Eleven Warriors

The Houndie is an award formerly known as the Buckeye NFLer of the Week. After 2 years of existence, we searched for a catchier name, so with the help of a well placed typo and the ensuing 11W comments, the current title was created.

That whimper you just heard wasn't just the dignity of Redskins' fans everywhere, but rather the NFL's Week 15 ending rather unceremoniously. The postseason fates of 6 clubs (4 NFC, 2 AFC) are firmly entrenched, where as 2 more (the 9-5 Pats and Bengals) have positioned themselves very nicely to wrap things up come next weekend. The action in the AFC is getting particularly interesting, with an astonishing 6 teams deadlocked neck and neck at 7-7, all possessing still very much alive playoff aspirations.

We start with one of those 7-7 clubs, the resurrected from the gurney Tennessee Titans, courtesy of 1700 volts from a Vince Young make and model EKG. Tennessee moved to .500 on the season and kept their playoff hopes alive on the foot of Rob Bironas defeating Miami 27-27 in OT. Buckeye alum Teddy Ginn was limited to 2 catches for 38 yards, but did contribute a 23 yard kickoff return at one point in the action. Rookie Brian Hartline made a strong case for this week's Houndie, taking an end around for 10 yards and adding 2 receptions totaling 96 yards in the losing effort.

The Pittsburgh Steelers ever so narrowly kept their playoff aspirations afloat as well, surviving a bold, late onside kick gambit by head coach Mike Tomlin to win as time expired 37-36 over the Green Bay Packers. Former Silver Bullet A.J. Hawk capped a fine evening with three tackles and three assists. Former Buckeye DT Ryan Pickett also added a tackle in the loss. In the winning locker room, defending Super Bowl MVP Santonio Holmes celebrated his three receptions for 77 yards.

Staying in the AFC, longtime NFL vet and former Buckeye Mike Vrabel showed he's still more than capable of performing at a high level, recording 3 tackles in the Chiefs disappointing 41-34 loss at the hands of invincibility star possessing Jerome Harrison and the Cleveland Browns. Another ex-Buckeye star defender also saw his club come up short on the losing end an upset. Former DE/DT Kenny Peterson had 2 tackles as his Broncos were JaMarcus Russell'd 20-19 by the Oakland Raiders.

Wrapping up the AFC side of things, the 17-10 New England victory over Buffalo saw stud ex-Buckeye Donte Whitner tack on 3 tackles to an already outstanding season. On the opposing side of the ledger, Shawn Springs saw action for the first time in a number of weeks, adding two tackles in limited duty for the Pats. Troy Smith also merrits a hat tip, going 2/4 for 10 yards and adding 6 rushes out of the wildcat for 17 yards in the Ravens' 31-7 destruction of the Bears.

Switching gears and moving over to the National Football Conference, we're left with but two obvious contenders for pro football's most storied award. In a game yours truly languished through to the tune of 3.5 hours of snooze, "Little Animal" James Laurinaitis padded his defensive rookie of the year campaign with an outstanding 5 tackles in a close 16-13 loss at the hands of the Houston Texans. Another Buckeye you may have missed making his return to the league was none other than Buckeye legend Mike Nugent. Filling in for the injured Neil Rackers, Nuuuuuuuuge nailed a 48 yarded in his only 3 point attempt of the day, and knocked out all 4 of his extra point tries in the Rams' 31-24 victory over Detroit. But while we're glad to see the man who once occupied #85 for the Scarlet & Gray update his resume, the Houndie goes to none other than Nuge's Cardinals teammate, one Chris "Beanie" Wells. The outstanding Mr. Wells capped the finest afternoon of his pro career, ripping off 17 carries for 110 yards and a score. The dynamic halfback also added a 13 yard reception as he continues to make a late case for voters to consider an alternative to Denver's Knowshown Moreno in the offensive rookie of the year race. Enjoy the victory, Mr. Wells. Something tells me it won't be your last.

#17 Ohio State 9-2, 0-0 Big Ten Roster | Schedule

December 22, 2009 8:30 PM ET - BTN —— The Schott Columbus, OH

Cleveland State 4-8, 0-2 Horizon Roster | Schedule

Fresh off a near home upset of West Virginia, the Vikings make the trip down I-71 to give Ohio State their final tune-up before B10 seasons starts NYE in Madison.

After posting back to back 20+ win seasons, Cleveland State has struggled through their early season schedule, pulling off their only wins against Wilmington OH, Florida A&M, Sam Houston State and Wilberforce. They have no seniors on their roster and start 3 juniors and 2 sophomores.

The Buckeyes hope to make up for the snoozer we all had to endure this past Saturday, as they look to go into the Christmas Break with their 10th OOC victory, which would mark the 6th straight season they have accomplished that feat.

#	Name	PTS	REB	ASST	POS	#	Name	PTS	REB	ASST
4	PJ Hill	4.6	1.4	1.6	G	30	Norris Cole	17.2	1.9	3.3
33	Jon Diebler	14.9	3.2	2.2	G	32	D'Audray Brown	7.2	3.9	2.0
44	William Buford	12.5	3.6	3.6	F	3	Trevor Harmon	11.6	2.7	2.1
23	David Lighty	13.0	5.4	2.9	F	44	Aaron Pogue	7.7	6.2	1.7
52	Dallas Lauderdale	8,1	4,6	0.5	C	23	Jared Cunningham	7.2	3.4	0.4

Opponent

Cleveland State comes in scoring 73 points a game, so unless they steal the Delaware St. game plan, we shouldn't have a repeat of Saturday. The Vikings shoot 43 percent overall from the field and 34 percent from the arc, where they take a third of their shots from. They dish out 13.2 assists per contest, against 13.4 TO's and pull down 30.5 boards. CSU does rank in the top 10 nationally in steals per game, thieving just over 11, including 14 against WVU on Saturday.

