Is this the most spoiled fan base anywhere?
Credit the greatness of Urban Meyer, the coach who has created this culture in which there is no room for even a single loss.
Granted, the Michigan State debacle seemed more like a mountain of losses, but what a turnaround against Michigan. Again, all credit to Meyer, who pulled the Buckeyes off the mat and got them ready when it couldn't have been easy given what happened seven days earlier.
Sadly, thanks to Michigan State, the Buckeyes' Ezekiel Elliott-inspired 42-13 waxing of the Wolverines probably will mean nothing in the long run except as another positive mark in the rivalry ledger. There is no Big Ten title game awaiting OSU after Michigan State humiliated Penn State (does anyone still think Christian Hackenberg will go in the first three rounds of the NFL draft?) on Saturday to nail down a spot opposite unbeaten Iowa.
The Buckeyes in all likelihood have one game remaining, some bowl somewhere, perhaps on New Year’s Day but empty of any real meaning.
For the spoiled fans, at least there's this Michigan win to cherish, and don't forget Wolverines coach Jim Harbaugh's postgame press conference, which gives a rich new meaning to the words condescending, whiny and irritable.
Even on Meyer’s worst day, he doesn’t pretend not to understand the questions.
ESPN, for the record, would have started Manziel
One of the funnier stories of the weekend was this from Tom Reed of cleveland.com about how ESPN had been looking forward to seeing how Johnny Manziel might boost interest in Monday night's Browns-Ravens game
What a letdown for the four-letter network when Manziel, a week after being named starting quarterback of the Browns, was demoted to third string for partying publicly during the bye week, then lying about it to coach Mike Pettine.
Now the country will be treated to a quarterback matchup of proven loser Josh McCown for the Browns against Ravens backup Matt Schaub, who’s still somehow in the league and filling in for the injured Joe Flacco.
Sadly and for obvious reasons, flex scheduling isn’t available for Monday night games as for late-season Sunday nighters.
So the ESPN crew is left to put lipstick on this pig and will attempt to accomplish this in part by focusing on – what else? – the Manziel saga, especially as it relates to the Browns’ comical search for a quarterback lo these many years.
Who knows? Could be more interesting than the game.
Not a stretch to blame that inept Michigan punter
Michigan didn't beat Ohio State, but the Wolverines' punter may have kept the Buckeyes out of the College Football Playoff, says Doug Lesmerisis in this logical piece on cleveland.com.
Michigan State, if you recall, was dead and buried against Michigan before panicky punter Blake O'Neill fumbled the game away with his Garo Yepremian impersonation.
Had the result been different, MSU would have two losses and Ohio State would be getting ready for the Big Ten Championship Game — and a shot at the top four — after disposing of Michigan.
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