Football and College

Early today Buckeye Nation found out about JT's and his troubles. I have read hundreds of social media postings about how Urban is too soft, that JT won't be punished like he should, Ohio State is full of criminals, and many other nonsense comments. I think we, Buckeye Nation, get caught up in a very simple idea of what college is to the majority of attendees. JT is a college student, a football player, a human being, a son, and a teammate. He is not a rapist, murderer, or any other criminal title that is given out. High school students are told throughout high school that a college degree is what makes or breaks careers, regardless of whether you are an athlete or not. A college degree will always come in handy. There are many aspects of college football that I do not agree with, none more prominent then the amount of pressure put on young adults. Sometimes that pressure is overwhelming and down right crushing.

JT Barrett is more than just a quarterback for The Ohio State Buckeyes, he is the face of the Buckeyes. The Buckeyes are the #1 team in the Nation, the defending champions of the first ever College Football Playoffs, the most targeted team in the nation, and most criticized players and coaches of all time. I am not side stepping the fact that JT is underage, but what I am saying is that the amount of pressure and responsibility one takes on can be more than a college student can handle.  I do not blame JT for drinking underage, I blame college football for turning college football into a beauty pageant. College life is filled with girls/guys, classes, and no supervision. If you are an athlete,  you have to worry about all of the above, plus what is expected of you as an athlete. To expect athletes to not screw up or at least not get caught doing it, is to expect to win the lottery. The only difference between Ohio State and 95% of college football is the name and accomplishments. Lets not be hard on JT, his consequences are only beginning. First, he is suspended for one game, which is punishment enough especially since the Buckeyes have done nothing but struggle under CJ this year.

In my opinion, the job is not up for grabs, Cardale is simply filling in as a back up that just happened to win three straight championship games. I will be shocked if JT doesn't start the last three games of the regular season. We all need to relax and root on CJ as he takes on Minnesota.

This Question is Stupid

Ever since Ohio State has started their season every person that has an interest in college football or calls themselves an analysts keeps saying Ohio State does not deserve to be #1. That is simply a lie and here is why; Ohio State has not lost a game since week 2 of last year, rankings at this point in the season do not mean a damn thing, Ohio State is a second half team, and putting a number next to a team does not mean everyone above them or below is better or worse. Ohio State being ranked #1 again puts them in a category that Alabama or any overrated SEC team is not even close to them on, #1 in the AP Poll. Eat your heart out analysts! One thing that I must point out though is TTUN. As much as I do not like to admit it, they are improving week to week and that is great news for the Big Ten. The Big Ten needs as many teams as possible ranked and winning. At the moment the Big Ten and SEC have the same number of teams ranked.

Regardless of how many points are scored in a game the highest score at the end is what matters. The road leading to the Championship is never easy and this year is no different. Urban and the rest of the offense may be a bit confused as to who should be the quarterback in the game, but we are still undefeated. You can compare us to Florida State all you want, but we still have not lost and that accounts for much more then margin of victory.

Ohio State is #1 but it does not matter right now. Last year Alabama was given #1 at the end of the year and they lost in the Sugar Bowl to the #4 Ohio State Buckeyes! Even though we are half way through the season many of the ranked teams still have not played season defining games yet, they have not made it into the Conference Championships, nor have they won a Championship. Until the next bowl season comes upon us, Ohio State has done all of the above. TCU and Baylor are flying high right now, but that ship is getting ready to land and only one of them will be taking off again. Utah will not remain undefeated and it is only a matter of time. There is always a team from the PAC 12 or Big 12 that brings the analysts to their feet for a time every year. Right now, Utah is that team that everyone is being paid to observe. Ohio State is old news and frankly, boring to watch. As long as Ohio State goes undefeated into the Conference Championship and win they will get into the Playoffs, it is that simple.

During the season last year college football was convinced Ohio State did not have what it took to compete and win against anyone outside of their conference, yet we saw different. Ohio State is a second half team. While other teams start the year off quickly they struggle to finish strong. Ohio State walked into the Big Ten Championship and blanked Wisconsin, then dominated Alabama and Oregon.

In comparison to other conferences, the Big Ten is back. Alabama lost to Ole Miss, Ole Miss lost to Florida, Oklahoma lost to Texas, TCU has no defense and haven't played anyone that has either. Baylor is peaking in their performance at the moment and everyone is talking about how awesome the ACC and Big 12 are. Word to the wise, the season is half over. What will all the analysts say when Ohio State is still undefeated and #1 going into the Playoffs or have been dropped from #1 and are still in the Playoffs? I understand that the majority of the people on TV and radio have no clue what they are saying and are doing so to piss people off, but that is all they do.

Ohio State will find their way through the season.

The 2015 Ohio State Buckeyes

Hello Buckeye Nation, I write this post with a lot on my mind. First and foremost, I apologize for not posting anything in a long time. Secondly, my expectations of this team have changed and for a good reason, but not because I do not believe in this team, but because I have realized something about the game of football, it is unpredictable.

The Big Ten Championship, Sugar Bowl, and National Championship game were amazing acts of Urban's Mantra, 9 Units Strong. Every Unit played with such intensity and selfishness that we pushed our way to a National Championship. Cardale Jones picked up where JT left off and essential showed Buckeye Nation something we did not know existed. We left last year thinking that the next year would be a continuation of domination on both sides of the ball.

Virginia Tech was a game that had stuck in our minds since the game ended. We walked into Lane Stadium and smacked the Hokies around. The last 4 games Buckeye Nation has watched each game thinking that 7 or 8 touchdowns would be thrown on the board without blinking, but anything but has happened. Not to say this has kept me up at night, but the result of each win has left we wondering when our luck will run out.

The beginning of last year and after Virginia Tech this team felt like the entire college football world was against them. Now we have a #1 ranking in front of our team and the Nation is watching every step we make hoping we slip up. College football is not ready to give up the notion that the SEC is not dominant anymore, but instead the Big 10. Last year, JT was given the team and we destroyed our competition, even when we struggled. We need to look at this team as if we are not National Champions. Last year we played every game with intensity hoping that the Virginia Tech loss did not knock us out of the College Football Playoff. This year we are playing hoping to win every game to get us into the Playoff, a totally different mindset. If we forget all about the National Championship and look at this team as #1 because of all the talent we have, this team is the exact same as it was last year, finding itself every Saturday and hoping to improve for the next game. Urban Meyer needs to stop with the statistical analysis and go with his heart, because I believe that is telling him JT is the better QB. Too many people are calling plays on our offense. Beck or Warriner need to go to the booth, no more coaches on the sideline than needed. I do not care about the raw emotion of the game and having the coaches feel it. Football is about strategy and emotions do not always fit into that.

