 for 50 with 350 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. He has 13 straight starts. In 2005 he completed 56% for 1,799 yards and 11 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Davila is 14 of 24 for 153 yards and one touchdown this season.

Running back
Butler Benton will start his third game of the season. The 6-1, 210 lb junior has not been an integral part of the offense, only having 37 yards in ten carries with one 2-yard touchdown. He has 793 yards and six touchdowns in his career. Also seeing playing time at RB will be Bradley Glatthaar and Greg Moore. The Bearcats don't design many running plays for the fullback, but occasionally 6-4, 273 lb FB Doug Jones will go out for a short pass.

Receivers
At reciever the Bearcats have Dominick Goodman and Bill Poland. Goodman leads the Big East, #31 nationally with 6 receptions/game. He had career high 8 receptions against Pitt last week. He leads the team in all purpose yardage, 107/game, which includes some retuns on special teams. Poland has four receptions for 47 yards and on touchdown. Also seeing some time at receiver is Derrick Stewart and Earnest Jackson. At tight end is Brent Celek, who is second on the team with nine receptions.

O-Line
The Bearcats have limited experience in this area. Starting at tackle is red shirt freshman Jeffrey Linkenbach and second year starter junior Digger Bujnoch. At guard is senior Frank Straub who has played in 22 games, but has only been a starter this season. At the other guard position is sophomore Trevor Canfield who became a starter near the end of last season. At center is junior Chris Flores had became a starter this season.

Kicking
Returning this year is senior place kicker Kevin Lovell, who is 16 of 25 in his career with a long of 49 yards and 62-63 on PATs. Returning to punt is senior Brian Steele, who averaged 41.1 yards last year and helped Cincinnati rank 25th nationally in net punting.

Linebackers
Sophomore Corey Smith, OLB, returned to the Bearcats in the Pittsburgh game after battling an injury. He started at linebacker as a freshman, earning second team All-Big East. honors. At MLB is senior Kevin McCullough, who has ten tackles this season. At OLB is senior Leo Morgan, who made his first career start against Pitt. He had limited playing time last year after transferring from junior college.

Secondary
At the corners is sophomore Mike Mickens and senior John Bowie. Mickens started last year as a first year freshman and earned second team All-Big East honors. Bowie is the team's leading tackler with 16 this season. He had a career record 10 against Pitt and returned a fumble 24 yards. Bowie is a track star, having won the Big East 100 meter title and anchored the winning 4x100 relay. Dominic Ross is in his third year as starting strong safety. So far this year he has four tackles and an interception. Free safety Haruki Nakamura is second on the team with 11 tackles.

D-Line
At defensive end is junior Anthony Hoke and sophomore Trevor Anderson. Hoke played DE and LB in 2005. Anderson is tied for third on the team with 10 tackles this season. Last year he started eight games and had 31 tackles and 8.5 tackles for loss. At defensive tackle is Terrill Byrd and Tony Carvitti. Sophomore Byrd started 11 games as a true freshman last year, he has four tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss this season. Senior Carvitti had two sacks in his first start, earlier this year in the opener against Eastern Kentucky.

OSU vs. Texas Replay

Sorry for the delay in getting this posted. Hopefully it help you relive the exciting OSU victory from last Saturday!

