Preview: #12 Ohio State at #25 Northwestern
Fitz has NU rolling.
 #12 Ohio State 7-2, 4-1 Big Ten Roster | Schedule |
November 8, 2008 12:00 PM ET – ESPN2 —— Ryan Field Evanston, IL |
 #25 Northwestern 7-2, 3-2 Big Ten Roster | Schedule |
The Buckeyes need to take some frustrations out in the worst way. I’d love more than anything to see Beanie, Pryor and crew hang a half a hundie this weekend. This offense needs it and as a fans, it’s up to us to project hatred and destruction on Northwestern. After all, Woody would want it.
But the truth is, it’s hard to hate the Wildcats. I’ve tried — it’s impossible.
They’re the only school in the conference than can rightfully tell Michigan to eat it when it comes to academics, they typically make the most of their talent and Pat Fitzgerald is an inspiring story. That and the fans are kind enough to free up enough seats to turn every game in Ryan Field into a de facto road game for the Cats.
Hopefully Tressel’s boys can do a little better job of creating some anger because the conditions are ripe for a nerve-wracking afternoon. I was thinking we may be in store for a rare offensive explosion earlier in the week. But that was before Thursday’s drama. Throw in the fact that the Cats are actually decent this year and the weather shaping up to favor an underdog, and you have cause for a little worry.
It’s hard to see the Buckeyes losing this one, but then again, this offense has generated more questions than answers. And the Cats do have a small trend on their side.
Opponent
Thankfully, Northwestern has been decimated by injuries the last few weeks. Out is Sutton, as is is backup Conteh. Ditto for defensive end Vince Browne, linebacker Malcolm Arrington and countless other Wildcats.
The good news is that quarterback C.J. Bachér should be back from a hamstring injury. Or is that bad news? Despite passing for a school-record 3,656 yards last season, the senior has struggled this year and backup Mike Kafka has such giant stones that he only set the Big Ten rushing record for a quarterback last week in his first start since 2006.
Fitzgerald’s team is going to throw the ball on offense — even with Sutton healthy, Bachér put the ball up nearly 38 times per game. When they do try to run, look for them to utilize Kafka in some creative ways and you can bet Heacock has been harping on halfback passes and other backfield tomfoolery for the better part of this week. Sophomore Stephen Simmons, a micro-back, will get whatever scraps are left and may triple his season total of four carries.
As much as the Wildcats pass, it’s only mildly surprising that they have three receivers with more total yards on the season than Robo or Hartline (hell, even Sutton has just 20 or so fewer receiving yards than either of the Brians). Ross Lane, Eric Peterman and Rasheeed Ward all put up about the same numbers, but Peterman is the most consistent of the three.
NU’s defense has been stung particularly hard by injuries with the aforementioned Browne and Arrington as well as end Rejaie Johnson and cornerback Justan Vaughn out for the season as well. Still, it was the defense that came up with the big play to seal the win over Minnesota last week when safety Brendan Smith returned an interception 48 yards for the winning margin in the waning seconds.
With winds expeted near 20 mph and possible showers, the Cat defense can probably take solace in the fact that the Buckeye passing game will be strained on the day and they can focus their attention to stopping Wells, Pryor and the rushing attack. Another 58 points is certainly not expected.
Buckeye Breakdown
It’s a relief to see the Buckeyes playing on the road. This season, save for California, they seem to play better on the road for reasons that are partly related to the home crowd being so quick with the booflex and associated friends and family distractions for the players. With the Ray and Ken Small cloud looming, the trip out of town may well be what the doctor ordered.
With the exception of Small, at best a 3rd option this season, the Buckeyes should be rested and traveling with their full accouterment of talented bodies. Beanie, healthier than he has been at any time since the opener should create a few of those my goodness, he just destroyed that dude’s face moments after being held to his worst game of the season two weeks ago against Penn State. He looks like the type of back that was put on Earth to pile up 200+ in bad weather.
The loss to the Fightin’ JoePas was tough to swallow, but Pryor did have his best passing game of the year. It was pointed out here and elsewhere, but his throw-away out of bounds was just another step on his evolutionary progress. First time we’ve seen it this season, and we loved it. While conditions may limit him in the passing game, he’s had two weeks to work on read handoffs and hopefully the option. And Allah-willing, we’ll see the pistol again.
