What Went Right/Wrong: The Game

Brown showed some improvement

There's something very deceiving about the 6-6 record that Ohio State holds for the 2011 season. A lot of these losses came down to either the final couple of minutes in the game, or were within striking distance the entire day. We lost to Michigan 40-34. Before that margin, Michigan was at first and goal, leading with only a couple of minutes left in the game. Then some magic took place, allowing hope to enter my head.

That magic, came in the form of some very stupid mistakes by Michigan. A holding call, and then a personal foul against the Wolverines pushed them all the way back to around the 20 yardline. In turn, they had to kick a field goal, leading to the final score. Of course, Ohio State had an opportunity to get things going and to win the ballgame with a last minute drive once again.

With that, let's get onto what went wrong and right for the Buckeyes on Saturday.

Recap: Ohio State 34 Michigan 40

The last drive wasn't enough

When people remember the 2011 Ohio State Buckeyes (6-6, 3-5), what will come to mind? That this was the first team to lose to Michigan in 7 years? Maybe they'll remember it as Braxton Miller's coming out party, where he led the Buckeyes to a 6-6 record, which would have been much worse without him. 

Perhaps the line of thinking will go towards the team that came after Jim Tressel and before Urban Meyer. Whichever way people remember it, this season was rough for OSU fans, and they most likely will try and forget it.

When OSU took the field, there was some serious energy on offense, before Braxton Miller connected with a wide open Philly Brown for the first score of the game. Better yet, it was a long pass that completed an outstanding drive, that was perhaps one of the best drives this season. The common phrase this game was "Where was this play-calling all season?". 

It seemed as if Fickell, coaching in what may be his first and last Michigan game was pulling out all the stops and kidnapping Jim Bollman's playbook for the day, to allow Braxton to actually be set free. The 18th-ranked Wolverines and first-year head coach Brady Hoke notched their first win over the arch-rival Buckeyes since 2003, prevailing 40-34 in what was by far the most entertaining Ohio State-Michigan game since the one-versus-two game in 2006. The offense's on both sides exploded, but the same could be said about the defense's.

Live Blog: Ohio State vs. #18 Michigan

The Rivalry is finally here. Ohio State hasn't had the season Buckeye fans had hoped for, but with this group of freshman, hopes are high for the coming years. Right now, nothing else matters. Urban Meyer? Psh. Luke Fickell? It's his time to leave a legacy. Go Bucks.

Join the Live Blog at 11:45 to cheer on the Buckeyes as they head to Ann Arbor.

Just a Matter of Time For Urban Meyer

How does Brady always know?

The last 2 weeks has seen a flurry of activity concerning the impending head football coach vacancy at The Ohio State University. Luke Fickell may have had a shot to retain his position if he had been able to win out after the Wisconsin game but we all know how that has turned out over the last couple weeks.

Uninspired losses against Purdue and a scandal ridden Penn St. team at home have all but sealed the young coaches’ fate. I think the fan base was rooting for Fickell because he was one of our own but in the end, wins are the only thing that matters around these parts. Luke has a chance to be a good coach in the future but taking off the training wheels under the bright lights of Ohio Stadium is not conducive to success.

2011 will be remembered as a lost year when we all look back 20 years from now. It isn’t only the head coaches fault. He was thrust into an impossible situation and did the best he could. I wish him well in his future coaching endeavors and even think it is a possibility that his services are retained in some capacity next season.

Columbus Dispatch Confirm Rumors Of Meyer Being Next OSU Coach

According to the Columbus Dispatch, two different sources inside Ohio State University have confirmed that Urban Meyer is, in fact, going to be the next head coach of Ohio State. 


From the Dispatch:


"Two well-placed sources at Ohio State University confirmed for The Dispatch this morning that Urban Meyer will be announced next week as the next head football coach of the Buckeyes.


But the sources also said final terms for a deal – such as length of contract and financial remuneration – have not been decided, despite recent reports to the contrary. Also, the sources said that though interim head coach Luke Fickell has not been in the loop, he will be taken care of when or if Meyer accepts the job. In what capacity, the sources weren't sure."


