Dear Buckeye Nation,

Hello Eleven Warriors! I have been a member on this site since Sept of 2015. More importantly, I have had a love affair with The Ohio State University for what will turn 40 in March of next year (We will talk about the over the hill stuff another day). With all of the Smoke going on from both teams fan bases, and media, I feel the need to vent a little bit while possibly encouraging conversation and comforting perspective about a few things. First, I encourage comparisons of our personal level of nervousness and compare it to big OSU games of the past. Second, I would love to encourage members to pretend that players and coaching staff are reading through this thread as if we were at a meet and greet. What player/coach would you encourage for this game and what would you say to them if you knew they were reading this?

I will begin with comparing my nervousness of this game. I am comparing my nervousness level to that of the 02' (03') Miami game. Nobody was giving Ohio st a chance. Many media pundits did not think Ohio st had the speed to hang. I remember Mark May uttering that "Ohio st will be down 35-0 at halftime". It's not that I believed him. It was that I knew Miami was in fact good enough to do that to any team in the country. The 2020 version of the Clemson Tigers in my humble opinion (looking at you Bama') is the team to beat in the playoff this year. Trevor Lawrence is a 3rd year starter and winner of every major award or at least a candidate for it (including best hair and best nickname) will be scanning the field against our secondary that has looked suspect all year and least we forget, a little thin every since the injury to Cam Brown. I was almost to nervous to even watch the Miami game and I am almost to nervous to watch this matchup vs Clemson. Not because I don't think the Bucks can win, but because of how bad it hurts if they do not. But at the end of the day, this is what the team and all of Buckeye nation wanted. All we wanted was a shot. Regarding how we got here, I guess beggars cannot be choosers. 

Now, I will speak my piece to the player that I would speak to if I knew he was reading this. The only problem is, I cannot choose one. There is a tie. I am going to speak to Trey Sermon, and Justin Hilliard. Hi Trey! Hi Justin! I know we have never met. My name is Chuck and I am from Marion Ohio. I was born and raised in Ohio. I am a lifelong fan of Ohio St. Football. I have been with this team and this state through great times, and some not so great times. You guys personify through your play, what I have accomplished in my own personal life. I am married to a lovely wife and have 4 boys ages 11, 12, 13, and 14. My youngest son is named "AJ" after AJ Hawk. I really appreciate the time and effort and determination that you two have displayed during your time in Columbus. Trey, I was so excited in regards to your decision to finish your eligibility in Columbus. You had some bad luck with some tough injuries, but you persevered all while always believing in yourself. I watched your highlights from Oklahoma on youtube all summer in anticipation. You went not going to even have a chance to step on the field donning the scarlet and grey one time to finally getting that chance. Your season did not begin with a lot of luster. I feel privilege to watch how you stayed the course and have the best rushing performance in OSU history. I watched you break Eddie Georges' record at my Dad's house. My Dad looked at me and said "I still have the VHS tape you recorded Eddie setting the record on vs Illinois from 25 years ago up in my closet". I watched you break the record 25 years later in the same living room. Wear that single game rushing title as a badge of honor to your short but effective time as a Buckeye. Now go kick Clemson's ass! Justin, I was so excited when you originally signed with Ohio st. I kept talking about how it was just a matter of time before you were a household name. However, issues with being buried on the depth chart compounded by multiple season ending injuries made it appear at times that Justin Hilliard may or should move on to other things. However, you showed the true heart of a Buckeye not taking no for an answer. You persevered and trusted the process. Waiting for your opening/opportunity. All while supporting your team mates and being a good team mate. You made some plays here and there in the last year or two and Saturday it all culminated with the best game of your career. I say best because the timing of your interception in the endzone cannot be overlooked. The timing of you throwing a blocker into a ball carrier forcing a fumble only to recover it as well was lights out. You were all over the place side line to side line and watching you inspired me so much. You are so deserving to feel some success and personal accomplishment. Now go kick Clemsons' ass. 

My emotions are all over the place for the upcoming game. I am not even going to predict what happens. If any of the Ohio St team is reading this, if we make this game a street fight to get what they took from us and to defend what we have fought so hard for this year before the season even started, then we will be fine. Leave it all on the field boys. I know you wont see many of us in the stands, but I promise you, my noise will be and has been heard for the buckeyes all year. 

OUR HONOR DEFEND

FIGHT TIL' THE END

O - H - I -O