Eleven Warriors

In before the flame.

In all seriousness though, if you're going to put down our team, do it with proper spelling and grammar. I agree with many of your points, disagree with some as well, but many on this site will attack you purely for your grammar in this post. Just a heads up for future reference.

Hope this thread doesn't go downhill, Go Buckeyes!

i dont think your comments are entirely accurate. we have playmakers on both sides of the ball, along with urban meyer as our head coach. I think we have a chance to beat anyone.

This article is poorly constructed, but I can understand some of your points.  However, while I may not think we would beat a few of those teams, I think we are just as deserving as anyone to play in the NC this year.

Also, no offense to Taivon Jacobs, he's a great kid... but who were you talking to that said he was the next Ted Ginn? Similar players maybe, but TGJR was lightyears better at this stage than Jacobs. Hopefully, he will become a household name in a few years, but I don't see him making an immediate impact.

they said Ohio State didn't belong in the same game with Miami in 03' but we played up to and beyond the competition and i believe on any given day that any given team with enough skill and heart can win !

Totally agree.  That would never happen.

I remember people saying Ohio State stood no chance against miami....

We had no shot at Miami and look how that ended, KSU getting a beatdown by Baylor and Oregon losing to a solid Stanford, means anything can happen on any given Saturday. People say this is a weak 11 wi team, sorry not buying it. Winning 11 games is tough regardless of the team we play, and we still played tough competition in my books. The SEC this season if overrated.

I'm pretty sure they said the same thing about the '02 Buckeyes...

Leave it to some Buckeye fans not to be able to enjoy a potentially undefeated season and take it for what it's worth.  We are coming off a 6-7 season.  Although we enjoyed unprecedented success under Tressel's tenure, it came with a steep price tag -- his style of football turned national perception against us and our two huge failures in national championship games not only set back the Ohio State program but the Big Ten in general for years to come.  Now here we are at the end of our first season under an exciting new coach who is the perfect match for our school -- we are undefeated, we are favorites heading into our last game against our arch rival, our recruiting class for next year looks amazing, the one after that looks even better, and still we've got people who think it's important to make exceedingly poor arguments regarding our suitability in a national championship game.  True, this team has gotten very lucky in a lot of games this year.  There have been as many unimpressive wins as there have been dominating wins.  But how much did all those dominating wins help the 2006 team in their championship game?  Mishmasing a bunch of observations about a team and using that as a basis for an argument whose conclusion tries to take something away from what has been an amazing, regenerative season is completely pointless and the product of someone who needs to gain some perspective on what has been accomplished this year.   I'm not saying Ohio State would win against any of the teams who will  actually be in the NC game, and I don't even know why we're talking about it since it's not gonna happen.  But to say that it's a foregone conclusion that they would lose is devoid of logic, fact, and perspective.

Saying we cannot beat Alabama is like saying we cannot beat A&M. Cannot beat Kansas State we could not beat Baylor. If we could not beat Georgia it would be a toss up vs Kentucky. If we could not beat Florida it would be a toss up vs Toledo. 

I am sorry but each and every week there has been a game plan. Sometimes a game plan vs lesser teams you experiment for future when you might need player Z and sometimes you do not use game plan A. If you use game plan A all the time opposing teams can use something they call COACHING. 

We may or may not win a National Championship with this team if they were elgible but one thing is for sure. This team has evolved and I would not sell them short. Personally for me after we beat UM I become contrary to every SEC fan I am around down here and I find all the reasons they would have won the National Championship. Sad to see so many agreeing with you. 

Unintelligible nonsense. By the way, Notre Dame will likely be in the NC.  They barely beat Purdue and BYU, and took 3 overtimes and a missed chip shot field goal to beat Pitt. But I suppose our "offence" couldn't hang with them. 

If the Buckeyes didnt have the bowl ban and they were undefeated, they would be playing ND for all the marbles, if ND beats USC that is. They would be 1 or 2 if not for the bowl ban.

This guy is off his rocker. If we went 12-0 and went to the BIG 10 championship game and won. WE deserve to be in the SHIP

The one thing this team has proven to me is that they can hang with anyone. All the teams ahead of the Buckeyes have proven that they are not perfect. Looks like a good matchup to me

GO BUCKS

I believe there are 11 factual reasons why they could potentially win the NC game -- actually just 11 examples of one fact: they have executed a successful gameplan in 11 straight games.  Despite all the comparisons that are drawn to the 2002 team, there's really only one thing that is important -- they both found a way to win despite their shortcomings.  2002 had a woeful offense.  The defense balanced it out.  2012, our defense isn't the best, so we have had to outscore teams in many cases.  One thing people are forgetting when comparing these two teams is that the 12 team has Meyer as a coach.  I don't want to remind anyone what happened the last time he went head to head with Tressel. 

