The Beanie's Back

What does having Beanie Wells back do for Ohio State?

After missing three games for his toe injury, Beanie finally made an appearance last week against Minnesota.  He wasn't back in full force, but still had a big impact on Ohio State.  In the first half, he had 80 rushing yards on only 9 carries --thats averaging 8.9 yards per carry!  He had 14 totaly carried with 106 rushing yards and this was only his first game back. 

So how is Ohio State going to be affected?  Are they going to be right back on track since he is back an healthy?  The offense totaled 414 yards and QB Terrelle Pryor had 97 rush yards and 2 TD's.  I'm going to say that with Beanie back, it's really boosting the team's confidence. 

The Buckeyes didn't overload Beanie against Minnesota to save him up for Wisconsin this coming Saturday. Now if Ohio State can pull off a road victory against Wisconsin, things are really going to change around in the Big Ten.  Wisconsin went down to Michigan and if they want to keep their reputation, their going to have to dominate and hold back Beanie.  But if their defense is as pathetic as it was last Saturday, they don't stand a chance.  

What We Learned About the Big Ten in Week 5...

We didn't have the most exciting match-ups in week 5, but at least we're finally in conference play.  But still, week after week, it is proven how weak our conference really is.  Let's start out at home.  

Iowa vs. Northwestern

This shouldn't have had the outcome it did.  Northwestern is the worst 5-0 team in the country.  We've got the d-line that has proven they can stop people in almost any situation. As a whole, our defense is the most stable and consistent thing we've got.  We have the ability to have a strong offense, we just need to learn how to use that.   We have a running back that can definitely run the ball--we just need to learn to get him the ball more.  Our QB situation has really been a setback, making it hard for the team to get in a comfort zone with that one person.  Here we were in week 5, finally with one main man. I have a bad feeling about our season when we can't pull off a victory to Northwestern...but at least it's still early.  

Megan's rating on this game: PATHETIC. 

 

Michigan State vs. Indiana

Once again...Javon Ringer is unstoppable.  Just keep giving him the ball.  I'm just 

wondering when a team's defense is going to figure out how to stop him.  But don't leave that up to Indiana's defense, because that is where they're lacking.  

Megan's rating on this game: BORING. 

Ohio State vs. Minnesota

Lame, lame, lame match-up.  Is there anything good about Minnesota football this year?   But this was Beanie Wells' first game back.  He proved that Ohio State really does need him--he only had 14 carries, but still racked up 106 rushing yards.  The main thing I'm awaiting next week is finding out who might be the Big Ten dominator when Ohio State travels to Madison.  

Megan's rating on this game: BEAN-A-LICIOUS.

Michigan vs. Wisconsin

I already gave all my two-sense in my last blog, but I just can't help emphasize my excitement about a Badger football loss.  

Megan's rating on this game: BOMB.

Penn State vs Illinois

For everyone else who doesn't have a massive hatred towards Badger football, I would say this game was the only one that actually made Big Ten football interesting on Saturday--but it still wasn't the greatest match-up.  With Illinois ranked 22 against 12th Penn State, this was finally a true test.  But Penn State came out with a 38-24 victory.  I didn't see the game, but between SportCenter and ESPN, I looks like nothing too impressive.  The only thing that seemed impressive was the showing of Derrick Williams: a touchdown pass, 94- yard run, and another TD.  So is this telling us Penn State is just that good--they are underrated-- and can beat a top 25 team that easily?  

Megan's rating on this game: MEH.

So what did this week tell us about the Big Ten?  I don't think much.  We haven't proved to be a solid conference, but then again we're not into the good part of the season with juicy competition.  Other than the Michigan game, there hasn't been too much excitement.  We learned that Penn State probably is all it's cracked up to be, Wisconsin is not, and Iowa is just...I guess you could say Iowa.  I'm ready for next weekend with a big match-up of Ohio State/Wisco.  I am also pretty interested to see Michigan after their big come back victory this weekend.  Have they been overlooked?  We'll just have to see.  

All in all----the Big Ten has a lot of proving to do.

You Get What You Deserve

Loss number one was a great one.  It always brings me a great deal of joy when Wisconsin loses, especially to a team that is unexpected.  I felt the same way when they lost to Illinois last year, after a Illinois victory for Iowa.  