If you've been a downer in all of this, still not believing what you hear until ESPN reports it or a big company reports it, this is your moment. No company follows Ohio State more than the Columbus Dispatch. Looks like Urban is coming home.


Stay tuned for more news

Hate Week!

Let's sing some songs

Hate week is officially upon us! The Ohio State-Michigan series continues to be one of the greatest rivalries in all of sport. It was just a short five years ago that The Game featured #1 vs. #2 and vaulted Ohio State into the National Championship game against Florida. Obviously that season didn’t turn out the way we wanted it to (thanks banquet circuit) but that game will live in Buckeye lore as one of the greatest games ever played.

This year’s contest has quite a different feel to it than years past. Over the last 5 seasons it has been Michigan sporting the underdog label. Not this year.

Ohio St. is reeling from a 2 game losing streak and is struggling to find its’ way on both sides of the ball. Early lines on this game favored Michigan by 8.5 and that will probably only go up as the game nears. The Buckeyes are being lead into battle by a first-year interim coach and everyone’s favorite (NOT) offensive coordinator, Jim Bollman, is still calling the plays. The Buckeyes will have to be on top of their game to escape Ann Arbor (is a whore) with a victory and continue its’ ridiculous streak of 2,900+ days of dominance.

Urban Meyer And Ohio State Have Reached A Deal

He's coming home, all smiles

According to Bill Greene of Scout.com, and our many trusted friends at Eleven Warriors and The Buckeye Battle Cry, Urban Meyer has reached a deal with Ohio State officials to make Urban Meyer the next head coach of Ohio State. It appears that the final lines will be dotted and signed after the Michigan game. The formal announcement will be coming next week, not a specific date, but it will take place.

Next week of course, the Duke basketball game is going on, so we might see an introduction at halftime of that game. All eyes are now on Michigan as it seems that we have Urban wrapped up. This could quite possibly be the best Tuesday in a long time. It started out with the commitment of Adolphus Washington, a 5-star DE, to Ohio State, and now it seems the biggest news is that Meyer will take over the Buckeyes next year.

There is nothing completely official from Ohio State University out yet, but the agreement all but points to them just waiting on a good time to announce it.

Stay tuned for the latest Urban Meyer, Recruiting, and Ohio State news.

Ohio State And TTUN: My Thoughts

"The Game" is back

Here we are, at a week like no other on the calendar. There are other big weeks in the sports world. The first weekend on the NCAA Tournament, the Final 4, the Super Bowl, maybe even the Indianapolis 500 are all great weekend. However, each of these weeks pales in comparison to the week that is Michigan Week.

Michigan Week (this is the last time I will refer to that school by name) is more then just the end result a Saturday football game. It is a week of activities, hype, and anticipation. The campus is alive, the sports radio shows are dominated by talk of the game, and social media full of OSU vs TSUN talk. 

ITS's BlogPoll Ballot: Week 13

Week 12 brought some crazy upsets. This was a week that wasn't supposed to be that much fun, but instead was kicked off as perhaps one of the best weekends for upsets this year. BCS Chaos now ensues, with 3 SEC West teams in the Top 5. Who will end up where? Check out who rose and fell in this week's BlogPoll Ballot.

 

 

Inside The Shoe Ballot - Week 13

Rank	Team	Delta
1	LSU Tigers	--
2	Arkansas Razorbacks	2
3	Virginia Tech Hokies	3
4	Alabama Crimson Tide	3
5	Stanford Cardinal	4
6	Houston Cougars	4
7	Georgia Bulldogs	6
8	Oregon Ducks	-5
9	Oklahoma St. Cowboys	-7
10	South Carolina Gamecocks	2
11	Boise St. Broncos	--
12	Oklahoma Sooners	-7
13	Michigan St. Spartans	2
14	Kansas St. Wildcats	2
15	Wisconsin Badgers	3
16	Clemson Tigers	-8
17	Penn St. Nittany Lions	2
18	Michigan Wolverines	3
19	Virginia Cavaliers	4
20	Baylor Bears	--
21	TCU Horned Frogs	3
22	Notre Dame Fighting Irish	--
23	West Virginia Mountaineers	2
24	Nebraska Cornhuskers	-10
25	Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets	--
Dropouts: Southern Miss. Golden Eagles, Florida St. Seminoles

 

SB Nation BlogPoll College Football Top 25 Rankings »

Urban Meyer And Ohio State Rumors: Latest Updates

Could this picture become reality?

