I have started to feel like the deck may be somewhat stacked against us making a title run in 2013. There are several reasons why I think this so let me explain myself.
1. Extremely young on defense (especially if Roby leaves). I love the talent they are massing but there looks to be alot of uncertain entities needing to play very important roles on this defense all year long. I wouldn't be surprised to see them struggle at times next year which could cost us a game even with our soft schedule, which leads me to my next argument...
2. A very soft schedule. It's looking like it's going to be even worse than this year on paper so far and that is concerning. An undefeated OSU team next year may have a legitimate concern of getting passed over for a one loss SEC team. It would most certainly not be right but we all know how the pollsters feel about the SEC and I am fearful that this scenario could happen. OSU would have little room for error and may need to blow out their opponents in each game. A loss would certainly kill our shot, which brings me to my third point...
3. It is extremely difficult to win 26 games in a row in this era of college football and that's what OSU would need to do to win the title. In a vacuum, 2013 looks like a very likely undefeated season but if you look at the big picture OSU had a few bounces go their way this year and stuff like that tends to balance out over time.
I'm not saying it won't happen or that it can't happen. I think this team is going to be very talented and win alot of football games next year but I just have that feeling that the college football gods are going to trip us up once next year. Anyway just some thoughts, I definitely hope I am wrong.
What you may be leaving out here is that we should start the year ranked in the top five. That will make a BIG difference in getting one of the two top spots locked down in December.
I would go as far as to say as long as we start in the top ten (which is pretty much a lock), an undefeated Buckeye team will go to the the NCG. There will be the yearly SEC overrating in the preseason poll, and they will knock each other off and/or lose bad games, as they always do, and we will move steadily up into the top 2 and stay there. One nice thing about the B1G CG is that it should keep a one-loss champion from another conference from leapfrogging us while we sit idle. Go undefeated and we're playing for the crystal ball...
"The revolution will be televised."
arnt playoffs next year? i dont see undefeated ohio state not going to the bcs championship game, especially if they go 25-0 before the championship game(both years)
playoffs begin in 2014
2013 is the final season of the current BCS format so we'd have to be top 2.
Our honor defend we will fight to the end for Ohio..
MOOOOOOOOOOOO (t)
let's be careful. This is on the verge on getting out of hound.
~Because we couldn't go for three~
All your concerns are legitimate, but I still have hope. Fair or not, our title run next year is going to be placed squarely on the shoulders of Braxton Miller. If he has a great offseason and everything "clicks" going in to next year, we'll be able to score enough points to hide some inexperienced defense (although I agree that's a bad habit to start for a team). If Braxton blows our minds next year, we play for a title. If not, we won't. Unfortunately, it's that simple, IMO.
I agree. We will need "style" points against the weaker teams on the schedule. Will need to blow them out as opposed to just getting by. Braxton the key.
The Deck is really stacked for anyone to make a title game. This year the team with the most impressive resume in my opinion, Florida, wasn't a legit contender, but they got it done on the field against more highly ranked teams than anyone else, and they lost to a top 5 team. You have to be extremely lucky and good to make it there.
I think 12-0 this year puts the Buckeyes in the best position to make a run next season though, and I don't care what the Forde's of the world say, this year's team, if eligible, would of been in the national title game. SO, I guess in terms of it being improbable that next year's team will go undefeated again, yes the deck may be stacked against them, but it was improbable for this year's team to go 12-0 too and look what they just did.
A 1 loss Buckeye team probably doesn't have a prayer because the schedule just plain sucks, but another undefeated Buckeye team will be playing for the hardware.
With a soft schedule, explosive offense (featuring a top Heisman candidate), and Urban Meyer at the helm...well, I think we have a good shot.
Playoffs don't start until 2014-15. We got one more year of the wonderful thing that is the BCS.
If OSU has a shot at another undefeated season, next year would be the most likely considering the schedule. The two games that concern me the most are at Cal and at Northwestern. With Cal having the new coach with that spread offense that could be a trap game and you know Northwestern will be nationally ranked and hungry for the upset at home. That game also comes the week after the Wisconsin game.
Personally, I think the only thing standing in the Buckeyes way next year are themselves. The defense needs to pick up where it left off. Braxton needs to stay healthy and improve. The coaching staff needs to continue to grow together. They take care of what they're supposed to take care of they'll find their way into the title game. They cannot afford to lose late in the season and they cannot afford to squeak by weaker teams they should be pounding into the ground.
