Eleven Warriors

I look at the results on the field last year and although I saw a 6-7 team I also saw a team that blew a lead against Neb and was within striking distance of MSU, Penn State, Michigan and Florida. It was such a young and inexperienced offense and I truly believe that the lack of long possessions absolutely killed our defense by the end of the year.  This year they should be in much better condition from things I've read from other posters.  I expect there to be growing pains early on that will be offset by an easy set of home games. In the end I think this team is a 1 or 2 loss team in a best case scenario.  I simply don't feel we are talented enough or have enough veteran leadership to go undefeated. I think worst case scenario is only 4 losses however (at Wisc, MSU, Mich and one unexpected, again worst case). Somewhere inbetween seems about right.  Excited to see these guys grow and set the stage for a couple National Title caliber teams in 2013 and 2014.

A kid who is in the dorm next to mine is a walk on OL, and he told me that the entire team is fully expecting to go 12-0. He said its not any of that BS that every team says at the start of the year, they full heartedly believe that they are the best team in college football. 

Also said the offense actually looks very good, so take that FWIW

I feel the same way about MSU.  Yeah they will have good defense but they lost their senior QB and best WR.  A team that wasn't great on offense got worse.  Wisconsin lot a lot as well.  I don't think those 2 are just a shoe in to walk their divisions.

OSU is good enough to beat any team on the schedule, but inexperienced enough to lose to a few as well.

Will Win

Miami, UAB, @IU, Purdue

Should Win

UCF, Cal, Nebraska, Ill, @PSU, mich

Could Lose

@MSU, @ Wiscy,

I think we lose one we should win, and win one we could lose.  Overall 10-2.

This is Big Ten football and as the season progresses and injuries occur I think we show that we are the best team in the conference talent wise. 12-0 is a very real possibility, but I still think we take at least 1 loss somewhere. If I had to guess that would be MSU probably. The defense they have will keep them in the game and by the time the game comes around they will have sometime to mesh with the new players they have in that offense. Plus Leveon Bell is just a beast of a running back.

As far as Cal and UCF go - I don't think they'll necessary give us a "run for our money", but if we expect to beat them by 4+ TDs, we might be disappointed.  I could see those as 17-24 point wins.  Purdue and Indiana are going to get stomped - Purdue can't win in Columbus, and I don't see us spotting Indiana a 10-0 lead again. 

Playing at Michigan State in late September worries me a bit - depends on how our offense has progressed.  I definitely think we can win that game, but I'd feel better if it was in October or November.  Wisconsin in Madison is always a bitch, too, but that game happens after a bye week, like last year.  If it happened last year, it can happen again this year - on the road this time, but better team.

I honestly don't know what to expect from PSU.  At this point, it seems like a surefire win, as I can't imagine them not declining a bit from last year, though I don't think their decline via sanctions is going to happen right away. 

Same goes with scUM.  With this game being effectively a bowl game, with Urban entering the fray, it should be a win.  I don't know how scUM will pan out.  I'm thinking they'll be 9-2 or 8-3 coming into The Game, but they could be better.  They could also be worse.  I just didn't see enough from scUM last year to be worried that they're going to be a powerhouse.

I'm thinking 11-1 overall.

12-0 should not be possible, but it IS because the B1G absolutely stinks right now. We're pretty much the ACC or the Big East but with better history. 

12-0 sounds crazy to my ears, but when I look game by game there really aren't any games other then at Wisconsin and The Game that are worrisome. 

My biggest fear is actually UCF. They're a pretty good team and we'll be in just our second game with a brand new offensive system. That's a trap/trouble game in my mind.

guys im not gonna lie after a few yrs of tressel i stopped worrying about meat chicken. I was telling my friends "this is a joke its not even a rivalry anymore this is like when cooper was coaching us" i think purdue will be better than penn st and illinois right behind mich and mich st and wisky. 12-0 or 11-1 is my prediction. Urban and company give us a decided advantage over anyone we play this yr imo

Way too much assumption going on around here. Meyer is among the three best coaches in the nation and eventually OSU fans will rightfully expect 12 win, BCS (or playoffs I suppose) appearances, rivalry domination, and National Title hopes year in and year our. This year (for a lot of reasons other than the obvious bowl ban) isn't it. There are a lot of square pegs on this roster who's corners are being sanded down to fit into a round hole.

Braxton Miller is a great runner, will shred teams with designed runs and improv jobs but has to show me a lot in the passing game before I get jacked up enough to predict a win over anyone other than your obvious Miami, Indiana, etcs. I know the D will be just fine, especially up front. The LB's have some questions and the DB's have a huge ceiling but just adding Meyer and the coaching staff isn't enough. Its a hell of a start. A great start that eventually will lead to a lot of wins and fun for us as fans...but this year is too hard to tell. Nothing objective tells me OSU will win 12 games. If they come out and win 4 or 5 in a row and get better each week, make room on the bandwagons guys because I'll be looking to jump on it. Right now, I'm guardedly optimistic.

