It just goes to show how sports, and breaking sports news can get blown way out of proportion on Twitter. I’m not so sure that people understand that until Gene Smith or Tressel himself talk about it, there is no truth. Two recruits as “sources” don’t exactly add up to enough to pack his bags himself. Why can’t he name the recruits? Not sure why not if he claims he will stand by his sources.

All has pretty much ended well and died down, which started with Gene Smith himself on Twitter saying the rumors are “not true”. Until ESPN or Ohio State releases a real statement about this, which probably won’t happen, things in Buckeye Nation will be all calm and we can live as much peace and harmony as possible after this crazy week.

The Big Ten Network has just released the new conference divisions that will take place in solely football for the 2011 season and on. Included in this change is the separation of arch rivals Ohio State and Michigan. In the new alignment, the first conference includes Illinois, Indiana, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue and Wisconsin. In the other division is Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska and Northwestern. Building up to the realignment was speculation whether or not the protected rivalries would retain their place on the schedule. According to Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany, these rivalry games will keep their place on the schedule, so fans in Columbus and Ann Arbor will no longer fear losing the “Game,” which has lost some of it’s importance since Rich Rodriguez arrived on the scene. The heavily anticipated Big Ten Championship Game will take place on December 3, 2011 at Lucas Oil Stadium, marking the first time the 115 year old conference has had a championship game in football. This is what Delany had to say on the change;

“We focused on competitive equality, traditional rivalries and geography. We considered multiple models and countless permutations in an effort to achieve the most competitively balanced divisions while at the same time respecting our traditions, preserving existing rivalries, and creating opportunities for the establishment and growth of new rivalries. We have listened to the feedback from our institutions, alumni and fans, and while we understand that no final alignments could possibly satisfy all of our constituents, we believe that we have achieved a very exciting result.”

Fresh off a Rose Bowl victory and arguably his best performance thus far in his career at Ohio State, Terrelle Pryor has fans around the Buckeye State confident in his performance. Initially coming out of Jeanette High School in Pennsylvania, Pryor looked as if he was the best QB commit the Buckeyes had received in recent memory. With the signing of Braxton Miller, who according to ESPN is the no.2 signal caller in the nation, it’s clear to see that Jim Tressel found his replacement to TP, or did he upgrade? For Pryor, his running ability is what set him apart from the rest of the quarterbacks in his class. But for Miller, his legs are only an add on to an already superb passing game. And what makes Miller a more intriguing prospect is the fact that he has been clocked various times in the 40 running 4.4′s. Scary. It has been expected since he came onto campus that Pryor would be gone after his junior season, and if this does happen, it will clearly open the window for Miller to come in and take the job, with Kenny Guiton being the only reasonable competition for the spot. The thing Miller has over Pryor in this situation, is that Miller is well advanced for his age when it comes to the passing game. This is what ESPN Scouts had to say about Miller.

“ He has a big arm and can make every single throw. This offense provides him opportunities to stretch the field both outside of the numbers and between the hashes. Shows good velocity on his deeper throws. Can fit the ball into a lot of tight spots. He does a very nice job surveying the field and goes through his progressions.”

“Shows ability to change velocities and throw catchable balls underneath. He also shows good accuracy and touch in the short-to-intermediate passing game. Release mechanics are compact, but can be about 3/4. He is in the shotgun most of the time and needs more reps from under center to develop as a drop-back passer reading on the move. Possesses good lateral movement and shows the ability to slip pressure and create second-chance opportunities. He has very good speed for the position. He is elusive and quick for his size and displays some start and stop ability.”

For all of Buckeye nation, this scouting report is very promising. Not since the days of Troy Smith have the Buckeye had a consistent passing game. But with Miller, it seems that the Ohio State offense will be able to expand the spread offense, as this is what he has ran in all three years at Huber Heights Wayne. Dangerous once he is in open field, it’s very clear that the Buckeyes won’t lose anything in the ground game from their quarterbacks once Pryor is gone.