Before I get started here, I'd like to take this time to fully credit to Eleven Warriors for breaking a lot of these rumors, and staying ahead of the game by a long shot. Sure, people had some "eh" rumors before them, but 11W has been on top of their game for the past year or so.

You probably haven't heard the news (Insert sarcasm font here). Many sites, pundits, reporters, and everyone else in the sports world are now reporting that Urban Meyer is headed to Columbus to coach the Ohio State football team. The rumors have been swirling since May 31st, when Jim Tressel was forced to resign and Luke Fickell stepped into the role of interim head coach. The rumor mill really started to set in motion on Monday of last week, when it was announced that Urban had met with Arizona University officials to discuss becoming the next head coach there. As we all know by now, Meyer declined the job, but did state his interest in returning to coaching in college football.

Things heated up even more when an online message board (Bucknuts forums) had tracked a plane headed to Columbus from Miami on Monday evening. Using a flight tracking website, rumors started to spread like wildfire that Urban was on his way to meet with Ohio State officials to discuss the job. Eventually the rumor was dismissed by many people, and was not looked at again.

Of course the following day, on Wednesday, things turned from message board rumors and quiet whispers to a random tweet that went completely insane. The tweet in question was from CBS's Mike Freeman, where he stated that Scout.com was reporting that Urban Meyer had agreed to coach Ohio State for 7 years, for a total of $35 million. Chaos ensued, and soon Twitter had turned into a horrible game of telephone, when people started to twist his words and take his thought as fact.

Twitter folk then lashed out, when Mike backtracked by saying that it wasn't even on the Scout page, and that it's not "official".

Ohio State Seniors Shut Down Michigan

Boom led the way with big runs
AP Photo/Amy Sancetta

Some say the Buckeyes take the rivalry more seriously than do the Wolverines. Obviously Michigan players would say that because they've now lost 7 straight to Jim Tressel and the Buckeyes of Ohio State. Terrelle Pryor had TD passes covering 7 yards to Dane Sanzenbacher and 33 yards to DeVier Posey and Dan "Boom" Herron finished with 175 yards on 22 carries. Herron also tied a record for longest run from scrimmage in 88-year-old Ohio Stadium when he went 89 yards in the third quarter. He actually raced 98 yards untouched, but the touchdown was called back because Sanzenbacher held a defender as Herron was heading into the end zone. 


Pryor completed 18 of 27 passes for 220 yards with one interception. Once Ohio State was in complete control of the game, the game ceased to be exciting. Tresselball had taken effect, but the crowd didn't mind. They were too busy singing "We Don't Give A Damn, For The Whole State Of Michigan" 


Ohio State's defense, with backup cornerback Travis Howard intercepting one pass and recovering two fumbles, controlled a Michigan offense that came in averaging 37 points and 515 yards per game. The Wolverines ended up with 351 yards, and the second half was only held to 100. The defense really proved they are one of the best in the nation.


Now the question remains for the Buckeyes who earned a share of the Big Ten Title, what bowl will they land in. The Sugar Bowl seems likely, but who will they play? LSU lost to Arkansas last night, and Auburn is undefeated. TCU is most likely headed to the Rose Bowl, so who's left? We'll be discussing this tomorrow in our podcast.

Live Blog: #7 Ohio State vs. TTUN

It's time for the last regular season game against That Team Up North. The Buckeye's are in the 'Shoe for the last time this season, and the seniors are ready to go out with a bang. On the line is a BCS bid, and bragging rights. Join us at 11:45 to get this show started!