TBDBITLinWIScantSON: several great points! I haven't really taken a close look at Wisconsin, but you got me thinking.

Chryst may very well have been among the best OCs in the business. Before he came along in 2005, Wisky's meatgrinder offense under Alvarez had gone stagnant for a few years. Chryst gave them more balance, versatility, nuances, better in-game adjustments, etc. Flash forward to 2012 and Bielema has never been a HC without Paul Chryst. That will be interesting to watch this year.

I agree, O'Brien is no R. Wilson.

The OLmen they lost were 1st R draft choice, Zeitler; 2nd R draft choice, Konz; free agent but 1st team BT, Oglesby; and another decent back-up.

As you mentioned, Wisky's defense last year was only decent. They finished 15th in total D because their offense controlled games. But they actually finished worse than last year's Buckeye D in yards per play allowed.

I only see 4 tough games: Michigan St., Nebraska, Wisconsin, and scUM...  I think we win 2 of the 4 and finish the season 10-2.  Michigan St. will be tough because they have a great defense and we are on the road.  I think we will win the Nebraska game because Martinez doesn't throw the ball well and we are at home.  Wisconsin is a coin toss to me.  Ball is a heck of a RB, but I'm not sold on O'Brien.  We will beat Michigan because it's at home, Robinson doesn't throw the ball well, they lost a lot of their D-line, and Meyer knows that is the #1 most important goal this year.  PLUS... It is essentially our bowl game!

Hail, the overall bowl record isn't what people mean by "essentially a bowl game" it's the fact that it will be the last football played in an Ohio State uniform for Johnny Simon, Sabino, Boren, and Stoneburner.  That game will have more meaning for Ohio State than it has in a long time.  Those guys aren't going to want to go out with an L to Michigan, on senior day, when it's the last game they'll ever play in college. 

That doesn't mean it's not going to be significant for Michigan(it always is on both sides) but in my opinion, a team that had been through so much in the last couple of years, and a senior class that believed they came to Ohio State to win a BCS title but will never get that opportunity, are going to be SUPER focused on winning that game.  The young talented guys and budding leaders like Braxton are going to step up to send them out winners.  Then add in that it's Urban's first "The Game" and I think there are a lot of factors that point to Ohio State winning that one.  Nothing is ever guarrentteed, and other than the DickRod years no The Game was ever a lock(those were laughers though), but honestly this is a year I would certainly go to the betting window and go all in on Ohio State. 

lol I NEVER felt like the Cooper years were a lock but after the first couple of years with Tressel I expected that yes Ohio State was going to win every time.  With Urbans track record against rivals and in big games, I'll expect most years he'll win the game.  Especially, since he knows how much it means to win that game to Ohio State fans, alumni, his bosses etc.

@BTAlbert...true, last year we were still expected (or maybe listed as a strong contender is a better way to describe it) to win our division.  And obviously we didn't, BUT look how close we were!  We lost every conference game by a touchdown or less.  A loss is a loss.  But we were right there in every game with one of our most inconsistent teams, and with one of the most inept offenses in the nation.

Our offense has nowhere to go but up.  Our D showed flashes of greatness last year (holding Whisky and Nebraska to VERY little offense for 3 quarters), and will only be improved this year. 

BUT, I agree, we have unanswered questions.  But with Urban and co., I know the answers to those questions will lean towards the "phew!" side, rather than the "NOOOOOO!" side.  Urban hasn't coached one game for OSU yet.  But I have a real good feeling.  And I'm just excited.  And, if we do have more growing pains than I expect...well, at least it'll be more fun watching us lose (i.e. no Bollman offense). 

In short, BE.  SEPTEMBER 1st.  NOW.  Go Bucks!

I  truly can see them going 12-0. I know I am a homer and I see all the tangible reasons to lose a game or two. My reasons for optimism are the Oline( i know it sounds crazy) but i see a more aggressive Oline instead of passive zone blocking. The players overall are not as experienced but they make up for it with a real OLine coach. I think Braxton will be a ton better than last year with a quick read or two and then he will be gone. I expect him to play a lot like he did against Nebraska with some better throws sprinkled in. The Dline will play so well that the LBs and DBs will look a whole lot better than they are. The Dline will wear out every team they play, and get some easy scores. I think they will play with the lead in most games and force a lot of three and out...

The one sleeper game that I am worried about would be the Illinois game.  I have a feeling that Tim Beckham might give the buckeyes a run for there money, he probably has it circled in the schedule too.  Plus it is between trips to Happy valley and Madison.  

No way we go 12-0!  We need to start beating Purdue first. 

^^^ Why?

Good points BTAlbert!

Ahh saturday: Why what?

The players are Supposed to think 12-0 every year. Every competitor in every sport has to have that mind set or  else they will already be defeated. 

Fans though..are the ones that get all upset and  ruin their own week when their team loses or doesn't play to their expectations. So go ahead and think that if you want..right now though I'm worried about being 1-0 after Sep 1st.