What will hurt Miller once he is on campus is the expectations that will be waiting for him. In two very solid seasons under center, Pryor has been criticized heavily, despite winning 18 of 21 games as a starter, including wins over Oregon in the Rose Bowl, at Penn State and home against Iowa, the defending Orange Bowl champions. Compiling 3405 yards and 30 TD’s through the air, the job Pryor has done thus far in his career is quite astounding. Considering the pressure that was thrust upon him upon arrival, there isn’t much to knock on Pryor. Going into the last three games of ’09, the inability to win “the big one” is what hurt Pryor the most. But after defeating the aforementioned Penn State and Iowa, and winning on the road against Michigan, the Rose Bowl victory only put those notions to rest. When Miller comes into the starting role, I expect his expectations to be much higher, as only two days after he committed to Ohio State, most analysts and fans are concluding that he will be better than Pryor. For now, I see him as a mere replacement to Pryor, but not yet an upgrade. For that to happen, Miller must improve the passing offense his freshman year, along with equaling the things Pryor has done on the ground. Either way, the quarterback position for the Buckeyes has been solidified for the next five years.

After an 11-year battle with cancer, Stefanie Spielman passed away today at the age of 42. Wife of ex-Ohio State linebacker Chris Spielman, Stefanie had been fighting cancer since she was first diagnosed on July 11th, 1998. Her cancer had come and gone three times before the final time she learned the cancer had come back in March 2007. She was the face of breast cancer awareness for millions of women from all walks of life.

LIVESTRONG founder Lance Armstrong had this to say about her passing today.

“Today we have lost a leader in the fight against cancer. Stefanie was a living example of courage and strength to everyone around her. Her perseverance was unmatchable. While the cancer community marks her passing, my family and I will keep the Spielmans in our thoughts as they say goodbye to their beloved wife and mother. For her sake, we will continue the battle she fought against a disease that claims too many women all over the world.”

Her husband, Chris, played at Ohio State from 1984-’87, and played high school football in Ohio at Massilon Washington High School.

On a day where the Ohio State offense had Terrelle Pryor complete 82% of his passes, Brandon Saine and Boom Herron both rush for a combined 200 yards and a backup quarterback making his first career start in a stadium ten times the size of his hometown, many would think the Buckeyes would roll. This was the opposite today as it took an overtime goal, I mean field goal from the former MLS pro Devin Barclay in a game where Ohio State defeated #10 Iowa 27-24 in front of 105,455 frantic fans.

Already without the effective Aaron Pettrey at kicker, many thought Ohio State wouldn’t need Barclay, as with just over 11 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, the Buckeyes led the Hawkeyes by two touchdowns, 24-10. Everything including myself, with exceptions to Kaeli Parcel, thought the Buckeyes had the victory and the Rose Bowl in the bag. But with College Football, anything can happen. And anything and everything did happen, as after a 49 yard touchdown run by Boom Herron put the Buckeyes ahead two scores, the Hawkeyes struck back, with a 99 yard kick return coming at the legs of Darrell Johnson-Koulianos.

 Good teams play good football in the clutch and Kirk Ferentz’s squad did just that, stopping the Buckeyes on their next possession and with all of Hawkeye nation riding on his shoulders, fill in Ryan Vandenburg conducted a near perfect drive capping it off with a ten yard strike to Martin McNutt, which tied the game with less than three minutes remaining. Running an offense that’s not exactly built for the typical two minute drill, the Ohio State offense played Tresselball, running two consecutive run plays then throwing a short dump pattern to Saine on third and eight, which caused Ohio State to punt. When many Ohio State fans thought the Hawkeyes would attempt to drive down the field and win in the fourth quarter for the fifth time this season, Kirk Ferentz took a page out of Tressel’s book and decided to run the clock out. Going into overtime, the game was destined to go in Ohio State’s favor.

