Tressels, Fickells, Urbans, Days, Johnsons and Days,
Do you remember which team was favored coming into the 2014 Big Ten Championship game?
Do you remember which team was heavily favored in the 2002 BCS National Championship game?
Not Ohio State.
The 2014 and 2002 Buckeye teams were flawed.
The 2014 Buckeye team was down to its third-string QB for the Big Ten Championship game. They were stonewalled by a bear defensive front and exposed early that year by a very good Virginia Tech defensive coordinator. Things were just clunky that season until 59-0 happened, and everything clicked from that point on.
The 2002 OSU team was gritty but far from pretty. So many low-scoring, grind it out games. But, that same Buckeye team broke "The U," who still hold the longest consecutive win streak in College Football over the last 70 years.
Are the 2023 Buckeyes a thing of beauty? Not really, if your context is the OSU offense scoring 45 points per game.
Do they have to be perfect? Not necessarily; the Silver Bullet defense can mask a lot of flaws.
The OSU offense just needs to manage the game, not turn it over, and get the ball to Marvin, Emeka and TreVeyon as many times as possible - eventually they will take it all the way and put enough points on the board.
...and if for any reason the Ohio State offense starts to click, it will be a thing of beauty - similar to the 3-game final run in 2014.
Touchdowns: Marvin Harrison Jr., Marvin, TreVeyon, Denzel Burke
OSU 34 Rutgers 7
Go Bucks! Beat Rutgers! Harry Miller for Heisman!
Puffy Padre