But what really made me happy with Wisconsin's loss was the fact that they were ranked an unworthy 9th in the country.  I do agree Wisco should be in the top 20, and definitely ranked, but they do not deserve to be in the top 10.  The team in 9th place now (USC) is well-deserved-- and I must say the USC/Oregon State game was so entertaining to watch, maybe because I love upsets. 

In the game on Saturday against Michigan, they dominated in the first quarter, but it wasn't very impressive.  They took a 6-0 lead in the first quarter, completely shutting down Michigan's offense.  But they couldn't do anything offensively either.  They held the ball for over ten minutes, but couldn't get it in the end zone.  They were still missing their big man, Travis Beckum due to hamstring problems-- forcing them to resort to their receivers.  NOT GOOD.  

But still, at half time the Badgers were up 19-0 leading me and everyone else to think the deal was closed. Then things turned around in the other half when Michigan took over, taking the lead, 20-19.  They scored four times in a 12 minute period, winning their 23rd consecutive Big Ten home opener.  The game was the 500th at Michigan Stadium and it was their biggest comeback in it's history.  

I started to get nervous and having doubts again when David Gilreath scored in the fourth and the Badgers went for a 2-point conversion to Beckum.  But WAIT---FLAG!!!  An ineligible receiver! Big 'ol Bret was just a little upset.  

So, in the end, Wisconsin sits in a deserved 18th place.  That put a cherry on top of my slump of a day.  We'll just have to see if Wisco's good luck is out the window.......

I have never been at such a high and low at the same time....

I just wanted to quick blog because I am in between emotions so much right now.  Brewers LOSE and Badgers LOSE!!!!!!!!!

I am at an all-time low because the Brewers just lost to the Cubs. I know you want to hear about Big Ten Football, but I need to vent.  The Crew has one more game to prove they deserve the NL Wild Card.  If they won today, they would have been in the perfect position for tomorrow.  They were ahead of the Mets for the wild card by one game, but now they are tied after the Mets won.  I was going back and forth between the Badger game and the Brewers game and about a half hour ago I couldn't have been happier.

At one point in the Brewers game, Prince Fielder's hit should have been a fly out, but the shortstop dropped it (hilarious) bringing the game to 4-3 Cubs.  Then I switched back to the Badger game....Michigan had just scored brining the score to 27-19, Michigan.  My day was at an all-time high since the Hawkeyes lost.  

Moral of this post, the Crew ended up choking, losing to the Cubs 7-3.  AND SINCE WHEN DOES KOSUKE FUKUDOME WIN IT FOR THE CUBS?  There is potential to say he is the worst batter on the entire team, and then he comes out of no where hitting a two-run homerun?! Obscene.  

The only thing that is keeping me going right now is the fact that NUMBER NINE Wisconsin LOST to Michigan.  When Wisconsin scored the touchdown in the final minute of the game, I started to believe there was no point in being a sports fan.  But when a flag was called against an in-eligible receiver for the 2 point conversion, I knew there was a god.  The sight of Bret Bielema's face after the "successful" conversion hasn't made me so upset since the Packers lost against the Giants.  But then the light shined when the flag was called.  

 I haven't had such stressful sporting experiences in the same half hour as today, so I needed to vent.   I am so happy the Badgers lost, but PLEASE send your positive energy to the Brewers tomorrow, PLEASE!!!!!!

Ringin' In the Heisman

I need to give mad props to Javon Ringer.  He is entertaining and I know I am getting ahead of myself, but I'm covering the Michigan St/Iowa game in two weeks and I am so excited to see him play in person.  

10 reasons why Ringer is a Heisman contender:

1.  Saturday's performance against rival Notre Dame: 39 carries, 201 yards, 2 TD's.  

2.  He became the first Michigan State player to record back-to-back 200-yard rushing performances.  

3.  4 games so far this year: 699 rushing yards, 11 TD's, and he leads the nation with 143 carries. 

4.  He is averaging 4.88 yards/carry.

5.  He is ranked 2nd nationally in rushing average (174.8).....even though he has 30 more carries than any other running back.

6.  He shows he is consistent.  On Saturday against Notre Dame he carried on six consecutive plays.  After Notre Dame missed a field goal, he ran 63 yards.  

7.  He is noble.  He came out for interviews on Saturday after the game and this is what he said: "I can do nothing without these guys paving the way for me.  We were able to win because of these guys, not because of me or because of our receivers. It came from the guys up front.  I told ya'll they should be doing the interviews instead of me." 