Make Your Picks: Week 13

Other than the Nebraska game, there were no real upsets, which made for a very boring weekend (sans OSU game)

Records:

Last Week:
Ian: 4-1
SBB: 3-2
Brady: 3-2
Danny: 3-2

Overall:
Ian: 16-4
SBB: 10-5
Brady: 15-5
Danny: 13-7

Auburn vs. Alabama
Ian: Auburn
SBB: Auburn
Brady: Alabama
Danny: Alabama

Oregon vs. Arizona
Ian: Oregon
SBB: Oregon
Brady: Oregon
Danny: Oregon

Boise State vs. Nevada
Ian: Boise State
SBB: Nevada
Brady: Boise State
Danny: Boise State

Oklahoma vs. Oklahoma State
Ian: Oklahoma State
SBB: Oklahoma
Brady: Oklahoma State
Danny: Oklahoma State

LSU vs. Arkansas
Ian: LSU
SBB: LSU
Brady: Arkansas
Danny: LSU

Wisconsin vs. Northwestern
Ian: Wisconsin
SBB: Wisconsin
Brady: Wisconsin
Danny: Wisconsin

Representing: TTTUN

Wolverines are Wolverines, but we did have one that was sane enough to hold our weekly interview. Maize n Brew Dave joins us with his thoughts and feelings (as if we really care about That Team Up North) on the game and their season.


1. Right now, how do you feel about where TTUN is as a team? 


Offensively meh to good. Defensively horrid. I honestly have no faith in the defensive coaching staff to make adjustments or teach fundamentals. That said, we're talking about a single player in the back five who's played moer than a season (Jordan Kovacs). Sometimes it takes a while. Overall, I think the state of the team is where it should be based on the transition and personnel issues and I'm pleased with the direction the program is headed in.


2. Denard Robinson is your best weapon. Who else can your team build around to make big plays? 


If healthy, Darryl Stonum is one of my favorite players on this team. He's a legitimate homerun and deep ball threat. At running back I'm really excited about the future of freshman running back Stephen Hopkins. He's what you would get if Ferrari started designing road graders. I'm fairly certain you will come to hate him in the next few years.


3. What has to happen for tOSU to beat UM, and vice versa? 


For UM to win the offense can't sputter once. There is no margin of error in this game. For tOSU to win, Michigan simply has to play like it did against Wisconsin, Iowa, PSU or MSU. If the offense fails to click, I think tOSU rolls.


4. Your defense..swiss cheese, or butter?  

It's actually a Sieve.

5. How will TTUN finish? (Bowl Game?) 


Assuming a loss on Saturday 8-5. Assuming a win on Saturday 8-5. I think Michigan wins a lower tier bowl game if they finish the season with 7 regular season wins. I think they get outclassed in a higher tier game.

THE Rivalry: It's A Hate Thing

Hate Week is in full swing in Buckeye Nation, and this afternoon we would like to feast your eyes on some good old fashioned hate. Also, after the jump we have video of the Mirror Lake Jump 2010. Terrelle Pryor, DeVier Posey, and Nate Oliver all were there. First things first, let's get the pictures going.

Who you got?: #8 Ohio State vs. Michigan

Hate Week 2010 has been underway, and we've still got plenty of incoming coverage. As for now, you have our picks for the best Rivalry on the planet.

Ian: 34-13, Ohio State - Velcro starts early, putting Michigan ahead 7-0, but Ohio State's defense shuts him down. Boom Herron has a great day, rushing for over 100 yards, and Ohio State will look to make that BCS bowl that has a chance of eluding them this year.

SBB: 50-28, Ohio State - Denard Velcro continues his hot punting and poor decision making. Jermale Hines, B-Rolle and Homan hit him hard and often. Tressel puts a boot on RRod's face, but sadly it won't keep them from a bowl game. Hello motor city or little Caesar's bowl! The stands will empty as fans rush the field because it doesn't matter who's ranked what or what the records are. 