McLovin, actually Meyer is the 1 reason I think they could have a prayer in a title game.  Giving a coach like Meyer 40 days to gameplan for any team is an advantage that most teams don't have.  Their coaches just aren't as good.  Is that enough though?  I'm not so sure.  Sure other teams ahead of us have lost to inferior teams, but a lot of times a great team, after a disappointing loss like that comes back and plays it's best football.  Is it likely that K-State, Bama, or Oregon will put up another crapper this year? 

They also said we couldn't beat Miami in 2002.  I get that based on what we've seen in some games this year that our odds in a NC game wouldn't be good.  However, I have to disagree with anyone who dismisses any chance at all of us winning a NC game, especially with people who say "we'd get manhandled".  They said we'd get manhandled in 2002 - how'd that work out?  I don't think it would be impossible for us to beat Notre Dame, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Oregon, Kansas State, or anyone else.  That's why they play the games, right?  Well, we won't play that game this year, but you get my point. 

That being said, if we would wind up getting manhandled, we wouldn't have to find out.  While I like how things have worked out for us, I'm never going to like a bowl ban on the sole premise that we'd avoid a major loss in the bowl that we'd go to.  I want to see how we stack up against the big boys.  I want the chance to play those teams.  It's like playing golf with Tiger.  In an 18 hole round - no way any average non-professional golfer would beat him.  But on 1 hole, you never know - you might hit a great shot, he might hit a bad shot or two - things could happen - you could beat Tiger on that 1 hole.  That's all the National Championship game is - 1 hole.  1 game.  If we could be better than anyone else for just 1 night - that's all we'd need. 

2002 disagrees with this post.

You're full of shit "GO_BUCKS_ALL DAY" Nice name too...that name almost seems ironic.  Anyhow, look at how many ppl said we didn't have a chance in 2002...now see why you sound like you're full of shit?  

Trev Alberts typing has went to hell in last 10 years

@ Lincoln, lmao

Urban has said all year this team isn't great, just good.  It's not about heart, but the talent and scheme on the field.  We just gave up 200 yards on the ground at Wisconsin.  Lacy, Yeldon, etc. at Alabama? Would have a field day.  We just switched a FB to MLB because there's no depth there.  This team has done an UNBELIEVABLE job finding ways to win, especially considering this is largely the same team as last season that went 6-7.  And no Jordan Hall as well.  That said, we've played an absolutely garbage schedule.  8 home games when it's all said and done.  One ranked team? Maybe 2? And they certainly aren't top 15 (for reference, that '02 team beat a Wash State team that ended up #3 in the BCS by year's end).  I'm not saying it wouldn't be possible to go beat any of these teams, but an undefeated record doesn't automatically qualify you as a top 2 team.  Look at all the MAC schools through the years that finish 13-0.  Just enjoy this season for what it is...the potential to be just the 6th undefeated season in OSU football history.

^ I agree with you that each team looks beatable. The problem is, we look beatable every week.  Noone will ever be able to convince me that this team could beat Alabama. 

Also, the 2002 comparisons are ridiculous.  Look at the level of competition that team faced compared to this one.

If your point is simply that any team can beat any other team, ok.  That's true.  But it's extremely unlikely that we would beat a team like Alabama.  Did you see the game on Saturday?

if you're referencing the Wisconsin game, yes I saw every second of it. Not sure what point you are trying to prove here. That Brax can be slowed down / stopped when they devote two spies to him? Or that our defense was able to hold them to two touchdowns all game?

Did you watch A&M beat Bama? 

You think OSU couldn't do the same thing?

We do belong in the NCG if we win out and didn't have a bowl ban.  You can only play who is on your schedule, and we have won all those games.  Everyone talks about how Bama and Oregon are clearly better, but they lost to teams that I think OSU could beat.  For being such amazing teams, they both lost...AT HOME

I'm not saying OSU wins 5 out of 10 of these games with these teams, but you only have to win 1 in a format like CFB is set up.  A&M probably wins 2/10 against Bama and Stanford maybe 4/10 against Oregon.  But they won and that's all that matters. 

Let's just say...that Nebraska beats Stanford in the Rose...does that change peoples minds?