Northwestern, being Northwestern, doesn’t exactly have a dominant defensive front. Will the line show up and put together their 2nd complete game of the season? They’re cognizant of the chatter that they’re the weak link on this offense and here’s to hoping the two weeks were filled with plenty of reflection both on where they want to take the team (BCS or late December bowlin’) and where they want to go with their own careers. Alex Boone, the top-performer of the group, is playing for future cash every Saturday.
The Buckeyes are well-positioned on defense, with the secondary, the strength of their unit, taking on the Northwestern arial attack. I like the Buckeyes in this one. Bachér may find some low-hanging fruit underneath in this one, but without a real fear of the running game, Ohio State can roll more nickel with linebackers dropping into coverage. Freeman or Laurinaitis would make great spies when Kafka is in the game, so things shouldn’t get out of hand from that perspective.
If there’s anything that has me tuning in as of late, it’s a maturing defensive front, that seems to improve with each outing and incredibly has performed better since the loss of Lawrence Wilson (truly one of man’s unsolved mysteries). Thaddeus Maximus has quickly become one of our favorite Buckeyes and although Bachér gets the ball off pretty quickly, he could come away with a couple of more sacks or man-ball separations to keep his legend alive and well.
PREDICTION:
The weather and home-cookin’ will help — and the Wildcats are legit this year, but we just can’t really see this one getting all that close. Not last year, but not exactly Purdue, either.
Ohio State 26, Northwestern 13
Re: the poll
It’s hard to criticize any of the wide receivers, given the QB situation. Some say they just aren’t getting open for Pryor, and sometimes that’s true, but I also think Pryor just can’t find them.
I voted Alex Boone. Disappointment follows great expectations so Mr. 1st round draft pick gets my vote.
Home cookin? There will be more Ohio State fans in that stadium than NU fans. We went up 2 years ago and that place was all scarlet and gray. I was invited to go up with 3 different groups of buckeye fans. There will be no home field advantage and we will hear the O H I O chant going around the stadium early and often. The students don’t even show up there at all maybe 1,000 of them go.
JoseOle-
No doubt about it. I’m going up with a group of 8…all of us will be decked out in S&G. It should be just like a home game minus the blue hairs.
Any idea of OSU’s record following a bye week?
1-4.
Me-
No Sutton, dinged Bacher, depleted defensive front makes the record off the bye week irrelevant. Moving on……
Im looking for a sick Stiff Arm of Justice, my life isnt the same without it. “Allah-willing” there will be a broken facemask by games end. Hope everyone taking the trip to Evanston has fun, wish I could meet you guys out there but sadly will remain in upstate NY. Might be out for the Michigan Community College game tho….
Sweater McWool 31
Purple People Eaters 10
I agree it’s easy to pull for the ‘cats outside of this match up. They play hard, they play smart (obviously), they have a good coach, and they reside in one of my favorite cities.
I want to believe this will be an Obama-style landslide victory, but after 9 games of inconsistency it’s difficult to predict an outcome. I pray the boys come out with some serious intensity after the last heart-breaker. Win out and get a good bowl bid is the still the same goal as it was in August. A lot has happened this season and this game has me slightly nervous. We shall see…
Go Bucks!
Considering who has done more with less, would you rather have RR or Fitz as your head coach?
If JT got hit by a bus tomorrow (knocking feverishly on wood) I would be shouting from the mountain tops to hire Fitzgerald or Randy Edsall.
Young classy guys, running winning, classy programs.
Yeah, I can’t bring myself to have any negative feelings about NW. It’s a great school, they play smart, solid football. I love their coach. I’m with BrotherBuck here.
I watched the Northwestern practice when the BTN did their fall camp sessions at each school. I liek the way Fitz handled things and he came across as the kind of guy I would run through a brick wall for.
The only negative on Fitz is I can’t get rid of the image of him front and center cheering as Michigan handed it to the Bucks and sent Northwestern to the Rose Bowl.
yea fuck him for that
Hey OSU fans, this alum will be at fabled Ryan Field tomorrow to watch his beloved Wildcats take on the Buckeyes. A word of caution about overconfidence. These guys play like their coach, they don’t quit even when behind as the Minnesota game proved. And I would like to see OSU fans prove something to us…that they are good guests. In 2004, when we beat the Bucks in overtime, several OSU fans turned downright ugly (busting bottles, throwing trash and pissing in lawns) as well as mocking our school and facilities. While we have a lot of experience with losing, since 1995 only OSU and Michigan have more Big Ten titles than Northwestern (1995, 1996 and 2000) so we’re not the bottom dwellers (bowl games in 2003 and 2005) the way the MS [Sports]M likes to portray us. I’m hoping for a great game–of course I want us to win–with no rain; snow is OK. And I hope all of you traveling to Evanston enjoy the experience. I’ll be tailgating with my fraternity middle-aged brothers in the East (party) Lot on Saturday morning. Hope to see you there. Good luck!
