Michigan St. (4-1) at Wisconsin (5-0)
Score: 37-34 Wisconsin

A few stats: P.J. Hill (Wisc.): 34 carries, 155 yards, 2 TD’s, Travis Beckum (Wisc.): 10 catches, 132 yards, 1 TD, Brian Hoyer (MSU): 22-36, 323 yards 2 TD’s; Javon Ringer (MSU): 10 carries, 145 yards, 7 receptions, 88 yards.
A couple words: Wisconsin escapes in a game Michigan State gave away with absurd penalties down the stretch…The first team that stops P.J. Hill will beat Wisconsin…Over 1000 yards of total offense between both teams…Kyle Jefferson was knocked out of the game when he took a massive hit… Marcus Randle El (Wisc.) and Chris Rucker (MSU) were ejected for throwing punches…The Enlightened Spartan is satisfied…Give Dantonio a little more time and the Spartans will be a force.
Game Changer: P.J. Hill: 155 yards, 2 TD’s…if you can’t stop him, you can’t beat Wisconsin.

Penn State (3-2) at Illinois (4-1)
Score: 27-20 Illinois

A few stats: Rejis Benn (Ill.): 2 TD’s, Rashard Mendenhall (Ill.): 18 carries, 76 yards, 1 TD, Anthony Morelli (PSU): 21-38, 298 yards 1 TD, 3 Int’s;
A couple words: Rejus Benn is the real deal for a freshman…Anthony Morelli should be pulled…Ron Zook seems to have Illinois on track as this was their first win over a ranked opponent since 2001…Illinitalk gives Benn the props he deserves, rejoices in victory, and continues to question whether or not Juice Williams should be their man under center…Joe Pa said PSU would “have to address the turnover issue.”
Game Changer: Rejis Benn (Ill.): 90 yard kick return for a touchdown and a reception for a touchdown.

Michigan (3-2) at Northwestern (2-3)
Score: 28-16 Michigan

A few stats: Mike Hart (UM): 30 carries, 106 yards, 1 TD, Chad Henne (UM): 18-27, 193 yards, 3 TD’s, Mario Manningham (UM): 10 catches, 123 yards, 1 TD.
A couple words: Still no Tyrell Sutton for Northwestern…Michigan was losing 16-7 after the first half…Misery loves company so rather than headline the Wolverines, MZone talks about all the upsets…Henne had a big brace on his right leg and shared time with Mallet for awhile although Henne is certainly the superior QB.
Game Changer: Chad Henne: His fire ignited the troops and sparked a comeback…vs. Northwestern

Notre Dame (0-5) at Purdue (5-0)
Score: 33-19 Purdue

A few stats: Curtis Painter 22-37, 252 yards, 2 TD’s, 2 Int’s, Dorien Bryant (Purdue): 8 catches, 82 yards, 1 TD, Kory Sheets (Purdue): 27 carries, 141 yards, 1 TD.
A couple words: Purdue is the real deal even though they didn’t play their best game versus the Irish…Check out Curtis Painter’s season stats here…Check out Dorien Bryant’s season stats here…And above all, pray that Saturday's game doesn't come down to something like this!
Game Changer: Painter, Sheets, Bryant…pick your poison…Our D needs to be ready.

Iowa (2-3) at Indiana (4-1)
Score: 38-20 Indiana

A few stats: Kellen Lewis (Indiana): 19-26, 322 yards, 3 TD’s
A couple words: Kellen Lewis again with a solid performance…Check out his fumble recovery that resulted in a 71 yard touchdown run here…Indiana has quietly started the season 4-1 and has some serious athleticism…Iowa meanwhile, is again spending Sunday talking about next year.
Game Changer: Kellen Lewis

Yeah, so maybe we should ratchet up the alert level. Whoever is in charge of that for the Buckeyes, go ahead and do it. It has been a day of upsets in college football with Oklahoma going down and Texas getting hammered. Rutgers also lost. Clemson got smacked as did Penn State. All of these teams lost to unranked opponents. Even LSU was getting all they wanted (for a half) against Tulane.

We are about t-minus 30 minutes to kickoff. If you need something to do to kill time, you can check out my radio interview with CFB Weekly. This interview was actually conducted just after our Washington win so that's why the topics are a few weeks old. For those that want to fast forward, I come on right after Brian at MGoBlog at about the 16 minute mark.

Anderson Russell is the defensive captain for tonight's game. Former coach Fred Pagac, Sr. is the honorary captain. Minny open thread below.

Ohio State's trip to play Minnesota inside the MetroDome this Saturday will be their last. Make no mistake, we'll still play the Gophers on their turf but, after this year, in a new, on campus stadium slated for opening in 2009. The Dome is being sunsetted...for Minnesota anyway. No longer will they have to share a facility with two professional teams and travel off campus to do so. By default this has to help recruiting and quite frankly strengthen the Big Ten.

Unfortunately, at this moment, the new facility doesn't help greenhorn coach Tim Brewster whose team is 1-3 in the early going. Right now, he's probably rewinding game footage in Zapruder-like fashion, ogling at the talent this Ohio State team will wield this weekend. The salt in the wound is James Laurinaitis - another in the long line of great Buckeye linebackers but also a player Minnesota could have kept in state. And, do they ever need someone like Little Animal on a Gopher defense that is actually worse than Northwestern in several statistical categories. No, I'm not kidding. The stats include numbers perhaps never seen this early in the year - like minus twelve in turnover margin!

The turnover issues have led to some potential changes on the depth chart, particularly at running back. Amir Pinnix is a talented running back but has suffered fumblitis which will probably mean more carries for Duane Bennett. Minnesota still runs it well and I think it's reasonable to assume they could be somewhat..pesky...if they can actually hold onto the ball. But problems abound and there are other possible changes too which are nicely highlighted by the oddly titled Minnesota blog, The National Anthem Before A Cubs Game. They even have groovy two deep information for your edification.

It's important to note Ohio State will be coming to the land of 10,000 lakes with some changes of their own. Antonio Henton will be left behind and Joe Bauserman will make the traveling squad instead. RB Boom Herron is also making the trek as Brandon Saine continues to heal from surgery. Both Herron and Bauserman are emergency options and will only play in the most dire of circumstances as BuckNuts.com's Dave Biddle correctly points out in is Chat. If you are jonesing for game previews from Ohio State POV's, look no further than BuckeyePlanet, the OZone and Eleven Warriors. The Bucks will be looking to close out the dome having never lost in the structure.