OSU vs. Texas Replay
Final, OSU 24 Texas 7
First Quarter
OSU had the ball first and drove it 68 yards, but they were unable to pick up another first down, so they brought out the kicking team. Pettrey missed a 28-yard field goal. Texas was able to pick up the first down with the run, but they weren't able to convert after that and they were forced to punt. Smith looked great in the next possession hitting two straight passes to Gonzalez and Ginn. Later in the drive there was another first down catch by Gonzo. OSU was unable to pick up the first after being flagged on 2nd down for intentional grounding, so they punted a booming kick of 59-yards. Texas drove down the field picking up first downs with running backs Jamaal Charles and Selvin Young. Their 78 yard drive was cut short at the seven yard line when Billy Pittman fumbled the ball when hit by OSU LB Laurinaitis. Donald Washington picked up the ball and returned it 48 yards. The OSU 50 yard drive was basically Smith and Gonzalez practicing some throw and catch. Gonzo had three catches of 26, 17 and 14 yards, with the last one being a touchdown.
OSU 7 Texas 0
Texas got the ball back with less than a minute remaining in the first quarter.
Second Quarter
Texas still had the ball, but they were unable to pick up another first down, so they punted. Smith hit Robiskie for a first down, but he didn't connect on his next three attempts, so OSU punted. Texas abandoned the previously successful running game and missed three straight passes, forcing a punt. Pittman had one run, Smith hit one pass, but it wasn't enough for the first so OSU punted. Texas went back to the running game and hit some passes, driving the ball down the field for 78 yards with a touchdown pass to Billy Pittman. Before the touchdown, the Longhorns benefited off a questionable roughing the passer call on third down, which kept their drive alive, giving them 5 yards and the first down.
OSU 7 Texas 7
OSU got the ball back with less than two minutes on the clock. Even after a ten yard holding call on second down, OSU was able to manage the clock well, hit Gonzo and Ginn for two passes each and score on a 29-yard reception by Ginn.
OSU 14 Texas 7
OSU kicked off, but Texas didn't have enough time to bring the offense out on to the field.
Third Quarter
Texas got the ball first, but on their third play McCoy threw an interception. Linebacker Laurinaitis intercepted the ball and ran it back 25 yards. OSU had some luck on the ground, but a sack on third down set them back too far, so they were forced to kick a 31-yard field goal. Pettrey hit the kick, his first and OSU's first field goal for the year.
OSU 17 Texas 7
Texas picked up some yards on the ground and in the air, but the OSU defense hit Selvin Young on a pass in the backfield for a loss of 6 yards on 3rd down, which forced a punt. Pittman picked up a first on the ground, but a false start penalty and incomplete on third down brought out the punting team. Texas rushed for one first down, but a holding penalty proved costly and they punted. OSU rushed for one yard before the end of the quarter
Fourth Quarter
OSU still had the ball, but an incomplete pass and Smith rushing for a loss, brought out the punting team. Texas had some success in the air and on the ground, but a missed catch on third down forced a 45-yard field goal attempt, which missed. With only a ten point lead, OSU needed to score and take some time off the clock. Smith lead the team in an almost six minute drive for 72 yards and a touchdown. OSU used Pittman six times, with some gains only being 1 or 2 yards, but he did have 12 yard run and finished with a 2-yard touchdown run. One of the critical plays was Smith connecting on 3rd and 8 with Robiskie for 12 yards.
OSU 24 Texas 7
Texas was unable to pick up a first down, so they punted. Beanie wells came in and ran three straight runs for OSU, but he did not pick up the first, so OSU punted the ball. Texas was pinned back at the 6-yard line with 1:11 remaining. McCoy hit Selvin Young three different times as well as some other receivers, but Texas ended the game still on their side of the field after a 10-yard holding penalty.

Week 3 Guest Panel Games to Consider

The Guest Panel is currently considering the games listed below.

 

1. Cincinnati at OSU

2. Nebraska at USC

3. Michigan at Notre Dame

4. LSU at Auburn

5. Florida at Tennessee

6. Texas Tech at TCU

and the oddball game this week...

7. Tennessee Tech at Middle Tennessee

 

Check back later this week for their picks and unique commentary!

Cincinnati vs. OSU Preview Part 1

Cincinnati vs. OSU, September 16, 12:05, ESPN Regional 

Series History

This is the 15th meeting between these two schools, that are separated by just over 100 miles. The series between these schools dates back to 1893. In the years 1893 through 1931 the schools played 11 times, but the series was not renewed until 68 years later in 1999. OSU has a 12-2 lead in the series and has won the last nine matchups. The only two wins by the Bearcats were in 1896 and 1897. The Bearcats visited Ohio Stadium in 2004, and the score of 27-6 does not indicate how close it was for over half of the game. OSU scored 17 points in the last 17.5 minutes of the game to take control and finish with a victory.

 

Check the blog later this week for Buckeye History, in which I will visit the nail-biting matchup between the schools in 2002.

 

Coaches

Coach Jim Tressel has a record of 52-13 in his sixth year as head coach at Ohio State. For you non-math people that comes out to 80%, which is quite impressive. His career record is 187-70-2 (72%) in 21 years. He is 2-0 against Cincinnati.