Coach Gary Waters, in his 4th year at the helm, will primarily use 8 players, with Jeremy Montgomery, Tim Kamczyc (not a typo) and Nigel Ajere joining the starting five. Montgomery, a 6'2" junior from Chicago is their third leading scorer at 9 PPG, while the other two combine for 30 minutes, 8 points and 6 boards.

Buckeye Breakdown:

After their 2 wins last week, the Buckeyes moved up to #17 in both polls and will look to take advantage of the home surroundings for the last time in 2009. In their 8 games thus far at VCA, the Bucks are shooting an overall 55 percent from the floor and 43 percent from deep, leading to a 32.6 average margin of victory.

I think something to look at tonight is the play of Jon Diebler. He has been neutralized since Turner went down, scoring 27 over his last 3 games and attempting just 5 shots in 40 minutes on Saturday. He has struggled to create his own shot and teams have started to face guard him at all times. If teams continue this trend, he has to use his screens better. I know Chris has touched on it, but a basic principle of the screen, is rubbing shoulders with your teammate. Diebler rarely does this and I can't recall the last time he used a curl cut to the basket. If he is going to be an effective scorer until and when ET comes back, he needs to expand beyond the 3-pointer.

On the flip side, David Lighty has scored double digits in four straight now and has kept the pressure on the opposing defenses by driving relentlessly to the lane. Lighty needs to focus on the 2-pointers though, as he has hit just 5 of his last 21 three point attempts and is shooting 53 percent from the FT line.

Despite the Vikings close call with WVU, I don't think OSU is going to struggle with them tonight. They lost their 1st and 3rd leading scorers from a season ago and have yet to find their groove. Ohio State on the other hand has at least 6 players that could contribute double digits on any night. The Bucks get 4 in double digits tonight and go on for a 77-59 win.

Etc

• 11W favorite combo, Tom Hamilton and Jim Jackson work the mic tonight.
• Dallas Lauderdale is 26-28 at VCA this season and I sense his first 10 rebound game.

Ohio State is playing in the Rose Bowl for the first time in 13 years. This venue has not exactly been kind to the Buckeyes, or the Big Ten in general, over the past 30 or so years. But there have been some memorable moments that OSU fans can cherish. One of the most prominent among those is the 1974 Rose Bowl.

Most Buckeye fans remember that Ohio State won the national championship after beating USC in the Rose Bowl after the 1968 season. But the 1969 season ended with a shocking loss to Michigan, and the next three seasons also ended with losses. For their part, the boys in blue didn't exactly represent the Big Ten any better during that stretch. They lost to USC 10-3 after the big upset over OSU, and repeated that same set of events in 1971: a win over OSU followed by a loss in the bowl. In between, OSU defeated Michigan in 1970, but then lost to Stanford in the bowl.

In 1972, a freshman halfback named Archie Griffin burst upon the scene and led Ohio State to victory against Michigan, sending them once again to the Rose Bowl. But the Buckeyes were trounced by John McKay's USC Trojans 42-17 on their way to a national title. In 1973, Ohio State and Michigan played to a 10-10 tie. To decide who would go to the Rose Bowl to represent the Big Ten, the conference's athletic directors held a vote. The 4 straight losses weighed heavily on their minds, and they voted to send Ohio State back to Pasadena because Michigan QB Dennis Franklin was hurt and they thought OSU would have a better chance of winning. And so then, as now, the Buckeyes carried the prestige of the conference with them in addition to the usual rabid interest from their fan base.

USC featured many of the same players that had torched OSU the previous season: RB Anthony Davis, QB Pat Haden, and WR's J.K. McKay (son of the coach) and Lynn Swann. USC got the ball first in the game and began by completing 4 straight passes. But the drive stalled and they settled for a 47-yard FG by Chris Limahelu. An interception thrown by OSU QB Cornelius Greene put USC in good position again, but again they stalled and settled for a FG. But this time Limahelu was off and OSU dodged the bullet. OSU then drove into USC territory but they also stalled. As Blair Conway lined up to kick a 36-yard FG, USC went offside and gave OSU a much easier 4th down. Coach Woody Hayes decided to go for it, and Griffin ran 13 yards for a 1st down. OSU scored when freshman fullback Pete Johnson plowed in from 1 yard out for the touchdown.

OSU's scoring drive was not the typical "3 yards and cloud of dust" variety that fans had come to expect. To be sure, there was plenty of Griffin and Johnson. But Greene, the sophomore QB who was adept at running the option, mixed in passes to wingback Brian Baschnagel and tight end Fred Pagac to surprise the USC defense. But USC had plenty of versatility of their own, and a touch of trickery to boot. Another FG trimmed the lead to 7-6, and then as they were driving into OSU territory again, John McKay decided they needed a little something extra to dent the tough OSU defense. Haden handed to Davis on what looked like a typical USC "student body left" play. But as he ran left, Davis suddenly stopped and lobbed a pass into the end zone. The Buckeyes were completely fooled on the play, and a wide open J.K. McKay caught the ball for a touchdown. Then Haden hit McKay for a 2-point conversion and USC was up 14-7.