I’m surprised there isn’t an “all of the above” option on the poll.
Anyway, I’m thinking 28-19 Buckeyes.
I feel like maybe there is room for Todd to get some snaps. However I’d love to see both TP on the field with Todd that would be very hard to defend. That should be something we put in since we had two whole weeks to get a game plan ready. Sadly, I have a feeling tressel worked on the ISO play all week.
Everyone that said Robo is having a bad year must be on crack. He doesn’t get thrown to enough. Hell none of the wideouts have seen much action. Tressel really pisses me off. Get it together ASSHOLE! Just once I’d like to hear him say “hey I fucked up there, my bad!” but he is too much of a dick to realize he is holding this team back with his shitty play calling.
Having said that we should be pissed this week and NW is banged up. Ohio State should cover 11 easy win.
Beanie for 150+ is my only prediction…..Beanie-hop optional
I really wish there was some way we could get past the incessant “here’s-what-one-of-your-fans-did-around-me-one-year” nonsense. I’d be more than happy to rehash the bahavior of two Northwestern students during the 2003 game, but what’s the point? Disorderly drunks who can’t control their behavior are everywhere. Moronic football-player wannabes inhabit every stadium and environs. Can’t we all just move along?
(We also need a refresher course on what a “landslide” is, apparently.)
I think the game is a lot closer than people think. Banged-up Bacher or no, Sutton or no, this team plays tough and is dangerous. OSU had better get them strapped on, or they’ll have three losses in a big hurry.
i’m heading out to a party tonight..hopefully i’ll be good for the game :)
HoosierCat – There are asshole fans everywhere for every fanbase. Also, I highly doubt this OSU team is overconfident, even if some of the fans are. Two different animals.
OSU: 24
NW: 7
I’m overconfident:
Bucks 41
Damn “enter” key
Northwestern 6
Bucks 31
Purple Kittens 14
In the next evolution of football Tressel has Pryor take a knee each time on offense and completely relies on the defense to score for the team.
OSU – 4
NW – 0
Correction Kyle, he will take a knee three straight times to set up the most important play in football … truly an innovator
College Gameday sucks today. All kinds of fear talk about coaches being fired, Saban needing Presedential-level security, etc. Reminds me of Sunday shows. Tuning out.
Iowa weather is going to be a factor today,
http://www.weather.com/outlook/events/college-football/weather/52242?eventid=270520
I’m here and it’ windy as hell.
College Gameday sucks today! All kinds of fear talk about coaches being fired, Saban needing Presedential-level security, etc. Reminds me of Sunday shows. Tuning out.
Iowa weather is going to be a factor today! I’m here and it’s windy as hell.
what the fuck are you doing in Iowa? watching corn grow?
Ohio State 71
Nw -14
If we lose this game Tressel should leave the program.
If we lose this game they should end the football program at Ohio State entirely.
“what the fuck are you doing in Iowa? watching corn grow?”
Dude. That’s the same thing you can do in Ohio. Trust me, I live here. :-)
I hope we see a lot carries given to Wells this week, I think it will take a lot of pressure off Pryor and open a lot of options for him. He need to make NW belive that at any time he can use to option, that will keep the safties playing a little short.
In Iowa for a wedding… and an ethanol convention!
Surprised that Game Day chose to do a feature on the Texas Tech O-line and not ours!
Brrrrrrrrr!
wow ouro-line is badFUCK YES PRYOR
Thank god NU’s secondary is bad. Breaking news our OL is still like 1 ply toilet paper, and it’s wet out there.
How on earth did OSU get 7 on that drive? I’d be pulling my hair out if I was NW’s coach. They stuffed the run and still got scored on.
Hah, look at all those Buckeyes in the stadium.
Can we get another defender in the box PLEASE?
That’s the same play like 7 times. No stops!
Bad call on JL. Now what about this?
Ugh. They are asleep at the wheel today.
I think it’s safe to say Tressel coached football teams are always flat after a bye week. Take it to the bank.
I believe Kafka ran the ball in all except 2 plays of that drive… and they couldn’t stop him.
flip:
Yup. I’d run it until they stopped it, too. NW is controlling the LOS on both sides of the ball.
Here comes two runs a pass and a punt. Fuck you tressel. How bout a blitz?