 

Head Coach Mark Dantonio may look familiar to you. He was the defensive coordinator at Ohio State from 2001-2003, which includes the National Championship season. Dantonio also spent some time at OSU under Coach Earl Bruce in 1983 and 1984 as a graduate assistant. In total he has 27 years of college coaching experience and Cincinnati is his first head coaching position. He is in his third season as head coach with a 12-13 record, 0-1 against Ohio State. His career highlight at Cincinnati would most likely be in 2004 when he guided the team to a 7-5 record, second in Conference USA and a victory at the Plains Capital Fort Worth Bowl. He was born in Texas, but he graduated from Zanesville (OH) High School. He went to college at South Carolina.

Blog Was Down

The blog was down for 12-18 hours. I still haven't found the cause. Unfortunately the site did not come back in the same condition. I will fix the layout, links, etc as I get time today and tonight. Luckily all the posts and comments are still intact! I still think an angry Bevo the Longhorn is to blame for the crash.

Guest Panel Standings-Week 2

Dr. Funkenstein is still in the lead after week 2. Ari the Greek had the best record, 9-1, and he jumped into a tie for second place. Old Bag of Man had the roughest week with a 4-6 record, which put him in last place. The six panelists tied at fifth last week are now scattered across 5-11 place. El Guapo abstained from picking the OSU vs. Texas winner, so he only has a record for 14 games.

Current Standings

1. FUNK (13-2), This week (8-2)
2. DEERE (12-3), This week (8-2)

2. SHADY (12-3), This week (8-2)

2. GREEK (12-3), This week (9-1)
5. CLEATUS (11-4), This week (7-3)
5. BATMAN (11-4), This week (8-2)
5. XBOX (11-4), This week (8-2)
8. PHILLY (10-5), This week (7-3)
9. SPAM (9-6), This week (6-4)
10. GUAPO (7-7), This week (5-4)
11. OLD BAG (7-8), This week (4-6)

Week 2 Games, Results

1. OSU (FUNK, SHADY, CLEATUS, DEERE, GREEK, OLD BAG, SPAM, PHILLY, XBOX) Texas (BATMAN)

2. Penn State (CLEATUS, GUAPO, OLD BAG, SPAM) Notre Dame (FUNK, SHADY, BATMAN, DEERE, GREEK, PHILLY, XBOX)

3. Arizona ( ) LSU (FUNK, SHADY, CLEATUS, BATMAN, DEERE, GREEK, GUAPO, OLD BAG, SPAM, PHILLY, XBOX)

4. Georgia (FUNK, SHADY, CLEATUS, BATMAN, DEERE, GREEK, GUAPO, OLD BAG, SPAM, PHILLY) South Carolina (XBOX)

5. Clemson (FUNK, SHADY, CLEATUS, DEERE, GREEK, OLD BAG, PHILLY) Boston College (BATMAN, GUAPO, SPAM, XBOX)

6. Oregon State (GUAPO, OLD BAG, SPAM, PHILLY) Boise State (FUNK, SHADY, CLEATUS, BATMAN, DEERE, GREEK, XBOX)

7. Ok. St. (FUNK, SHADY, BATMAN, DEERE, GREEK, GUAPO, OLD BAG, SPAM, PHILLY, XBOX) Ark. St. (CLEATUS)

8. KSU (GUAPO, OLD BAG, SPAM) Army (FUNK, SHADY, CLEATUS, BATMAN, DEERE, GREEK, PHILLY, XBOX)

9. Stanford (SHADY, OLD BAG, XBOX) SJSU (FUNK, CLEATUS, BATMAN, DEERE, GREEK, GUAPO, SPAM, PHILLY)

and the oddball game this week:

10. SMU (FUNK, BATMAN, DEERE, GUAPO, OLD BAG, SPAM, PHILLY) N. Texas (SHADY, CLEATUS, GREEK, XBOX)

OSU vs. Texas Preview Part 4

OSU vs. Texas, September 9, 8:00 PM ABC

 

If You Go

Take a lot of money for tickets, by a lot I mean way more than $50. Say hi to the ESPN Gameday crew. Don't be a jerk to the fans, remember you are a guest. Don't feel that you need to interject "Everything is Bigger in Texas" into regular conversations at the bars or tailgate parties. Enjoy some Texas BBQ, such as Stubb's on Red River Street, Varsity Club from Columbus will be setup there. As tempting as it might be, avoid any "queers and steers" comments and don't attempt any creative mockery of the Hook 'Em Horns hand gesture, because if you do you may feel a spur in your shin from the boots of the Longhorn fan standing beside you. In any case, enjoy the game and bring back a victory!