"Sherman ran an option play right through the south" - Greatest.Civil.War.Analogy.Ever
While our schedule will be soft, we will get credit for the undefeated year this year as well (if in nothing else than the preseason ranking). We may not be top two in preseason, so if more than 2 teams go undefeated it will be interesting to see what happens, but at this point it is hard to know how anything will play out. If Saban turns pro, I think Alabama will have a hard time going undefeated despite their obvious skill advantage over nearly everyone they play.
Of course the cards are stacked against us. They always are. We get EVERYBODY'S best shot. They all want to beat b1g brother. I know the odds are against us going undefeated two years in a row, but they were against us doing it this year as well. Urban and the coaching staff will get these guys ready to play. After that it is up to fate.
We are The Ohio State University! We take on all comers, and are afraid of no one!
Yes the D is young, but they have all played a lot. The Linemen all have played a lot of snaps, a lot of the Lbers have at least seen the field, and our starting secondayr has some experience. Obviously if we had Hank and Roby back we'd be way better off, but that's why it's hard to win it all.
Our O should be improved no matter what, so that should make the D a little better off. Add in the soft schedule especially early and hopefully they can gel, like they did towards the end of this year, sans the 1st half of SCUM of course
That's probably my biggest fear, and I'm not a superstitious kind of guy normally. Hopefully, the team improves next year to the point where the balancing bad bounces come with a 5 TD lead. Though, honestly, if Jimmie Johnson can win 5 straight NASCAR championships in a sport where his hopes could be ruined by something that isn't even his fault or in his control, I would think Urban and company could manage to run the table 2 years in a row with easy schedules.
Class of 2010.
If we are the only undefeated team outside the sec I don't see how we can't get in, but I also think (maybe I'm arrogant ) if there is another undefeated team we would jump them 1 because we are tOSU and our fan base travels anywhere in mass we can fill a stadium with fans. 2 and the most important is and you said it 25 wins, yes hard but if pulled out in a row will get you to the Big Dance!
Wherever you are, there you be!
I'm glad to see I'm not the only person that thinks this way. The fact that the B1G is bad could hold us back next year too if we were to be compared to other one lost teams.
Ohio State's band SLAUGHTERED Michigan's band. If this were a football game, it would have been Florida State vs. Savannah State. - SB Nation following OSU vs. UM 2012
I disagree if notre dame beats Alabama. The sec will lose some street cred if ND wins and thus i doubt they would jump us.
You and the OP both overlook that fact that an undefeated OSU team next year would be on a 26 game win streak. No way a team like that gets passed over.
BIG opener against Whisky so as long as they can be ranked in the top 25 that will help also. Then NW I think will get some love. Those could easily be back to back top 25 teams that we play right there. We dont know what Cal is going to be like yet. You add these games with the fact of going undefeated possibly then a Nebraska team or even a year older MSU team in the BIG championship we would be just fine. An undefeated Ohio St. would def. make it to the NCG.
I would be more worried about making sure we can repeat what we did this year over actually making the cut for the Big dance.
We're going to be preseason top 3...you can bank that. It's already been kicked around here and there on the net by the prestige world wide leader of misinformation, aka ESPIN and Bleacher Report;-)
In all seriousness, if OSU runs the table as they did in 2006 and possibly beats tTUN twice in one year based on the new B1G championship game. Then that could propel OSU in the NC game (just look at their schedule compared to ours...I see history repeating with both teams possibly being unbeaten). Their schedule, as it pains me to say, is much more difficult than ours. If they win the Legends division and are undefeated or with only one or two loses ...it could be our way in the NC game (and don't think for a second that their defense won't be just as good as it was this year...they only lose 8 SR defensive players if I'm not mistaken and not sure who's leaving early). Just a scenario...but could happen. Frankly we all better hope it does...our schedule sucks...just looked at it again.
"There's nothing that cleanses your soul like getting the hell kicked out of you."
"I love football. I think it is most wonderful game in world and I despise to lose."
Woody Hayes 1913 - 1987
In the first year with Urban Meyer at the helm of Ohio State's offense scored over 50 points 4 times, the most in Ohio State history. The offense loses a converted TE playing OT and a 245# TE playing WR. With a weak scheudle and a young defence I expect Urban realizes his offense will need to score Oregon type numbers and win 24 straight games to assure a Top 2 finish in the BCS standings
If the Buckeyes were returning a veteran team that might not have the edge this year's Bucks played with, I'd be more concerned. I don't see that happening.
The losses on D are huge and this group of seniors will not be easily replaced. However, next year's D will be deeper, more athletic, play faster, and be more aggressive in my opinion. As David Perkins said last year after committing, "if you aren't a silver bullet, you are a target!"