Lots of leaning by the OL. Lazy football. *Sigh*.
Run run pass, run run pass… shocker.
Browning.
Let’s be sure not to put them away!
I’m tempted to turn this off and go do something else. It’s so uninspiring to watch them make the same mistakes over and over again.
I called it. You have two weeks to get ready for a game and this is what you give us tressel. He’s gone.
A PLAY WHERE NORTHWESTERN DIDN’T GAIN YARDAGE YESSSSSS
I hear that, Tom. It’s frustrating to see that there is still no adjustment. No creativity.
Way to step up, Nader.
we are good
Hey, the D made me interested again.
uh kafka just met homas or JL and put him on his back
Anyone still think we don’t need a new S+C guy along with new coordinators? Offensive line is playing pattycake (again) with one the worst defenses in the Big Ten (again)
Tressel is gone?
Wow.
WTF on O!
This is pathetic.
We’re really starting to feel like Michigan 2007, except Michigan 2007 had a very young defense. But our offensive line is awful and everyone is moving the ball at ease on us, except, weirdly, Penn State.
The last thing this O needs is to play behind the sticks. These plays are basic plays that once again, the O-line is having difficulty executing. Just what was the coaching staff preparing for the last 2 weeks?
Raise your hand if you’d be surprised if Todd is brought in to run an option. Nobody? Oh. Erm. Okay.
I was thinking the exact same thing, pogue. We’re so predictably predictable… Bollman MUST go.
Tressel isn’t going anywhere for some time, not with his contract extension.
I’ve already called seven of our plays before the snap, and I’m as amateur as it gets over the fundamentals of football (gap assignments, etc.). This is sad.
Does it feel to anyone else like we stumble into third down conversions and touchdowns rather than actually willingly score them?
LOL, pogue!
BEANIE!!! With a mini Beanie hop.
Notice how he did that all by himself, no thanks to the OL.
SArmOJ
We’d be maybe 3-6 without Beanie.
WTF? I go answer the doorbell, and the offense scores? Did I walk into another dimension?
that run should pump me up but it is absolutely infuriating that he has to break three tackles AT THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE to do that
HA! Two guys behind the LOS, and Beanie does it by himself. Just tell O-line to take a seat. He doesn’t need ‘em.
That play summed up the season: the offensive line got its ass owned by a bunch of 2 and 3 star recruits, and Beanie Wells blasted fools and scored a touchdown all by his own damn self, with no help from anyone else.
Imagine how good Beanie could be behind a good OL.
hahahah fumble recovery i have no idea how we can play this bad but catch all these breaks
OK. Put them away!!
okay, that would probably happen EVERY PLAY if beanie was able to see daylight at all
what do you think TP was saying in Beanie’s earhole for a full 30 seconds?
“dude, awesome run. those fat white dudes are garbage. we gotta do this on our own”
bup bup bup – it seems to always happen this way vs. Northwestern. They play tough early, turn the ball over, and get thwacked because they give our high school offense short fields and our defense pick sixes.
They’ll still probably have 300+ yards in this game, thank you Heacock.
Great job on getting the TO. And the O-line is looking MUCH better on this drive. I must give them credit now.
OLE!!!!
And the offensive line gets owned again. Pray to GOD we don’t meet up with Bama, Georgia or Florida in the bowl game.
Tressel had a boner for that field goal right when the ball popped out of the NW RB’s hands
That was the slowest dev sneak in history!
And the O-line is looking MUCH better on this drive. I must give them credit now.
why say things you KNOW you will regret
Ugh. I spoke too soon.
browning horribly missed his man on the beanie run before the pryor draw. i haven’t really bagged on the o-line before this game but they are playing atrociously
The O-Line is awful. Almost as bad as our play calling.
“why say things you KNOW you will regret”
LOL! Yeah, I know. I’m trying to be fair, they just won’t let me.
God tressel sucks. Please throw the motherfucking ball on first or second. Wtf is that third down call? This is why we can’t hang with the top teams. If not for beanie this game is ugly right now.
Way to set up for the field goal on that third down play. Sending Pryor a message about how much you don’t trust him.
Tampa Buckeye – name one coach we have a shot at that you’d rather have than Tressel.
That throw had to be absolutely perfect. So of course it was.
nice penetration by williams on that play
Nice coverage Anderson. The tight end haunts us yet again.
TFL!
abdallah now, awesome. at least our d-line seems to be improving, unlike the rest of our team
D stepping up, good to see.
Bollman must go. Even if Tressel would still have a stranglehold on the playcalling, at least we’d have a different line coach.