 

What to Expect

Texas does not lose many games at home, in fact they have won 16 consecutive home games and 36 of the last 37. They have outscored opponents by an average of 46-16 points and outgained opponents 479 to 274 yards when playing at DKR Stadium. Under Mack Brown the Longhorns are 44-3 at home. Texas has also won 14 consecutive night games at home. Obviously OSU has some statistics going against them. The Longhorns held North Texas last week to 95 offensive yards (87 passing and 8 yards rushing) and registered four sacks. I don't care who you are playing, that is impressive. Both the O-Line and D-Line for Texas are solid, so this could be a close game. It is uncertain how the suspension of the starting corner will affect the morale of the team, but that means the two guys starting at corner were not starters on last year's team. So if I had to find a weakspot, the corners would be my recommendation for OSU to attack. I think Troy Smith will be pressured a lot, so we may see more screen passes or scrambles and possibly sacks. Pittman will really have to work to get over 100 yards, but I think it can be done. I hope the OSU kickers are ready, because I think a FG may be the difference maker this week. If the defenses hold up as I expect, this could not only be close but also a relatively low scoring game. In the end I see Texas losing, with their young QB not coming through in this high profile matchup, no offense to North Texas from last week of course....

Roster Update-Texas Game

Tressel said that red-shirt freshman Aaron Pettrey will handle all kickoffs and placement kicks in the game this Saturday.

 

Roy Hall will make the trip to Austin, but he is still not expected to play due to his high ankle sprain. Tressel said they won't know his playing status until gametime. Assuming he doesn't play sophomore Brian Robiskie will take his place as the number three receiver. Redshirt freshman Brian Hartline will be number four. Tressel said OSU is in three receiver sets 50% and four receiver sets 20% of the time.

OSU vs. Texas Preview Part 3

OSU vs. Texas, September 9, 8:00 PM ABC

How OSU Looked Last Week
OSU 35 NIU 12
OSU looked unstoppable in the first quarter, scoring in their first four possessions, but they only scored once after that. There were two lost fumbles within the ten yard line, Beanie Wells and Zwick. Pretorius was short on a 51 yard field goal and Pettrey went wide right on a 44 yarder.There were some high notes in the game, 488 yards of offense, Smith went 18 of 25, 72% for 297 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. Ginn only had four catches, but he got 123 yards and two touchdowns. Pittman had 111 rushing yards and one touchdown, which makes six of his last eight games 100+ yard outings. As I predicted, Troy Smith ran less, only once for -1 yards. The defense only allowed NIU to get into the endzone once, in the fourth quarter. The Buckeyes did have trouble controlling running back Garrett Wolfe as he piled up 171 rushing yards, lead the team in receiving at 114 yards and caught the only touchdown. One defensive highlight was the interception and 49 yard return by reserve middle linebacker Larry Grant. Grant is playing in his first year after transferring from junior college. Safety Brandon Mitchell led the team with ten tackles.

OSU-What Still Needs Improved
Even though the two fumbles didn't affect the outcome, they are still not acceptable when in the redzone. Tressel needs to pick a kicker and stick with them. I am not a fan of the kicking by committee that we saw on Saturday, and I think that had a part in the fact that two FGs were missed. Wolfe made be one the best running backs this defense faces, but they can't allow any player to rack up that much offense.

Guest Panel Week 2 Predictions

Week 2 Guest Panel Games

1. OSU at Texas

OSU (FUNK, SHADY, CLEATUS, DEERE, GREEK, OLD BAG, SPAM, PHILLY, XBOX)   Texas (BATMAN)

FUNK- Inconsistency at QB spelled defeat for the Buckeyes last year.  Now it's the Longhorns' turn to struggle on offense.

SHADY- It will not be a pretty game defensively.  There will be more than 60 points scored. The Smith-Ginn combination looked amazing and will dominate.

CLEATUS- Everything is bigger in Texas....especially our margin of victory!

BATMAN- It is insulting when you abbreviate Batman into bat.  Please show due respect.  It would be too unbelievable if both Ohio State and Penn State win and were undefeated heading into their matchup Sept 23.
GREEK- Ohio State; but in the battle of best QB names ever, TX QB Colt McCoy wins, hands down. If there's a God in this world, his nickname HAS to be Six Shooter by the end of the season.
GUAPO- Heisenberg told me I would change the outcome by trying to predict it, so I abstain.