But Ohio State was undaunted, and they immediately put together a 12-play drive for another Pete Johnson touchdown. In those days, Woody Hayes' favorite goal-line formation was something he called the "Robust T", which was three running backs (at least one a fullback) spread across the backfield centered behind the QB. Combined with 2 tight ends, this formation basically telegraphed the fact that the team would run, but it usually didn't matter because the blocking was what mattered. Both of Johnson's first half TD's had come out of the Robust T. The two teams went into halftime tied at 14, but with plenty of fireworks sure to come in the second half.

Ohio State's defense had been all but invulnerable in 1973. They were ranked #1 in the country in scoring defense, and had given up only 43 points in the regular season. Four times they had shut out their opponents, while on 4 other occasions they gave up 7 or less. But USC had dented them for 14 points in the first half, and they weren't finished yet. After a Griffin fumble ruined a promising drive into USC territory, the Trojans began a long march. 14 plays later, they had driven 84 yards for a touchdown to go up 21-14, and Hayes was going ballistic on the OSU sideline. The Buckeyes needed a spark, and it came from a surprising source.

Ohio State was initially stymied by a holding penalty, but Greene got it going with some nifty scrambling and set OSU up on the USC 44 yard line. From there, he dropped back to pass and hit Pagac deep down the middle for a 40-yard gain. The thought of seeing a long pass to the tight end is shocking to modern OSU fans, and it must have been even more shocking to see it coming from a Hayes-coached team. USC had apparently not recovered from the shock because on the next play Johnson walked in for an easy touchdown behind All-American OT John Hicks. The extra point was blocked, and so Ohio State still trailed 21-20. But that would not last long.

USC was forced to punt, and safety Neil Colzie received the punt at his own 35. From there he cut to the left and scooted 57 yards down to the USC 8. Later, OSU scored on a 1-yard option keeper by Greene after faking to Johnson out of the robust T formation. The extra point was successful and the Buckeyes had a 27-21 lead that they would never surrender.

Later, OSU got the ball back at their 47, and Greene dropped back to pass on 1st down (try not to faint, this is Woody we're talking about) and hit Brian Baschnagel on a long pass to the USC 27. On the very next play, Griffin ran it down to the 3. From there, fullback Bruce Elia scored to make it 33-21. Woody went for 2 and Greene converted on an option after faking to Baschnagel to put Ohio State up 35-21.

USC attempted to rally, but as they started to push into Ohio State territory, they bogged down. A 4th down pass from Mckay to Swann went through the hands of the future NFL Hall of Famer and OSU took over on their own 40. Pete Johnson carried to the USC 47, then on the next play Griffin would give the nation a preview of things to come. As the sophomore RB sprinted through a hole on the right side, he cut to the right behind a block from Johnson, scooted toward the sideline, then cut back to the left and zoomed through the middle of the field as he went past the 20. He got one more block from Pagac around the 10 and then carried a USC defender into the end zone. OSU went up 42-21 and that was the final score.

Greene was named MVP as he finished 6-8 passing with 129 yards. Griffin rushed for 149 yards and a TD, while Johnson carried for 97 yards and 3 TD's. The victory erased the pain of the previous 4 years, not only for Ohio State but for the Big Ten as a whole. The decision of the AD's had been vindicated, and Hayes had gotten revenge on McKay for the previous season's humiliation. Finally, Ohio State fans had discovered a new slate of young stars: Griffin, Baschnagel, and Greene were only sophomores, and Johnson was only a freshman. The future was bright, just as it is for OSU today.

Quick, how do you make your life as an underdog a bit more difficult ahead of the 96th Rose Bowl? Why, you lose two or more players in the runup to the bowl as a result of academic shortcomings or the ever-nebulous "violation of team rules".

After word of Duron Carter and Rob Rose's classroom struggles leaked last week, the University issued a statement saying Carter would not be making the trip to Pasadena, but seemed to leave the door open for Rose's return to good graces by way of conspicuous absence in the Carter release. Rose apparently completed extra work to maintain his bowl eligibility and was set to see action against the Ducks, but word again leaked Sunday night indicating Rose likely won't be playing, after all. And the status of others is up in the air as well, including the mayor of Tressel's doghouse, Ray Small, and spring game workhorse Bo Delande.

Assuming the worst, and the Buckeyes take the field without Small and Rose (in addition to the guaranteed loss of Carter), the hit won't doom the team. Rose was part of the depth that made the defensive front so dangerous and had his moments, like the two sack performance he turned in against the Badgers and Carter and Small are third and fourth on the team in receiving yards, but we're not talking Ginn out on the first play of the game devastation here. Rose registered just one assisted tackle over the last seven games of the season and it's worth pointing out that Carter and Small are the third and fourth receivers on a team that's not particularly proficient passing the ball (that's being generous, I know -- the two account for about 15 yards per game each).

Need further calming nuggets? Take a look at the line, which hasn't really budged from where it opened despite the seven days of bad news in Columbus.

Now, Small and Carter were the team's top two punt return guys, so Dane and/or Posey could figure to be seeing action there on the 1st, while Flash and Saine would likely be the kick return tandem.