We have had five games this month and thus, have learned a great deal.  Here is what we know and don't know about the Buckeyes, the Big Ten and rest of the national scene.
 
WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THE BUCKEYES:
 
They listen.  The Buckeyes improved their play in the second half of their first three games and in each game of the season.  It stands to reason that the coaches are preaching a good sermon in the locker room.  The Buckeyes have outscored their opponents by a cumulative 77-17 in the second halves (an average of 19-4) and the defense has given up one touchdown in garbage time to Washington. 

Ginn, who?  Through 4 games Brian Robiskie has 20 receptions for 431 yards and 5 TDs.  Ted Ginn, Jr. in 2006 in the same span had 16 receptions for 268 yards.  Now, I know what you are thinking, "Teddy had to share the ball with Gonzalez."  So, add in Gonzalez's 19 receptions for 296 yards and you get a total of 35 catches for 564 yards.  That means Robiskie is accounting for 75% of Gonzo's and Ginn's production.  And, if you add in Hartline's 16 catches for 175 yards and you have a more productive duo than last year.  Hard to believe, huh?  

The defense works: Every year the Ohio State defense seems to produce and this season is no different.  Currently, the Buckeyes are ranked first or second in every major defensive statistical category in the Big 10.  Meanwhile, they reside in the top 10 in the nation in those same categories. 



Category	National Rank	OSU Avg.	National Leader	Avg.	Conf. Rank	Conf. Leader	Avg.
Rush Def	7	57.50	LSU	26.75	2	Penn State	54.75
Pass Def.	3	79.95	LSU	67.69	1	Ohio State	79.95
Total Def.	2	177.75	LSU	161.50	1	Ohio State	177.75
Scoring Def.	3	7.25	Kansas	5.75	1	Ohio State	7.25
Net Punting	9	39.17	Georgia Tech	44.09	1	Ohio State	39.17

WHAT WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE BUCKEYES:  
 
Depth:  Chris Wells has been prone to some injuries in the past so what happens if he is nicked up for a couple of games.  In my opinion but Brandon Saine is the second best running back on the roster. With Saine down right now that leaves only Maurice Wells to carry the load, something I have yet to see.  I hope I never know the answer to this question.  

Can Ohio State Stop a capable passing attack: Here are the national rankings for Ohio State's opponent's passing offenses: 

Akron	110th
Washington	88th
Northwestern	47th

Those rankings are terrible so, naturally, Ohio State's corresponding defensive statistics should be stellar.  And, I recognize the other side of this logic, i.e. , their numbers are so bad because they played the Ohio State defense.  So, like we said at the outset, we don't know how good the Ohio State pass defense is yet. We will get a true sense of their prowess on October 6th, when they play at Purdue.  The Boilermakers are averaging 325 ypg and Curtis Painter has thrown 16 touchdowns and only 1 interception. 

Additionally, I know there are no transitive properties in college football, but we will get a better sense of Ohio State's defense when Washington hosts USC and Northwestern plays Michigan this Saturday.

Around the nation: Looks like Tim Beckman should assert some of his former head coach's cool upon Mike Gundy and the Oklahoma State program.  I think it is fair to say that Jim Tressel would never have had a moment like Mike Gundy did last weekend.  Gundy lost his temper in the most unprofessional manner possible - an unprepared, emotional tirade.  Not only are his Cowboys struggling mightily, but he cannot even handle the local press ... in Oklahoma City.  He is clearly not ready for prime time.

I think most of you are familiar with the BlogPoll? Well, we're back to casting our ballot. BC took a hiatus to focus on other things but we've rounded back and here we are:

Rank	Team	Delta
1	LSU	25
2	Southern Cal	24
3	Oklahoma	23
4	Florida	22
5	West Virginia	21
6	California	20
7	Ohio State	19
8	Boston College	18
9	Oregon	17
10	Texas	16
11	Clemson	15
12	Wisconsin	14
13	South Florida	13
14	Arizona State	12
15	Kentucky	11
16	South Carolina	10
17	Georgia	9
18	Alabama	8
19	Rutgers	7
20	Missouri	6
21	Penn State	5
22	Purdue	4
23	Virginia Tech	3
24	Cincinnati	2
25	Nebraska	1

...Antonio Henton was up to no good last night. The word on this leaked very early in the morning but I wasn't online and, as fate would have, I heard the news reports later as I was driving into work. If you're like me, you've read about fifty different articles each with a little more detail. However, if you are late to this shame, here's a quick rundown as it stands now:

Henton was arrested just before 8:30 last night for Solicitation. The third string QB allegedly pulled his car alongside a female and offered $20 for intercourse. Weirdly, he only had $19 on him. Unfortunately for Antonio, the 'prostitute' turned out to be an undercover police officer working an area that nabbed 11 people Monday night. The charge is a misdeamenor and Henton has already posted bail of $274. He did not enter a plea, contrary to various reports. There were also initial reports the charges were dropped but in actuality they were only refiled after gaining an additional signature. He faces some fairly significant penalties but generally it's reduced to a small fine. He is currently suspended indefinitely from the team but still has academic privileges. You can read JT's presser verbatim and even watch it with the accompanying video link (must be registered user). That's your reader's digest version.

The court of public opinion may be the harshest storm to weather. There are media members calling for his outright dismissal or season long suspension. Jokes are already abundant and surely will not float away any time soon. On the other side of the issue, there are those attempting to minimize the situation and/or redirect blame to Columbus Police. In reality both sides are misguided by either overreacting or refusing to acknowledge Henton's culpability. And, if there is some hot-damn misunderstanding it will come out. Until then, I have no reason to blame anyone but the young man who made a poor decision.

While the offense ranks ultra low on the egregiousness-scale, it ranks stratospheric in terms of embarrassment. Perhaps the best course of action is simply pay the fine, show contrition and somehow work yourself back into the graces of the coaching staff. Kicking him off the team isn't the answer - not for a misdemeanor - and there has been some precedent here. Notre Dame went through a similar thing earlier this year. So did Michigan 2002. (HT: MotSaG) Each player was reinstated. I can't help but think the same thing will happen with Henton.

The game was over after the first three plays from scrimmage. That's when Ohio State scored their first touchdown which began a beating that assaulted and robbed the Wildcats of their dignity. Plus, any glimmer of hope by Northwestern was dashed in an instant when 6'8", 340lbs Steve Rehring speared a fumble on the first series like he was a svelte 6'2" WR. The fumble occurred on Ray Small's end-around that was highly successful except he failed to finish the play with the ball. Ohio State recovered - see Steve Rehring - and the rout was in progress.