OLD BAG- Dare I say OSU. Yeah the Texas QB looked good, but who doesn't against the Mean Green (what the deuce is that?). It'll be a close one though, but I look to the Buckeye offense to be too much for the Texas Marijuana defense.

SPAM- osu will dominate texas, especially with hopes that their star defender will be defending his stupid ass in court saturday instead of playing ball on the field.

XBOX-Overtime thriller

 

2. Penn State at Notre Dame

Penn State (CLEATUS, GUAPO, OLD BAG, SPAM)    Notre Dame (FUNK, SHADY, BATMAN, DEERE, GREEK, PHILLY, XBOX)

FUNK-I wish these two had played last season.  This year, I don't think Penn State has what it takes to hang with Notre Dame.

SHADY- I really don't want to pick them but I think they pull it off again.  Quinn and the offense looked like a big poop stain and should have lost.  I don't see them getting that much better.  They get some good luck and win by the smallest margin.

CLEATUS- This is one of 3 losses for Notre Dame this year.  In an unrelated story, chances are likely that Joe Paterno's hip gives out and is admitted to a nursing home. 

GREEK- Notre Dame; but only because the game is at ND. Touchdown Jesus will certainly have to help out the Golden Domers with this one, considering their lackluster performance at GA Tech.
GUAPO- Better put my "Brady Quinn for Heisman!" T-shirt with my "Dewey defeats Truman" newspaper.

OLD BAG- Please Penn State, it is in your corner to help end all the Charlie Weis and Brady Quinn talk. You would think that Notre Dame has already won the national title, by squeeking past GT. Go Lions.

SPAM- even though charlie wies has coached in the nfl (not as a head coach, but everyone sure likes to think he has) and can walk up and down the sidelines more than most on the field, joe pa's skinny old ass will be able to take notre dame.  i hate penn state.  i hate notre dame more though.

 

3. Arizona at LSU

Arizona (  )  LSU (FUNK, SHADY, CLEATUS, BATMAN, DEERE, GREEK, GUAPO, OLD BAG, SPAM, PHILLY, XBOX)

FUNK- Arizona sucks.

SHADY- No competition

GREEK- LSU; the Greek has always had a desire to attend an LSU home game and experience the tailgating that is LSU (despite it's apparent lack of Greek specialities). Perhaps the Greek will bring along some souvalki to share; it goes well with crawfish and gumbo.
GUAPO- El Guapo offers a truce.  He will agree to stop making fun of the PAC-10 if their teams will agree to stop sucking.

OLD BAG- LSU is actually going to be the only home team I pick to win this week.

SPAM- in honor of lsu's qb, i am going to name my firstborn son ja-nicholas.  it sounds pretty catchy right??  catchy enough to base my pick on lsu.

 

4. Georgia at South Carolina

Georgia (FUNK, SHADY, CLEATUS, BATMAN, DEERE, GREEK, GUAPO, OLD BAG, SPAM, PHILLY)  South Carolina (XBOX)

FUNK- Spurrier may be coming off his first ever win in Starkville, but Mississippi State is no Georgia.

SHADY- South Carolina didn't look good in their opener.   Bulldogs love to eat cocks.

GREEK- Georgia; look for the Ol' Ballcoach to need a new visor by the end of this one

GUAPO- Somebody better tell Leon Lett to keep both hands around that pigskin this week.

OLD BAG- Georgia... the dogs....too much for a cock to handle (I consulted Nick Finnegan on this one).

 

5. Clemson at Boston College

Clemson  (FUNK, SHADY, CLEATUS, DEERE, GREEK, OLD BAG, PHILLY)  Boston College  (BATMAN, GUAPO, SPAM, XBOX)

FUNK-This is the year Clemson finally lives up to some of it's potential in the ACC.

SHADY- Clemson might be the most underrated team this year.  They get it done up north.

GREEK- Clemson; insert your own witty comment here.

OLD BAG- I'm sticking with my southern roots and going with Clemson, but it'll be close.

SPAM- i'm picking bc for my boys dan and mike back in newton... and for that dumbass on the millionaire game who missed the $100 question...he was from newton, suckas!

 

6. Oregon State at Boise State

Oregon State (GUAPO, OLD BAG, SPAM, PHILLY)  Boise State (FUNK, SHADY, CLEATUS, BATMAN, DEERE, GREEK, XBOX)

FUNK- I'm surprised Oregon State is even making this trip.  After they lose, don't expect them to ever do it again, except perhaps for a crappy bowl game.

