Making Buffalo Burgers in The ‘Shoe Next Year
The Ohio $tate Buckeyes’ road to football respectability got slightly better for 2011, with the announcement that they will play the Colorado Buffaloes in Ohio Stadium with its open date next year. This gives them… wait for it… TWO BCS non-conference opponents for the first time since the 2003 season.
Now, it is just Colorado. However, considering that I predicted in November that Gene Smith would just add another MAC or Sun Belt team, this is still moderately impressive. I had a dream a couple months back, in which O$U had quietly added Bowling Green to fill the open date, without announcing it to anyone. That dream seemed so real, I actually did news searches that weekend to make sure it wasn’t true.
"Considering that I predicted Gene Smith would just add another MAC or Sun Belt team [for the 2011 open date], this is moderately impressive."
Obviously, we have no idea what Colorado is going to be like this time next year. It has been a while since Colorado had anything resembling a heyday, since they just haven’t kept up very well with the evolving Big 12-minus-two. The Buffs’ move to the PAC-10 for 2012 is huge for them – and aside from the commute, it’s a good one – as it gives them a conference in which they can not only compete, but actually look pretty good.
Now, it’s not a game against an SEC team, which is the benchmark the Buckeyes need on the schedule, like it or not. It’s not a game against Boise State that I suggested in November. After all, crushing the Broncos would silence their incessant whining about missing the BCS Championship (at least for 2011).
It’s not a great game that the Buckeyes have scheduled in this case. It’s a sure “W.” Then again, who knows… this might actually turn out to be close. By close, I mean within a couple touchdowns.
"Non-conference opponents are typically paid $400,000 to $750,000 if there is no return game to their turf. Why $1.4 million for Colorado?"
Let’s talk price tag, though. Why $1.4 million? I had read in the Columbus Dispatch the other day that non-conference opponents are typically paid $400,000 to $750,000 if there is no return game to their turf. So… why not shoot for the upper end of that?
This is the same team that preaches about “keeping the money in Ohio” as its justification to schedule one or more often two in-state MAC schools each season. Now, obviously, anyone who knows me, knows I feel that “keeping the money in-state” line is the biggest crock of B.S. in sports. And this Colorado situation lends a bit of credibility to that argument.
Now, I don’t know if a MAC team makes closer to $400,000 or $750,000 to come to The ‘Shoe, but my guess is the low end. However, even if it’s the high end, giving Colorado almost double that amount seems… I don’t know, hypocritical to me. Come on, if you’re Akron or Toledo – who will come to The ‘Shoe to be slaughtered before 100,000-plus the first two weeks of next season – wouldn’t you be a little miffed right now? If The Ohio $tate Buckeyes are making $5-6 million in profit per game, as the Dispatch has reported… wow. That’s awfully generous of them to help Colorado out like that.
Now, I’m not necessarily saying “pay the MAC teams more.” It’s no secret that quite frankly, I think O$U needs to set a “MAC Cap” of one in-state school per year, including Cincinnati (yes, I know, they’re not in the MAC, but the Big East isn’t really a BCS-caliber conference anymore).
A columnist in Alabama last week wrote a piece making fun of Jim Tressel for calling off a practice because of the heat, another example of OSU Football not being taken seriously on the national stage.
It can’t be that hard to find opponents. Do you think SEC teams want to wait until the BCS National Championship Game to get a piece of Ohio $tate? A columnist down in Alabama last week wrote a piece making fun of Jim Tressel and the Buckeyes for calling off a practice because of the heat wave we had a couple weeks ago (if you really want to be mad at something, read it). Now, if heat safety isn’t high on the priority list down South… fine, that’s their issue. But that column is just another example of O$U Football not being taken seriously on the national stage. Beating the holy hell out of the University of Miami in two weeks isn’t going to prove a lot, because they haven’t yet returned to “elite team” status. The only way to shut up Alabama and the other pretentious blowhards of the SEC is to beat them.
But to beat them, you have to play them. Ohio State might even get that shot this year.
Gene Smith took a step in the right direction this week by even scheduling a second BCS team for 2011 – except for the price, it’s a good move. However, the Buckeyes have to do better. Technically, Buckeye fans can argue that 2012 and 2014 have two BCS opponents each. This is true, but the teams are out of the Big East (and it’s just Cincinnati), the Pac-10 (it’s just Cal), and the ACC (Virginia Tech could be a decent game, though).
The 2013 schedule is wide open for the Buckeyes, other than that return trip to California. It’s a great opportunity to make the non-conference games count for something. Hopefully Gene Smith will take advantage of that opportunity. This is progress, though.
Next Week: In time for the Opening Night trouncing of Marshall, some sure things about the 2010 college football season….