Where I think the losses will hurt a little is just from a depth standpoint. When the Buckeyes go to four and five receiver sets, there will be two or three guys in the game that spent the entire season running with the twos and the team's ability to put pressure on the Duck secondary will be limited, both from a passing and running perspective. Thomas and Washington, the two receivers that could benefit the most from Small and Carter's absence, are both constant transfer worries, so it will be interesting to see if they can step up and prove they should be receiving the playing time they think they're entitle to.

One more thing to think about: Will Bryant Browning go down as the top performer out of the '06 Tarblooder crop? I think the answer to that might already be yes.

December Really Not That Totally Awesome for Pete Carroll

As if an 8-4 regular season and a trip to the Emerald Bowl (hey, at least they'll get to travel for once) weren't enough, Pete Carroll is on pace to have the Worst December Ever. In the span of two weeks, Carroll was lobbed an infidelity bomb by outgoing Irish coach Charlie Weis and then picks up his Saturday Los Angeles Times to read about his star running back driving a Land Rover owned by a man that has a company called "USC Marketing".

Oh, but it's cool. The guy is really a Washington Husky fan and the full name of the company is "United States China Marketing". Really.

---

Oh yeah: The Big Ten has made it clear that they will consider all avenues in terms of the who and hows of expansion, and ESPN's Adam Rittenberg points out something that should be a given: with the compact geographical footprint of the conference, geography should not be a major priority when aligning the conferences... The key to getting the Ducks to Pasadena? Don't let Bellotti coach the team... The Wolverines' Donovan Warren is headed to the NFL and Brian Kelly is smiling somewhere in northern Indiana.

Duane Long is reporting another Buckeye wide receiver is expected to miss the Rose Bowl. The oft embattled senior Ray Small is said to be facing a suspension for the final game of his college career for an alleged "repeat team rules violation". Would it be asking too much for someone to lock Dane and DeVier in a bunker in an undisclosed location for the next 2 weeks or so? While Long mentions no specifics as to the nature of the potential barring, buzz surrounding the news (along with the historical precedence of ex-Buckeye Eugene Clifford from 2 seasons prior) lead many to speculate it may be related to a repeat drug test failure.

From repeat academic issues to the clandestine 2-game suspension he was hit with last season, Small's career has failed to pan out in the way many had expected. While the drop off from Small to soon-to-be-elevated to third receiver Taurian Washington may only be a negligible one at worst, there's no question Small's contributions to the special teams facet of the game will be missed sorely in Pasadena.

UPDATE: According to the Columbus Dispatch's Ken Gordon (and Dispatch sources), joining Small not playing in Pasadena will be Rob Rose and backup former walk on running back Bo DeLande. Stay tuned.

It was tough on the eyes, but Ohio State (9-2) slowly and surely posted a 60-44 victory over the Delaware State Clock-Runnin' Bitches Hornets this afternoon in Value City Arena.

The Hornets slow it down style combined with sloppy and disinterested play from OSU allowed D-State to hold a 7-5 lead nearly eight minutes in before Jeremie Simmons once again provided a spark off the bench triggering a 20-10 run to close the half. Simmons got it started with a triple to retake the lead then hit another bomb on the ensuing possession pushing OSU up 11-7 with 10:55 left. Closing out the run, Simmons would team with Wil Buford to force a Hornet turnover then find Buford with an alley-oop lob to make it 20-13 then Simmons closed the half with another perfectly placed lob to Dallas Lauderdale for a thunder dunk and a 25-17 halftime lead.

That little burst was about all the excitement provided on the day as the Hornets walked it up every time down rarely shooting with less than :05 on the shot clock while committing six shot clock violations.

The slow tempo had a negative impact on Jon Diebler as he once again struggled to get looks out of the half court sets. He simply can't shake his man with any consistency, is still not cutting hard enough off picks and doesn't appear even willing to try and take his man off the bounce. As a result, he managed five shots on the day with his first coming nearly 12 minutes into the game. He did add a team high seven caroms but his lack of offense (8 pts) is only putting more pressure on Buford, David Lighty and Simmons.

Thankfully, Wil Buford again brought enough heat to lead the way with 18 points (6/10) including 11 as the Buckeyes slowly pulled away in the second half. Even more impressive is the fact Buford dished out another six dimes against zero turnovers. The WB has 24 assists in the last four games while shooting 22/44 from the floor. Good stuff.

Lighty complemented Buford with 12 points (5/8) and four boards but he coughed it up four times as the Buckeyes racked up 13 turnovers against only 10 for the Hornets. Lauderdale continued his FG accuracy onslaught going 5/6, good for 11 points, but he again was a no show on the glass with just two rebounds. I keep reading comments from him about how he's working on his glass eating but I'm still waiting to see it.

Rounding on the scoring, Simmons finished with seven, all in the first half, while adding three steals in 22 minutes. P.J. Hill continued to look like he's doing a lot without actually doing much going 0/2 from the floor with two points and two assists against one turnover.

For the game, the Buckeyes continued their season long hot field goal shooting with a 59.5% effort though the threes were just so-so dropping at a 35% clip (6/17). The stripe remains a concern after a 10/14 effort (71%).

