Welcome to 2018, where as Buckeye fans we still have four false idols in the playoffs but are otherwise playing with house money.
If Michigan beats South Carolina, the Big Ten goes 80 in bowls.
— Eleven Warriors (@11W) December 31, 2017
If the Wolverines lose to South Carolina, Michigan becomes the team that failed to deliver an unbeaten postseason for the B1G.
House money.
All "Big Ten solidarity" takes to the back of the line. A free Bloomin' Onion is at stake. And please believe when South Carolina puts Michigan to the sword, I'll be the first customer in line at the Outback in Troy, Ohio, USA at 11 a.m. on Jan. 2nd ready to redeem my spoils of war.
It may be the only game I watch all day, unless Alabama and Georgia are losing by 30 in the fourth quarter, in which case I'll tune in to see SEC media shills fall over themselves trying to explain the stain away like a teen caught liquor-carpeted by parents for throwing a house party.
| TIME (ET) | MATCHUP (BOWL) | FAVORITE | CHANNEL |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12:00 | BUM SQUAD vs. FREE BLOOMIN' ONION Y'ALL (OUTBACK) | BUMS (-7½) | ESPN2 |
| 12:30 | #12 CENTRAL FLORIDA vs. #7 AUBURN (PEACH) | AU (-10½) | ESPN |
| 1:00 | #14 NOTRE DAME vs. #17 LSU (CITRUS) | LSU (-3½) | ABC |
| 5:00 | #3 GEORGIA vs. #2 OKLAHOMA (ROSE) | UGA (-3) | ESPN |
| 8:45 | #4 ALABAMA vs. #1 CLEMSON (SUGAR) | BAMA (-3) | ESPN |
Word of the Day: Odysseus.
WARD NOT ORSTRICIZED. How about that win over the diabolical USC, eh? The Trojans talked a lot of trash for a team that scored their only points off a muffed punt.
Speaking of talking trash, some Buckeye fans got more mad at Denzel Ward for sitting out than his position coach.
From cleveland.com:
"He practiced every day. He worked with his team. He wasn't sure what he was going to do, and he coached those guys up on the sideline tonight," Coombs said. "I said to him today at least five times, 'Denzel I need you to help me with this.' He went and talked to those guys as only a player can. I was really, really proud of him."
[...]
"I love that kid," Coombs said. "That kid showed up every day for practice for the entire bowl period. He worked, he prepared, he got to the end and said I'm gonna help the team any way I can. He coached up those young guys. He was awesome. I love that kid. I think it's a very hard decision for Denzel or any other kid in that situation. He's got a big future ahead of him. Anybody who's disappointed with him, that's disappointing. He put his heart and soul out for Ohio State for three years."
I think I would want to play one last time my boys. But I've also never been on the brink of first-round contract money and slated to play in—goofy trophy and corporate propaganda, aside—a glorified exhibition game.
I'm just glad Ohio State won comfortably (in an overall boring game) and Sam Darnold didn't throw for 500 yards. Had they lost like that, the #takes would have heated all of Central Ohio through the miserable winter that looks like it's on deck.
#QBGEDDON2 STARTS NOW. Are you folks ready to argue for the next nine months over who should take over the reins of Ohio State's offense? I am, baby. Please read my column.
We begin with the mental state of the contestants. Dwayne Haskins, the Savior of the Ann Arbor Sacking, appears as cool as collected he did on Nov. 25th:
Overly Focused, its far from the time to rest now.. #Shhhh pic.twitter.com/yJHXUUx23X
— Dwayne Haskins, Jr (@dh_simba7) December 31, 2017
Tate Martell, one of the top dual threat quarterbacks of the 2017 class, didn't come to Columbus to ride pine, either:
Redshirt Season Over.. Grind Time! pic.twitter.com/YxL34BqFnw
— TATE MARTELL (@TheTateMartell) December 30, 2017
Joe Burrow? A broken hand at the worst time torpedoed his hopes at locking up the backup spot, and he may not return to the team this year.
From landof10.com:
However, Burrow said on Friday night that he has a decision to make about his future over the next couple of weeks. Burrow is weighing whether to stay at Ohio State and compete for the starting job next season or to transfer to another program.
“I have to talk to my parents about it, talk to my coaches, and just make a decision here in the near future,” Burrow said.
“I don’t know. I’m leaning toward staying.”
My money is on Haskins. But you already knew that. I do love the spirit of the militia in Martell's corner, though.
HOW DOES CLEVELAND SOUND, SAM? Poor Sam Darnold. I assume pieces of him are still laying in the turf of Jerry World.
Sam Darnold is facing an NFL defense tonight. Ohio State has pro personnel in an NFL-like scheme that features a lot of pre-snap disguise, late-moving coverage and exotic blitzes. OSU DC Greg Schiano is really muddying the picture for Darnold..
— Bucky Brooks (@BuckyBrooks) December 30, 2017
A prospect, however, is always more than just one game. And it's not like Darnold didn't show flashes.
From nfl.com:
1. It was a disappointing night for Darnold, obviously, but I don't think his performance was as bad as some are making it out to be. People are acting like the sky is falling. It's not.
The degree of difficulty for him Friday was off the charts. He had no support from the run game and little help from his pass protection. He was constantly in third-and-long situations. There were no layups for him.
However, I think NFL evaluators are going to see a lot good things from Darnold when they study tape from this game. It's just a question of whether they believe his ball-security issues can be coached out of him.
My professional take, as a graduate of the Guru Hugh Jackson QB Academy, is I don't want Darnold anywhere near the Browns. But hell, at this point he may be the only college QB willing to play for them.
COMPLIMENTS TO TYQUAN. The most underrated play of the Cotton Bowl:
In all this scrum of the @OhioStateFB game kudos to Tyquan Lewis who was trying to help the lady for @espn showing tremendous character. Those times r when character really shows. pic.twitter.com/qCYA6vNJBQ
— Steve Thompson (@EurekaAD) December 30, 2017
That doesn't surprise anybody that knows anything about Lewis.
HERMAN TURNS TO RUGBY. Tom Herman, who you might not know founded MENSA, the organization for geniuses, is turning his recruiting eye to the rugby world.
From 247sports.com:
Yet, here is Johnson-Fisher, who is of Jamaican descent and goes to a boarding school three hours outside of London, rubbing shoulder pads with the top high school seniors in the United States at the Under Armour All-America Game.
He was offered by and made an official visit to Coastal Carolina, but Penn State, Texas and Cincinnati are in touch with him after his YouTube rugby highlights as a 15-year-old went virbal. After his showing this week at Under Armour, his recruitment could take off as tangible evidence about his football prowess will finally be known.
"I've been training since September, but I wouldn't say I've done enough because the guys here have been playing here their whole life and I've been playing for a few months," said Johnson-Fisher, who is now 18. "I've played some training sessions but I haven't had full contact, hard-hitting sessions. I'm looking forward to it."
Herman's Horns lost six games this year, though it beat mighty Missouri in the Texas Bowl, which allowed the 42-year-old Herman to publicly mock the Tiger QB's touchdown celebration. He needs all the help he can get.
THOSE WMDs. The rehab giant, under attack... American Reams: Why a "paperless world" still hasn't happened... Soldier home for the holidays died saving lives in Bronx inferno... An upstate NY prisoner with a history of escape foiled his latest... Family: "Swatting" victim unarmed.