 Blessed with an extremely athletic bunch of athletes on defense, the Silver Bullets played their best ball of the night, causing Vandenburg to throw it away on first, then Ross Homan’s stop of Adam Robinson set up a third and 15 that decided the game. Looking like a proven veteran the entire night, Vandenburg made the worst decision he possibly could have made. As the pocket broke down, Vandenburg tried to scramble out of the pocket, being forced backwards and refusing to get rid of the ball, Doug Worthington brough him down 11 yards in the backfield and put Iowa well out of field goal range. With fourth and 26, the Hawkeyes’ chances of scoring were diminished. Sending it deep and hoping for a prayer, Vandenburg threw his third pick of the night as Anderson Russell grabbed his second on Saturday, this time an overthrown bomb that had no chance of being caught, well at least for Iowa.

 Now with the ball at their own 25 and an inexperienced kicker waiting on the sidelines for his chance, most of Buckeye Nation wanted Tressel to be a little more aggressive and get better field position. Well with the good ole Sweater Vest Jim running things on offense, the expected never happens, as three run plays later, the Buckeyes had the ball in the middle of the field at the 22, a 39 yard attempt for Barclay who coming into the kick was 2-5 in attempts longer than 30 yards. On an extremely mild night in Columbus, a town where the weather changes more than President Obama’s stance on the War in Iraq, the kick seemed like it hung in the air forever.

 But in the end, the kick was good and the Buckeyes had punched their ticket to Pasadena. Having not played in the Rose Bowl since 1997, Ohio State was once again BCS bound and free from playing USC again as the Trojans were romped by the Stanford Cardinal, 55-21 in Los Angeles. With Oregon and Arizona as the likely suitors for Ohio State’s opponent, each scenarios look good. Both teams are beatable and with the way the defense has been playing, it seems like nobody can bring down this Buckeye team when things are clicking. But for now let’s celebrate this win and focus on Michigan next week, a team that is tied for last in the Big Ten after a loss to Wisconsin where the terrible Wolverine secondary was exposed yet again. With their postseason plans already settled, it is a must that this team stayed focused for next week’s game. If so, this fifth straight Big Ten title will be even more rejuvenating as Tressel’s squad will have defeated Michigan for the sixth straight time. As another Senior Night ended in a win, this victory over Iowa was benefitial to Ohio State fans who finally witnessed the Buckeyes coming up clutch when it mattered most and leaving the field victorious.

I’m back!!! After a long and grueling two month period without an internet connection at my house, I am back on reporting duty for Behind The Box Score. To start my process back, I would like to talk about the Ohio State Buckeyes, a team led by a sometimes hated quarterback, a heavily conservative coach and a defense that would even make Arnold Swartzenegger cringe. Ten games into the season, it looks as if this team is going to another BCS Bowl Game, no not the Fiesta Bowl, this time the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. Another good part of the situation, the Buckeyes, with a win on Saturday, are likely to play the newly re-instated LeGarette “KO” Blount and the Oregon Ducks, no, not the USC Trojans.

Fresh off a 24-7 victory over Penn State in Happy Valley, the Buckeyes (8-2, [5-1]) face an Iowa team coming off a shocking loss at home to Northwestern, which the Hawkeye faithful sa Kirk Ferentz’s team lose not only their undefeated season but clutch quarterback Ricky Stanzi to an ankle injury that will have him sidelined for the rest of the season. A team that had been so great in the fourth quarter behind the calm and collected Stanzi, now face a tough rest of the season, with sophomore Ryan Vandenburg behind center and a trip to Columbus. The complete opposite was the case for Ohio State, as the Buckeyes ACTUALLY won a big game Saturday. Behind the arms and legs of Terrelle Pryor, the Ohio State offense found a groove, roaring out to an early lead behind a seven yard scamper from Pryor, getting the Buckeyes into the endzone. By halftime, Tresselball had paid off and Ohio State led 10-7. Going into the second half, to the average Buckeye fan, the situation looked all too similar. Throughout the past three big games, Ohio State had played well the entire game and then faltered late to lose the game. This wasn’t happening on Saturday, as late in the third quarter Pryor and DeVier Posey hooked up for a 62 yard touchdown pass on first down noless, really shows that Hell can freeze over. Holding a 17-7 lead, this Buckeye defense would not relent. Behind the mercilessness of Cameron Heyward, who had two sacks and was wrecking havoc on any lineman the Nittany Lions put on him, Ohio State limited Penn State to 201 yards of total offense, well below their normal average. Grinding out the final fifteen, Ohio State scored again on a six yard pass from Pryor to Brandon Saine that put any comeback virtually out of reach. Leaving Beaver Stadium unscathed, a showdown in the ‘Shoe was eminent to happen.