Ohio State has just one more non-conference tilt before Big Ten play gets underway and it comes against Cleveland State on Tuesday night. This one looks like an automatic W on paper as the Vikings enter the game 4-8 but that includes a two point loss against Huggy Bear's undefeated Mountaineers earlier today.

That might actually be a good thing. It should surely get Ohio State's attention.

#18 Ohio State 8-2, 0-0 Big Ten Roster | Schedule

December 19, 2009 4:00 PM ET - ESPNU —— The Schott Columbus, OH

Delaware St. 4-4, 0-1 MEAC Roster | Schedule

The Hornets return to Columbus for the second straight season, after taking a 70-42 loss to open the Buckeye season last year. They haven't fared much better since then, going 12-28 over the last 2 seasons, including losing their last 3 games.

The Buckeyes are coming off their 72-42 win over Presbyterian on Wednesday night, but their second half effort was slowed by PC's imitation of Dean Smith's 4-corner offense and they got outscored by the Blue Hose, 27-25.

Delaware State will bring a similar talent level to the Schott Saturday, so the Buckeyes will have to guard against another lackluster effort when they open a substantial lead.

#	Name	PTS	REB	ASST	POS	#	Name	PTS	REB	ASST
4	PJ Hill	4.9	1.6	1.6	G	4	Jay Threatt	6.9	2.6	3.8
33	Jon Diebler	15.6	2.9	2.3	G	1	Trevor Welcher	2.9	1.9	1.0
44	William Buford	12.0	3.8	3.4	F	30	Marcus Neal	14.0	4.1	1.8
23	David Lighty	13.1	5.5	3.0	F	55	Frisco Sandidge	12.4	6.4	0.9
52	Dallas Lauderdale	7.8	4.9	0.4	C	42	Greg Smith	3.5	2.4	0.4

Opponent

Delaware State hasn't played in a week, after getting whooped 76-34 at Arizona St. and come in scoring just 56.8 points a game, which is 10th worst in the nation. The rest of their numbers aren't any better, shooting 39.3 percent from the floor, slightly better than their 34.5 percent from deep. The Hornets only grab 27.5 boards a game and register 10.2 assists against 12.2 turnovers. The lone statistical bright spot is their 10 steals, which ranks them 15th nationally.

Coach Greg Jackson will use at least 9 players, lead by Neal, Sandidge and Threatt, who all average over 31 minutes a game. Alibaba Odd, a 6'2" freshman, leads the way off the bench, scoring a 8.3 PPG in 19 minutes. While Amir Bell and James Marcellus each play over 10 minutes and combine to score just over 5 points.

Their leading scorer Marcus Neal likes to take most of his shots from behind the arc, attempting 58 of his 92 shots from there, connecting on 45 percent of them. Sandidge is the opposite, taking just 2 of his 72 shots from deep, which explains his team leading 41 FT attempts. No one else has more than 25.

Buckeye Breakdown:

This is going to be another laugher for the Bucks and as I mentioned before, their toughest challenge maybe keeping up the effort throughout. While their PPG average has dipped to 84.7, good for 10th nationally, their shooting has held steady at 52.3 percent, which still ranks them second behind Syracuse. Their achilles heel continues to be at the charity stripe, where the Buckeyes are connecting on 64.6 percent. Ohio State has been above 68.2 percent from the line just once this year, hitting 19 of 22 over St. Francis and bring a 22 for their last 37 stretch into Saturday's game.

OSU leads the conference in winning margin, at 23.2 points, which is helped by holding the opposition to 38.9 percent from the floor, putting them behind Minnesota, Northwestern and Purdue. The Buckeyes also lead the conference in A/T ratio, coming at at 1.65, dishing out 17.8 dimes and turning it over 10.8 times per contest. William Buford has 29 assists against 12 TO's on the season.

There really isn't much to discuss in terms of strategy for tomorrow's game, but it will be interesting to see if the Buckeyes can keep the defensive pressure up until the starters sit for the day. They also need to dominate points in the paint and the boards. I'm still waiting for Lauderdale to get his first career double digit rebounding effort, as he came close on Wednesday with a career-tying high 8.

This one can be chalked up as a victory already, as the Buckeyes flash their growing number of scoring options and flex their defensive muscle for the first 36 minutes of the game. I think the lead could get as large as 40 before Thad pulls his starters and lets Titus lead the last 4 minutes for a 86-51 win.

Etc

• Matta is 78-2 at OSU against unranked opponents.
• Dallas Lauderdale has hit 29 of 33 shots this year.
• This season at home, Diebler has made 33 of 60 tries from beyond the arc.

After handing the nation's top prep team its first loss in 19 months, proud coach and father Satch Sullinger had this to say about his son Jared: "He could be in the band and if he approached marching the same way he approached basketball, I'd be just as proud."

It's a good thing for Thad Matta his 2010 recruit never picked up a flugelhorn.

Sullinger finished with 32 points, 17 rebounds and 3 blocks against Findlay Prep in front of a national television audience on ESPN. He also finished 10/10 at the charity stripe, none as important as the two free throws he drilled with four seconds on the clock to secure 53-52 win.

Sullinger's night is even more impressive given that his team's 2nd-leading scorer, J.D. Weatherspoon sat out with an injured ankle.

And can we talk a little bit about Findlay Prep? The first thing you should know is that nobody at Findlay Prep takes math, history or physics. It's not even a school. Because of that, schools from two states, California and Georgia aren't even allowed to play against the team.