Among other things, the Tyrell Sutton - Chris Wells battle of Akron did not materialize. Sutton tried to play but was ruled out after warm-ups leaving our opponent with virtually no credible threat. The end result was a 58-7 win for Ohio State in a game they literally could have named the score if not for substitutions. It was so good there were a plethora of absurd statistics in the first half when the Buckeyes jumped out 45-0. Consider:

• Ohio State scored three touchdowns in their first 11 offensive plays from scrimmage.
• Scored their 4th touchdown on the 15th offensive play.
• Added a defensive touchdown in between for spice.
• Started 9 of 11 drives in Northwestern territory.

So, how else is Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald supposed to respond:

"We obviously have a long way to go."

Might want to add a 'very' somewhere in there. Northwestern is a shell of themselves which isn't saying much. And, it doesn't get much easier for them as they take on Michigan and Mike Hart next week. Hart will get a 170 yards on 41 carries and announcers and bloggers worldwide will need bibs.

Anyway, back to Ohio State. I have posted my game analysis and Play of the Week. On the former, I talk about the effects of the introduction of the Shot-Ginn, check that - Ray-Gun formation (see screenshot, sorry for small size). Also a few words about Tyler Whaley's effectiveness as a legitimate I-Formation fullback and, of course, all this is tempered by remembering who we played. Oh and the PoW isn't really true because if it were, Steve Rehring would be profiled. Instead, I picked something a little more glamorous, like big Vern's touchdown. Let me know what you think.

Finally, enjoy the BTN video above and Jim Davidson's photos. The polls are also out and they tell us what we've always known. We're the class of the Big Ten right now.

Michigan St. (4-0) at Notre Dame (0-4)
Score: 31-14 MSU

A few stats: Brian Hoyer (MSU): 11-24, 135 yards 4 TD’s; Devin Thomas (MSU): 4 receptions, 55 yards 1 TD. Javon Ringer (MSU): 26 carries, 144 yards; Kellen Davis (MSU): 2 TD catches.
A couple words: A close game early but Michigan State improves to 4-0…Brian Hoyer took advantage of every opportunity while throwing four touchdowns…Kellen Davis played tight end and defensive end and had an impact on both sides of the ball… The Enlightened Spartan takes some shots at Notre Dame, feels good about Devin Thomas, and claims Mark Dantonio is a physician.
Game Changer: Kellen Davis (TE/DE): After two TD catches, the next thing you know he is rushing the passer.

Penn State (3-1) at Michigan (2-2)
Score: 14-9 Michigan

A few stats: Mike Hart(UM): 44 carries, 153 yards, 1 TD; Ryan Mallet(UM): 16-29, 170 yards, 1 int; Anthony Morelli (PSU): 15-31, 169 yds; Kevin Kelly (PSU): 3 field goals.
A couple words: Lee Corso has Mike Hart number 1 on his Heisman list… MGoBlog dissects every aspect of what was an extremely poorly played game…At what point does Penn State bench Anthony Morelli? Tell Joe Pa nice knowing ya? Score a touchdown?
Game Changer: Mike Hart: He runs hard and is one of very few weapons for Michigan.

Illinois (3-1) at Indiana (3-1)
Score: 27-14 Illinois

A few stats: Rashard Mendenhall (Ill.): 27 carries, 214 yards, 1 TD; Juice Williams (Ill.): 13-28, 98 yards, 2 TD’s, 2 int’s; Kellen Lewis (Ind.): 26-51 263 yards, 2 TD’s, 1 int.
A couple words: The Illini were able to limit Kellen Lewis’ effectiveness on the ground and Rashard Mendenhall averaged almost 7.9 yards per carry for Illinois…Illinitalk gives props to their Defense and Mendenhall, but seems to be growing frustrated with Juice Williams.
Game Changer: Rashard Mendenhall

Iowa (2-2) at Wisconsin (4-0)
Score: 17-13 Wisconsin

A few stats: P.J. Hill(Wisc.): 29 carries, 113 yards, 1 TD. Tyler Donovan (Wisc.): 12-23, 138 yards, 1 TD, 1 int; Jake Christensen (Iowa): 17-37, 169 yards, 1 TD; Albert Young (Iowa): 10 rushes, 33 yards.
A couple words: Bret Bielema: “I knew it wasn’t going to be an easy game”…Iowa was 2-16 on third down conversions…I thought Brent Musberger was going to have a heart attack when Christensen overthrew his last ball which could have won it for the Hawkeyes…Iowa is going to be good next year, although, don’t we say that every couple of years?...P.J. Hill is a “good” back and Wisconsin is a “good” team; not going to go much further than that.
Game Changer: P.J. Hill

Purdue (4-0) at Minnesota (1-3)
Score: 45-31 Purdue

A few stats: Curtis Painter (Purdue): 33-48, 338 yards, 3 TD’s; Dorien Bryant (Purdue): 12 catches, 150 yards, 2 TD’s. Adam Weber (Minn.): 23-44, 237 yards, 1 TD, 1 int.
A couple words: Purdue continues to roll behind Curtis Painter…Dorien Bryant will probably be a first team all Big Ten receiver…Adam Weber will have better games before his career is over at Minnesota…Video of some sloppy play here.
Game Changer: Dorien Bryant

Ohio State will play their 500th game inside Ohio Stadium today. Massey gave us a nice breakdown earlier and now it's time to play the game. The Wildcats come into the Shoe embarrassed and looking for redemption. Their modus operandi is pretty simple: they will attempt to spread us out, dink and dunk, run QB sweeps, give Tyrell Sutton the ball when they can and probably go for a few 4th downs they have no business trying. In actuality, this can cause some problems for any defense, so our adjustments will be key. In history is any indicator, our adjustments will be just fine.

Causing a little bit of concern for Ohio State faithful is the injury situation. Brandon Saine is out 2-3 weeks after having surgery Friday morning to repair Mensicus damage. WR Dane Sanzenbacher, who has been the third receiver much of the year, will miss the game as well. (Ray Small, your table is ready.) And, I have received several emails saying we may have another player or two unavailable. The walking wounded have returned, unfortunately.

Game time is 3:30 EDT but depending on location, the channel will vary. Ohioans need to tune to ABC and pretty much the rest of the country can catch the game on ESPN. Why? I have no idea.