With all the talent we have the playing calling should have no boundaries. Elliot's dominance has to pushed on the defense like it was against Indiana. Cardale did not throw many passes down the field and that hurt us. When we have Marshall, Wilson, Nixon, Campbell, and Braxton we should be taking shots down the field. Elliot and Samuel should rotate as our running backs. Whenever we push the boundaries with Zeke or an outside quick throw the opposing defense has a tough time covering us. Needless to say we are undefeated but by the skin of our teeth. In a later post I will talk about the defense.

Cardale is Our Man

Urban chose Cardale for a reason. I think Cardale is the right QB because he's got an arm that kills secondaries, he's tough to bring down, and his arm creates a great running. JT set Cardale up for success, Cardale set himself up for success by playing the way he did. 

During Cardales play last year he threw the ball as far as he could and the receivers ran underneath and caught the ball, often times running past the secondary. Last year it was Devin Smith but this year it's Mashall, Wilson, Smith, and Miller along with other receivers we don't know about. We have the WRs that can run for days and Cardale has the arm to make the journey. 

Cardale weighs 250 lb and is 6' 5" and is extremely hard to bring down. He may not be shifty but he can bull doze any defensive linemen. Last year during Alabama and Oregon, Cardale ran over seasoned and NFL lineman without batting an eye. 

Cardale became successful because he trusted his wide receivers. Cardale threw the ball down the field and his receivers caught them all. Because of that, defenses could not stack the line of scrimmage with anything more than linebackers and defensive lineman causing Elliot to run through holes and down teams throats.

I believe Cardales issue is trust. He doesn't trust his receivers. I don't think Braxton, Jalin, or Wilson should ever be a Wildcat this season. When anyone of these guys take the snap they know what the play is and they crowd the line of scrimmage. We win games by letting these guys run down the field and get open. We showed last year that was half of our success, the other half was Elliott. We desimated Wisconsin, Alabama, and Oregon without doing a lot of trick plays. We need to return to that. 

The Beauty of Social Media

For purposes of understanding where I get ideas for my posts, I have multiple apps downloaded on my phone, a twitter account, and listen to sports radio shows, I was on Twitter and saw a conversation between Tyvis Powell and a Virginia Tech fan. Tyvis had tweeted something about the team grinding hard so that they don't lose the same again. The fan responded they have been grinding too and that Lane Stadium is ready for us, we better be ready for it. The last part really annoyed me.

In terms of crowd noise Ohio State has been through the worst of the worst and still hoisted a trophy above their heads. The Big Ten Championship was the perfect mesh of Ohio State and Wisconsin. The Sugar Bowl was basically in Alabama's back yard. The Title Game was more Ohio State fans, but than again, Ohio State travel extremely well. What I would love to say to Virginia Tech fans is this: While you beat us last year for multiple reasons, those reasons do not exists anymore. For some reason, preparing the triple option one week and playing a totally different team the next is one of the toughest schedules a team can have. JT Barrett was still new on the scene and our team was not quite a team yet. It was literally the perfect storm for Virginia Tech.

This year the perfect storm will be anything but for Virginia Tech. We have an experienced defensive and offensive line, highly potent offensive in general, and a defense hell bent on creating havoc for any offense. I do not forsee this game being close at all, I do not care how much time there is to prepare. We will be walking into that stadium with revenge on our mind and the last time that happened we dominated our opponent. Right now, this team has forgotten all about the glory of the National Title because it no longer exists. What exists is the countdown to the first game of the season.

Over 99,000 Reasons to Repeat

I am so very proud of being one of the 99,000 plus in attendance of the spring game. It brought a sense of accomplishment to my mind, but also a struggle as to how I saw the team. Collier did not look good during the game, making me wonder Urbans plan for him especially with the abundance of QBs on there way to Ohio State in the coming years. Cardale looked okay, but not as good as I thought he should, but than again most of the starting line was not playing.

I look at our Buckeyes and I see an accomplished team that has to act as though they have accomplished nothing. I think last years team will do a great job of showing the rookies, so to speak, that you can control your own destiny regardless of what outside sources say. I read the transcripts of post game interviews and couldn't help but see men (Cardale and Urban) that understand Champions are won by those who are never happy with what they see, never. Urban sees individual improvement, but not team, which to me is him saying, the potential is there it just hasn't been achieved yet. This is common to me considering our Navy and Virginia Tech team wouldn't have won at Penn State, Michigan State or Michigan. The critics would have been correct and Braxton was the key to our success. However, they were not correct because the potential was there given the right coaching and motivation, something this team is rich in. I don't see much of a QB competition to be honest. I think Cardale will win the job simply because he deserves it at this point, he's the healthiest, and at this point, not prone to any injury unlike Barrett and Miller. I feel as though every team that sees Barrett or Miller come onto the field will be aiming for their injuries.

All it will take is the perfect hit to either player and we are down to two QB's. Last year, after the Virginia Tech game, I felt that the ultimate match up would occur, that the Titans would collide in the First Ever College Football playoff, that the Rose Bowl would matter only so much to see who the winner of the Sugar Bowl would face. Something I saw in this team made me think they would win it all. This year, I see more of the same, we will have blow outs and close games. We will have games where we shake our heads, and games where the game will be boring before the second half starts. I honestly think we repeat and defend our title. You can call me bias all you want, but that's what I think and here's why.

(1) Having 3 dangerous QBs means every opponent has to prepare for three different threats. Barrett is accurate but can't throw as far. Miller is deadly on his feet, has a rocket of an arm, and hopefully more accurate. Cardale is a big man with a big arm. All three QBs make you respect the running game, all the while beating you down the field or in short passing plays. (2) If Braxton is the QB, he wants his ring and championship. It has eluded him since he came to Ohio State. (3) Urban is a tightly wound man and you can easily see it. You don't have know him to know he demands effort and perfection. He wants to defend and build a dynasty in Columbus, after all he'll be here til at least 2020. (4) As much as our opponents want to take us out, we still want to take out even more. There is no shortage of motivation on this team, and the thought of being knocked out of the title game before even getting there is a tremendous amount of motivation.

National Signing Day

There is a subtle satisfaction in being a part of the Big Ten. I know that everyone and their brothers like to raise the point, that it is very difficult for the Big Ten to be ranked highly in the recruiting classes, with the exception of Ohio State and Penn State this year (so far). I think that last nights Super Bowl win was actually a good thing for the Big Ten, as it showed a cold weather team achieving a great accomplishment. When is the last time a team from anywhere in the south won a Super Bowl? Who's the last team from the south to win a championship in college football? My point is this, the rhetoric surrounding the south is nearly impenetrably. It just cannot be done. However, the proof is written on the wall. The south has the players, but the north has the talent and skill. Urban Meyer beat three Heisman winners on his way to his third title, beating out the King of the SEC, Oregon, and Wisconsin.