Heyward is not fooled!!!
all-american saftey malcolm jenkins???
does this guy read anything before the game?
Argh Robiskie senior leader argh
Right on cue, Robo. What’s a possession like without a penalty…
“Nice coverage Anderson.”
It actually was. Kafka threw a perfect pass. Nothing Anderson could do about that.
Tom B – agreed. Ed Reed couldn’t have forced the incompletion there.
“awfulensive line”
I love when Pryor rolls out.
Jeezus, another third down where it’s like “Oh holy crap we can move the ball let’s get one of these newfangled first downs”
Who missed the blitzing LB?
the # of tfls is staggering
We stumbled upon another 1st down.
Beanie, with games off from injury, would probably have 1300 yards rushing behind an average offensive line.
fuck our o-line, the only players on offense i have any confidence whatsoever in is pryor and Beanie
Are the captains in a competition for who can rack up the most penalties or something? That was so stupid. Is Jenkins next?
Argh Boone senior leader argh. On the replay: WHAT A FREAKING IDIOT. Totally classless play.
boone you unbelievable idiot
Would someone please bench Alex Boone?
LOL… this is ridiculous.
again, the only players worth a damn on offense are Beanie and pryor
This is why we have a future right there. my god
Boy, Pryor would certainly be very good if we had an average offensive line. If we don’t get a new S+C coach for the offensive line along with those coordinators, we’re going to waste the talents of Pryor, Block O, and Jamaal Berry
By captains I meant Seniors in my previous comment.
Good to see Boom in, haven’t seen him in forever.
They have all that open space cleared out by the receivers with nobody else coming in to fill it? WTF?
okay maybe boom too
HELL YEAH.
HOLY SHIT BRILLIANT THROW BY PRYOR
Nice play. Nice catch Robo.
robeautiful!
Holy crap, that part of the field is where you put points on the board when you have your feet it. Is anyone else shocked at this discovery?
Well, I called 24-7 for a final score. If we get Tresselball the rest of the way…………………
OK, I hope that doesn’t happen.
Strangest drive ever! I’ll take it.
Andre Ware: “That’s just being stupid on the football field” (talking about Alex Boone). Yep, he nailed it.
BTW, that Bridgestone commercial is hilarious.
That screaming lady on the Bridgestone commercial was cleary watching NW’s third down defense
Don’t close the playbook Tressel, go for the fucking jugular.
Anyone else get the feeling they’re winning in spite of themselves?
yes
Tom B – yes. And right now, Tressel should be focused on running the score up to about 45 and then sitting back and letting the defense play. He’ll probably settle for 31
Gene Autry plays for NW? I guess that makes sense.
Illinois trailing Western Mich 19-7. Juice being Juice with 2 INTs I believe in the 1st half so far.
Uh. I’m feeling confident about next week’s game all of a sudden
Nick Sheridan just threw a touchdown. Are we in the twighlight zone?
Its amazing what happens when you throw the ball.
illinois’ offense without the threat of a power running game is pretty neutered, and let’s not forget the huge karmic blow of losing j leman
The University of Illinois’ requirement that you must “graduate” clearly hates America
Is Jenkins playing safety? Why?
Lost contain. Dang.
This Kafka kid is going to be tough to stop in a few years. He is an underclassmen, right?
Okay that’s a bullshit flag.
Man, these 3rd down scrambles are looking mighty familiar. Another dumb personal foul on the Buckeyes.
another late hit. you have got to be kidding me. this is pathetic
That penalty is just as lame as the one they called on JL.
He was in bounds when contact was made. What a bunch of BS.
And Heacock starts to remind us why he needs to be collecting unemployment benefits sometime around December.
Man, Hines is really fun to watch. He is a hell of a player, and it should be fun watching him develop
nice stop on 3rd down
Nice stop!
BTW, it looks like Tinker Joe Tiller is packing it in against MSU.
Fitzgerald seems like a good guy, despite what’s been said about him around here the last few days.
Pogue—
He’s hard to dislike. Seems like a real good guy
Lamaar Thomas is either slower than I thought or extremely hesitant on KRs
My best Hank Williams III: Are you guys ready for some Tresselball? A saturday night SNOREFEST?
Jumpin’ Jeebus on crutches, a pass to the FB?
Uh, why aren’t they reviewing that? It looked like he hauled it in at the end.
Kafka is pantsing the defense.
Freeman is too slow!
Rob – No.