I think as of now, OSU would beat UGA, UF, Kansas State, and ND.  I think they lose to Bama, Oregon.  But that doesn't matter since both those teams ALREADY LOST

well, clearly I won't be able to change your opinion so I will leave it be after this comment.

1. games are played on grass, not paper.

2. upsets happen.

Look, if we were just straight up squashing these weak teams on our schedule every week I'd be the first person screaming and arguing that we are the best in the country and deserve to be considered a national champion. 

I shouldn't have said never..but probably not for a long time.

I'm sorry, but I strongly disagree that Ted Ginn was anything but a bit player.  He may have improved his route runing etc. since in the NFL, but at OSU he was a lightning fast bit-player with little discipline, poor route running skills, medium hands and ZERO tackle breaking ability.  He was far from instrumental in their success such as speedsters Chris Gamble, Bradley Roby or even Chimdi Chekwa were.  Just my opinion, but I would bet that the numbers would bear me out

@JRICH I dont think ANYBODY thought we didnt belong in the NC in 2006! We were probably the most explosive team in the nation that year!

As far as Ted Ginn goes, we may not see anybody with his kind of break away speed and acceleraton again, but you take away Teddy's speed and your left with a very average player. He just simply outran everybody on the field lol. Now im not saying he wasnt argueably the most electricfying player to ever come through OSU but his skillset was average at best. It was his speed that put him over the top...

If you take away alot of explosive guys speed you probably get the same thing, no? What would Devin Hester, Desean Jackson, Reggie Bush etc be?

if you take away Braxton's speed you get a below average  QB IMO.

Not trying to be difficult, but do not agree.  Desean Jackson is a remarkable route runer and his vision is fantastic (he was a great punt returner at Cal as wel as a great receiver).

Reggie Bush has remarkable moves IN TRAFFIC. Ginn fell down in traffic. Jackson and Bush were both great reverse runers cause they would cut it upfield whenever there was an opening.  Ginn only succeeded when he got to the corner l

Im not saying he shouldnt use what God has blessed him with im just saying some people make it seem like he was the greatest WR to ever come through OSU. Electric yes VERY, but as a pure WR he is very average. Decent hands, below average route running, cant run block, but he's got speed to burn!

And dont even bring up Hester! He sucks as a WR so im really not sure what your point is. If you blanket Teddy and dont let him beat you deep, you essentially can take him out of a game (see his NFL career). Now give him the ball in space and watch the magic happen. Im not dissing Teddy he is one my favorite OSU players, but lets not act like he was Randy Moss or something...

Huh?? Ok now u went off the deep end...

Did Jason have a Ginn jersey when he was 7?

Didn't think Troy was overrated considering he was the last recruit taken in his class; making tackles downfield would only prove Laurinaitis' range; Alex Boone was almost removed from the starting lineup a number of times for lack of motivation, but I think there is a consensus that he was a good to great contributor, Boom had some problems as an underclassman, but redeemed himself prior to Tatgate.

All just my opinion though 

In a NC game we are more likely to lose than win. Could we win? Of course, lots of terrible teams have beaten great teams every year and we are at least a good team. We could certainly pull an upset. But that is why it is called an upset, because it is known that one team is better than the other. Who knows if we win, but we certainly are not one of the top two teams this year no matter the record. I cna't say I wouldn't like us to get a shot, but I also can't say I think we are a top two team-> therefore deserving of a NC game appearnence (ignoring the bowl ban).

Did Jason have a Ginn jersey when he was 7?

im not understanding the joke in this? When I was 7 Ginn was probably in Kindergarden.

Dought????? C'MON MAN!!!! It's "doubt" for Christ sake!

A month to game plan doesn't make your players suddenly way more talented.  Alabama has better players on their team right now than we do.  That cannot be questioned.

What is the reason why if OSU was undefeated we shouldn't be in the NCG if we weren't banned?  I'm still trying to get by that. 

Undefeated in a major conference.  Wins over multiple teams in the top 25.  Blowout win over a Nebraska team who only has losses @ OSU and @ UCLA,  Wins on the road @ PSU and @ Wisky.  If we win Saturday chalk up another good win.

The BIG is down, but if you go undefeated in it, and no one else does, you should have your shot.  I'm not saying we would beat Oregon or Bama, but they didn't take care of business

There are two different arguments here.  If the argument is that we don't look like one of the best two teams in the country, then I agree with you.  The other argument is that an undefeated BCS team, if there are only two left, deserves to play in the National Championship game.  I agree with that statement.  The AP poll favors the first way of thinking, so we don't have a shot at that. We are banned from the other.  We are playing for undefeated season, start our new streak against Michigan, and positioning ourselves as a top 3 preseason team for next year. 