8.  He is the Offensive Player of the Week for the 2nd week in a row. 

 

9.  He leads the nation in rushing touchdowns at 11.

10.  The most important: he is doing better than P.J. Hill, which I love!!!!!!!  Hill has just 70 carries, 4 TD's, and 379 yards.  Pshhhhh nothing compared to Javon Ringer.  

This QB Thing Just Has to Stop...

Like the rest of you, I am completely sick of this Christensen/Stanzi thing.  I understand the logic behind what Coach Ferentz is doing, but I am getting tired of it.  I think now we all know who our QB should be after yesterday's game against Pitt.  Yes, Christensen played a little better than Stanzi at the Iowa State game, but was that out of anger that he wasn't the starter?  He is so inconsistent, it's unreal.  

Stanzi has now again proven he should be the man with the job.  I give him big props for how he has played the last few games, he can maintain his composure which is what we need.  About Jake, I feel bad for the kid at times but seriously, he is not worthy of being a Big Ten QB.  He has shown us over and over again he just ISN'T THAT GOOD.  I think it would do him good to not be the starter; it will be a blow to his HUGE ego.  

I do have a bone to pick with the fans though too.  During the Florida International game, the fans are booing him off the field.  But then at Iowa State, they were loving him.  What is that about? I am neutral about the booing issue.  I do think it is somewhat disrespectful, but of course I do it sometimes too.  But what I don't understand is how one week everyone can hate him and then the next they love him.  I don't think it's right to like him when he plays well and hate him when he plays bad.  Everyone has bad games and makes mistakes (he makes a lot) but be consistent with how you're cheering/booing.  

On another note, how is our first loss going to affect us.  Did we really only win the first three games because we played at home and they weren't competition anyway?  Can we really not play on the road?  Is our main problem that we don't have one stable quarterback?

We've got great defense-- we lead the nation in both scoring defense (2.67 ppg) and red-zone defense (0 for 3 chances converted).  And Shonn Greene is the nations 11th leading rusher so we have what it takes to be really good this year.  We just need to get this QB thing figured out and get comfortable with that one person.  

Top 10 Most Memorable Sports Moments in the Last 10 Years

10.  Death of Dale Earnhardt--February 18, 2001

Daytona 500: Going into the final turn of the last lap, Earnhardt's car crashed into the outside wall at about 180 mph, killing him instantly.  Before the crash Earnhardt was in the top 3 with his son, Dale Earnhardt Jr, and Michael Waltrin.

9.  2006 Rose Bowl--January 4, 2006

USC Trojans vs Texas Longhorns: With Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush, USC was considered the greatest team ever in college history.  With two minutes left in the game Texas trailed USC, but with the help of QB Vince Young, Texas won it 41-38.

8.  Bartman Game--October 14, 2003

Game 6 of the NL Championship Series between Chicago Cubs and Florida Marlins: Cubs were leading 3-0 and led the series 3-2.  Cubs fan Steve Bartman caught a foul ball when Cubs left fielder Moises Alou had the opportunity to make the catch.  After this happened, the Marlins scored 8 runs and won the game.  The next night, Florida won 9-6, winning the NL Championship. 

7.  Pacers-Pistons Brawl--November 19, 2004

There were 45.9 seconds left in the game and the Pacers were winning 97-82.  Ron Artest fouled Ben Wallace, which resulted in a fight on the court.  Minutes later a fan threw a cup at Artest for taunting Wallace.  Artest then charged into the stands punching the fan he thought was responsible, which turned into a larger fight of more players and spectators.   Artest was suspended for the rest of the season.  

6.  Lance Armstrong--July 24, 2005

He won the Tour de France seven consecutive years in a row, 1999-2005, after surviving testicular cancer.  He is the only person to win the Tour de France seven times. 

5.  Bonds breaks McGwire's Record--October 5, 2001

San Francisco Giants vs. Los Angeles Dodgers: In the first inning Barry Bonds hit #71 of the season, breaking Mark McGwire's single-season record.  Bonds hit another homer in the third inning of the same game, and one more before the season ended with a final number of 73. 

4.  Michael Phelps wins 8 gold medals--August, 2008

At the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, Phelps set the record for the most gold medals won at a single Olympics, winning 8 in swimming.  He passed Mark Spitz, who held the previous gold metal total of 7 at the 1972 Olympics.  Phelps has won 14 career Olympic gold medals.