The Henderson, Nevada club team plays a national schedule with entire lineups made up of D1 recruits and in just three years of existence, has quickly become the top "prep" team in the land (the team has an all-time record of 75-1). Attracting players from all over the world, the Pilots' top player, future Longhorn Tristan Thompson is a Canadian.

So, yeah, huge win for Sullinger and the #13 Vikings Thursday night. And the Harrison Barnes/Jared Sullinger debate should go up a notch. Ames, Iowa? Really?

Cold weather? Check (except you shamelessly lucky soul's hunting Dexter). An abundance of things you mostly love (or can at least feign affection for) you didn't have previously? Definitely. An excuse to take time off from work? Absolutely. No, this isn't the holidays I'm speaking of (though those are fine and all). College football's second season is just around the corner. If you're anything like us, Grandma's story about the air conditioner in the master bedroom is exciting and all, but SMU-Nevada? Sign me up.

Speaking of signed up, if you haven't done so, we're giving away phenomenal swag you'd be a fool to miss out on. You've got until Saturday morning, so head over yonder to TWWL post-haste and throw your approximations in the bucket. You won't regret it. Your degenerate-in-chief laid down a cool W/L(/draw?) of 58-19 with 1 push for the year (~75% for the non-Math majors). Pretty solid, but will it be enough for me to keep up with the loyal commentariat? As a popular absurd fedora rocking news aggregator would say, *DEVELOPING*.

Saturday, December 19th

New Mexico Bowl: Fresno State vs. Wyoming (+11) - 4:30 pm (ESPN) The game you've been waiting for all of your life. 8-4 Fresno State travels to frigid Albuquerque to battle Dave Christensen's going south for the winter 6-6 Wyoming Cowboys. Fresno State rolls into New Mexico with stud RB Ryan Mathews, who lead all of FBS with 151.3 rushing yards per game. As for the Cowboys? Well, they sure played Texas tough for a half! As outstandingly mediocre as Wyoming appears on paper, this game could be a contest if nothing else for the Bulldogs' paltry D. Fresno ranked 111th against the rush at 212.4 yards per contest and were 81st in scoring defense at 27.8 points allowed per game. In what's sure to be the standard high scoring fare WAC v. MWC showdowns have proven to be in the past, give the slight edge to the Bulldogs. They win the football game, but Wyoming beats the spread, 38-28.

St. Petersburgh Bowl: UCF vs. Rutgers (-2.5) - 8:00 p.m. (ESPN) America's first ever Guido Bowl takes place in the only place it could: the strip club capital of the world, Tampa, FL. The Knights of Central Florida head southwest to do battle with the Scarlet Knights of the State University of New Jersey. UCF is arguably happy just to be where they are. In lieu of the controversy surrounding coach George O'Leary after a player's tragic death during workouts, many speculated the coach could be on his way out after this season. Rutgers, on the other hand, plays in one of its more underwhelming bowls during their programs recent pinnacle of achievement. Rutgers is led by the diminutive speedster wide receiver Tim Brown, who had 51 receptions for 1051 yards and 8 TDs on the year. The Knight's most prolific player is arguably sophomore tailback Brynn Harvey, who broke the century mark in racking up 1077 yards and 14 TDs on 248 carries. While the opposing fan bases may be prone to fist pump offs and bronzer contests, the game on the field will likely be decided by Rutgers' slight Big East talent differential. Expect the Knights of the Scarlet variety to emerge from this one with a 24-21 W.

Sunday, December 20th

New Orleans Bowl: Middle Tennessee v. Southern Miss (-3.5) - 8:30 p.m. (ESPN) Who needs Sunday Night Football when you've got the mighty 9-3 Blue Somethings (okay, okay Raiders) of Middle Tennessee doing war with the 7-5 Fightin' Dr. Saturday's of Southern Miss?! USM enters this game as slight favorites, with former Florida offensive coordinator Larry Fedora leading a relatively high flying offensive barrage (well 31st overall in total offense to the tune of 418.25 yards per showing) against MTSU. The Golden Eagles narrowly missed the CUSA title game after falling to East Carolina 25-20 in their regular season finale. USM's weapon of choice is arguably the highest profile recruit in the school's recent history, the resilient DeAndre Brown, who bounced back from a horrendous broken leg suffered in last year's New Orleans Bowl with 43 receptions, 720 yards, and 7 TDs. MTSU rolls with one of the nation's sweetest names: Dwight Dasher. The 5'10" Junior QB threw for 2627 yards, 21 TDs to 14 INTs, and tacked on a filthy 953 rushing yards and 11 TDs on the ground to go with it. Vegas, and a minor talent advantage would say USM is the pick here, but it's hard to imagine the Southern Miss 77th ranked nationally defense containing the explosive Blue Raider signal caller. Go Sun Belt on this one, 27-21.