With one-fourth of the season completed and the Buckeyes sitting at 3-0, I think we are all breathing a sigh of relief. There were questions about Chris Wells being able to carry the ball 25 times and whether Boeckman was the answer at QB. Admittedly, it did not look good in the first two weeks, but Ohio State played their best game in the toughest environment to date. Perhaps they were complacent at home or tremendously motivated on the road. Either way, it is encouraging to see them rise to the occasion.

Immediately ahead is Northwestern. You will have to indulge me for a few sentences and bandwidth. Northwestern lost to Duke last weekend. I repeat, they lost to Duke. And, the worst part of that loss? (I know what you are thinking, “It can get worse?") is that loss cost them an opportunity to be removed from the Dubious Records Register. As you may or may not know, Northwestern owns the longest losing streak in the Division I history (now called Football Bowl Subdivision). They lost 34 games from 1979-1982. Well, Duke showed up on Saturday nursing a 25-game losing with virtually no winnable games ahead (maybe Navy, but they are a 10.5-point underdog this weekend). Therefore, Duke was sure to lose its last ten games, thus running its record losing streak to 35 games. Alas! But I digress.

So, with the shame of the loss and the weight of a giant missed opportunity burdening their psyches you would figure to give the Wildcats very little chance. You would be right. Ohio State is a 22.5-point favorite at home this weekend but I think that speaks to a potential hangover by the Buckeyes and not to what Northwestern brings.

Here is the tale of the tape: Ohio State is 30-2 against Northwestern over the last 40 years. The average score of those games is 39-11. Northwestern’s last win in Ohio Stadium was November 13, 1971, a 14-10 victory. Overall, the Wildcats last win was October 2, 2004 in Evanston.

NU’s National Offensive Rankings

	Avg.	Rank
Rushing Yards	168.3	48th
Passing Yards	283	27th
Total Yards	451	29th
Scoring	25.7ppg	69th

Translation: Northwestern is gaining a lot of yards but having trouble turning those yards into points. Why? If you guessed turnovers you would be wrong. The Wildcats have a plus one turnover margin and have only given up 2 all year. They are one of the most penalized teams in the country with approximately 70 yards per game, but a lot of those are from last week when they had 13 penalties for 125 yards. The most basic assessment one can glean from these numbers is that Northwestern simply has trouble executing (ie: they were stopped on 4th down four times v. Duke all deep in Duke territory). Whether it is penalties or missed assignments they keep hurting themselves.

NU’s National Defensive Rankings

	Avg.	Rank
Rushing Yards	125.3	50th
Passing Yards	245	79th
Total Yards	370	68th
Scoring Def.	17.0ppg	22nd

Translation: Again, these numbers yield strange results. The averages are terrible. Giving up 245 passing yards to Northeastern, Nevada, and Duke is criminal. Yet, they only give up 17 ppg. How? Again, not turnovers. Three only have three takeaways. Perhaps it is a great bend but don’t break defense. Perhaps, it is terrible opponents failing to execute in the red zone. Perhaps, it is luck. No matter what it is look for the Buckeyes to score more than 17 points … in the first half.

What To Look For: For starters, the return of Northwestern RB Tyrell Sutton who has been out with an ankle injury. In theory, that should help. The Wildcats are going to dink it down the field and Bacher can run a little bit, but it will be very difficult for Northwestern to sustain long drives. Ohio State should be able to move the ball with ease. Wells should have his third straight 100-yard game and the Buckeyes will hit 40 points for the first time this season.
Ohio State 40, Northwestern 12

I meant to get this up yesterday but couldn't. Alas, here you go....

Coder Fun In Bristol, CT: You're going to have to take my word on this one. ESPN has an on-going Heisman watch where they list the leading candidates. Mike Hart is listed (no, that's not the crazy part) and, earlier today, when you clicked on his name to see his statistical details it directed you to Armanti Edwards. That would be Armanti Edwards of Appalachian State. The linking 'error' has since been corrected but was it really an error? Some junior coder having a little fun in Bristol?

Call to Recruitniks: Bruce Feldman, ESPN senior writer and friend of Buckeye Commentary, has just released his latest book titled Meat Market: Inside the Smash-Mouth World of College Football Recruiting. I'll let Bruce explain further:

The book details exactly how big-time college programs go from 1000 names at the beginning of the recruiting cycle down to the 25 recruits they sign at the end on National Signing Day. I had amazing access and it turned out to be even more of a roller-coaster ride than I ever imagined.

He spent two years in South doing the research and you can find it right now at Amazon. Hopefully, he detailed the SEC practice of oversigning.

Required Reading: We are all aware of the colossal struggle Notre Dame is facing right now. Their fans have it even worse but who's to blame? There are few required reads on the internets but if you're an Ohio State fan, one has to be Ramzy at BuckNuts. His latest piece has everything that makes him great - funny and he's right.

This is Reloading? 11W has an excellent article on Robo and Hartline and their somewhat surprising production to date. They even went as far as doing arithmetic to extrapolate final receiving yardage if the current pace is maintained. Robo is on pace for nearly 1400 yards which would fall only behind David Boston's single season performance. Yeah, we lost two first round receivers and have we really noticed?

Oh, the Akron Showdown is On! One Akron back took over for another when Chris Wells assumed the running back duties with the departure of Antonio Pittman. Now, Wells will meet up again this weekend with former rival Tyrell Sutton of Northwestern They're both from the Akron area with Wells prepping at Garfield HS and Sutton at Hoban. Sutton's a year older and has had a very good career at NU but of late has been injured, missing a few games including the loss to Duke. However, he is due back in the line up for the Wildcats when they come marching into the Shoe this Saturday. You just have a feeling Beanie, if he can stay away from the injury bug, is about to have a huge game. (pic shows HS photo of Sutton in center, Beanie far right)

Preface: For all the talk of the Big Ten being down this year, I challenge anyone to show me another conference that has three teams in the AP top 10 right now. Maybe people should ask Jake Locker about just how down the Big Ten is...

Pittsburgh(2-1) at Michigan St.(3-0)
Score: 17-13 MSU

A few stats: Brian Hoyer(MSU): 14-28, 183 yards; Devin Thomas(MSU): 3 receptions, 53 yards. Javon Ringer(MSU): 20 carries, 92 yards.
A couple words: Defensive touchdowns and hard play helped Mark Dantonio’s Spartans to improve to 3-0…Pittsburg is riddled with injuries…Kellen Davis may be the best tight end in the Big 10…The Enlightened Spartan talks about penalty issues and “ugly wins” but I say congrats to Dantonio because there is nothing like a 3-0 start as a new head coach.
Game Changer: Travis Key(DB/MSU): His “pick 6” helped the Spartans win a close one.