This is just nonsense.

I am not counting on Ohio State to beat Michigan.  But if you do, there is no freaking way that the state of Ohio would allow the Buckeyes to get snubbed from a national championship game with a 12-0 Notre Dame team -- the only other undefeated team in the country -- that could easily be beaten by the Buckeyes.

It doesn't matter, that I might agree that Alabama is by far the strongest team in the nation.  Or that there may be four SEC teams that look to be better than the next team anywhere in America.

The "We don't belong in a National Championship game" talk in Columbus can only be a form of mass psychological rationalization.  Because you can't go no matter what.  If somebody can find me a thread from a Notre Dame blog in which the Domers are saying that they really don't belong in a National Championship game because they really aren't that good on both sides of the ball, let me know...

In any case, you have to first beat Michigan to even think about it.

The 2002 team has absolutely nothing to do with this year's squad.  NOTHING.  Saying the 2002 team wasn't given a chance and so this years team could do it to is absolutely meaningless.  The 2002 school played one of the best teams in the history of college football.  They had won what, 35 games in a row.  ANY TEAM that made that title game would of been a double digit underdog.  2002 had an truly elite defense, with a horrible offense.  This team has a good(but not elite) offense and a below average D for Ohio State standards.  Would it be impossible for this team to win a title? Nope, but I don't think it's likely based on any of the teams they would face.

The reason aTm beat Bama this year is because they have the best O-Line in football and Manziel made perfect passes all game.  The Ohio State O-Line is good, but would have trouble with a D like Bama and Braxton can't pass it nearly as well as Manziel.  In my opinion our offense A&M lite right now.

Stanford beat Oregon because they have the best front 7 against the run in college football, and they've played some great teams.  Our D, while improving, would not have the success against Oregon that Stanford was able to have. 

I do think we'd have a shot against Notre Dame, but again, unless Braxton threw the ball frequently and with accuracy we wouldn't be able to win that game.  Wisconsin kept him in check the other day because he didn't throw the ball and it didn't help that when he did Stoneburner couldn't hold onto it. 

Those are my reasons why I t hink Ohio State in the title game this year would lose.  I give them a chance, but not much of one and it has to do with the 2012 squad, not 2002.

It's tough to go 25-0 or 26-0 over 2 seasons, for those saying we have a shot at a title next year.  I'm not saying it's not possible, but we're 1 year removed from 6-7 right now.  Running the table next year will be tough because we won't be as "under the radar." (Notice how we get almost no time on SportsCenter?)

Ohio State and Notre Dame are the only unbeatens left. They both deserve top 2 rankings. Alabama couldn't put A&M away. LSU couldn't put Alabama away. Florida couldn't hold on to the football against Georgia. Georgia failed to show up against South Carolina. South Carolina failed to show up against Florida. A&M couldn't do anything offensively against Florida and LSU. Oregon couldn't move the ball against Stanford. Kansas State didn't show up against Baylor. Oklahoma couldn't score on K-State or Notre Dame. Nebraska didn't show up in Pasadena or in Columbus. Florida State did not show up against NC State. Clemson couldn't beat Florida State. Rutgers couldn't stop Kent State. Louisville couldn't stop Syracuse.

It's hard to survive an SEC schedule. Playing elite teams every other week is no easy feat. It's hell of a lot harder to go undefeated as an Ohio State team with players that have no postseason to play for, with every team bringing their A-game when they are called upon to play the vaunted Buckeyes (see: UCF, Cal, UAB, Purdue, Indiana) while the Buckeyes are not motivated to play these teams. Despite all of this, our Buckeyes are undefeated, like it or not.

When you play the game of football, you can't take plays off. Teams are no longer unbeaten because they take plays off or are less athletic than the other team when both bring their A-games. Go ahead, say that Oregon, who's highest quality win is USC, deserves to be ranked ahead of us. Oregon could lose their next two games. Alabama could lose to Auburn (anything can happen in the Iron Bowl) and Georgia. LSU could lose to John L. Smith's Razorbacks. Florida could lose to Florida State. Florida State could lose to The U/Georgia Tech. Georgia could lose to Georgia Tech. South Carolina will most likely lose to Clemson, who won't play for their conference championship. Louisville and Rutgers still have a game against each other. WE KNOW NOTHING ON WHAT WILL HAPPEN AT THE END OF THE SEASON.

This is why rankings are stupid. People that argue Ohio State shouldn't be in the MNC are drinking the ESPN SEC kool-aid produced by people who vote 6 SEC teams in the top 7. What matters most are wins and losses. Losers aren't champions. Winners are champions.

