It appears that Scouts Inc. over at ESPN is predicting a narrow 21-20 Buckeye victory. It is an insider article, so I don't want to give away much of their analysis, but let's just say they believe Braxton will be the difference maker.
I know many people who frequent 11W are pretty anti-ESPN, and I don't necessarily disagree, but take it for what it's worth and check it out if you are an ESPN insider.
Oh, and remember... there is always room for JELLO
JELLO is amazing.
20 points for MSU seems pretty high with all the offensive deficiencies they have, but we have blown coverage quite a bit lately. Its good to know that someone on ESPN has faith in us.
"if irony were made of strawberries, we' d all be drinking a lot of smoothies right now."
No one loves jello more than 11W...
ESPN has us overrated in this game. MSU's defense locks down Braxton and no one else steps up. The MSU run game has a field day plowing through the Buckeye arm tackling. MSU 31 OSU 17.
I think my prediction on the prediction thread was something like 24-17 MSU, maybe even 21-14 MSU. Their defensive line is going to give us headaches all afternoon. That being said, a 21-20 OSU victory is not out of the question. I think I put it as such:
MSU blow out victory (more than 10 points): 15%
MSU close victory (less than 10 points): 50%
OSU close victory (less than 10 points): 25%
OSU blow out victory (more than 10 points): 10%
So I think there is definitely at least a 35% chance the Buckeyes win, but all in all I think a close game favors MSU because of their running game and scary defensive line.
I agree with that analysis. Braxton is a difference maker on offense. If the game is close towards the end I like our chances with him making a play at the end.
I like our chances with Braxton over Bell in a one score game. Last year we combined for 26 points, so 41 is reasonable.
last night vegas prediction was 23-20 msu... the spread has already moved a half point for osu
mark may wins douchebag of the year... again
TMAC...last year we combined for 17 pts.
I may be in the minority here, but I think our turnover causing defense gets to Maxwell early and we are able to load the box (like teams do to us!) and neutralize Bell. I would expect to see Bell get his 100 yds but it will take him 30 carries to do so.
Herman and Meyer HAVE to have been saving something these first 4 games. I look for the buckeyes offense to come out swinging with some plays we haven't seen yet. Look for a quick score and us to force a 3 and out.
This is a game that we are actually going to dominate TOP, turnovers, and ground yards.
I think the buckeyes get out to an early lead and hold on to return the favor to MSU for last season.
tOSU - 27 MSU - 13
My first post on 11W - so happy :-) Anyway, I've been the Positive Polly at my office all week sticking up for our Bucks. I feel our fans/media have been a bit over the top with the criticism the last couple of weeks and it's really irked me. Are we playing lights out ball on both sides? Of course not. But, man, you'd think we were 1-3 or 0-4 the way fans/media have bashed the playing to date. Looking around college football, besides Alabama/Florida State, I haven't seen any team that's playing lights out ball either. Sure, we've got a long way to go and we're going to struggle, but darn, can we get behind the team a little bit? A teeny bit? We're actually SCORING this year. Remember last year when we struggled to get 3 points at times?? Looking at MSU, they don't seem any more or less impressive than our "average" Buckeyes. That said, I'm keeping on my Buckeye-colored glasses and predict: OSU 34 - MSU 21. GO BUCKS!!!
@GORDON38, I am not trying to diss the Buckeyes at all, nor am I being a Negative Nancy. I am not trying to irk you either. The one thing I love about 11W over most other sites is the homerism/trolling here is actually at a minimum. Smart, intelligent posters having smart, intelligent dialogue. People here aren't afraid to look at the Buckeyes objectively and share our opinions. I am trying to be even handed, and while I would LOVE for your prediction to come true, I don't see it.
Yes, we are 4-0, but no team we have faced yet has a defense like the one we are going to face on Saturday, nor a running back as good as Le'Veon Bell. I think we will keep it a close one touchdown game, but I feel Sparty is gonna win this one.
Scroll up and see my official Pierogytastic outcome prediction chart. I still think the Buckeyes have a 35% chance to win, but I am preparing myself for our first loss of the year, fwiw
PS
Welcome aboard!
For the record, I can 100% confirm that less than half of the offensive playbook has been used. Whether it is because we haven't learned the first half well enough yet or Urban just wanted to save some for conference play is unknown. I am friends with one of the players and he has let me watch the practice film on the university-administered iPad's and boy oh boy are there some good looking plays we haven't touched yet. Run, pass, and trick plays. IF, and thats a big IF, the offense can execute better as the season progresses, we as spectators are in for a trear.
Sorry Urban, Woody is still my favorite
I think with a healty D line. we harrass the QB is to making some costly mistakes.
~Because we couldn't go for three~