The Coach's take on the Buckeyes, the week that was and the week that will be in college football.
THE GAME:
Terrelle Pryor ran like Joan Rivers to a botox sale and Beanie jumped like a gazelle at a lion reunion. This game went pretty much as expected but it did have its moments. Beanie jumping over the defender was one and Donald Washington's pick was another, but my favorite was when Pryor was going out of bounds and knocked a Minnesota linebacker into the cheap seats. The last time I saw an Ohio State quarterback do something like that was when Steve Bellisari clocked a UCLA Bruin on an end around back in 1999. One play into the fourth quarter we were up 34-6 and then went to Tresselball by putting in the second and third teams and allowing Minnesota to score a couple of cheap ones. I don't have a problem with that. A win is a win and a bunch of next year's starters got some good playing time. I keep waiting for Pryor to have one of those freshman moments but he just keeps dazzling me with those long-stride runs around the end and his ability to escape the blitzing corners. His passing needs some work but it would help if Ray Small would catch the ones that hit him in the belly. That's twice this year he was well down field, standing all alone waiting for the ball, and dropped it. And you wonder why this guy is in the doghouse?
Things are starting to come together and some players are starting to step up. Pryor taking over at quarterback and Beanie back in the lineup are the two biggest and most notable. But moving people around on the defensive line might be just as big. Wilson and Gibson on the ends with Worthington and Heyward in the middle gives us a lot more speed against the spread. And did you notice that they pulled the red shirts off of Nathan Williams and Andrew Sweat? We got Washington off of suspension and we are now playing 10 of the 18 true freshmen. We're not there yet but I think the players are now on the field and in the positions they will be the rest of the year, its just a matter of everybody getting better every game. DeVier Posey will take Ray Small's slot any game now.
Next week is huge. Playing at Wisconsin at night is going to test this team to the core. The last time we did this was 2003 and we lost 17-10. I'm not sure what blowing a 19 point half time lead in the big toilet bowl does to a team's psyche. And then tying the game only to have the conversion called back on a penalty and then losing the game. I am sure the Whiskey coaches will work all week on getting the players back on the right page. I just hope we can jump on them early to take the crowd out and they fold for us like they did for meeeshitagin. Not likely but one can always hope.
THE WEEK THAT WAS:
I thought watching USC get bitch slapped by Oregon State was as good as it could get. But watching two highly ranked SEC teams get beat and knowing what that must have done to Marc May, well, just made my heart go all a flutter. You know, it's not like Oregon State snuck up on USC. USC has lost there more than once in recent years. We lost to the #1 team at the time and dropped to 13th. USC lost to an unranked team but they won't drop to 13th, as the warehouse guy says, "I guarantee it." And what could be better than watching Florida and that God-awful chopping thing they do lose to Mississippi? Even Pope Urban of Meyer and Dr. T-Bone couldn't stop the train wreck. And Georgia? The team that gets Marc May all gaga was down 31-0 at the half, at home, between the hedges? The only, and I mean ONLY bad thing about that was that it was Alabama who did it and they are led by Nick "The Snake" Saban. He'll get his at LSU.
Tennessee lost to Auburn 14-12. Tennessee has now lost three games. Technically they could be out of the national championship game. But remember, three losses in the SEC is equal to being undefeated in any other conference.
Maryland beat Clems-son 20-17 There's another one that does my heart good. UConn beat Louisville in the Big Least to move to 5-0. Huh? Is this basketball? East Carolina jumped on Virginia Tech and W. Virginia and then beat Tulane to get into the top 25. It was fun while it lasted. Skip Holtz is back on earth now.
JoePa is staying one up on Bobby in the wrinkle race. Butch Davis returned to Criami with his Tar Heels and beat the Canes. That must have really hurt Criami fans. Tee Hee Hee.
After wins over William and Mary, San Jose State and New Mexico State, Nebraska played a real team and lost to Virginia Tech 35-30 on its home field. It has been several life times since Nebraska played a non-cupcake early game and I guess it will be several life times before they do it again.
Northwestern beat Iowa to move to 5-0. I repeat, huh? $Notre Dame is now in a pretty unique situation. They are 3-1 and have perhaps the easiest schedule for the rest of the year of any other major football school. There is Boston College and USC looming out there but they should be favored in the rest and could actually end 9-3 which is good enough to get pasted in a bowl game.
Oklahoma beat TCU and is now 4-0 and has outscored their opponents 199-52. If I had a vote they would be #1 this week. Texas also moved to 4-0 and they have outscored their opponents 198-43. Wait, I guess I'd have to change my vote. There was a Wake in the Forest, but it wasn't a Deacon Demon presiding over the wake, it was an admiral. Navy 24, Wake 17.
THE WEEK THAT WILL BE:
Navy at Air Force. As you know, I was in when the ships were wood and the men were iron. Shiver me timbers and pass me the grog, matey, Go Navy, shoot down the Air Force.
Akron at Kent State. Just kidding, you don't have to watch this one.
Kentucky at Alabama. Bama is coming off of a big game and has to be down a little this week. Kentucky is a little better than you think. But probably not that much. One can only hope.
Auburn at Vanderbilt. Auburn is 4-1 and Vandy is 4-0 so this is a no lose situation. If Vandy loses there goes another undefeated SEC team. If Auburn loses they are one loss closer to that three loses every SEC team needs.
Florida at Arkansas. I only mention this because Arkansas is really bad and Florida is really pissed. Pope Urban will crank up the scoring machine that is Dr. T-Bone.
UConn at N. Carolina. I think UConn snatches defeat from the jaws of victory in this one.
Free Shoes U. at Criami. The best you can hope for here is one of those brawls before the game that gets 20 players suspended for the season.
Texas Tech at Kansas State. TT is 4-0 and has scored 183 points. K St. is 3-1 and has scored 188 points. TT passes on every down and K St. runs the ball about once a quarter. Picture Bill Clinton welcoming to the White House the NCAA Women's Volleyball National Championship Team. That's how many passes there will be in that game.
Illinois at meeeshitagin. Which wolverette team will show up? The one from the first half that looked like Barney Fife or the team from the second half that looked like Barney Fife with his gun loaded?
Missouri at Nebraska. This might be the best game of the week. Missouri fans say, "Show me the corn."
Stanford at $Notre Dame. This is the first of three PAC 10 teams that will be playing $ND, but Stanford is the only one traveling to South Bend. I see another win for the Gimper.
Oregon at USC. Oregon scores more often than George Clooney. And USC is really, really pissed. Oh, and they are at home too. BUT....don't be surprised if Oregon knocks them off anyway.
Thursday night Oregon State travels to Utah for a shootout in the mountains. This should be a very good game IF Oregon State can keep from having a "down" week after the big win over USC.
Ohio State at Wisconsin. This will be a huge test for Terrelle Pryor. Like I said earlier, I keep waiting for a team to rattle the freshman and Wisconsin could be that team. But if we get through this one then watch out because this seems to be a team that may peak just at the right time.
The Coach