Brady: 38-21, Ohio State - I have to admit this Michigan offense scares me a little going into Saturday's matchup.  However, I don't think that they can stop Herron and Pryor on the other side of the ball.  I look for this one to be a shoot out in the first half until Ohio St. makes adjustments and finally solves the Michigan offense for the final 30 minutes.

Danny: 45-28, Ohio State -  I feel like this game will go a lot like the other times Michigan has played quality opponents this year:  They will fall behind early, put some points up towards the end, but the defense just won't be able to come up with a stop.

THE Game: What It Means To Me

Brutus has our back

This week we are running a feature where each of the writers tries to describe what the annual Ohio State vs. Michigan game means to them. Here's Danny's take:

It's a little difficult for me to put into words, because some of my experiences with this game have just been so cool. Being only 22, for the majority of the years I have been able to intelligently watch football, Ohio State has pretty much dominated Michigan.

Thankfully, I missed most of the John Cooper Years, and Ohio State has gone 7-3 against That School Up North in the past decade. But save for 2008, when Rich Rod was new to The Rivalry and Lloyd Carr had left a pretty bare cupboard, every year since 1995 has been a two possession game. Basically, in my short history with The Ohio State/Michigan game, almost every game has been close and has meant something to the Big Ten standings. So even without the hatred for Michigan that is ingrained in my DNA, I look forward to this game all year, every year, simply because it almost always determines what bowl game each school will go to.

My first year attending Ohio State just so happened to coincide with the 2006 football season. And although that season ultimately ending with an epic debacle, the Michigan game that year almost completely gets rid of the bitter aftertaste of the championship game. The only time in the 106 meetings that both teams have been ranked #1 and #2, respectively, which, to be honestly, I am still surprised about. With all the titles won by these two teams, I would have thought that they would have been the top two teams at least once before, but they never were. So obviously, this was a special game. The fact that this was the first Michigan game I saw in person makes it a special game for me, personally. Throw in the fact that the game itself was incredible, and that the winner went the the BCS Title Game, and it means that much more.

Buckeyes Escape Iowa With A Win

Winning, it's what we do.
AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall

When the game was on the line, Jim Tressel and the Buckeyes put the ball in Terrelle Pryor's hands, and they were rewarded with a 20-17 victory over the Hawkeyes in Iowa City. Terrelle Pryor threw for 195 yards and a touchdown for the Buckeyes (10-1, 6-1 Big Ten). 


The win kept Ohio State tied with Wisconsin and Michigan State atop the Big Ten standings heading into next week's showdown with rival Michigan in the Horseshoe. It also preserved the Buckeyes chances for at least a share of the Big Ten title for a record-tying sixth year in a row. Pryor overcame two interceptions to lead his team to victory, but it was Daniel "Boom" Herron that added the late touchdown to give the Buckeye's the lead for good. 


The game wasn't totally over, as with less than 2 minutes left, Stanzi was back to pass on third down, and was under pressure right away. That's when Cameron Heyward made his move, getting his first sack in what seems like forever. After that, McNutt was two yards short on 4th down, and the game was over, as the Buckeyes continued their mastery of the Hawkeyes, winning for the 12th time in the past 13 games. 


This team had to overcome a lot of adversity to get in a game winning situation, though. For example on the play before the 4th and 10 run by Pryor, on third down he had a wide open DeVier Posey. Naturally, he threw it up and everyone held their breath in Kinnick Stadium. We all saw the ball go into his hands, and suddenly drop through his chest, and the game seemed lost. The only comparison I could give to you is the 2005 Texas game when Hamby had a chance to seal a victory, and bobbled the ball. This matchup had long been circled as the biggest of the year in the Big Ten. The Buckeyes and Hawkeyes were picked 1-2 in the league's preseason poll, and Ohio State's 27-24 OT win in Columbus last year had many wondering what might happen when Iowa got Ohio State at home with a healthy Stanzi.

How Sweet It Is

AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall

Awesome. Total team effort to pull it out from under Ferentz's nose.

It's now Michigan week.