Much like 2006, I believe the O can carry the load until this D gets their feet fully under them. The schedule really helps and I'm also confident this staff will again get the best out of this group. Go Bucks!
You guys worry too much. Paralysis by Analysis:
1) Tackling can't get any worse than it was the 1st half of this year. A lot of depth and young talent that got reps and will be in the weightroom and under the supervision of Marotti. Need a MLB to step up ... a lot of talent to mold ... could see Perry or Perkins step in if C. Grant or Mithcell/Johnson can't carry the load. Not worried about the D. O takes longer to gel, and all we lose is Fragel (replced by Decker) and Stoneburner (replaced by a lot of talent at TE and another dynamic in the slot with Marshall, etc.)
2) We have to go undefeated, but the schedule works in our favor and we would have another game in a potential Big 10 Champisonship game either vs. Michigan twice in a year (sweet) or a Nebraska team that is not on our regular seaon schedule. Not on any planet in any lifetime, does Ohio State go undefeated and get passed by a 1 loss team. 3 teams go undefeated, possible, but can't control that. Just take care of business.
3) Meyer is a master motivator. He would need to create a state of amnesia, but won't need to. Something to play for and all the bullshit and lack of press and respect that the 12-0 effort this year has gotten will be enough. Again, one game at a time, and take care of business.
A lot has to go right any year and we will certainly need luck. The stars are aligned as best they can. My hemroids and nerves can't wait ... games I was nervous for and upset like MSU, Purdue, Wisconsin ... will have me shitting razor blades every moment. Ahhhhhh, get 2013 here ... Go Bucks !!!
Playing TTUN twice in a row is the worst, IMO. Not that we can't beat them twice, but I don't think it would be good for either team or the B1G for "the game" to be "the two games" more often than not.
TOSU and TTUN should be in the same division. If the other division is no good, so be it -- but TOSU and TTUN should always battle once to ruin the other's season.
"We get paid to score touchdowns, not kick field goals"
-- Urban Meyer
Nah, I would love to beat them twice in the same year, every year. We still got some catching up to do anyways.
The harder you work, the harder it is to surrender. - Woody Hayes
Lol. You have a point there, but beating them twice in 7 days every year = Not probable
Plus, playing them with the crowd energy on a home field, then one week later on some "neutral" field = weak.
The Game is The Game. There is no other game.
"We get paid to score touchdowns, not kick field goals"
-- Urban Meyer
While I am new here I have been saying for some time that I feel TOSU is not going to win the NC in 2013 but that 2014 would be their year. My thoughts are that our defense will have to much to replace and we are to weak and young at LB to go undefeated 2 years in a row. As much as I would like to see TOSU win it in 2013 I can wait until 2014 and Braxton's senior year. I want TOSU to be the VERY FIRST TEAM TO WIN A FBS PLAYOFF CHAMPIONSHIP. Just like TOSU is the first team in the modern era to go 14-0 in a season it would be poetic to be the first team to win a long awaited FBS playoff system and shut the SEC up!!!
Because they wouldn't let me go for 3!
Woody Hayes 1913-1987
2014 will be interesting -- won't one of Rutgers or Maryland be in the B1G by then? The divisions mighr re-align.
Plus we have TTUN at home.
"We get paid to score touchdowns, not kick field goals"
-- Urban Meyer
All accounts I've seen show Rutgers and Maryland joining the Leaders and Illinois moving to the Legends. If that's the case OSU's B1G schedule might look like:
@Wisconsin
@PSU
@Indiana
Purdue
Iowa/Northwestern/Illinois
@Rutgers
Maryland
Michigan
Also, @Navy, Kent St, VaTech, UC
Even with Rutgers and Maryland coming in and taking away 2 of the legends matchups, 2014 still looks to be worlds tougher than 2012 or 2013.
Those who stay will be CHAMPIONS!
~Bo Schembechler
"My thoughts are that our defense will have to much to replace and we are to weak and young at LB to go undefeated 2 years in a row."
@ATL
Well in 2014 we'll likely have to replace our best WR, RB, 4 OL and defensively 3/4 of our Secondary. So I would agree I do have questions about the D next year but I'm not really worried that much... however I am worried about 2014 and the guys we have upfront blocking. Skill positions and D should be pretty nasty by then tho.
When you start a season thinking about a championship run, things like Appalachian State happen.
One game at a time. There is no championship run to think about. There is developing players to be the best they can be in the chosen scheme and preparing to beat Buffalo on 8/31/2013.
Playing down to the competition and SEC bias(E!SPiN and SECBS) are what Ohio State has to worry about in 2013.
"YOLO" = I'm about to do something extremely ignorant/stupid & I need an excuse to do it.