The game Saturday against Iowa is one that could either make or break Ohio State’s season. Favored by 17 points, it’s very likely that the Buckeyes will once again win with defense and have a few spectacular plays sprinkled in from Pryor. If TP can cut down on his mistakes, and keep the defense guessing with his superior blend of athleticism, there is no reason Ohio State won’t roll. Vandenburg completed a measly nine of 27 passes on a Wildcat defense that saw the Buckeyes drop 45 on them in Evanston last year. With that said, this game is Ohio State’s and there is nothing the Hawkeyes can do to take it away. Allowing only 14 points the past three weeks, Hawkeyes RB Brandon Wehger will need to have a great game for this one to swing Iowa’s way. Shutting down star back Evan Royster last week, Wehger, who lacks the athletic ability of Royster, will be another name on the long list of running backs to not reach the 100 yard milestone against this defense. When it’s all said and done, Ohio State wins 28-7.

For the Michigan game this year, you can expect something different in the look of the game. As it seems every single football team from college to the NFL has done so far in 2009, Ohio State is donning retro uni’s for the 106th installment of The Game. Ex-Buckeye Brandon Smith placed pictures on his Twitter feed of the new jerseys and helmet. The only other time that Ohio State wore throwbacks were in 1993, the 25-year anniversary of the 1968 win over Michigan 50-14. The 2003 game was the only time something a patch was sewn on the jerseys for a regular season game, for the 100th meeting between the Bucks and the maize and blue.

Personally, I don’t like these jerseys. They are just another money making venture for Nike, who probably will sell a crap load of these. Other teams in college football have worn different jerseys this year, but I never thought I’d see Ohio State give in to the big empire of Nike. The throwback idea is going to unfortunately sweep through the college football atmosphere just like it did with the NFL, wearing their original AFL teams uniforms. At least they are only wearing them once. “Again, this is a one-time opportunity to honor a great championship team,” Ohio State AD Gene Smith said. “We have no plans to make any changes to the traditional Buckeye uniform for the foreseeable future.”

Comment on this, tell me what you think of these uniforms, and if its a good idea.

After another loss in a big game against a top five team, Ohio State coach Jim Tressel has now made it a habit for the Buckeyes to falter in these games. While many Buckeye fans will object to any such coaching change, after thinking thoroughly for the past five days, note zero posts in that time period, Jim Tressel may not have the superior job security he boasted only three years ago. Tressel’s predecessor, John Cooper, was fired because he couldn’t beat Michigan, something  Jim has made a habit in his nine year tenure. But with losses to primetime non conference foes in bowl games and early regular season matchups, Tressel’s fate may be going down the same path. Lacking a true play calling ability and an overly conservative gameplan in the games that matter most, the Baldwin-Wallace grad has upset many fans with his inability to coach and win the game the past three seasons. Now, I will go into why Tressel and Cooper may be similar with the end of their careers on the horizon.