NEW BTALBERT25 ON 20 NOVEMBER 2012 - 11:14AM #
The 2002 team has absolutely nothing to do with this year's squad.  NOTHING.  Saying the 2002 team wasn't given a chance and so this years team could do it to is absolutely meaningless.  The 2002 school played one of the best teams in the history of college football.  They had won what, 35 games in a row.  ANY TEAM that made that title game would of been a double digit underdog.  2002 had an truly elite defense, with a horrible offense.  This team has a good(but not elite) offense and a below average D for Ohio State standards.  Would it be impossible for this team to win a title? Nope, but I don't think it's likely based on any of the teams they would face.

The reason aTm beat Bama this year is because they have the best O-Line in football and Manziel made perfect passes all game.  The Ohio State O-Line is good, but would have trouble with a D like Bama and Braxton can't pass it nearly as well as Manziel.  In my opinion our offense A&M lite right now.

Stanford beat Oregon because they have the best front 7 against the run in college football, and they've played some great teams.  Our D, while improving, would not have the success against Oregon that Stanford was able to have.

I do think we'd have a shot against Notre Dame, but again, unless Braxton threw the ball frequently and with accuracy we wouldn't be able to win that game.  Wisconsin kept him in check the other day because he didn't throw the ball and it didn't help that when he did Stoneburner couldn't hold onto it.

Those are my reasons why I t hink Ohio State in the title game this year would lose.  I give them a chance, but not much of one and it has to do with the 2012 squad, not 2002.

^Sums up my thoughts pretty much. Great post!

It's harder to go undefeated this season at Ohio State than in the SEC? LOL  Don't get me wrong, ANY undefeated season is tough, but our schedule doesn't even sniff some of the top teams in the SEC.  The top 5 or 6 teams in the SEC are far better than the best team we've faced this year...which I don't know I guess was Nebraska so far?

Why is the Big X down this year exactly?  Nebraska lost on the road to a top 15 UCLA team.  Wisky lost on the road to a top 15 Oregon State team, to OSU, Nebraska, and in OT to MSU.  Michigan's losses are to Nebraska, Alabama and Notre Dame, all who are top 15 teams

Those are the top 3 eligble teams in the conference.  You can basically replace those names with teams from the SEC, like LSU/UF/UGA/A&M and it's the same argument, except those teams come from the SEC, and ESPN has denoted them as godlike.  Why Nebraska is not getting any love when they've only lost on the road to 2 good teams is beyond me.  I mean all of Michigan's losses are to teams who may end in the top 10...why are they so bad again? 

I guess my question is why are Nebraska's losses so much worse than LSU's or A&M's or South Carolina's?

I understand what you're saying, but some of the games being close is a lack of offensive firepower from any of those SEC teams.  I think they are good teams, but I think Nebraska would beat UGA and UF if they played tomorrow.  South Carolina I can't get a read on w/o Lattimore, but Clemson may run them out of the stadium.  LSU I would agree with you on, as I think their O is finally coming on. 

Are Nebraska's losses not to really good teams?  And Michigans?

And Georgia lost by 30 at South Carolina who lost by 30 at Florida.  So both USCe and UGA have been absolutely blown out in 1 game this year

A&M already gave up 57 points this year in a game...to Louisiana Tech

When FSU takes UF to the woodshed, and Clemson beats USCe, will that turn some heads?  Cause that is more than likely going to happen

Giving Urban Meyer 40 days to plan for anyone is a pretty big advantage to have, if Brian Kelly or Chip Kelly or Mark Richt is the other coach he has to plan for.  When Nick Saban is the other coach, though it's a bit of a different story though.

I get that, and in my opinion it's easier to pull and upset off like that especially when so much time was dedicated to LSU the week before.  I really think A&M's offense is much further along than Ohio State's too.  Just my opinion, but they have the best O-Line in the nation and a QB who can not only run, but make all the throws and do so accurately. 

I think if you give Urban and Saban time to just plan for eachother, it's likely a push and the team with the most talent wins.  Les Miles was able to pull off a victory in the regular season last year, but you saw what happened when Saban had over a month to prepare.

 I'm comparing the Big Ten and the SEC, not the Pac-12 and the WAC!

The PAC-12 is a major conference.

Great points, but the kids would deserve a shot if they were eligible.  Big time College Football and we are undefeated and people act like that is so easy to do.  Then how do the little schools manage to upset the bigger ones?  Any one game on any one day.