3.  Superbowl XXXVI--February 3, 2002

New England Patriots vs. St. Louis Rams: Tom Brady's Rookie year.  There was 1:30 left in the game, tied at 17.  Brady advanced the Patriots to the 30-yard line with 7 seconds left, setting up Adam Vinatieri with a 48-yard field goal.  Vinatieri made the field goal as time expired, marking the first time in Super Bowl history that a game was won by a score on the

 final play.  

2.  Tiger Woods wins U.S. Open--June 16, 2008

Tiger Woods limped his way through 4 days of golf at Torrey Pines Golf Course in California, trailing Rocco Mediate by one stroke on the 72nd hole.  Woods sunk a 12-foot putt to tie with Mediate, bringing it to a playoff.  He won the Open, marking his 14th major title.

 

1.  Superbowl XLII--February 3, 2008

New York Giants vs. New England Patriots: Became one of the most significant upsets in Super Bowl history, the Giants beat the Patriots 17-14.  With their victory, they prevented the Patriots from becoming the first undefeated team since 1972 (Miami Dolphins).  The  Giants became the first NFC wild card team to win a Super Bowl.  

The Big 10 is Hurtin'

You can look at week 3 saying there were some big performances individually.  But if you look at the Big 10 overall, man we are in trouble.  This last Saturday could have really changed our conference's reputation with some key performances. But we had some low blows that just threw that possibility out the window.  

When outsiders think of the Big 10, they think of our powerhouses as Ohio State and Michigan...but not anymore.  Saturday's games were going to be rank-changing regardless, but it both turned out worse than imagined. 

It was a big weekend for Ohio State against #1 USC.  Everyone knew USC would beat Ohio State, especially with Beanie Wells out again.  But if they had at least given a good performance, they could have stayed in #5 or bumped to just 6.  I was confident it was going to be a good game (maybe not a victory for Ohio State) when they were the first on the board with just a field goal in the first quarter.  But after a 35-3 blowout, there was no doubt Ohio State would drop in the polls.  Now they are 13th in the AP Poll and 14th in USA Today's Coaching Poll.  The drop in rankings--well deserved but just embarrassing.  This was Ohio State's chance to if not win against the #1 team, at least give a good showing of why you were ranked #2 in preseason and #3 in week one.  No wonder our conference is embarrassed. 

It may not have been a rank-changing game for Michigan, but it sure had something to do with pride.  After Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis was talking smack about Michigan, the team had something to prove.  Michigan proved to be the mature ones about it, saying Weis could talk from the sidelines, but they were going to talk with their pads.  And of course, they didn't.  In their 35-17 loss, the defense held their end of the bargain trying to hold back Notre Dame.  But it didn't even matter because the offense just handed the game over to the Fighting Irish with SIX  turnovers.  Pathetic.  Now that is embarrassing.  

And if it couldn't get any worse for the Big 10, let's take a look at Purdue.  They had a 20-3 lead over #16 Oregon and blew it.  Then when it was tied up at 23, Purdue kicker Chris Summers missed a 44-yard field-goal attempt that would have won the game.  So the game went into overtime.  And then another one.  But then Oregon came through with the TD to win it 32-26.  It was a good performance by Purdue in the first half, if only they could have kept the momentum going start to finish it would have been a pretty good upset.  At least Oregon dropped to 21 in the Polls. 

So what is going to happen to the Big 10?  It's up to Wisconsin and Penn State to keep their streaks going.  I have faith in Iowa, personally, but I think I am a little biased.  But really, the Hawks haven't given us a reason to doubt them yet, except the teeter-totter between quarterbacks.  

I'm just a little worried because Wisconsin, yes they are 3-0 but they had a 10-0 lead over Fresno State in the first quarter,  until Fresno State came back in the fourth trailing Wisco by only 3.  I just don't understand how UW is ranked 8th when they can't play a solid game start to finish and they have given up so many points to such poor teams (Marshall and Akron).  Once again...they are overrated. 

And Illinois...they just barely won 20-17 against Louisiana-Lafayette.....who lost to Southern Miss by 30 points.  

With how our Big 10 teams are playing, I don't want to make assumptions on who is going to lead the conference.  And since my opinion changes weekly, this week, I'm saying Penn State is our powerhouse....as bold as it may be.  