It's not hard to justify the notion that the Big Ten is back. However, one look at recruiting news and it's littered with SEC teams finishing the year with top recruiting classes. But does it really matter. While it's too soon to say the SEC is done and over with, what is safe to say is that the ground has leveled off. No longer is Alabama or anyone in "that conference down there," the deepest, most dominant conference in the nation. The Big Ten is back. Just look at Harbaugh at Michigan. He was successful at Stanford, then became successful in the NFL. What other coach can say he was successful at both levels? Nick Saban? Not even he can claim that. Give Michigan a couple recruiting classes, and the focus will shift. The Big Ten may not litter the top 10 with recruits but their trophy rooms will be littered with Championship trophies, which is what counts.

The Brand That Will Never Die, Figuratively and Literally

As each day ends, we become further away from the Inaugural College Football Playoff and another bowl season. Now we step into recruiting and preseason predictions. The Big Ten did very well and the SEC West..... not so much. The media has yet to get over their love affair known as the SEC. Pundits, analysts, and the like love to say, next year's Title Game will be Ohio State and Alabama. The reason being, Saban does not stay down for long and he'll be hungry for another championship. I'm sure he felt that way after Oklahoma last Sugar Bowl. Burn!

I'm so tired of hearing about SEC recruiting classes when no one in that conference finished with a perfect season, nor with a bowl win (except the East). I've come to the conclusion that when seasons end for "that conference down there," and it wasn't successful, the spotlight is put on their recruiting. Good for them, they're still not champions.

My prediction for next year's Finals will be #1 Ohio State (of course), #2 Alabama, #3  TCU, #4 Oregon. Ohio State for obvious reasons. Alabama will not be held out of the rankings because of their divisions and coaches reputation. College football would lose its mind if "that conference down there" didn't make it into the playoffs. The Sugar Bowl proved to be as great as everyone thought it would be. The only better matchup would be Ohio State and Alabama for the Title. TCU will come back with a chip on their shoulder. The only problem here is that an undefeated conference championship team could beat them out if they don't go undefeated. So, perfect season for TCU is a must. Oregon will struggle but make it. Rich Rod in Arizona is good, but not great, so he'll win his division, but that's about it. 

Is The B1G Back?

NoThis past season brought a sense of accomplishment back into the Big Ten. Victories from Wisconsin, Penn State, Michigan State, and Ohio State brought to the fore front something we always knew would happen, the Big Ten is dominate. This season is surely no indication of what next season could bring, but this years accomplishments could be preface for what's to come.

Wisconsin was destroyed in the Big Ten Championship by Ohio State. Wisconsin was thought to be overrated, but then proved their rate when they best Auburn. Baylor was crying the blues because they were left outside of the Final 4, only to lose to a Michigan State team. James Franklin began his era with a decent season capped off by a bowl win. Urban Meyer, against all odd, took on the best, then became the best. With the addage of Harbaugh to Michigan it's only a matter of time before the Big Ten is up a running.

The toughness of the SEC West was simply outran and out coached. The PAC 12 was proven once again to be a finesse league and the Big 12 was shown once again why the need a conference championship. This all is not news, but what it is, is a warning to the rest of college football, that "we are back."

Ohio State showed all of college football that recruiting class rankings are only a small piece of the puzzle. Great coaching and players who believe in themselves make up the other half of the equation. No longer can Alabama or the SEC claim that both rankings and coaching lay the ground work for champions, but instead players in general. Michigan State is notorious for not having highly ranked classes, but still they have beaten Stanford and Baylor in their last two bowl games.

How many teams know who their second and third string QBs are? How many of those second and third guys could step in and win a championship. Florida State had to do that for one game and nearly lost it. Oregon's came in after having a 4 TD lead on Florida St. Blake Sims and Coker were the men for Saban. My point is this, while everyone talked about the Virgina Tech effect, Ohio State was improving itself. There's no other way to describe it.

Harbaugh, Meyer, Dantanio, Franklin, Chryst, and Riley will become the magnificent 6 of college football. College football never heard of Hugh Freeze or Dan Mullen until this year. Which makes the point, the Big Ten has the coaches, all we need are the wins and Michigan, Wisconsin, and Nebraska are not far behind. The Big Ten is not far from dominance.

What 2015 Season Looks Like

The 2014 Season brought about a state of ease in an uneasy time. Braxton went down, JT stepped up, JT went down, and Cardale stepped up. Fans believed in this team, even with all odds suggesting this year would be a bust. We did not know it, but this is exactly what we needed. This team came together when the entire country was against them. This team became the most dominant in football when the players realized their potential far exceeded the best of any individual player on the opposing team. We showed Wisconsin, Alabama, and Oregon that the best team is not centered around the best quarterback or individual person, but best individual groups around a sufficient quarterback. This year brought about the maturation of individuals. Our offensive line began working together and making no excuses for their youth. Our receiving corp. began doing more than just running down the field, but also blocking and running decoy routes. Our running backs became confident in their offensive line, blockers, and themselves. Our team began realizing who scores is not what is important, but instead scoring in general.

If we thought this team was dangerous, next years will be lethal. Just think, teams had to defend against one quarterback, then every skill set. Next season, with the addage of Braxton and JT, this team will be an absolute nightmare. This is what I see happening.

- Not as many blitzes because three different quarterbacks provide two different threats. Braxton and JT can run away from you and juke you out of your socks. Cardale will just bull doze you. All three quarterbacks can read defenses and make smart choices. All three quarterbacks have great arms and the ability to extend plays.

- With the graduation of Evan Spencer and Devin Smith, Corey Smith, Michael Thomas will become the go to receivers. Dontre Wilson and Jalin Marshall will fill perform double duties being the hybrid backs, and receivers. The speed and versatility of Braxton Miller will make him able to act as a hybrid or receiver as well. Needless to say though, the speed and danger this unit will possess will be second to none.

- Curtis Samuel and Ezekiel Elliott will become the double threat that is our running game. Running games keep defenses on the field, and open the field to wide receivers and tight ends. They ware down defenses and end games quicker.

- Although our defense will lose key personnel (C. Grant, D. Grant, A. Reeves, Bennett, and maybe one or two more) what Larry Johnson, Chris Ash, and Luke Fickell accomplished this year is nothing short of amazing.