Winning a national championship in what seemed ages ago,Jim Tressel hasn’t won a bowl game since 2005. The Buckeyes have struggled against anyone that had a bit of primetime talent and the national respectability has also faltered. Let’s go back to 2002, the year of Tressel. Storming out to an undefeated season with a roster full of Cooper recruits, with exceptions to Maurice Clarett and AJ Hawk, the Buckeyes experienced an unbelievable season capped off with an even more out of this world defeat of the Miami Hurricanes in the BCS Championship. After this victory, many fans, including myself, believed the Buckeyes had found their next great coach, in the same discussion as Paul Brown, Woody Hayes and the aforementioned Cooper. Taking Ohio State to BCS bowl games every year except 2004 in a weak Big Ten, one at first can’t possibly think of a reason why the “Sweater Vest,” would be on the hot seat, or at least be qualified for it. But here are the reasons:

 First, yes, Tressel has beaten Michigan nearly every season but the talent levels in the teams he has faced and the ones Cooper faced in the 90′s are strikingly different. Tressel has faced teams that have been decent, while the teams Cooper couldn’t beat featured players such as Tom Brady, Ty Law, Ian Gold and Tim Biakabutuka, just to name a few. The Wolverines of the 90′s were arguably the best team in the Big Ten, a conference that was as strong as any with teams such as Northwestern, Wisconsin, and Purdue making it to the Rose Bowl in that time period. Now, the conference is down, as only one team won a bowl game last season and the others were embarrassed in their matchups.

 Next, Cooper could win the big non conference game, something Tressel has struggled at doing. During the Cooper era, Ohio State went out and scheduled big time teams and beat them handily, along with going to bowl games and winning big BCS bowls such as the Rose Bowl victory over Arizona State and the Sugar Bowl win over Texas A&M, now its a major suprise if the Buckeyes can muster out a victory, with most of the more recent games serving as moral victories for Ohio State, if there is such a thing for the university that is proceeded with, “The.” The non conference foes the Tressel has lost to have been arguably the equivalent of the Michigan teams that Cooper lost to, something that should cause concern for Jim.

 Lastly, Tressel is overly loyal to his assistant coaches, something that can’t happen for a school that has an unsuccessful season if the players aren’t kissing the crystal ball at the end of the year. It’s no surprise the Buckeyes have been defeated in their big games, Tressel flat out can’t call plays and offensive coordinator Jim Bollman is no adventurist himself.  When college coordinator after coordinator have been jumping to the NFL for opportunites or even head coaching jobs, nothing can be said for the Buckeyes. Bollman has remained at the same position for all nine seasons, with no job opportunites hanging in the distance. That has to alarm somebody. Reeling in top recruiting classes each season, the Buckeyes have too much talent to be exposed every year on national TV.

 The perfect example is Terrelle Pryor. The loyality to the coaching staff has done nothing for the sophomore QB who hasn’t shown any mechanical improvement in his throwing and has not been used the correct way. At 6’6″ 235 lbs and running a 4.33 forty yard dash, Pryor should not be in the I formation, and neither should Boom Herron, the starting tailback who tops out at about 190. Spread things out, the Buckeyes have the receivers. Going eight deep at the position, Tressel is stupid if he doesn’t make a change and give Pryor more than two options to throw to when passing is eminent. USC exposed Tressel’s weaknesses on the offensive side of the ball as Pete Carroll showed confidence and a belief in his team, going for it multiple times on fourth down and running plays that made sense, not the options the Buckeyes tried to run when the average fan realized the Trojans had perfect containment all night.  Some have said Pryor could be the best runner in the Big Ten, why doesn’t he run more? All these questions should be answered by Tressel who today blamed youth for Pryor’s troubles at quarterback. Last time I checked, USC had a YOUNGER quarterback operating the system in front of the largest crowd in Ohio Stadium’s 87 year history. The conservative gig is up Tressel, hire some youth and learn the game, or relieve yourself of your duties as head coach of “the” Ohio State University. Like you said, the fan base is hurting, and you’re one of the main reasons for it.

