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Home > Blogs > Buckeyes Beat > Archives > 2008 > September > 06
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Southern Cal must be licking its chops
We’ve seen Ohio State play uninspired football before, so the Buckeyes’ 26-14 victory over Ohio U isn’t a reason to panic. Or is it?
Jim Tressel wasn’t real happy with his team’s performance. Among the insight he shared with reporters afterward:
“Obviously you were there as well as we were, and I guess the way that I would take a nutshell look at it would be, it kind of looked like everyone predicted you might look like in between your opener and your big “national stage game,” which is disappointing.”
Pretty much sums it up. My wife was so fired-up she fell asleep on the couch in the second half, when the Buckeyes actually resembled a ranked team.
Five thoughts about the Bucks, who officially can look ahead to next Saturday night’s nationally televised mega-showdown against USC:
1) Maybe OSU should change its scheduling strategy and go with more than one BCS conference opponent before the Big Ten kicks in. The Buckeyes just look like zombies when they play against the MAC, or teams from similar conferences.
These types of games won’t end anytime soon, though. The next year that OSU plays two real BCS league foes in nonconference play will be 2012, when Cincinnati and California are on the schedule.
Give OSU points for playing the big boys (USC, Texas, Notre Dame, Miami coming up in 2010), but too much MAC, Conference USA or Division I-AA is a tough sell — to the fans and players.
2) It’s encouraging to see the defense get after it. Four interceptions is a positive sign. OSU’s defense appears stout enough to keep the Bucks in any game. But it needs help from the offense, which brings us to …
3) Todd Boeckman needs to step up against USC, although I’m not sure he’ll ever deliver more than he already has. If Boeckman — who threw for only 110 yards against Ohio — falters in the L.A. Coliseum, the Start Terrelle Pryor Club will grow like weeds in my garden.
Boeckman has not been impressive for several games, but if he can perform well against a USC defense loaded with future NFL players, the murmurs will subside.
4) Pryor didn’t get enough snaps Saturday, the most unfortunate byproduct of surprisingly close game. I gotta believe Jim Tressel wanted to get him more action. He did say that Pryor was going in with OSU clinging to a 19-14 lead in the fourth quarter, but Ray Small’s punt return for a TD ruined the dramatic moment.
5) Ohio U’s gotta be kicking itself. Its starting QB got knocked out early and the Bobcats turned it over five times. What would’ve happened had the boys from Athens played a perfect game? Scary thought.
The Buckeyes will need more than a healthy Beanie Wells next week.