- I think that we go undefeated, bring it all back to Columbus once more. Urban Meyer, this coaching staff, and players will act as if they lost the championship this year. This will allow them to stay focused on each game and not get caught up in the media hype that will follow being defending National Champions.

- Our recruiting classes will stay in the top 5 because Freshman watched this years games and saw the success of Freshman on this team. Very few sat on the bench, with most playing significant amounts of time and contributing to the Championship. This years Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors will provide for excellent mentors to the incoming personnel.

- Opposing defenses will have a rough time defending our offense. You stop the running game for a couple series, we will move down the field throwing. You get pressure on our quarterback and stop our throwing game, we have great hybrids and running backs, plus running quarterbacks. Opposing offenses will have their hands full with the reinvented Silver Bullets.

- We are back Buckeye Nation!

Consequences of The Committee

There will always be a team that feels left out, that feels as though their schedule or wins were more impressive then those that made it. Case in point, Baylor's Head Coach is once again claiming that his team was left out by a narrow vote. This what I have to say to that....GET OVER IT! The Committee does not care what college football nation thinks of it. That evidence is quite clear with the one week ranking of TCU at #3, than shortly afterwards dropping to #6.

When Ohio State won the Title and became champions, what they really did was cement the belief that the Committee's train of thought was correct. Although Virginia Tech recked havoc on the Buckeyes all season long, they weathered the storm by winning. They annihilated the Badgers and dominated The Tide and Ducks. Not one person can say with credibility, that if Baylor or TCU would have made the top 4, that they outcome would have been the same. If there is one person that needs to look at the Playoff this year and take drastic measures towards getting into the Playoff, the Big 12 Commissioner is the man to be. For him to say, adding more teams to the Big 12 won't solve anything is arrogant and ignorant. Arrogant in that, he truly believes there is nothing wrong with his conference the way it is constructed. Ignorant in the aspect that, the conference does not need to change to become credible within the conversation near the end of the season.

The Committee has shown that conference championships matter. Ohio State's blueprint for the playoff is relatively simple: one loss or less, division and conference champion. In my opinion the only way for the Big 12 to enter into the Playoff is for the ACC to have a two loss conference championship. Otherwise, Ohio State is cementing itself as the school in the Big Ten, Alabama in the SEC, Oregon in the PAC 12, and TCU in the Big 12. There is no clear cut king of the hill in the ACC.

The End and The Beginning

For those of us that listen to sports radio shows and national media outlets, the Oregon Ducks enter this game as favorites. This feeds right into the mantra that helps fuel Ohio State and this run they are currently on. Ohio State entered this season full of hopes and aspirations. The second week of the season seemed too devastating for the Big Ten to recover from. The rest of the season became a mixture of relentless efforts, the creation of a brotherhood, and an "Us Against The World Mentality." This mixture has propelled the Buckeyes past all the doubters and into the Final against Oregon. The most unlikely of duo, considering only the faithful of the two thought this game would take place.

There were many games circled on this years schedule, which brought us to our knees last year. Michigan is always a test, but Michigan State was circled because of last years Big Ten Championship. We traveled to East Lansing and walked into a stadium that was supposed to give us a loss. We won our Eastern division and walked into Indianapolis against Wisconsin being told, yet again that we were going to lose. We would not be able to stop Melvin Gordon and the Badgers. We were given the ranking of #4 and told that we would face Alabama and that would be it. The unbeatable Crimson Tide would prove once more, that the Big Ten could not hang with the big boys. Ohio State is set to face Oregon Jan. 12, and the infamous Marcus Mariota. An almost unbeatable duo.

The media and college football seem to have a short memory though. We beat Michigan State; We blew out Wisconsin and held Melvin Gordon to 74 yards; We beat Alabama and held Amari Cooper to under 100 yards of receiving. Yet we are still not seen as equals to Oregon. What more do we have to do, not to be underdogs, not to be told our third string quarterback has been getting lucky, not to be told Oregon is too fast for us. Is it not ridiculous that we have the resume we do and yet Oregon is still considered better.

Ohio State wins this game because we have been told all year long that we are not good enough, we have been told all year long that because our conference is weak we are weak, we have been told our 3rd String Quarterback cannot possible compete with just two starts under his belt. These players believe in one another to the extent that they would not be able to look each other in the face if they did not give relentless effort. Our Juniors, Sophomores, and Freshman understand that this game will be the last for the seniors, putting on the Buckeye uniform. These seniors will graduate with a title to their name.

The one thing that can never be taken from this team is to be the Champion of the First College Football Playoff. That title will never be had again.

My Prediction: Ohio State 49 Oregon 24

O-H!

Ohio State and Oregon - Can It Be Done?

The best two teams in the Nations, that nobody thought would get there and boy, were they wrong. Ohio State beat the SEC West in their own back yard. Oregon destroyed Florida State. The problem with Alabama was that their success was half talent, half hype. "Expert and anaylsts" said that Ohio State is most like Auburn and they beat them last year and came close this year. Alabama is too much of everything for Ohio State to compete. We saw how that played out. Florida State played poker like a millionaire. They played like they had no purpose until they realized that teams were giving them their best and it still wasn't enough, so they kicked into another gear and beat their opponent. Florida State gave the ball away with the understanding that their team was better then the other. Oregon proved that they were better then Florida State and basically the whole ACC.

The turnovers the Florida State committed showed their lack of dedication to the fundamentals. After all, Jameis basically through the ball to Oregon after falling down. How obvious could that have been? Oregon was stripping the ball and downright playing like a team that Florida State could not match up with. Ohio State gifted Alabama two touchdowns, and still won. When does that happen?

I believe Ohio State can win this game doing basically what Oregon did to Florida State. Up tempo offense running the ball, combined with short passing plays and quarterback options. Florida State did not know what hit them. Ohio State can win this game basically doing that. Cardale Jones is an absolute beast win running. He does not try to run around, but over. He likes to hit you. Elliott is a back that likes to hit you, bounce off tackles, then run for 230 yards in a game. I believe that Oregon is a physical team, but they have not faced an Urban Meyer Ohio State yet. A Jimbo Florida State is nothing compared to that. Under Jim Tressel, Ohio State stopped a high flying Masoli-Chip Kelly team. Why can't we do the same with another Hall of Fame coach? In the end, I see this game playing out for Ohio State. I see Ohio State putting up 42+ points on Oregon, while Oregon puts up 21.