Once upon a time the Ohio State Buckeyes were heavily respected within college football circles. Winning big time games against non conference foes, Ohio State was one of the most feared teams in America. Winning BCS bowl games, matching up athletically on both sides of the ball and game planning correctly, the Buckeyes were a version of this year’s Floridas, Texas’ and USC’s.

 Following the drubbings to Florida and LSU in title games and losses to USC, Penn State and Texas in the Fiesta Bowl, Jim Tressel’s squad hardly gets any respect despite winning an average of ten games each season and being the class of the Big Ten year after year. The reason for the hate is considerably accurate, the Buckeyes schedule no tough non conference teams besides games like tomorrow’s and with the current state of the Big Ten, the conference champion is the equivalent of the overall Eastern Conference in the NBA. Bringing in top recruiting classes consistently for the past three years, this Ohio State team is out for blood.

 Facing a Trojan squad led by a punk true freshman who says the Horseshoe, “won’t faze me,” the time is now for Tressel and his team. The majority of the roster from the teams that were the BCS’s laughing stock are gone and a new bunch is ready to take hold. With a defense that was bashed for the lackluster performance against Navy, the redemption is there and it will be interesting to see just how motivated this team is. The movement starts at the arm of quarterback Terrelle Pryor, the top rated player from the class of 2008 that has worked wonders already this season and is out to shut up Matt Barkley and the Trojans.

 Of course TP won’t do it alone. This year’s Buckeyes have a tandom of backs that can finish games, something Beanie Wells was notorious for not doing. Boom Herron, Brandon Saine and Jaamal Berry should be expected to be used extensively tomorrow, to accomodate Pryor in the passing game and open up targets once Taylor Mays and the coverage creeps up. As 80% of America expects the Buckeyes to get rolled, I see a different outcome. USC has been known for having trouble with scrambling quarterbacks, note the loss to Texas in the 2005 BCS Championship Game and the success Pryor had in the Colisseum last season, compiling 120 total yards in less than five possessions.

 This time around the game is in the Shoe, a crowd that is expected to be filled with hundreds of standing room only spots, and a crowd that just might break the all-time record for attendance. Taking grief from the national media for a sub par performance against Navy last week has more than prepared the Buckeyes for a statement performance tomorrow night. This Ohio State defense is fast, tough and should be relieved that USC doesn’t have a triple option attack. Opposite from what the so called “experts” have been saying, the performance against the Midshipmen last week was valuable for this team. Rather than destorying their opponent, the Buckeyes were involved in a tight game against a team that has won eight games in each of the past three years with wins over Notre Dame, Wake Forest and Pittsburgh, the alma mater of major Ohio State supporter Mark May. Navy was a great opponent in preparation for USC, with reasons coming from the fact that Navy runs the ball often, something that the Trojans will try to do trememdously tomorrow night. The triple option that the Midshipmen features, is abysmal for opponents. Having four options each play, I expect the Buckeyes to be very well prepared for the legs of Joe McKnight, CJ Gable, Stafon Johnson and Marc Tyler. Barkley is a proficient pocket passer, and should be a relief to the lightning quick Ricky Dobbs Ohio State faced last week.

USC showcases a defense mourning the loss of eight starters from a season ago, the Buckeyes have the perfect opportunity to triumph the Trojans in the Shoe, a place the Buckeyes haven’t had the luxury of playing in the past couple years. Opposed to the happy go lucky attitude of Pete Carroll, this USC team isn’t exactly injury free. Losing wideout Ronald Johnson and defensive end Armond Armstead should hurt the Trojans tomorrow along with the banged up center Kristopher O’Dowd. As of today, Buckeye wideouts DeVeir Posey and Ray Small are ready for tomorrow after Posey had an ankle injury that caused him to leave the opener last week in the first half and Small was out with an unknown sickness. If the Buckeyes score early and Thaddeus Gibson and the front four get in the face of the golden boy from Mater Dei early, the Trojans may have some sickness of their own.

