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The Ohio State Buckeyes are human. Just let that sink in for a moment. This is not a National Championship team we are watching this year.

Jim Tressel is human. No, really… he is. I know it certainly seems like the only guy on a faster track to sainthood was Pope John Paul II. Now – at least from reading what some Buckeye fans have been saying since the Buckeyes’ embarassing loss to Purdue two weeks ago – Coach Tressel is starting to turn from messiah to pariah.

That makes me sad.

Jim Tressel is an excellent coach. There’s no question about that. Jim Tressel turned around a Buckeye team that managed, what, two wins over Michigan in 13 years under John Cooper? Obviously, beating Michigan is not the only thing that keeps a Buckeye coach in his position – again, see John Cooper – but that is a relevant fact that will haunt John Cooper for the rest of his days.

However, the Buckeyes have become notorious of late for dropping the big games – two title games against the SEC, the recent home-and-home against USC. I was shocked the Texas game was as close as it was. Somehow, the Buckeyes seemed to consistently be caught unprepared, or at least under-prepared. Then they lost the little one at Purdue.

Then something happened when the Buckeyes visited Minnesota last week. After halftime, they actually woke up, offense included, and wound up scoring 31 points in the second half. For the first time in a few weeks, it seemed like Jim Tressel actually opened up the playbook a bit.

"I'm not saying the Buckeyes offense has been unimaginative, but..."

I'm not saying the Buckeyes offense has been unimaginative, but when my significant other is asking me, “Why are they running up the middle?” Or, "Why does it seem like they’re always sending the running back into the pile?" I do not have a good answer for her questions.  This is sad, especially considering we see that a lot with the Browns offense on Sundays. So, I should have a good answer for those questions, except all I can come up with is, "Well Eric Mangini is not a particularly creative (or good) football coach."

But enough about what the Buckeyes and Browns have in common. Obviously, they are two teams that are headed in very different directions -- and even with his offensive woes, Terrel Pryor can probably still play circles around Derek Anderson or Brady Quinn. However, I think we all know that that's not a stretch.

So, victory over Minnesota notwithstanding, and with OSU playing New Mexico (might as well be Youngstown) State on Saturday in The Shoe, the question is this: What do we know about our Buckeyes after the now-infamous Meltdown at Purdue?

"The Buckeyes have to win out to make a BCS bowl. They have to find the kind of offense they opened up in the second half against Minnesota."

Not every Buckeye football team is a national contender. It has been quite apparent, with the Buckeyes’ offensive woes, that this is one of those teams. It could get worse, too. After tomorrow's breezer against the Aggies, the Buckeyes have to travel to Happy Valley to face Joe Pa and Penn State, come back home to play Iowa, and then travel to Michigan. Penn State... well, it's Penn State, and the Buckeyes are playing in Beaver Stadium. Iowa is hot, and their defense has been getting a lot of praise. However, their schedule has not been all that challenging so far, outside of Penn State. However, the Hawkeyes are in the driver’s seat at this point. And if the right Tate Forcier shows up in the Big House, Michigan is not going to roll over and play dead like last year. Let’s face it. The Buckeyes have to win out to make a BCS bowl, and they saved the toughest part of the schedule for last this year. To win out, they have to find the kind of offense they opened up in the second half against Minnesota.

Terrelle Pryor is not a great quarterback. He’s a pretty good quarterback, but he’s not by any means a great quarterback. But why? Wasn’t he one of the best quarterback recruits in the nation? What happened? Is he not fitting in with the system? Is “Tressel Ball” just not what he was meant for? I’m not sure… but his offensive line is not helping. He’s got a target on him, and he needs more time and more protection. Becoming a great quarterback could come with time.

"Success at the next level sometimes doesn’t happen. Great high school players don’t always become great college players."

I read a few comments on Twitter during and after the Purdue game where Pryor drew comparisons to Steve Bellisari and Todd Boeckman. That’s gotta hurt. However, the fact is, he’s just not getting the job done. Jim Tressel can defend his quarterback all he wants, but I think he knows as well as we do that Terrelle Pryor is not yet a great quarterback. He just can’t say it in public, because he can’t tear down the kid that was a prized recruit. Success at the next level sometimes doesn’t happen. Great high school players don’t always become great college players, and great college players don’t always become great pro players.

Pryor may not even become a pro player at this rate. I believe that for him to have any shot at the NFL draft coming out of his junior year (although I oppose that for any student-athlete, but that rant is another time), the Buckeyes need to win out and make a BCS bowl this year, and then go unbeaten and win a national title next year. That would mean crushing the light teams on their schedule, beating the University of Miami, and running the table in a Big Ten Conference that many of us hope is back on the upswing. Otherwise, he will get about as much respect as Troy Smith did when he led the buckeyes to an undefeated season, only to get trounced by Florida in the national title game.

"Enjoy this game against New Mexico State [...] it's the last sure-win we get to see for the Buckeyes."

Tressel Ball is not for everybody. Coach Tressel is too conservative. It’s maddening. While it is true that it was raining for the Illinois game, and the Buckeyes did wind up shutting out the Illini, that first half was the most excruciatingly boring demonstration of football since Ohio University ran the triple option in the late 1990s. Translation: Navy’s triple option offense this year is the only time I’ve seen a triple option where the team actually used the third option. I know that “three things happen when you pass, and two of them are bad” (love ya, Woody) but I like the passing game.

So, with all that having been said, we will need to enjoy this game against New Mexico State, because it's the last sure-win we get to see for the Buckeyes. The next three weeks after that could be very stressful.

Random Notes
Speaking of sure-wins, I have to say it is kind of nice that Ohio University gets its second easy game in three weeks Saturday against Ball State. It's too bad that after trouncing Miami for the fourth straight year, the Bobcats turned around and lost Kent last week. It's also nice that Central Michigan is not on the regular-season schedule, because OU needs to avoid further losses, and the Chippewas are damn good. If good fortune holds out, I may not have to wait another 30-plus years to make another bowl trip.

"I am not taking Cincinnati very seriously at all. There, I said it."

There are going to be some really angry unbeaten teams in a few weeks, with TCU, Boise State, and Cincinnati all still in the BCS mix. To be honest, I am not taking Cincinnati very seriously at all. There, I said it. Even if they wind up unbeaten (could happen, after all there in the Big East), Cincinnati getting into the national title game would be nothing more than a sideshow. A title game involving Cincinnati would be over in the first quarter. I won't apologize for my honesty, but I know it has to suck for any UC fans that might read this.

However, let's look at the scenario that Texas Christian and Boise State could actually wind up taking the two at-large spots in the BCS. It's not going to happen. Boise State... probably. TCU, on the other hand -- even if they manage to win the only tough game (Utah) remaining on their schedule -- has no chance in hell. Boise State at least has a BCS track record, so they'll definitely make it, assuming they stay unbeaten.

Tags: boise state broncos, cincinnati bearcats, jim tressel, minnesota gophers, new mexico state aggies, offense, ohio bobcats, ohio state buckeyes, ohio state football, purdue boilermakers, tcu horned frogs, terrelle pryor, tresselball