The Buckeyes will be playing their hearts out. Not only have we stopped one Heisman contender, we stopped two! We were supposed to lose to Michigan State, Wisconsin, and Alabama, but won all three. Now we are supposed to lose to Oregon. Granted, Oregon has Mariota, but Alabama had Cooper, and Wisconsin has Gordon. I see our defense bringing to life the meaning of the silver bullets. Every time a team double teams Bosa, they allow the other 3 defensive linemen through, quite a trade off. Coupled with the play of our linebackers and their offensive line is going to have it tough. Oregon came into the Rose Bowl with Tressel and used a spread option. Tressel's defense played smart. Urban's defense will be the same. Our secondary proved worthy against one of the greatest wide recievers. Make no mistake, this game will be great and hard fought, I just feel Ohio State will win.

What Just Happened... Oh Wait We Won!!!!!

Well, well, well, a few points I feel the need to hit on and explain. First and foremost, our Buckeyes wanted this win more than the Tide, no question about that. Secondly, Alabama may be down, but they are not out. Urban Meyer, his coaching staff, and his players ran onto the field with a sense of purpose more important than winning the game. They ran onto that field with pride and dignity, they ran onto that field with a sense of purpose far beyond lifting a trophy above their heads. Ever since Ohio State was announced as the #4 seed, the onslaught of drama was kicked into high gear. It was relentless and easy to be consumed. This team has been smacked in the face this entire season. From Braxton Miller going down, to Virginia Tech, to relentless media doubters, to J.T. Barrett going down, to being told this defense will give up points. The icing on the cake was when the body of Kosta was found. We can say all of these events brought the team together, but when a comrade's life is taken way too early in life, a win is no longer a win, it's a sense of meaning. That win signified to a Nation, to their opponent, to themselves, and to their fallen comrade, that we are here and we are here to stay. This win was not by accident, it was from a relentless amount of hardwork and personal pressure. That pressure comes from within, meaning each player pushed themselves to leave the field a better player than what they came on. This team may never achieve perfection, but they'll be the closest thing to it.

The Tide are 0-2 in the last two Sugar Bowls. The SEC West did not fair well this bowl season. This does not mean the division is somehow weak or the most dominant, but it does mean that this year, they are down. The most consistent title contenders are those in the SEC West, which cannot be denied. What can be denied though, is their effectiveness. In 7 of 8 National Titles Games, the SEC has been the Champion. However, Florida State broke the cycle against Auburn, and the streak was over. Likewise, Oklahoma beat Alabama in the Sugar Bowl. This year a different kind of streak has started. Texas A&M and Arkansas won in their bowls, but Ole Miss, Miss St., LSU, Auburn, and Alabama all lost. My point is, college football and sports in general do not define winners and losers before the clock starts, they are defined after the final quarter ends. Therefore, when 99% of the season is over, is when 100% of the season is defined.

Something to think about, if I must. I entered into this game hoping and praying that Ohio State won with memories of Tressel and Cooper stuck in the back of my head. I have watched hundreds of games with the expectation of winning the match, only for the game to slip away, therefore; games that I once thought were already won, where not. With this in mind, I watched this game with sheer amazement. In an earlier post, I said Alabama was a mole hill that became a mountain because of the media. Ohio State proved that Thursday night. The biggest difference between what Alabama prepared for and what they got was Urban Meyer and Tom Herman. Alabama revealed that they watched Gators film in 2006 and 2008, then also Gus Malzhan, and Dan Mullen, which is perfectly fine except for one simple fact. None of those coaches are in the present state of mind of Urban Meyer.

This game was won before the Buckeyes stepped on the field. The post game press conference were the most entertaining. Nick Saban shouldered all the blame for the loss, than proceeded to mock the importance of a win, something he is accustomed to achieving. He stated that even though they lost, there were plenty of winners in his locker room. That a trophy does not signify a winner, but instead their effort. What a load of crap! What Ohio State did was beat his team at their best, and as a result they were awarded a trophy and a spot in the Title game. This game was not luck, it was psychological preparation.

Perception vs. Reality

This game is more than just Ohio State vs. Alabama. It's about the pride of conferences. Granted, one would like to think if either win or lose the effect would only effect the teams and not the conference, but we both know that's not true. Alabama wins and the SEC is Gods gift to college football. Alabama loses and the SEC is still Gods gift, it's just this year is a rebuilding year. Nothing changes perception wise. Ohio State on the other hand is simple. You win and you were lucky. You lose and you've done what was expected. Sense some disrespect?

 

The truth is simple. Against LSU, Miss St, and Arkansas, The Tide nearly lost. LSU took them into overtime. Miss St. lost by 5 points, and Arkansas lost by 1 point. LSU lost to Notre Dame, Miss St. has yet to play, and Arkansas destroyed a down Texas Longhorns. These are basically Bama's key wins. If you take 10 minutes and watch highlights of these games, you'll wonder where all the hype is coming from, after all that's the same Bama team we're playing tomorrow night. The hype is coming from the simple fact that Saban's reputation is almost as big as his team. The media can't help but bring up the past successes of both, Urban and Nick, when discussing the keys to this game, as if they mean anything. As there been a vastly dominant team during the entire schedule? No, not really. Auburn and Arkansas had the toughest schedule this year, and they both have at least 3 loses. Oregon has been the most dominant when facing quality opponents, and they have one loss. Even the undefeated Seminoles have come close to losing more then they have blown out an opponent.

 

Anyone that looks at Ohio State may not dig deeper than what they have to, after all it is easy to say the Buckeyes will get manhandled by the infamous Nick Saban. However, for those that follow the team, the infamous Nick Saban may be in for a rough night. Was it not a year ago at this time, that Oklahoma was going through the same situation. In fact, there was not a single analysts nor commentator that did not pick Alabama, furthermore; Alabama was said to be superior at every position. That superiority may be true, but that does not change the outcome does it? This years Ohio State Buckeyes have a striking resemblance to the Ohio State team of 2002. While Nick Saban and Urban stay respectful before the game, during the game may be a different issue. This team has a new face, new attitude, and new personality. It seems the biggest Wild Card is none other than Cardale Jones, which has taken the task of becoming more than just a shadow, but the leader of a National Championship contending team.

 

Sweat does not rise from the body of Cardale Jones, but rather anger and focus. Cardale is angry at the media perception of his own abilities to lead this team. He has made the comment several times, that if J.T. Barrett or Braxton Miller were the starter we would probably be about equal if not favored, but instead because of people's perception of him, they are underdogs. Needless to say, he is out to prove a point. My point is simple, the national perception is that Ohio State will be anything but competitive, when the exact opposite it true. How can one person say Ohio State has no chance when those calling the plays are award winning coaches? 

 

O-H!

What Is The SEC?