 Ultimately for the Buckeyes to win, the offensive line needs to get to the second level and finish blocks. The aforementioned Herron, Saine and Berry are each explosive game changers and can cause some damage if room to run is available. If anything, the performance last season against Texas should be encouraging, as the Buckeyes were in the game for all 60 minutes and were able to run the ball. Looked down upon by the entire nation, I see a different outcome with Pryor having the game of his life in a 28-27 victory for the Buckeyes.

In Terrelle Pryor’s first game of his highly anticipated sophomore season, the former number one player in the country showed the potential and talent that was expected out of him from Jeanette, Pennsylvania. With all this said, the 6’6″ 235 pound burner didn’t do it alone. In the post Beanie Wells era, the Buckeyes featured Boom Herron and Brandon Saine, both who had quality games, and in my opinion, Saine looked the best, on each carry the junior was impossible to bring down on first contact. The Buckeyes featured a trio of new receivers, with Duron Carter impressing making spectacular catches similar to the ones his father made. As the offense moved efficiently, the defense had troubles of their own.

 With Navy rolling down the field on their first drive, the Buckeyes looked confused and overpursued for the most part. The Midshipmen, who have led all of college football in rushing yards per game the past four games, ran effectively for the most part but the intriguing fact was that quarterback Ricky Dobbs threw two touchdowns in less than 15 attempts, both coming in part of blown coverage by Anderson Russell, a great run defender who has been suspect in pass coverage lately. With the USC Trojans coming to town next week, coach Jim Tressel must get his team together and the Buckeyes will need to execute.

 The offensive line had trouble getting a push on the smaller Navy front four, thus causing concern for next week’s matchup. Unable to gain an advantage against a team that is nowhere near the skill level of the Trojans, which is a tell tale sign of the things to come for Ohio State next week. As Chris Speilman called Navy’s plays from the booth, Tressel and Jim Heacock had trouble expecting what the Midshipmen were running only adding to the speculation that Tressel has lost touch of the modern game.

 Even featuring many skill players at every position, the Buckeyes seemed in a daze all day, not expecting the challenge put forth by the Midshipmen. Jumping out to an early 7-0 lead as Pryor threw a 31 yard pass to Dane Sanzenbacher, and after halftime the Buckeyes led 17-7. As usual, Ohio State struggled in the third quarter, only to see the Midshipmen strike back. With two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, Dobbs led Navy downfield with a rushing touchdown to cut the lead to two, 29-27. Going for the two point conversion, Dobbs threw an interception which was returned all the way for two points by middle linebacker Brian Rolle, one of five impact players I mentioned earlier this week.

 Pryor, who had a tremendous first half, wasn’t as crisp for the remainder of the game, totalling 172 yards in the air with an interception and 30 on the ground combining for two touchdowns. Expecting to come into their opener and destroy the servicemen, the Buckeyes were outcoached and outplayed for the second half against a team that is trememdously less talented. Pryor was running for his life all day as the offensive line had trouble getting a push, but with the triple option no longer on the “To-Defend” list, the Buckeyes’ fortunes may change next week, as USC breaks in true freshman quarterback Matt Barkley, the nation’s #1 quarterback from the class of 2009. On the bright side, the running backs ran hard all day with Boom Herron leading the way rushing for 72 yards on 17 carries with a touchdown. The aforementioned Saine was arguably the best runner today, carrying the ball 9 times for 59 yards, an average of 5.9 yards per touch. Coleman, Rolle and Thaddeus Gibson led the defense stepping up all day as Gibson and Coleman both had forced fumbles along with Coleman and Rolle picking off passes. It will be interesting to see how the Barkley and the Trojans play today against San Jose State, a game which starts in less than 20 minutes. Not winning big games has been Ohio State’s along with the Big Ten’s motto and with Iowa near loss to FCS Northern Iowa, the Big Ten has established themselves as one of the worst conferences among BCS schools.