SHADY- The blue turf will confuse a lot of people.

CLEATUS- Why are we predicting this game?  Who cares?

GREEK- Boise State; the Broncos have burned the Greek in the past (see last year's pick of Boise State over Georgia), but, I just love that blue turf in Idaho. Call it an Idaho bias, if you will.

OLD BAG- This was also a tough one, basically cause I love the blue turf at Boise St. but I think the Beavers are actually not distracted by the turf color. Oregon St.

SPAM- remember oregon trail?  that game rocked!

 

7. Oklahoma State at Arkansas State

Ok. St. (FUNK, SHADY, BATMAN, DEERE, GREEK, GUAPO, OLD BAG, SPAM, PHILLY, XBOX)   Ark. St. (CLEATUS)

FUNK- Arkansas State sucks.

CLEATUS- I think Arkansas is kind of the like the weird uncle state of the United States.  You just kind of hear about it every once in a while but does anyone ever hear about it or go there?  I've never even met anyone from Arkansas. 

GREEK- Oklahoma State; look for the Cowboys to be incredibly confused when Arkansas State comes out wearing Oklahoma uniforms to start out the game, with the after effects lasting until halftime. In the 3rd quarter, the Cowboys realize the ruse and unleash a good ol' whuppin' upon the hapless Indians.

OLD BAG- If it was Arkansas then maybe, but Arkansas St....I don't think they can handle the Cowboys of Okl St.

SPAM- if ok. st is anything like ok go, then maybe their mad treadmill training antics will lead them to victory!

 

8. Kent State at Army

KSU  (GUAPO, OLD BAG, SPAM)   Army  (FUNK, SHADY, CLEATUS, BATMAN, DEERE, GREEK, PHILLY, XBOX)

FUNK- My flag football team could beat Kent State, and we haven't even played a game yet.

SHADY- I bet you that Army will run the ball a lot after what Minni did to KSU.

CLEATUS- Wasn't it the Army National Guard that shot those kids at Kent State during the Vietnam War?  What???  Too soon?

GREEK- Army; wait, is Joe trying to tell me this game ISN'T the oddball game of the week?!

OLD BAG- Can't root against Ohio...except when they play OSU of course. Go Flashes or whatever the heck you're called.

SPAM-kent read, kent write, kent state.  kent beat kent state??  no no, that's Army.  they are too busy figuring out why the army still has a football team when aparently there is a shortage of soldiers. 

 

9. Stanford at San Jose State

Stanford  (SHADY, OLD BAG, XBOX)   SJSU  (FUNK, CLEATUS, BATMAN, DEERE, GREEK, GUAPO, SPAM, PHILLY)

FUNK- I was going to take Stanford, but then I remembered that John Elway and Tiger Woods have already graduated and they don't have anybody else.

SHADY- The spread offense will give them some trouble but they will manage.

GREEK- San Jose State; how could the Greek pick against a team with the nickname of Spartans?! (well, we'll see if my statement is still true once Joe starts assigning us to Michigan State games)

OLD BAG- Stanford is way to smart for San Jose. Plus I like the tree mascot.

SPAM- every time i hear stanford, all i can think of is some type of 80's tv spoof called 'stanford and son'.  it would probably star denzel washington (complete with skull cap) and grab a few emmy's, but i doubt it would take any football titles.  i'll go with mr. jose state.

 

and the oddball game this week:  

10. Southern Methodist at North Texas

SMU  (FUNK, BATMAN, DEERE, GUAPO, OLD BAG, SPAM, PHILLY)   N. Texas (SHADY, CLEATUS, GREEK, XBOX) 

FUNK- THIS is the oddball game of the week?  What were the last 3 games??  Anyway, North Texas might like you to believe that they were holding back against Texas to not tip their hand to SMU, but the reality is that they are not good at football.

SHADY- They did manage to score 7 points against Texas.
CLEATUS-  I bet this game has as many people in the crowd as there are number of people in Joe's panel.
GREEK- I'm surprised that Southern Methodist even plays football anymore. Is Eric Dickerson still college eligible?
OLD BAG- I think we saw how pathetic North Texas looked on Saturday, why can't they repeat the performance. SMU Mustangs will win this won.

SPAM- on the eigth day, god created spam... at least that's what the methodists say.  they may not drink the grape juice every sunday, but they will definately beat north texas feeble attempt to regain their dignity after last weeks game.