 

 

I keep hearing SEC speed, SEC talent, SEC this, SEC that. Whenever a team has fast players, big players, multiple play makers, they are called SEC caliber players. Let's start out with some facts, in terms of college football geography. The SEC stand for South Eastern Conference. The SEC consists of Louisiana (farthest West) to South Carolina (farthest East), with all of the States bordering the Gulf of Mexico, with a few northern States, such as Missouri. I could be wrong because I don't follow the SEC intimately, but as for common knowledge I'm assuming this is it. "SEC talent, skill, and whatever else" is a myth. If SEC speed means you're fast and agile, then is Marcus Mariota SEC quality? Is Melvin Gordon, Montee Ball, James White or Eddie George SEC quality? Is JT Barrett, Braxton Miller, Cardale Jones, Jameis Winston, Rashad Greene or any other top notch player in college football SEC quality? One could assume so, but to assume so would be to assume these players grew up on SEC territory, which most did not. However, some states are split between different conferences.

 

The fact of the matter is this, SEC anything is a myth. What the SEC does have is great coaches and great coaches that develop players into great players. The same can be said about any other conference. Oregon has great players that are from States outside the SEC. Traditional Powers, Oklahoma and Texas have had great players from outside the SEC as well. Ohio State and the Big Ten in general have developed nobodies into somebody's, and they're in the North. The argument could be had that the SEC gets the best players, which could be true. That means, however, that coaches from other schools have to do a better job of selling their program. How hard can that be? If one were to pay attention to all of the teams that have won Super Bowls, what area of the country do most come from? The North. New England, Green Bay, Baltimore, Seattle, Pittsburgh, etc. When's the last time any team from the South had won with the exception of the Saints? No one from Florida, Texas, Carolina, Atlanta, or any place in the SEC. When's last team from a warm climate to win a Super Bowl? Or indoor? To sell the Big Ten would be an easy sell.

 

Sure playing in college, in a predominantly warm environment is nice, but say goodbye to that once you get drafted, unless you get lucky enough for a warm climate, then good luck getting to the Super Bowl. The fact of the matter is simple, to recruit for future NFL players, is to point out that those carrying the Lombardi Trophy are predominantly from the Northern, colder climates, not the South. You want a chance, come to the North. I realize that players can be conditioned to play in any climate, that they choose a University based upon their chances of a title or for whatever reason. However, look at all the successful players or QBs; where did they come from? Tim Tebow is not playing anymore. AJ McCarron is hurt, Greg McElroy isn't playing. Those are three very successful Southern college QBs. However, look who is starting, Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady, Russell Wilson, Ben Rothlesberger, Joe Flaco, Drew Brees, etc. These QBs weren't from the South.

 

Whatever investment ESPN makes, they have the resources to advertise that brand into popularity and dominance. What happens if Ohio State and Oregon lose, than Florida State beats Alabama? Will the narrative still be the SECs dominance? Over the fact that Florida State hasn't lost a game in 2 years, including Bowl Games. Including the two best teams the last two years from the SEC. It would be interesting to find out. What if its Ohio State and Florida State? Would ESPN find a way to mention the SEC in the title game even though Alabama was knocked out?

 

The point is this, the region of the country you play in does not matter, it's the coaching staff. Whether a college team wins a title or not, does not matter, it's the players further development once they get into the NFL that does. What good is a team that wins titles, but which their drafted players end up doing nothing in the Pros? I don't see anyone saying Oregon or Florida State has SEC talent? Ohio State is entering the Sugar Bowl with an arsenal of talented and motivated players. Do they match up well with what Alabama brings to the table? I think so. Do these matchups mean Ohio State has SEC talent on their roster? No, that means all the players on the roster were developed by great coaches that have a variety of coaching experience. Urban Meyer and Chris Ash came from the SEC, Larry Johnson came from Penn State, Ed Warriner came from the Big 12, Tom Herman came from the MAC, Stan Drayton came from Florida, and the other coaches came from a variety of backgrounds. Does this mean Ohio State will win the Sugar Bowl? No, but it means that the talent we have on our rosters were coached by great coaches.

 

 

What is Talent?

During all of this hoopla, the topic that has been driving me nuts is the word talent. Why? Every sports writer I have read or listened to has made it their mission to talk about how much more talent Alabama has over Ohio State. It is mentally annoying to think that Alabama will win this game based upon talent. Do not get me wrong, talent is needed, but what is more important is the coaching that develops whether the player is rated at 2 or 5 stars. And another thing, if recruiting classes really mattered, Alabama would have been the 7 time National Champion, but they are not. Respectfully, Auburn and Oklahoma have had lesser ranking of recruiting classes, yet they handed Alabama their two losses last year. This year, Ole Miss's recruiting class was not even mentioned in the top 10, yet they handed them a loss this year. So, talent does play a role in the likelihood a team will be successful, but more importantly it is the coaching staff. Another issue I am having, amongst others, is the defensive mastermind of Nick Saban and Kirby Smart. These two are among the best in the business at stopping teams, scoring points, and getting the Win. However, among the other best coaches out there, you may find Pat Narduzzi, Greg Mattison and Mark Dantonio.Go figure three Big Ten coaches that have mastered their craft of stopping an offense. What these three coaches have in common though, Urban Meyer beat all of them!

The media would like for you to think that the best of the best reside in the South, which may be true to an extent. Case in point, Nick Saban started his coaching career in Ohio, Les Miles played for Michigan. Two of the most prominent SEC coaches have their roots in Ohio, even though their mind has been melted by the powers that be. Lets get back to what I was saying earlier about talent. The Tide have their talent in Cooper, Henry, Yeldon, White, and Sims. The Buckeyes have their talent in Wilson, Marshall, D. Smith, Michael Thomas, Ezekiel Elliot, Curtis Samuel, Cardale Jones, Nick Vannett, and Jeff Heuerman. Just by this alone, Ohio State has more talent. Talent will not be an issue for this game, considering both sides have an abundance. What will win this game is the coaching. The biggest downside for Saban is that his coaching style has no changed immensly, there are 12 games for the Buckeyes to watch, and Blake Sims is just as green as Cardale Jones. Sure, Cardale has played in one major game in his career, but Blake is still a first year starter, just like Jones. The biggest advantage for Urban Meyer is that the quarterback as so many weapons and he has a great coaching staff.