Notre Dame(0-3) at Michigan(1-2)
Score: 38-0 Michigan

A few stats: Mike Hart(UM): 35 carries, 187 yards, 2 TD’s; Ryan Mallet(UM): 7-15, 90 yards, 3 TD’s. Jimmy Clausen(ND): 11-17, 74 yards, 1 int.
A couple words: Charlie Weis:

“My confidence isn’t shaken, but as an organization we haven’t done a very good job.”

…Can one win over a depleted Notre Dame program give Michigan the confidence boost for Penn State this weekend? MGoBlog discusses this, recruiting, and has more than a few videos on display.
Game Changer: Mike Hart’s mouth(the mouth alone is capable of taking the Irish this year)

Buffalo(1-2) at Penn State(3-0)
Score: 45-24 Penn State

A few stats: Anthony Morelli: 20-27, 202 yards, 4 TD’s; Rodney Kinlaw (PSU): 23 carries, 129 yards, 1 TD. Buffalo: 339 yards passing.
A couple words: Yet another game where you wonder what is going on as Buffalo led 3-0 after 1 quarter…Austin Scott was replaced with Kinlaw after being diagnosed with “fumbleitis”…Morelli will see a slightly better defensive backfield this week in Ann Arbor…Buffalo has won just 13 games in the past 8 seasons.
Game Changer: Anthony Morelli (PSU): 4 touchdown passes. Read More...

When I wasn't spellbound by Jack Arute's spiked hair (Jimmy Clausen in 40 years?) or by the fish innards on his sport coat, I spent my Sunday afternoon re-watching Saturday's football game. It's always a little more fun to watch these games again when they combine elements like:

a) Phenom Freshman QB
b) Road Game
c) Packed Crowd
d) Ed Cunningham watching his alma mater getting hammered.

By no means was Ohio State a well-oiled machine versus Washington but who would have been with that crowd? They were so jacked the cameras were shaking for the entire first quarter. It's place that is tough for anyone, including USC who escaped last year 26-20. We have things to iron out but Ohio State's 33-14 win was workmanlike if not impressive. The voters thought so, too.

My game analysis and Play of the Week selection are online. I touched on a few topics including the new formation employed by the offense and a semi-rebuttal to those think Ross Homan deserves more time over Marcus Freeman. Oh, and you fellow bloggers who thought Laurinaitis was the most overrated player in the B10 should re-evalauate the selection. I'm not sure what else JL needs to do to change opinion because his performance may be the best by any linebacker all year.

With the win, Ohio State moved to 22-1 in their last 23 games.

In front of 74,927, the third largest crowd ever in Husky Stadium, Ohio State brushed off a little first half uncertainty to beat Washington 33-14. Catalyzed by a blocked field goal early in the second half, the Buckeyes rolled downhill from there taking a 7-3 deficit and turning it into a 27-7 lead. It marks the 200th victory for Coach Tressel.

It wasn't without struggles, though. Penalties killed a few drives and a 4th and 1 conversion inside the 10 was nullified by penalty. Todd Boeckman was erratic in the first half, struggling with reading underneath coverage. Two sure interceptions were dropped and another pass simply fell out of his hands while in throwing motion. But, he made perhaps the biggest play in the game early in the second half by recognizing man coverage (Cover 1, to be exact?), checking into a different play and then hitting Brian Robiskie in stride for a 68 yard TD. In total, Ohio State racked up nearly 500 yards of offense with Beanie Wells rushing for 135 on 24 carries.

On the defensive side of the ball, James Laurinaitis was ridiculous. And when I say ridiculous, I mean he was the best player on the field by a gargantuan margin. On top of two interceptions - one a great tip and catch of a shovel pass - he recorded 8 tackles and a sack. Both picks came at times when Washington was driving and naturally the Huskies are lamenting. If there is one particular area of improvement for the defense it's tackling. Then again, Jake Locker is pretty damn good.

Last few thoughts:

* Do you think Scouts, Inc feels a little foolish for giving the coaching edge to Washington in their game preview? Absurd.

* Brian Hartline really stepped up today. Washington was taking away Brian Robiskie early and Hartline really came up with some big grabs.

* Sloppy play inside the redzone - especially the first half.

* Jake Locker will be a great player when he learns to throw with a little touch. Right now, every pass is a 94mph fastball, high and tight. Exceptional runner.

* Beanie left the game late with what I suspect are just bumps and bruises. He didn't return but Brandon Saine and Maurice Wells filled in nicely especially considering everybody in the building knew we were simple running off guard to bleed the clock.

* Whacky punt formation was back again today for one play and that punt was almost blocked. Fortunately, we drew a flag for running into the kicker but let's 86 that formation entirely, please?

* Longsnapper workout first thing Monday morning, 7am sharp. Yeesh.

* The offensive line really acquitted themselves nicely after a poor performance last week. Boeckman was rarely pressured even while UW brought several types of blitzes.

As always, Play of the Week and full game anaylsis coming in the next few days. Early reaction can be found on a number of sites including BuckNuts, The Dispatch and the Plain Dealer. For a little different reaction, one from behind enemy lines, head on over to the Seattle Times and SeattlePI.

You may be a little nervous about Todd Boeckman's first start on the road this weekend.  And, you have good reason to feel that way.  Here is a quick run through of the road starts for the past five Buckeyes' (long-term) starting quarterbacks:

• Joe Germaine - September 5, 1998, at West Virginia:   After sharing quarterback duties in 1997 with Stanley Jackson, Joe Germaine got the reins full-time in 1998.  His first game was on the road at Morgantown and no one was disappointed except for Mountaineer fans.  Germaine was very sharp, throwing for 301 yards on 18-32 with 2 touchdowns.  Germaine went on to set 11 passing records that fall.  A nice start to a great season.
   
  
• Steve Bellisari - October 16, 1999, at Penn State:  This was Steve Bellisari's first road start.  He did not start against Miami in the Kickoff Classic (he was 1-1 for -5 yards) as Austin Moherman was the man that week.  On the third Saturday in October Bellisari, and the Buckeyes, struggled badly.  They were outgained 422–143, with Bellisari completing 7 in 21 attempts for 78 yards (ick).  He rushed 20 times for 38 yards as well. 
  
  
• Craig Krenzel - November 24, 2001, at Michigan:  You may remember this one – Tressel's first Michigan game when Krenzel was thrown to the Wolves because Bellisari got his drink on the week before.  Basically, Jonathan Wells went nuts in the first half and then cramped up for the second.  By the time Michigan knew what hit them it was too late. In the end, Krenzel was 11–18 for 118 yards and an interception.  It wasn't pretty, but he got the win.
  