Tuesday, December 22nd

Las Vegas Bowl: BYU v. Oregon State (-2.5) - 8:00 p.m. (ESPN) The first game between team's you've seen play this year, BYU makes their 5th consecutive sin-free trip to Sin City to tango (not too close though) with Civil War runners up Oregon State. BYU quarterback Max Hall, he of the 3368 yards passing with 30 TDs for just 14 INTs wraps up his brilliant college career against the other other OSU's near middle of the pack 50th ranked defense (352.92 yards per game allowed). Oregon State rolls two deep with the Brothers Rodgers, James and Jacquizz. 'Quizz looks to position himself for 2010 Heisman momentum after running for 1,377 yards and a school-record 20 TDs. Big bro James led Oregon State with 87 receptions, 1,007 yards, and 9 TDs. Depending where you look, some see BYU as the prohibitive favorites, while many others go with the Beavers, typically by 2.5-3.5 in whichever direction they lean. Look for the Cougars' struggle to find real, meaningful happiness in Vegas to to continue, as the Beavers pull a close one out 38-35.

Wednesday, December 23rd

Poinsettia Bowl: Cal v. Utah (+3.5) - 8:00 p.m. (ESPN) A strong Christmas Eve Eve offering brings the perennially in these kind of bowl Golden Bears of Cal against last year's BCS darlings, the Utes of Utah. The other "The U" (they call themselves that, seriously) look to win an impressive, national leading 9th consecutive bowl game, while Jeff Tedford and co. seek to finally figure out the right button combination that can equate to a Pac 10 Championship run in the ensuing year. Sophomore Cal QB Kevin Riley finished the season with 2636 yards, 17 TDs to just 6 picks, but only completed 54% of his attempts. Coming off an ugly 43% multiple turnover performance against home-for-the-holidays Washington, Riley will need a considerably better effort against a plucky Utes secondary, responsible for 15 INTs while limiting their opponents to just 172.8 passing yards per contest. Sadly we've seen senior tailback Jahvid Best for the final time, as the prolific one time Heisman candidates college career was cut short by a frightening neck injury against Oregon state in early November. Utah true freshman Jordan Wynn will look to continue finding his sea legs, as he plays arguably the biggest game of his young college career. Handing the ball to junior halfback Eddie Wide will help ease his growing pains, as the RB accrued 1032 rushing yards with 12 touchdowns while averaging 5.7 yards per touch. Coach Kyle Willingham always gets the Utes ready to play come December/January, but expect the Golden Bears to be a bit too much, taking this one 24-13.

As Jason wrote on Monday, the Buckeyes have been the Big Ten's team of the decade and while the offense has been a big part of the team's success, the defense needs to be credited for the dominance Jim Tressel has enjoyed in the 2000s.

There have been so many good defensive players that it is hard to keep track of at this point, but we did our best to round up the best group of Silver Bullets this decade has had to offer. In our defensive squad we selected two defensive ends, two defensive tackles, three linebackers (position did not matter), two corner backs, two safeties, and a punter. The following team is certainly star studded, but there were so many choices that we must give apologies to those who did not make the cut and give them their due credit in a "Just Missed" category as well.

Defensive Line

This group was certainly tough to pick, especially at the tackle position. There have been so many good linemen at OSU the last decade and this unit has really been the spoon that stirs the pot of the defensive success. That being said, here's how it went:

DE Vernon Gholston (2004-2007) Big Vern demolished offensive tackles during his time in Columbus en route to setting the record for sacks in a game and in a season in 2007. That same year he was named Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year and firs-team all-conference as well. He barely played as a freshman and red-shirted the 2005 campaign with a broken hand, but in his entire career he compiled 87 tackles (30.5 for loss) and 21.5 sacks, before becoming the 6th pick in the 2008 NFL Draft to the New York Jets. He will always be remembered (at least in my mind) for going past Jake Long untouched and rocking Chad Henne in the 2007 Michigan Game.

DT Ryan Pickett (1998-2000) Pickett is a Cooper player who just bled over into this decade. Another early entry player to the NFL, Pickett played and started in all three seasons at Ohio State and just owned the interior. In three seasons he tallied 109 tackles and 8 sacks, playing both left and right defensive tackle during his time in Columbus. Pickett was a first round pick of the St. Louis Rams in the 2001 NFL Draft and currently plays for the Green Bay Packers.

DT Kenny Peterson (1999-2002) This may be the most controversial selection on the entire roster, but Peterson deserves some credit for the way he was able to use his athleticism to play the DE/DT hybrid while at Ohio State. His 84 career tackles, 12 sacks, 1 interception, and 3 forced fumbles were certainly great feats, but his play in helping the Bucks earn the 2002 National Championship may be the greatest of his accomplishments. Peterson has since gone on to be a marginal player in the NFL (and in all honesty a disappointment) where he currently plays with the Denver Broncos. Peterson started the trend of bringing in athletic hybrid linemen and we can thank him for the role Cameron Heyward now occupies in Columbus.

DE Will Smith (2000-2003)Smith is hands down the best in this group, ad he dominated in college and continues to do so with the Saints. His 167 tackles, 23 sacks, 5 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries, and 1 interception as a Buckeye are beastly statistics and go right along with the 4.6 second forty-yard dash her ran for NFL Scouts coming out of school. As a senior, he was First Team All-Conference, Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, and Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year. Simply put, the Fresh Prince of Columbus was a unique talent that has laid the ground of comparison for all Buckeye lineman who enter the school.

Linebackers

Penn State calls themselves "Linebacker U" but if you look at the Buckeyes over time, an argument can be made that their linebacking units have been just as good, if not better than those that call Happy Valley home. There were obviously some great players who have roamed the second-level this past decade, but three stand out to us.