Before the Michigan State game, the hype was whether or not Ohio State could move the ball against the tough Spartan defense. Well we saw how that went. Make no mistake about it, Lane Kiffin is no match for Urban Meyer, where the match will be is between Larry Johnson, Luke Fickell, and Chris Ash against Nick Saban and Kirby Smart. If I was Urban, I would show Saban something he did not think would happen. Turn Cardale into a dual threat. During the Big Ten Championship he showed the awareness of pressure, in which he simply stepped back and ran the opposite way. If Cardale shows he can run and the passing game comes about, then Elliot will have the chance to do something very few have done and that is run. I see our defense stepping up again and stopping the run, forcing Sims to run and the passing game to become more. However, I think Grant and McMillan will spy on Sims enough to where his running abilities will be few and far between. Cooper won't be taken out of the game, but his productivity won't be what everyone thinks it will.

This game is simple, let it all hang out. Why not? What is there to lose? This team and coaching staff have all the talent and brains in the world to overcome a team that hasn't really been tested. You could say that LSU and Arkansas tested them, but they came out victorious, which is true. Troy Smtih was a 2 star recuit, that became a Heisman Trophy winner and he was recuited and coached by Jim Tressel. What do you think a team coached and recruited by Urban Meyer and his staff can do? So I must ask again, what is talent? The stars beside a players name or the development of a young player and his coaches?

Bob Stoops and Gus Malzahn beat the all mighty Nick Saban last year in back to back fashion in two championship bowl games. Their recruiting classes did not seem to matter, but they still won. One cannot say that Ohio State will not be prepared to win this game. One cannot say that Nick Saban will destroy our Buckeyes, but what one can say is that, these teams are evenly matched for the moment.

As I have faith in my time, I will always exepect them to win the game. This game is no different!
 O-H!

Bama Can Be Beat

 

The reputation of Alabama is almost as unbeatable as the team itself. While Saban has been one of the most consistent coaches in the country at winning and winning big, the Crimson Tide have not been perfect the last couples years. During last years Iron Bowl and Sugar Bowl, the Crimson Tide's weaknesses were exposed enough for them to lose. In this post, my strategy for beating Alabama will be put forth. Saban's defense has shown it's dominance versus teams that depend upon their running game to establish other parts of their offense. In which case, no running game, their opponent has a difficult time sustaining drives and winning the game. When Manziel was at Texas A&M, he beat the Crimson Tide with his feet and a weak, but experienced secondary. The same can be said for Auburn, Oklahoma, and Ole Miss, which have all dealt the Crimson Tide an "L."

With three weeks to prepare for a showdown, both Urban and Nick have ample time to realize and exploit each others weakness. The key for the Buckeyes is penetration and disciplined football. Many examples of this rest in the Big Ten Championship game, where Melvin Gordon was held to 74 yards the WHOLE GAME. Our defense will have to be very disciplined and physical. Bosa, Bennett, Washington, and Frazier (granted the front four were subbed in and out) did a great job of collapsing the pocket. Larry Johnson will have a fun time (yes I am being sarcastic) creating defensive line strategies that will confuse the Alabama offensive line enough to get pressure on a mobile quarterback. Luke Fickell will have to rotate and create different schemes, in which line backers are sent for blitzes, as well as keep them in coverage to guard against the passing game and running. Chris Ash and Kerry Combs have the task of guarding Amari Cooper and the rest of the wide receiving core. On the flip side, Urban and Tom have the task of creating match ups with the advantages going to Ohio State. First and foremost, I would have Jalin, Jones, Elliot, and a couple wide receivers on the field at all times. During the Big Ten Championship, Jalin did something Buckeye Nation has been waiting for, throw the ball. Now Alabama has to guard against Jones and Jalin having the ability to do the same thing accurately during any play they are on the field together. It is said that Alabama's defensive line will stop our running game. Well, that is a simple fix. At that time, we will have Samuel, Elliot, Jalin, and Wilson as players that can run from the back field, either as running backs or as hybrid backs. These four will have to run around the front 4 or however many players are on the line. Is it really that difficult to understand? Spreading out Bama's defense will allow running attacks up the middle, until their defense and Kirby Smart have to commit to stopping one before the other. Jones has already proved he has an arm, why not throw some deep balls to Devin Smith? Recently, Elliot has proven to be smaller version of Carlos Hyde with his ability to bounce off hits, run though tackles, and sprint down the field.

In the end, I think the Buckeyes stun College Football with a victory and send Nick back to Tuscaloosa with another "L." I come to this conclusion with this simple acknowledgement. At this point, what do we have to lose? If we lose, (granted I don't want to think like that) we were in the inaugural playoffs with the Nation's top, although it won't count for anything besides luck in the eyes of naysayers and those that believe the Big Ten is weak. However, with a win we move onto the "King" of them all against the winner of Oregon and Florida State (I am thinking the Seminoles.....unfortunately). In other words, we have nothing to lose. I keep hearing analysts and announcers say, Ohio State wishes they were put at #3 so they go up against Oregon, but than again, what better way to prove you're the best and the SEC is overrated, than to beat the King of the SEC?

In closing, this game should not be as lopsided as everyone thinks, and the only that happens is if Ohio State plays defense and offense as they have most of the year. However, we come away with a win if we play like we did at Michigan State and the Big Ten Championship.

GO BUCKS!

Ohio State and Alabama

Basically as soon as the Playoff Committee released their rankings there has been a constantly shackling of Ohio State, both by those who thought they should not have gotten in and those who are previewing the Sugar Bowl. Let me just say this to those who do not think we should have gotten in, "Get Over IT!" Now onto those who are saying the Sugar will be a shackling because of the dominate nature of Alabama and SEC, against the weak and laughable Ohio State and Big Ten. Every media clip I have seen has talked about the physical nature of Alabama and the preparation of Nick Saban. While Nick Saban is dominate, the same can be said about Urban Meyer. I have heard nothing but, with Nick Saban having more than a week to prepare, he is 42-7, which is fine. However, cannot the same thing be said about Urban Meyer? Look at how Cardale performed with a week of preparation. He was flawless!

Alabama's reputation stems from the fact that their National Championship runs are not few and far between, as in other conferences, but every year. Every year, the preseason polls have Alabama in the top 3, if not #1. And every year, they finish in the top 3 regardless of wins and losses. Ohio State on the other hand has a history of dominating or being stronger in more areas then they are weaker in, just to not finish the season strong. Is this season any different? One thing we can all agree on is this, Ohio State can play with any team in America. If you look at Alabama's schedule and Ohio State's play during the Championship, there is no doubt, that if the same effort is given, this will be a game. Alabama, as strong as they are, are weak as well. All someone has to do is watch Ole Miss, LSU, Mississippi State, and Auburn. These games show that Alabama, as good as they are, can be beaten.