  
• Justin Zwick - September 18, 2004, at North Carolina State: Justin Zwick traveled to Raleigh, North Carolina to play North Carolina State in Zwick's first road start. Justin was 10-21, for 73 yards.  Oh yeah, he rushed for 2 yards on 9 carries.  Nevertheless, the Buckeyes prevailed 22-14.  As you may recall, the Ohio State defense was dominant that day and the Buckeyes did not have a scoring drive longer than 34 yards, yet Zwick was victorious. 
  
  
• Troy Smith - November 6, 2004, at Michigan State:  Better known as the Ted Ginn, Jr. Coming-Out-Party, this was Troy Smith's first start on the road.  He had a serviceable stat line: 13-21 for 138 yards and 1 TD. While 58 of his passing yards came on Ginn, Jr.'s catch and run, Troy did also rushed for 34 yards that afternoon. The Buckeyes won 32-19 in a roller coaster game that was much closer than the score indicates (remember Maurice Hall's last minute TD run?).

So, the average first road start for OSU quarterbacks has not been glorious (12-23, 144 yards, with less than one touchdown), but they have gone 4-1.  The stat lines have not been pretty, but in the end the winning percentage is all the matters.  Will the Washington game hold form with Brandon Saine blowing up, or will the defense totally dominate ala Raleigh 2004?  Perhaps Boeckman will go off like Joe Germaine?   Who knows?  I am sure you will all tune in to find out. 
Kickoff: ESPN - 3:30 EDT. Game Thread below.

Let’s start with the basics: This weekend is the culmination of a six-game series, which began in 1986. Ohio State and Washington have played 10 times with the first game played in 1957 (two years before the Pac-10 was formed). Ohio State has won 7 of 10 by an average score of 23.5 – 19.3. [Author’s note: isn’t it amazing that this weekend’s line reflects the historical cumulative score of the series? Coincidence? I have no idea.] For the series, Ohio State is 4-1 at home and 3-2 on the road. The Buckeyes have not played in Seattle since 1994 (a 25-16 loss) and have not won in Seattle since 1969 (41-14).

With that backdrop, let’s take a closer look at the Ohio State team that comes into this game. The Buckeyes’ offense has looked rough these first two weeks. Here is a breakdown of the Ohio State drives over the first two games:

The implication of this breakdown is obvious: do not turnover the ball over and you will score. The Buckeyes scored on 10 of the their 16 drives when that drive did not end in a turnover or the expiration of the half.

So, naturally your next question is: what is causing these turnovers? Experience. Of the three fumbles by Ohio State, one by Boeckman, Torrence, and Schoenhoft apiece, each was by a player who only had a handful of snaps under his belt before that play. Chris Wells has the same problem last year. After extended reps, he appears to be much better at holding onto the ball. It is safe to assume that the players learned from their first live action and that the coaches will emphasize ball security even more now.

When the players hang onto the ball the offense appears quite capable of scoring. Now, they just have to do it.

The Punt is the most important play … this weekend? And, if that vague analysis does not make you feel better, take some solace in A.J. Trapasso’s punting (46.2 yards per punt) and Ohio State’s coverage (44.3 net yards per punt). Trapasso is in the Top 10 punting average, although does not currently qualify for lack of attempts. And, the overall punt coverage? It is ranked #3 in the country.

Washington’s punt return ranks 91st in the country, mostly based on a lack of attempts – actually only one attempt. Their lone punt return went for 5 yards. But Washington has had opportunities to return punts. Syracuse punted 6 times with zero being returned. Three punts were resulted in touchbacks, while a fair catch was called for on two others. The sixth rolled dead without a return. Boise State punted 5 times with Washington’s 5-yard return occurring as a result of one. To be sure, the Bronco’s punting was poor: 33.2-yard average. Still, Washington called for a fair catch twice and let two roll dead.

If Washington is going to let the ball roll dead or call for a fair catch, the Buckeyes are going to have a serious field position advantage. Start waiving that hand Huskies.

What is it with Washington and Ohio State? Is there an secretive written rule that these teams must play each other every 4-8 years, splitting the series equally home and away? The Buckeyes face up with the Huskies for the 4th time since 1993, the 5th time since 1986. That may not seem like much but for an out of conference foe in the far reaches of the country, that's quite a few. Can I get some variety up in here?

This year's edition of the game will feature two young quarterbacks on each squad. We know what we have in Todd Boeckman but what about this Jake Locker fellow. He burst on the scene with solid performances over Syracuse and Boise State and went from virtual unknown to Chuck Norris in a nanosecond. He's the second coming of Vince Young only with less speed and less melanin. Maybe Tim Tebow is a better comparison. Actually, the Vince comparison isn't all that far off. First off, No, he's not Vince or even close but Washington will on occasion use the read-option running attack much like Texas under Vince's rule. It's hard to defend and will put a lot of pressure on our defensive ends to mind their contain and read keys. If Locker does get outside he has very good speed and enough power to carry linebackers. Did I mention he can throw it fairly well, too?

Locker is prone to mistakes though, like all young quarterbacks. It will be interesting to see which young QB makes his way through the game with the same poise displayed in the first two contents. One thing is for sure and that's Locker has yet to face a defense as strong as Ohio State's. That could be the difference.

Other Washington Notes:

Channeling 1993 & 2003: Home field has ruled supreme in this series. Ohio State thumped UW in '93 and '03 while Washington equalled the favor in '86, '94. The Buckeyes players have talked quite a bit this week about breaking the home field trend. Washington is notorious for being a very loud place to play with their unique stadium/roof design. My hope is Vernon Gholston can channel a little Big Daddy Dan Wilkinson (BC YouTube clip).

Florida Connection: Oh yes, there is one as far as the coaches are concerned anyway. According to the blog of Seattle Times sports writer Bob Condotta, Washington defensive coordinator Kent Baer is good friends with Florida defensive co-cooridinator, Greg Mattison. Baer seemingly has asked Mattison for all his secrets and ideas on how to attack the Ohio State defense. Um, great? Even the staunchest Ohio State fan has to feel his sphincter awakening with that bit of news. By the way, if Mattison's name rings a bell it's because his son, Bryan, is the starting defensive end for Iowa.

Handling Pacific Northwest Speed: Thanks to our performance in January and Michigan's awful start, it's en vogue to pick against Big Ten teams and cite the 'speed' factor in doing so. This week (or during the telecast) don't be surprised to hear about Washington's team speed - if the Buckeyes struggle. Keep a sick bag near by, just in case.

