Folks, I had a hankering the College Football gods wouldn't forsake us just yet... and I was right.
The Football Championship Series championship will be decided today down in Texas!
| TIME (ET) | GAME | LOCATION | FAVORItE | TELEVISION |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12:00 | JACKSONVILLE STATE vs. NORTH DAKOTA STATE | FRISCO, TEXAS | NDSU (-3) | ESPN2 |
Fun fact: Jacksonville State is in Alabama. So your choices are cheering for the Alabama of the FCS (North Dakota State) or the team that would allow the state of Alabama to pull the double in America's best collegiate football divisions.
Not an ideal choice, but beggars can't be choosers.
GO BENGALS, I GUESS. Here's one thing upon which Bengals and Browns fans agree: There is no lower life form than an Ohioan Steelers fan.
For that reason—and because the Steelers the second worst franchise in American sports (behind only the Boston Celtics)—the Steelers must fall in tonight's wild card game at 8:15 p.m. on CBS.
- Bengals: A.J. Hawk, Mike Nugent
- Steelers: Will Allen, Cameron Heyward, Ryan Shazier, and Doran Grant
Good pregame reading: Why the Pittsburgh Steelers suck. (Does not apply to former Buckeyes, obviously.)
John Simon and Mike Vrabel's Houston Texans play the Kansas City Chiefs in the early game at 4:35 on ESPN/ABC.
BRAXTON'S DRAFT STOCK. The NFL Draft is going to be Buckeye-heavy this year, but Ohio State's most intriguing prospect is Braxton Miller.
Miller didn't dazzle as much as expected this year, but he's still an adroit athlete with lightning in his feet. How does this translate to the NFL?
From rotoviz.com:
Miller is a dynamic athlete that is scary good in open spaces, add that with his high football IQ and it’s easy to see how former QB’s like Miller, Cobb, hell even Julian Edelman can have success at the next level.
Miller is bigger and faster than Cobb. Yet Cobb was more refined as a WR prospect going into the draft. Look for Miller to be used in the jack-of-all-trades role which on the right team, or with the right QB can yield the results that we saw Randall Cobb have early in his career.
Keep your eye on Braxton Miller in the combine, if he impresses, we could see him climb up the in the draft to being a late first or early second round pick. In the right system Miller could have an instant role as a WR 3/4 and emerge like Cobb did his second season into a WR2.
I'm looking forward to getting a laser-timed 40 on Braxton. The Buckeyes listed it at 4.32 in 2014, which is probably a bit generous.
CARDALE'S CLOSET. There may never be another career like Cardale Jones'. On Friday, Jones posted a photo of some of the jerseys he's donned over the years:
He's going to end up with the Steelers, isn't he?
CONLEY OUT AT ODU. Former Ohio State staffer Bill Conley is out at Ohio Dominican after contract talks between he and the school reportedly broke down.
From dispatch.com:
Ohio Dominican was making the transition from NAIA to NCAA Division II when Conley was hired when Dale Carlson resigned to become head coach at Valparaiso.
After a 2-8 record in 2010, the Panthers went 7-4, 8-3, 10-1, 11-2 and 8-3 under Conley. The 2013 team won the GLIAC championship and lost to West Texas State in the first round of the playoffs. The ’14 team received an atlarge playoff bid and won two playoff games.
I suppose this means Ohio State's spot as the No. 1 college football team in Columbus is secure for the next couple years.
BAKER'S NEW INK. Good to see Ohio tattoo artists are stepping up their Block 'O' game. I went years without seeing a decent one, but it appears Baker's artist did a fine job:
Bless up. pic.twitter.com/uVIuoWUVvD
— Jerome Baker Jr. (@Lastname_Baker) January 8, 2016
Baker was once committed to Will Muschamp's Florida, so I'd say it all worked out for him.
THOSE WMDs. Imposing cat returns to market to glare at customers... The terrible beauty of brain surgery... Farming the Sahara... Mexican Marines caught El Chapo... French dueling code.