To say Ohio State has the chance because the essence of Nick Saban alone, will destroy our team is ludicrous. Ohio State has just as much of a chance of beating Alabama, as any other team that did beat Alabama. Think about the last couple years, the last two games of last year, Alabama lost. They lost against Auburn and Oklahoma, then this year, Ole Miss. Both Auburn and Oklahoma have spread offenses and defenses that are difficult to defend against. Nick Saban is a man of habit. Urban Meyer is a man that is constantly molding his offense to stout and aggressive defenses. I cannot say that Ohio State will win this game because one game of dominance does not mean this is what we have to look forward to, however; I believe we have a chance. If Ohio State wins this game, the essence Nick Saban and the SEC will begin to fall. Ohio State, itself, will not prove Alabama is a paper tiger, but it will prove something everyone outside the Big 10 thinks, that Ohio State is the only dominate team in the conference. However, if the Big Ten in general does well during the Bowl season, than the reputation of the Big Ten will increase. The nail in the coffin of the SEC will be the next coach of Michigan. When push comes to shove, I would never underestimate the Ohio State Buckeyes.

I cannot say that Win or Lose, this team will have proved something against Alabama, because a loss means Alabama and the SEC are as dominate as they are perceived to be, and that the Big Ten is as weak as perceived to be. Lets face, the Big Ten will be judged by Ohio State, not the other bowl games. We are the face of the Big Ten. I do not see a reason why we would not win this game, however; a win speaks volumes about both conferences. The Big Ten will be back someday, hopefully it is this year.

O-H!!!

Why Ohio State Won And Became #4

 

I think we can all admit that we didn't see the Championship ending the way it did. However, I'm not at all surprised. Ohio State entered the game underdogs by 4 points. The elusive Melvin Gordon was supposed to run all over our dilapidated defense. Stave was supposed to throw against our young and inexperienced secondary as he chose. Ohio State was supposed to shrink inside itself with a third string quarterback and have our defense be handled by an experienced Wisconsin Offensive line. I don't think I saw or heard one person, that was unbiased, pick Ohio State, which is quite typical. Even during the Michigan State game, we were underdogs and still won by a couple touchdowns. If there is one thing Ohio State has shown Buckeye Nation and college football itself, do not underestimate us!

Well let's just say Wow! Absolute domination in all areas of the game. Ohio State did exactly what they needed to, score early, score often, and stop the Badgers. Cardale silenced the critics on the first drive of the game. Elliot proved his worth by running for over 200 yards, against a defensive that was supposed to overpower us.This team played with emotion that Wisconsin could never match. Wisconsin could not match our intensity, nor anything we threw at them. The war was over before it started. Wisconsin believed in the narrative the nation was spewing out and Ohio State never did. Our coaching staff showed the country, Bring It On! Ohio State became the team Buckeye Nation knew existed all along. 

Last year, this team had a chip on it's shoulder. That chip was this, we will run all over you because we can. We will run all over you to cover up our weaknesses at wide receiver, and the defense in general. We thought, we were going to take it all. Obviously the Spartans took that all away and gave us the greatest weapon of all, the feeling of not finishing because we thought we had it. We entered this season underdogs as soon as we took the field. No one gave us credit, just a ranking in the top 5. We treated every team as if they were better than us, as if they were champions and we had something to prove. Like Florida State, a win is a win and that's all that mattered. Through all the turmoil the Seminoles have been through, they are still undefeated after 29 games. Quite amazing when you think about. Out of all the game film an opponent can watch on Florida State, no one has yet to beat them. In Ohio State's instance, the Buckeyes are young, very young, are operating under a new defensive scheme, considering Larry Johnson and Chris Ash are first year coaches here. The majority of our offense is new and has very little experience. Our first Heisman Candidate Braxton Miller went down before the year started. Second Heisman Candidate, JT Barrett learned the offense as quickly as he could, then went down during the last game of the year. Our third and final quarterback, Cardale Jones, put the offense on his arm during his first start and took it to the Badgers defense. Needless to say no one saw this season happening like this, except for the faithful.

The Playoff Committee made it clear that each week the teams in the top 5 and 10 would be evaluated as if the last week did not happen, that conference championships would be honored, and wins and losses mattered. The first point, each week would be evaluated based upon a premise that the previous week did not exist explains the TCU and Baylor dilemma. The final week of the season ended a week early for TCU, but that is not the reason for their drop in the polls. TCU dropped three spots because of their final opponent, and had nothing to do with their brand name. TCU played Iowa State, and demolished them, like they should have. However, Baylor played a ranked Kansas State and Ohio State played a ranked Wisconsin. Baylor won, but did not blow out Kansas State, but also beat TCU at the beginning of the year. Ohio State destroyed Wisconsin with a blowout, which made a much stronger statement towards the coveted fourth spot. The final nail in the coffin for TCU and Baylor was no championship game and the manner, in which the Big 12 Commissioner handled the final week. First and foremost, to present Baylor and TCU as Champs is a slap in the face of Baylor, who beat them. If anything, Baylor should be the Champs of the Big 12, not TCU. Secondly, there is no championship game. Without a decisive winner and championship game, what is there to grade one conference on, that the others that do have a championship can not outright blow out of the water. I would recommend the Big 12 invite a couple teams from surrounding areas into their conference, in order to create a championship game. 

I would like to talk a little about what Kosta Karageorge ment to this team. Michael Bennett wore his number during the Championship. Elliot wrote something on his uniform, the entire team wore his number on their helmets, and twitter entry after entry paid homage to this young man. This young man felt like a failure even though he was anything but. His contribution to this team will never end because the memory of this young man will last forever. As a Buckeye Fan, his family has my condolences. 

Do Brand Names matter? Does playing for The Ohio State Buckeyes, The Alabama Crimson Tide, The Oregon Ducks, The Florida State Seminoles, or any other The ...... matter? To say Ohio State is #4 because they are Ohio State is stupid and ignorant. Ohio State is #4 because they are conference champions!Alabama is #1 because they beat the #1 team at the time and conference champions. Oregon is #2 because they are conference champions, so on and so forth. Having a title does not matter, it is up to the commissioners of each conference to put their teams in the best possible situation to play for it all, or fail and start again next year. TCU and Baylor should not be blaming Ohio State nor the Committee for their choices, but their commissioner for not having a championship game. Pundits and analysts should not be blaming Ohio State for being #4, nor the Committee, but instead the Commissioner of the Big 12. It is that simple! How is it a bad thing, to take on another team in a lower conference, and put them into a Power 5 Conference? Not only does your revenue increase because of all the profit one school brings to the mix, but also the television audience watching that team. Just look at the Big 10 taking on Maryland and Rutgers.

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