Pure and simple: Buckeyes outcoached and outplayed
Where to begin?
First, I guess I should apologize for stating in my last column that Ohio State would beat Illinois. I was wrong.
Second, I should say that perspective will show later on that the Buckeyes were living on borrowed time as the top-ranked team and the fans were the only ones who missed this fact. The pundits tried in vain to tell us how the Buckeyes are merely among the best teams in a really bad conference and how that's not enough to lead the BCS rankings.
Turns out they were right.
How did it happen?
Ron Zook outcoached Jim Tressel. Badly.
Zook's staff outcoached Tressel's staff. Something awful.
Juice Williams outplayed Todd Boeckman. Right out of his strap.
At the end of the day, Illinois ran, threw, caught, blocked and tackled much better than Ohio State. Much more so than the score appeared.
That's how the Illini won and the Buckeyes lost, pure and simple.
I'd like to say that Ohio State will have better luck against Michigan but after today, I'm pretty skeptical. I know the Wolverines lost but they played without Henne and Hart and lost on the road. Ohio State lost in humiliating fashion at home, on Senior Day no less.
I doubt very seriously if this team will be able to bounce back and beat the Blue in the Big House. But who knows, my predictions have been wrong before. Pretty recently too.
See you in Ann Arbor.