LB AJ Hawk (2002-2005) 394 tackles, 15.5 sacks, 7 interceptions, 13 pass break-ups, 3 first-team All Big Ten honors, 2 time All-American, Fiesta Bowl Defensive MVP, and Lombardi Trophy winner. Enough was said there, but AJ Hawk will go down as one of the all-time great Buckeyes and was a pleasure to watch don the Scarlet and Gray during his time in Columbus.

LB James Laurinaitis (2005-2008) Little Animal saw action as a true frosh in The Game when Bobby Carpenter went down and never looked back. The only bright spot of the St. Louis Rams' 2009 season, Laurinaitis racked up a mantle-full of awards including the Bronco Nagurski Trophy, Dick Butkus Award, Lott Trophy, 3 All-American Awards, 2 Jack Lambert Awards, and the 2008 Lowe's Senior Class Award. A walking trophy case was the spawn of the Legion of Doom as he went from 3-star recruit to national superstar during his time in Columbus. His career totals were 376 tackles, 9 interceptions, 13 sacks, and 4 forced fumbles, making him one of the all-time Buckeye linebacking greats.

LB Bobby Carpenter (2002-2005) The Robin to Hawk's Batman, Carpenter wasn't too shabby himself. The current Dallas Cowboy notched 191 tackles, 14.5 sacks, and 3 interceptions while playing the LEO position (hybrid LB/DE) in Columbus. He was named to two All-Big Ten teams as a three year starter for the Bucks and contributed in every game during the Buckeyes 2002 National Championship run. His addition to the defense was critical in the teams' success during the middle of the decade and he was one of three players that made up one of the best linebacking corps in college football history.

Defensive Backs

If Penn State is Linebacker U, then Ohio State is Defensive Back U. There have been so many good DBs to come out of Columbus over the years that it's hard to just name four in this decade that stand out to us, but once again we had to make our picks. While it was tough, this position may have been the easiest out of the units to decipher.

CB Chris Gamble (2002-2004) Gamble was only a three-year player at OSU, but that fitted suit as he was a three-way player as well. Playing defensive back, wide receiver, and on special units, Gamble was a unique talent that played a pivotal role in getting OSU it's coveted National Championship in 2002. He may have been involved in College Football's most controversial play ever, but he should be remembered for his 65 tackles, 7 interceptions, 40 receptions, 698 receiving yards, 68 rushing yards, 467 punt return yards, and 384 kick return yards. He was certainly a dynamic player while in Columbus and his lock-down abilities at corner easily earn him a spot on this list.

S Mike Doss (1999-2002) Another member of the National Championship squad, Doss had a stellar career at OSU roaming the secondary. The three time All-American and All-Big Ten selection started 40 out of 50 games in his Buckeye career and had 331 tackles, 6 sacks, 8 interceptions, 8 fumbles recovered, and won a Fiesta Bowl MVP award during his time in Columbus. Doss's most memorable play may have been his interception of Ken Dorsey in the National Championship Game which gave the Buckeyes the lead. Unfortunately Doss has had a tough go of it with injuries in the NFL, but did win a Superbowl ring with the Colts, so he can't complain too much.

S Donte Whitner (2003-2005) Whitner was the best strong safety of the decade and pushes this unit as the best player overall in terms of talent. That statement can be backed up by the fact that Whitner was selected 8th overall by the Buffalo Bills in the 2006 NFL Draft and, when healthy, has been amongst the league's best at his position. He broke into the lineup early as a sophomore after switching over from corner back to safety and never gave up the position until he departed for the NFL after his junior season. In two years as a starter he compiled 142 tackles, 5 sacks, and 3 interceptions, and was a force with the hit stick for any receivers that dare crossed the middle of the field. Whitner has battled some injuries in the pro ranks, but has made Buckeye fans proud when in the line up.

CB Malcolm Jenkins (2005-2008) This former 2-star recruit saw action fast and blossomed into the nation's best defensive back last season, winning the Thorpe Award. His career started as a freshman, a year in which he played nickel back (Tyler Everett and Ashton Youboty were the starters), and he started in all of his final three seasons. In his career he racked up 196 tackles and 11 interceptions, despite many quarterbacks refusing to throw to his side of the field during his senior season (although Wisconsin didn't get the memo). He was a three time All-Big Ten selection and two time All-American selection, and parlayed those feats into becoming a first round pick of the New Orleans Saints, where he currently serves as the nickel back. Jenkins served Buckeye Nation well both on and off the field and will go down as one of the all-time defensive greats in school history.

Punter

BJ Sander We'll make this one quick and easy. Sander won the Ray Guy Award as the best punter in the nation and for that feat alone he deserves a spot on this All-Decade roster. Sander went on to punt in the NFL for the Green Bay Packers, the only Buckeye to ever win the Ray Guy Award.

Just Missed

As mentioned above, there were just so many good players to choose from that it made this article one of the hardest I've had to write since coming on board to 11W. Some players that deserve high consideration and just missed the cut are DT Tim Anderson, DT Quinn Pitcock, LB Matt Wilhelm, LB Marcus Freeman, CB Nate Clements, SS Kurt Coleman, P Andy Groom, and P AJ Trepasso. DL Cameron Heyward and DE Thaddeus Gibson could make the list by the time their careers are over (if they don't leave early), but for now are reserves on the list. There really have been so many good players to come through Columbus this decade and we should all enjoy the success while it lasts, because nothing is forever.