Once a Cheater, Always a Cheater

This entry today is mostly going to be one seeking opinions.  Last night in my theory and ethics of coaching class we watched the movie "Blue Chips" and it got me thinking...

Background information: 

It was about a college basketball team (Western University) and how much illegal recruiting actually goes on all throughout the country.  The coach, Pete Bell knew it went on at colleges, but refused to become a "liar."  After his first losing season as a coach, he was really down and decided he wanted to recruit the two top incoming freshman.  Both freshman and their families expected either money, cars or a house.  Bell still refused to illegally recruit, but after talking to the football coach, he decided to give in. In the end of the movie, Western University played #1 Indiana and ended up beating them in the last second.  Even though this was one of the biggest victories he'd had in awhile, Bell could not celebrate because the guilt was killing him.  In the press conference at the end of the movie he admitted to everyone that he cheated.  He commented on how he cheated himself, he cheated his team, and he cheated the game of basketball.  

Anyway, the movie really got me thinking...if this kind of thing took place in the 90's...

think how extreme it probably is now.  But I really never thought that colleges were that dirty to actually do things, probably because I am naive.  

But if you think about it, take Ron Zook for example.  He coached at Florida and got the best recruits in the country and now that he coaches at Illinois, they get top recruits in the country...coincidence? I don't think so.  

And take Reggie Bush for example.  He received a free ride to USC..........and his parents were given a three million dollar house?? What?

And then the whole Kelvin Sampson debacle went down this Winter.

Now what I am wondering is what about Iowa?

 Here are my thoughts:

-So many guys on the team are from around Iowa and most likely dreamt about playing for the Hawkeyes all throughout their childhood.  

But what about the guys from New Jersey, Ohio, Florida, or Texas? What is their reason for wanting to go to Iowa?  

The only thing I can think of is that if they were to go anywhere larger than Iowa with a bigger football program, they probably wouldn't see the field.  So they figure, why not go to Iowa, they still have a great football program...and I will have a starting position.  

So I guess now I'm looking for your opinions because now I am really curious...

ARE YOU READY FOR SOME (REAL) FOOTBALLLLL

My projections for week 3:

1.  Iowa State at. Iowa: Iowa.    

2.  Florida Atlantic at Michigan State: Michigan State.  

3.  Louisiana-Lafayette at Illinois:  Illinois. 

4.  Southern Illinois at Northwestern: Southern Illinois

5.  Montana State at Minnesota: Minnesota

6.  Oregon at Purdue: Oregon

7.  Penn State at Syracuse: Penn State

8.  Michigan at Notre Dame: Michigan

9.  Ohio State at USC:  USC

10. Wisconsin at Fresno State: Fresno State

What I want to see Happen:

1. I want Wisconsin to get it handed to them.

2. Of course I want to see Iowa embarrass Iowa State in our lovely in-state rivalry.

3. I want Penn State to beat Syracuse because I am sick of Syracuse and their successful seasons.

4. I just really want Notre Dame to lose after all the hype about how they had a horrible season last year 

but this year they're going to have a comeback season. But I'm also torn because I hate Michigan.

5. As much as I don't think it will happen, I would like Beanie Wells and Ohio State to beat USC just because

it would be a huge upset.

What to watch for:

1. Obviously everyone is going to be watching the OSU/USC game but I'm definitely excited to see either 1) how good Ohio State really is or 2) how overrated/bad Ohio State really is.

2. How Ricky Stanzi holds it down against ISU. He has shown the past 2 games that he can maintain composure, but will it be the same situation against University of Iowa's greatest rivalry? Today in interviews, Stanzi did say that he remembers being at the game last year, remembers the environment and is prepared for what is to come.

3. The second place spot in the Big Ten is really questionable right now. I think some are thinking it is most likely Wisconsin, but Penn State is either right behind them or maybe just a little bit better. Questions will be answered inweek 3 after we start seeing more stable trends.  

Megan's Big Ten Rankings:

1. Ohio State

2. Penn State

3. Wisconsin

4. Illinois

5. Iowa (I'm taking a risk here)

6. Michigan State

7. Michigan

8. Northwestern

9. Indiana

10. Purdue

11. Minnesota

Week 2....ZzzZzz...Let's get into Week 3 puhlease

With every Big 10 winning in week 2, I'd say let's get the season rolling an into some more interesting games.  I need some more entertainment on Saturdays.  But let's review some interesting things that did happen this week.  