A running back playing QB is just really, really, difficult for a DEF to handle. See what it does to NFL defenses. The best sign is that our D-Line is getting pressure. Playing very well.
Kafka has only passed for 10 out of 44 plays. There is no reason we shouldn’t be able to contain their running game.
hello Mr. Jenkins
hey…you guys see me block for beanie?…no..? well b/c i can’t
Malcolm Jenkins just decked Kafka. Maybe he’ll be a little more hesitant now. We can only hope.
Freeman isn’t slow, he just didn’t have a good angle.
What Robb said.
Man, this offensive line is awful. Wasn’t this one of our strengths last year>
does anyone else smell a total shut down of the O??
JL listens to Dave Matthews and Kenny Chesney?! No wonder he can’t get off blocks.
Awesome. Just… awesome.
Yes, Pryor air it out and looking good …Sweet
that play by pryor was sexy as SHIT!
Dont know if anyone noticed…but this kid is special
That Guy – you really were that guy after that last play. Still, I was smelling it to.
Time for us to bog down in the red zone, no?
Pryor putting on a show!
jesus christ….
HOLY CRAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
BEABUTIFUL
I mean BEAUTIFUL!!!!
That Pryor kid just might be pretty good.
Had to fill the bird feeders/baths and start cooking. I think it’s final. Beanie and Pryor don’t need an O-line.
i’d do him…
Kinda sad that as great of a play as that was, it never would have had to be that amazing if we had competent offensive line play.
so i hear this pryor kid might be pretty good at football
Pogue- I love your optimisim.
Not saying they are great, but NW has a good DLine and I think they are actually playing well today, but Beanie and Pryor are flat out making plays
It’s fun to watch!!!
HAHAHAHAH, fuck you rich-rod.
how does that drive make you feel about your 2 win season michigan.
hahahaha
TP, looking better and better each game.
I still love ya though
who let anonymous in?
I think most of us will slowly grow more willing to go gay for Terrelle Pryor and only Terrelle Pryor over the next few years. Unless you’re already gay, which is, you know, cool I guess.
come on..i drink a lil..shit happens
He’s right Robb. While we all get caught up in how good Beanie and Pryor are, the OL is still terrible and they are a big reason of why we aren’t as good as we should be.
Is anyone else getting the “slow down” message?
NW does have a good d-line, probably as good as ours (which isn’t great, but decent), but our o-line is still basically playing like shit
HAHAHAHAH LEBRON IN CLEATS SHOUTOUT
they just took your line…LeBron in Cleats
COOL MITTENS TERRELLE.
I’m sure they read 11W every now and then.
Pogue- I didn’t mean it as an insult. Sorry if the optimism comment came out that way.
You bring balance to the board.
Oh great. The same idiot making Alex Boone drinking jokes.
lol, thanks Robb. I’m in a rather good mood today: the Buckeyes are winning. The imminent deployment of the ubersoft-zone and Tresselball can only sour me so much when we’re winning by three TDs.
AB loves him some sake, as that headbutt earlier clearly shows.
hay guyz anyone wanna go on a Buckeye Donuts run
^ lol
Did the D just ran a stunt? It looks like they are going to try and be agressive.
Jermale Hines down. Woe is me.
Maybe too agressive.
Hopefully nothing major.
These 3rd down conversions are a bummer. Did Hines need help leaving the field?
Spy this dude, come on.
uh, it’d be nice if we didn’t stop playing with 13 minutes left in the game
Kafka’s ability to run when he wants makes me nervous about the next two weeks.
Or at least run some contain. Guys got 116 yards rushing on us. Pathetic.
No way………a blitz?
Nice, back to back sacks
Wow, huge sack. Nathan Williams is coming along very nicely, don’t ya think? Also, Nader Abdallah looks hurt.
Ok, so Williams is listed as a D Lineman and it says that he weighs 245. that cant be true, can it?
hell yeah nate williams, great game from him
And yeah, I’m nervous about next week’s game again. Michigan is starting to worry me quite a bit too.
Get this over so I can get a half hour nap before ‘bama lsu
You have to be kidding…….Illinois is losing to directional Michigan and Michigan is coached by RichRod……..why worry?
If we are going to try and kill some clock, lets use Boom. There is no sense risking an injury.
Because both have quarterbacks who can scramble when needed. Williams is a better thrower than Kafka and has much better WRs. Also, road night game. At a place where we’ve struggled mightily to win as of late.
Michigan – well, it’s the rivalry dude. They could be 0-11 and I wouldn’t count them out.
