http://video.aol.com/video-detail/ohio-state-vs-miami-pass-interference-replay–analysis/643650070

Mike Wilbon is really Mark May?

How will they win the Big Ten and play a BCS game if they have two conference losses??

I don’t buy into teams being extra motivated or “ticked off” having any real impact on the outcome of a game. Neither USC or OSU need any type of extra incentive to win this game. They both know it’s huge. If you really buy into the motivation factor, I’m not sure what team would enter the season more pissed off than OSU.

I believe OSU will be better off at the DE position this year. Besides Heyward and Wilson, will have The Thad coming at DE for passing downs. If OSU can get a good pass rush from both ends, the safeties won’t have to make plays on many deep balls.

JF:
It’ll be a few hours slow in coming, because I’ll be celebrating pretty hard, and flying home from LA, but it’ll come. I’ll be the first to take it back - very happily, I might add.

Oden’s Tonsils wrote:
” like to think they are replacing Gholston with Wilson, not Heyward. From what I hear, pre-injury, Wilson was every bit the player Gholston was.”

JF:
I mean in terms of production numbers, not specific position. He had a good spring, but he’s not all the way back yet. The Spring Game was the best he’s looked all offseason; he’s not nearly as fearsome in practice. Heyward is the opposite - ferocious in practice, but sometimes disappears in games. Weird.

I don’t base a surmise on the Spring Game - I base it on practice. I don’t see this team as the juggernaut others make it out to be, that’s all, and I definitely don’t see Lawrence Wilson as an equivalent player to Vernon Gholston - as overrated as I think Gholston was last year.

Tyler wrote:
“Just curious Joe, but what was you’re preseason prediction for the Buckeyes “rebuilding” year last year? 7-5? 6-6? ”

JF: I thought they’d be 9-3, primarily because of their home schedule. The win over p*nn st*t* was a pleasant surprise, so - you’re right - I probably am a bit pessimistic - I never imagined them playing for a title last year. I see some parallels between this team and the 2003 team, that’s all. Perhaps you’re correct, and I’m just too pessimistic. I hope you’re right.

We’ll see how well OSU’s safeties cover USC’s Z and F receivers when they run skinny posts and seam routes. I can’t imagine that OSU can’t cover LSU’s tight ends, but will blanket USC’s four-wides. At least USC runs a more conventional offense, and doesn’t feature elements of the read option - that’ll help us.

Sanchez didn’t just light up his Spring Game - he’s lit up the offseason. There’s no question he’s the confirmed starter at USC. USC has no quarterback controversy. They are playing at home, are immensely talented and ridiculously deep, are ticked off after a sub-par year (sub-par by their standards, that is), and will likely win that game going away. It’ll suck to fly out there to watch a loss, but I just have a hunch that’ll happen.

I hope I’m wrong - I can’t say that enough - and I am no Mark May (them’s fightin’ words, after all). Don’t shoot yourself if they lose, though - they’ll win the Big T(elev)en (most likely), will earn a BCS bid, and probably beat their BCS opponent. I’m hoping for Oklahoma, if the national title is out of the question, as I fear it will be.

If they end up winning it all, though, I’ll be the first to issue a substantial mea culpa. I promise.