Page Three of the Playbook? An interesting side-story among Ohio State fans is what to expect from the offense this week? Will the playcalling be a little more open considering the caliber of opponent. Even Ty Willingham thought JT and company were awfully conservative in our first two games and it's clear UDub expects a more wide open attack from us on Saturday. But will we? Part me thinks because of the hostile environment and our inexperience - especially at QB - we may not see much change at all. We've already been stung by the turnover bug this year, so the staff may not deviate much from Tresselball. That is, if we grab a comfortable lead through field position and great defense then we may open it up and flip to page three of the playbook.

(After being a long time reader, Massey has joined Buckeye Commentary as a contributing writer. You may remember the poll breakdown last week? He wrote that and his newest piece today fits in nicely after a Dispatch article highlighting former Buckeye assistant coach- now UW asst - Randy Hart.)

Former Ohio State coaches are thriving these days.  Mark Dantonio resurrected a Cincinnati program that bombed Oregon State last Thursday and he now appears to have Michigan State heading in a better direction.  Meanwhile,   Mark Snyder's Thundering Herd put up a fight against West Virginia last weekend.  

Even Tim Beckman is getting into the act.  So far, Beckman has improved the Oklahoma State defense considerably over two games.  In 2006, the Cowboys were 89th in total defense and 82 in scoring in a league not known for its offenses.  So far in 2007?  Oklahoma State is ranked 41st in total defense and 47th in scoring defense.  Of course, it is still early and they have the meat of the schedule ahead of them but if the Buckeye coaching tree performs as usual look for a marked improvement at the end of the season.  

What is the point of this?  I know what you are saying, "These coaches are good and they left.  How can that be a good thing?"  It should give you an idea of the coaching prowess that has patrolled the sidelines for the Buckeyes since Tressel arrived and should give you continuing confidence in Tressel's ability to recruit great coaches as well as great athletes.  So, if you are more than a little concerned that the Ohio State offense is struggling and are looking to blame someone, don't look to the coaching staff.  The genealogy tells you otherwise.

As promised, the Akron game analysis has been uploaded. It's an abbreviated edition since I'm full of medicine and not really feeling all that well. An internet high-five goes out to OutsidetheShoe.com for their help in getting me a copy of the game.

Earlier in the week, the Play of the Game was picked and loaded so if you missed that, go here. Back to blogger injured reserve for me. Night.

(Note: To provide more content, things keep a changing here at BC so please welcome our newest contributor, Sam Anderson. While we all love Ohio State, there are 10 other teams that make up the conference and impact our chances at a title run. Sam will keep us abreast of their seasons and standout performers. Today is his first installment.)

Bowling Green(1-1) at Michigan St.(2-0)
Score: 28-17 MSU

A few stats: Tyler Sheehan(BG): 295 yards passing, 1 TD; Brian Hoyer(MSU): 17-29, 250 yards, 2 TD’s; Devin Thomas(MSU): 4 receptions, 156 yards, 1 TD.
A couple words: Michigan State had 7 sacks in a competitive game as Bowling Green was coming off a big win at Minnesota in week 1... Check out the Enlightened Spartan for a decent synopsis along with a little finger pointing at the Zebras.
Game Changer: Brian Hoyer(MSU)


Oregon(2-0) at Michigan(0-2)
Score: 39-7 Oregon

A few stats: Dennis Dixon: 368 total yards; Oregon: 331 yards rushing; Michigan: 365 total yards (only 7 points)
A couple words: Mike Hart: “I guarantee we win next week”…Chad Henne left the game early and is doubtful for next week…Talk at of Les Miles going to Michigan here…Good visuals and more downtrodden rhetoric here.
Game Changer: Dennis Dixon (Oregon): 292 yards passing, 76 yards rushing, 4 total TD’s.


Notre Dame(0-2) at Penn State(2-0)
Score: 31-10 Penn State

A few stats: 110,078 in attendance; Anthony Morelli: 12-22, 131 yards, 1 touchdown; Austin Scott(PSU): 28 carries, 116 yards, 2 TD’s; Jimmy Clausen: 17-32, 144 yards, 1 int.
A couple words: Dan Connor referred to Notre Dame as a “powerhouse” after the game. Not sure if a team that hasn’t won a bowl game in over 10 years can be considered a powerhouse…110,078 people painted white and dancing to Zombie Nation’s Kernkraft 400 probably had a small effect on Jimmy Clausen… It doesn’t look like Penn State is ever going to get the performance out of Anthony Morelli they expected…Derrick Williams took a punt back 78 yards for a score.
Game Changer: PSU defense. Read More...

If you can say one thing about Saturday's win over Akron, it's that the defense was exceptional. Akron failed to register 70 total yards or anything more than three first-downs. The Silver Bullets didn't surrender any points even while the staff substituted liberally in an effort to cover up injuries. Lawrence Wilson had to be proud of Robert Rose and especially Cameron Heyward. The offense, on the hand, didn't match the caliber of the defense and was a mess for much of the first half.

If one would have tuned into the OSU/Akron game at halftime, you would have seen a baseball score: 3-2. It was chock full of errors and turnovers stranding drives. The safety came via Akron LB Brion Stokes walking right by a late pulling Steve Rehring and wrapping up Beanie Wells. It exemplified the early struggles of the line as they attempt to find cohesion in the worst way. Or as Kirk Barton says:

"Offensively, we need to look in the mirror. We're not on the slope that we need to be on. We need to get better. It seems like we're either flatlining or getting worse."

This would be a dose of cold water from our captain. Admittingly, the sample size is a grand total of two games but there's already been some early warning signs and Barton is simply sending smoke signals to his colleagues on the offensive line. They must improve and in particular (from my perspective), the guard play from Rehring and Ben Person. The staff didn't select an offensive lineman of the game for YSU and that trend may continue this week.

One bright spot for the offense was the second half performance of the aforementioned Wells. He had two consecutive runs that totaled 65 yards which helped bolster his 143 rushing yards (20 carries). In fact, the second of his two carries is my Play of the Week (my YouTube version here and in the right sidebar) not only because it put us in an area to ice the game, but also because of the devastating stiff arm he delivered to Akron DB Devanzo Tate. Also, a quick word about my videos this year; they'll all be sized to 425x350 which is the de-facto ratio for YouTube.