It is a noon game next week. no worries. And it is rivalry for us too, again, no worries.
And I think our QB can run a little too.
I am still having nightmares about Juice. I live in KC and only make it back about once a year. I was at the Illini game last year.
The last two games I have been two, the Bucks have lost.
Was Trepasso running in quicksand?
What did Tressel just call????
wow. up 3 TD’s and we run a fake punt. It’d be nice if we did that when it matters sometime
Awesome to see the Vest not going to Tresselball.
Wow, we just faked the punt. This is not the world I know. Andre Ware is right – that’s cold.
Something for future opponents to prepare for.
cold blooooded
TLB – I though Illinois was a night game? Are you sure it’s not?
TLB – I though Illinois was a night game? Are you sure it’s not?
The jugular!!!!!!
Superb catch by Robo.
WHO PUT STEVE SPURRIER ON OUR SIDELINE WE’RE THROWING THE BALL INTO THE END ZONE WITH SEVEN MINUTES LEFT UP THREE TOUCHDOWNS WHAT THE HELL IS GOING I DON’T GET IT NMAGIOADNVEOWAMBEPRAOMBPAPBDFAO[
Couple things:
I think Tress is tired of hearing about Tresselball and no scoring.
And that Pryor kid might turn out to be pretty good. Perhaps it is slowing down for him.
They said earlier the Orange Bowl committee was at the game. Anyone else think that was for them?
The way I see it, the more snaps for our young freshman, the better.
Oh, and I guess that style points thing too.
What did Northwestern do to deserve that?
Ohio State website says noon on ESPN or ESPN2.
And Illinois losing to Westers 23-10 in the 4th.
about time tress grew a pair
Put away! Thank you Tressel!
they played us is what they did to deserve this. i don’t even care, run up the score. i’m sick of us closing out games like an anemic 5 year old girl
Oh, right, 2004
Maybe the press should upset Coach Tressel during interviews a little more often. He is taking his frustrations out on them.
Sweet! Bomb it again Tress.
I Pryor is done for the day
I’m going to find my way into the press conference the next two weeks and call Tressel’s mother a woman of negotiable affection. Todd’s on the field, hope he does well.
If you’re superstitious, be nervous about next week if Illinois loses today. For the last 9 games (including today if they lose), they will have alternated wins and losses every week. So that means they’d be due for a win next week.
Jim Tressel = Michael Bluth
northwestern = Ann
It ain’t the same Illinois team as last year. No RB, No MLB, No good.
In defense of Coach Tressell running it up, I was calling for this a couple weeks ago. If you want to learn how to beat the SEC, you have to start playing the way they do, which means running up the score.
I love Tressel running it up like this. Now we need to start doing it to everyone.
I want to get into the 40’s.
Good to see Hines back on the field.
Kentucky over Georgia in the 3rd? Georgia fans have to be disappointed, too.
Maybe that Hartline kid should have kept his mouth shut. They are better without him.
Spitler looks really, really slow.
If you think about it, Mark Richt has done nothing with all that talent. Are the natives restless in Athens?
I do not troll any message boards, so I do not know. Does anyone else peek in on their boards?
I want more points.
As disappointing as UGA is, Tenn is even worse.
UGA back in front of UK, 28-24.
Nice strip by Heyward!
Maurice Wells is getting positive yardage against these guys. Yowza.
Let’s get Boom more snaps.
Beautiful!!! Nap time.
There’s your 40+ TLB.
Tressel is pissed that we scored. So much for Steve Spurrier.
One of the nice things about the put away is the starters can have fun!
Never, ever seen a coach grimace when HIS team scored.
Coach Tressel looked pissed.
Someone tell Andre Ware to shut the fuck up and stop crying
Love that grimace on Coach T’s face when Herron scored. He just can’t be OBC even when he tries.
These guys need to shut up. If they don’t want us to score, made a damn tackle.
I thought Fitz was going to clothesline coach T there.
Even though he grimaced at the TD, you gotta admit it’s good to see him not let up and go into Tresselball. Let’s hope it continues.
If I’m not mistaken, Ware is the same guy who loved to run up the score for Houston. So he can shut up.
He should clothesline his own team for quitting. It’s Division One Football, Brotha!
what are you talking about…isn’t it still tresselball with run run run run run..just popped out and got lucky
Evil Jim makes a triumphant return! Why is it that when USC runs up the score on shitty Wash or Wash St or when Florida runs up the score on SEC cellar dwellars its a sign of a good team, but when OSU does it its “uncalled for?”