1.  Let's start at home.  Stanzi vs. Christensen...I could not be more happy with Ferentz's decision.  Now I know it's not a final one but after having to live through such a brutal 2007 season of 46 sacks, only 17 touchdowns and a 2008 projected 1326 yard season...I have just about given up on Christensen.  If Stanzi can get three touchdowns in one game (compared to Jakes 17 all season) he has already proved himself at least a little. I know, I know it was just Florida International, but let's look at the factors:

-Stanzi: sophomore, Christensen: junior.  Christensen clearly has more college football experience over Stanzi, but in his first career start, Stanzi showed complete composure.  

-He proved himself against FI, keep him going while he's hot.  He's starting to come around, he has the physical ability to deliver the ball with great accuracy.  He is getting the fans excited and that's exactly what we need right now after last years showing.  

-The players have even said (cough cough Brodell) that he would much rather catch passes from Stanzi and he feels more comfortable trusting Stanzi with the ball.  

-I admit Christensen played solid on Saturday, but he already has an interception under his belt in just two games.   I think Saturday against Iowa State will be a great showing of who is really deserving of the starting job.  Right now, the ball is in Stanzi's court and his performance in our great in-state rivalry will make the position more transparent to Ferentz.   

2. Ohio State.  WHAT HAPPENED? I previously posted about how sick Ohio State could be...Now I didn't say there were going to be..I said it was a possibility.  But now everything I said can go down the drain.  I really didn't think losing Beanie Wells was going to be such a burden to the Buckeyes...how pathetic.  I don't even know where to begin with OSU, they failed in just about every area possible.  

-The O-line didn't protect Boeckman

-The O-line did open holes for Chris Wells or Dan Herron

-Terrelle Pryor started off the game making horrible throws in the FIRST QUARTER.  

-Just a little side fact: Buckeyes hadn't lost to an in-state team since 1921...how embarrassing would that have been?

-OSU is lucky Ohio started to choke in the fourth quarter making dumb mistakes and turning over the football.  

If they lose to USC this week, their chances of making it back to the BCS championship game are out the window.  

The 2 Teams I think are fighting for 2nd place: 

3.  Wisconsin.  After two weeks, I still can't tell how Wisconsin is going to be this season.  When they played Akron, they gave up 17 points, what?? And then this weekend against Marshall they are down 14-0 in the first? And now they are ranked 10th in the polls?  Ok, I get it...they know how to come back from being down, but really? Many may not agree with me, but I found the game incredibly entertaining, mostly because I love watching UW lose.  So where does Wisco stand?  They have Fresno State on Saturday on the road...my projection: a big fat L to their record this season.  They really need to get Travis Beckum back on the field.  

4.  My faith in Penn State.  

-111 points by the offense in the first two games...yikes.  They are averaging 55.5 points and 524 yards in two games.  

-First year starting QB Daryll Clark looks solid in his position--276 yards and three touchdowns against Oregon State on Saturday.  

-Receiver Jordan Norwood is third in the school's career reception list of 129.

-Sophomore Evan Royster.  Against Oregon State--141 rushing yards and 3 TD's...averaging  8.3 yards per carry.   He became the first player to score six touchdowns in the first two games of the season since 1971, winning Big Ten Player of the Week.  

Now I don't want to jump the gun and say that Penn State is going to come back from their 4-4 Big Ten 2007 season...but I think they're going to see some major improvements.  They have a tough schedule on the road against both Ohio State and Wisconsin, but if their offense keeps dominating like they are, they will be in good shape.  I'm rooting for good 'ol JoePa.

Get ready for week 3 and some entertaining games...because I sure am.  

Ohio State...and how potentially SICK they could be

How good is Ohio State going to be this year?  I have just a few reasons why Ohio State should (and I think will be) great this season.

1.  Chris Wells.  IF he recovers and is back soon, he will be the powerhouse of the POWERHOUSE.  Wells is one of the top  returning running backs in the country after rushing 1,600 yards and scored 15 touchdowns last year.  Not to mention he is only a junior which leaves him time to mature and improve.  Today Jim Tressel said Wells hurt his big toe.  My opinion, don't let him play this week...rest up and get him ready to play #1 USC in week 3.  But OSU needs Beanie...he just scares the defense away.

