Buckeyes reclaim the top spot but should they celebrate?
The Cedar Point thrill ride that is the 2007 college football season continued over the weekend and Ohio State is now careening down the tracks in the first car.
To summarize, LSU and California couldn't keep their arms and legs inside the vehicle and got tossed. In another strange development, Michigan and Penn State jumped from Camp Snoopy to the Power Tower. (Just when you think all is right with the world, the Lions and Wolverines decide to start playing football again? Ugh!)
Anyway, I still love this Ohio State football team and, yes, I still think it's a better overall group than the 2002 or 2006 editions. However, I have to admit to being a little anxious about the team having the "No. 1" target on their backs heading into the meat of the season (the next five opponents are a combined 25-10).
Now, for Ohio State to succeed they need not only to keep winning but also buck history in the process. Recent Buckeye squads have not taken too kindly to being "the best" before the season is over.
• 1998 Michigan State took advantage of a cocky defensive unit that quit playing midway through the third quarter when Damon Moore lept into the end zone after an interception. He got flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct and things went downhill from there, stopping only after Nick Saban got to put a 28-24 defeat against the Buckeyes in Ohio Stadium on his resume. (Why can't that guy coach at Notre Dame so I can concentrate my vitriol into just one institution?)
• 2003 Ohio State took the nation's longest winning streak into Madison and proved why it's not such a good idea to take the nation's longest winning streak into Wisconsin. Different score from the Spartans game but there was some defensive unsportsmanlike conduct there too and this one also ended in a loss.
• 2006ish Ohio State looked awesome for 12 games and the first few seconds of the national title game against Florida in January. Then, well, this year's media guide is a little fuzzy on the details but it appears as if the Buckeyes did not prevail.
So Bucks, all you have to do is keep reminding yourselves of these losses, get really steamed and take it out on your last six opponents. Some people are saying you can't do it and you don't deserve it. The best revenge would be proving them wrong.