If Fitz busts out “GO PLAY INTERMURALS BROTHER” in the postgame he’ll be my new 2nd favorite B11 coach
“what are you talking about…isn’t it still tresselball with run run run run run..just popped out and got lucky”
Did you happen to forget the punt fake, and the passing TD, and the other pass plays called afterwards?
haha..i’m working…that’s why i asked
About the Mark Richt thing…I’m a student at UGA and for the most part, the natives are not restless. The injury bug has bitten UGA this year like it has never bitten tOSU in recent memory. Almost an entirely new O-Line from what they had going into fall camp this year, some key losses from last year on D. Richt just turned over the playcalling duties to a green OC last year, too. So, UGA does have a lot of talent, but people here seem to be relatively pleased with Richt and the job he’s done here. Not everyone is happy, mind you, but most folks are.
I just heard Mark May compliment the Buckeyes on their win. Seriously, are we in the twilight zone or what?
Seth thanks, I was curious.
I live in Big 12 country and I know the natives are getting restless in Norman and Austin.
Well, fellas I think the play on the LOS will be a good indicator of what will happen in the Bowl Game. A good team won’t let OSU off the hook, though.
i’m glad j leman is on tv but dammit the dude should be playing in the NFL right now
Damn Penn State defense, where those running gaps 2 weeks ago?
Iowa’s D is fierce
Tress could help the line not look so awful by getting out of run-run-pass funk. He takes conservative play calling to a whole new level.
Beanie would be much more effective, because it would keep the defense honest. All they do now, is stack the box on 1st and 2nd. Obviously it’s going to be hard for him to get much traction like that when you have an average Big Ten O line.
Hmm…why do I feel this O is being held back? BTW, I have much respect for ‘The Vest’.
He seemed a little pissed we scored that last TD if I read his lips correctly. Heck, I think the Bucks should shoot for 40+ every game.
Congrats on the good showing Buckeyes – we had our opportunities to stop the bleeding and emphatically failed. I’m really hoping that the next time tOSU is on our schedule, Pryor will be playing on Sundays. I cringed every time you had a 3rd-and-long against us. Good luck and please beat one of those damn SEC teams on New Year’s Day, if that is where you end up.
two ridiculous facts that illustrate Tressel’s mad hate for NW:
-combined score in the 4 NW games since the 2004 loss: 205-34
-average score in those 4 games: about 51-8
You guys have so got to put up a screen cap of Tressel’s face on that last touchdown, definitley classic.
Ben, I forgot to record this week because I was actually at the game. Doh!
Upset alert for Penn State!
HOLY HAWKEYE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Told ya Penn State was overrated.
We ARE…NOT going to the National Championship game.
Hope PSU enjoys getting their heads handed to them by USC. We certainly didn’t.
Did any of the Hawkeyes give the “Shhhh” signal to Penn State?
Ohio State to the Orange Bowl? Maybe if we can pound Illinois and Michigan. If we can’t beat them into submission, we don’t deserve to be in a BCS game.
Mahone, I was piled on at BSD for suggesting before the OSU/PSU game that USC’s offense is in another stratosphere. Those cretins are going to see first-hand.
Also, we were all at the game today and I forgot to TiVo appropriately. Two questions:
1. Can you provide some context to the LiC quote in the telecast? Who said it, when, etc.
2. We were featured on Buckeye Football Fever today. Did anyone catch it?
If someone can tell me when the LiC quote was said, I can go through my DVR for it.
i can’t remember exactly when it was said, but you could just look at the time i posted about it and try and figure out approximately when it happened from there.
and the context was once of the guys said “you know who he reminds me of? lebron james, he’s like a football playing lebron james” or something of that nature
Flip – it occured around 2:09, so about 2 hours into the broadcast.
And Jason: I didn’t hear the quote or see the Buckeye Football Fever thing, which I’m watching since the LSU game is over. If it hasn’t already been shown in the broadcast, I’ll let you know
Sweet, thanks. I know they interviewed Chris and once the full handsomeness of 11W is realized by Ohioans, we’ll have a private jet in no time.
I so called the Iowa upset!
so did j leman, geez, is there anything that dude can’t do
Huh. I joined the broadcast late, but I didn’t see anything (they just wrapped up). Perhaps you’ll be featured on the news at 10 or 11. When all the cool people watch.
Oh so he didn’t say Lebron in Cleats… “Lebron in football”
The Texas Tech Okla St. game is starting to get out of hound.
the beanie stiff arm on the 55 yrd gallop was out of hound