2.  Even without their all-star RB Wells, the Buckeyes still have four stable backups: Maurice Wells, Brandon Saine, Dan Herron and Marcus Williams...and all of them have potential to put up good numbers.  

3.  James Laurinaitis.  Defense wins games.  And the Buckeyes will do it with the help of their star linebacker and captain.  Let's just list his accomplishments shall we?

-National Defensive Player of the Year

-2007 Butkus Award winner

-Last 2 seasons:

-236 tackles

-9 sacks

-7 interceptions

wow.

4.  Performance against Youngstown State: 43-0.  

The Buckeyes played dominate football on both sides of the football. The defense proved themselves not letting Youngstown cross midfield until the games final play.  The offense...well the score speaks for itself. 

5.  History.  Saturday could very well mark Ohio States 800th win.  Only four other schools have accomplished that (Michigan, Notre Dame, Texas and Nebraska).  This doesn't have to do with just this season and how good the Buckeyes could be, but I think this record for OSU deserved a shout out.  

6. Jim Tressel.  Once again, let's list a few accomplishments.

-Back-to-back Big Ten titles

-4 Big Ten Conference Championships

-National Championship game appearances

-73-16 record in seven seasons

-National Title

-5 BCS Bowl appearances

7.  USC.  This will be a big factor on Ohio State's team this year.  Week 3 of the season they are matched up with the number one team in the country.  They are on the road, but if they pull of a W, OSU will really turn heads this season.  They've got a solid defense and depending on the return of Beanie Wells, overall the Buckeyes have a solid offense as well.  Even if they lose to USC, it won't be the end of the world but how they play will determine how good they really are...

As much as I know Ohio State tends to be overrated and is always projected to have a incredible season, I think this year everything is true.  What other factors are going to lead Ohio State to be the powerhouse of the Big Ten?

Overrated is an Understatement

I was born and raised in Wisconsin, and in my opinion, there is nothing wrong with the state.  Except for one thing...Wisconsin Badger Football.  

A little background information: both my parents went to Iowa.  My dad was a tight end for the Iowa so I have been raised as a Hawkeye, all the while despising Wisconsin Football.  Ever since middle school my rivalry between Iowa and Wisco has just intensified, especially since all my friends from home have nothing better to do than to talk smack about Iowa to me.  

I was at home in Madison this weekend, surrounded by Badger fans and so I heard about Wisconsin football all weekend long.  So I am dedicating this blog to venting about the Badgers.  

1.  P.J. Hill is great, but he isn't God.  Yes, he had 210 rushing yards, 2 touchdowns and 26 carries, but it was against Akron.  I look forward to seeing the same statistics against a Big Ten team.  People are saying he has a chance of being one the of the top rushers in the country, especially if Ohio State's Chris Wells stays out on injury.  I agree Hill has talent, but enough of the praising.  

2. Wisconsin is always ranked impressively in the beginning of the season, but they are never the team everyone across the country cares about and wants to see on Sports Center every night.  They are no UNC of college basketball or Brett Favre of NFL quarterbacks.  To the rest of the country, Wisconsin is just Wisconsin.  No one cares that they beat Akron 38-17 because frankly, I think they should have won by a larger margin.  Akron is ranked the 6th worse in the country and Marshall, their competition next weekend, is the 5th worse in the country.  Wisconsin needs to prove their #13 spot in the AP Poll. 

3.  At the Badger game on Saturday on the big screen players were asked who their favorite MLB team was.  Mario Goins answer was "Dallas Cowboys." True Story.

4. Wisconsin vs. Iowa.  People from Wisconsin claim that Iowa is horrible and the Badgers kill them every year.  To get something straight: 

2002: Iowa wins

2003: Iowa wins

2004: Iowa wins

2005: Iowa wins

2006: Wisconsin wins by 3 points.  

2007: Wisconsin wins by 4 points.  

5. Badgers soft spot: the red zone.  

2nd quarter against Akron on Saturday: 

-the Badgers had 3 consecutive drives into the red zone that produced only 3 points.  

-3rd down play: David Gilreath couldn't hold onto a pass 

  -Hill fumbles on the 1-yard line.  repeat ONE-YARD LINE. Resulting in a touchback. 

-Allan Evridge's interception in the end zone.