I am currently working on a full game analysis which will provide much more detail on the game. I plan to have that by Monday or Tuesday night. At my pace, Tuesday is probably the more likely date. By the way, polls are out and Bucks are up a few spots to #10.
Unrelated Note: The Best Damn Band in the Land will be performing during tomorrow's Monday Night Football game. Not sure if they'll get any air time, but a cool honor.

Did you know Akron "Zips" is short for "Zippers"? The school calls it 'one of the unique nicknames in intercollegiate athletics'. Well, yeah. It rivals my alma mater - the Battling Bishops. Anyway, gametime is an hour a way and I'm severely tardy with this update. What you should know is Akron will present more of a challenge than last week. And, television and radio will probably talk about how Akron RB Dennis Kennedy was shunned at Ohio State.

I'm off to try to find a DTV location showing the game. Get your fill of previews from 11W, BuckNuts and a whole slew of articles from The Columbus Dispatch and Akron Beacon Journal.

We're heading into Akron but a few last points regarding the past few days...

Punt Formation Change: I pointed out after the Youngstown State game that our punt formation underwent a change in the offseason. Rather than letting it go and just hoping you believe me, I decided to grab a few screenshots to illustrate the point - especially since I haven't seen it mentioned anywhere but here at BC.

Below I have a screenshot taken from a random punt in the Iowa game last year (why Iowa? It was in my DVD player, easy accessibility) and then to the right of it is the formation from YSU. The YSU camera shot is different but the change is apparent. We are no longer bowing our line to create a pocket for punter AJ Trapasso. Instead, the staff has essentially created a second level of blockers, three of them, approximately ten yards beyond the line of scrimmage compared to five yards last year. It's not as radical as, say, LSU but an interesting little tweak nonetheless. (btw, sorry for the small screencaps)

Simmer Down Now: Buckeyes fans have been peppering 1460 and ESPN chats with questions about how Ohio State could drop one position in both the AP and Coaches Polls after soundly (albeit sloppily) beating Youngstown State.  After all, the Buckeyes defeated a highly ranked Football Championship Subdivision team, formerly known as D-IAA, by 32 points.  As we all know, mighty Michigan lost to a team from the same division.  

Upon closer inspection, Ohio State actually received more dap in the latest polls than it did in the preseason.  The thing is, the polls were simply more even than the preseason editions.  The same teams were more consistently ranked and, thus, many teams received more votes.  Some did not - Texas went from 1375 to 1221 in the AP Poll.  

Tressel's gang received 919 points in the preseason USA Today Coaches Poll.  After week one, they received 977.  That means, on average, the Buckeyes were voted higher than they were in the preseason by one spot because they received 58 more votes from the 60 voters.  Likewise, OSU received 64 more points in the AP Poll, which equals approximately 1 position higher per voter (there are 65 AP voters).  

What does this all mean?  It means that the voters ranking are codifying, as usual.  It means their minds are being shaped.  And, it means that more voters are voting the Buckeyes closer to the Top 10.  And, that is a good thing.  Ultimately, it means the Buckeyes are getting their love, or as Ali G says, respek.  

Don't get your Buckeyes in a bunch.  

No, this is not Santonio Holmes:

It's Ray Small. It's also no secret I'm a big fan of his so I avidly cheer recent news that he's been cleared to play this weekend. The Glenville product is, right now, more athlete than true wide receiver but he has talent and an unending reservoir of speed few others can match. He's not Teddy Ginn-fast mind you, at least not from goalline to goalline, but he does possess the ability to get in and out of breaks unlike most. Frankly, the quality is very Steve Smith-esque where he can run right by you on "go" route or turn a 5 yard hitch into a long TD. Special, that quality.

Now the task is to progress and move from unproven player into a known commodity. I don't expect this to happen right away since he'll be knocking off injury rust and associated barnacles. However, his return alone could and should open up other parts of the field and expand the formations we can use effectively.

When Lawrence Wilson went down with a broken leg in the second quarter on Saturday, it punctuated what has already been a season of injuries. He was preceded by starters LB Curtis Terry and WR Ray Small and backups that were to figure prominently such as WR's Albert Dukes and Devon Lyons along with CB Andre Amos. If this were 15th century Europe and thank goodness it isn't, local apothecaries would be in great demand by Ohio State. The nature of injury varies but with five important players already missing time, and significant time at that, the injury situation already deserves close watch.

Wilson's injury happens to be the most serious of them all and potentially the most damaging to the team. Vernon Gholston gets all the publicity but Lawrence was quietly having a great summer and he's equally adept playing the pass and holding contain on runs. In two shortened quarters against Youngstown State he already posted a sack and TFL. In fact, on the play he was injured, he was pressuring the QB yet again and accidently leg-whipped a teammate (causing the break), exemplifying the cruelest bit of irony.

What few want to talk about is we virtually have no one on the team that can adequately replace Wilson. At least, not by themselves. Instead, a platoon or committee approach is likely the method to shore up the loss because of depth and inexperience. That committee is comprised of Robert Rose, Cameron Heyward and maybe a little sprinkle of Alex Barrow. Rose is the most talented of the group (as a true DE) but Heacock basically called him a project which caught me a little by surprise. Cameron Heyward is a true frosh defensive tackle with mega talent but masquerading as a defensive end. Yeah, Lawrence is a big loss.

Surgery was preformed on Sunday to repair Wilson's broken tibia and recuperation time is estimated 6-8 weeks. He hopes to return by the Wisconsin game which is optimistic considering he'll likely be far from game shape. A medical redshirt is not out of the question in my mind. Curtis Terry also appears to be several games away before seeing the field as is Amos. Potentially back soon is Ray Small and Albert Dukes. I'm not hitting the panic button yet but a team can only cover up injuries so long.

PS: No game analysis or POW selection this week. BitTorrent is an option but my download wasn't half way finished after two days...so I scrapped it. I'll probably be in the same situation next week, too. Lastly, BuckeyeVision in right sidebar updated with YouTube highlights from YSU.

That was a crazy day in college football. The Abomination in Ann Arbor dominates the discussion and even overshadows Virginia Tech's emotional home opener. I won't say much about Michigan because a) karma is always in play and b) the michigan bloggers already have enough to cope with. For instance, Brian suddenly likes kitty cats. Condolences.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Columbus was and is a decidedly happier city. We didn't play especially well but considering the plight we could be facing, it's best to keep things in perspective. We had our own Div. IAA team to deal with and deal with them we did. But, being that I don't have Insight or DTV, I don't have a copy of the game. I'm working on that as we speak (hello, BitTorrent!) so I may be able to get a full game analysis and POW up in the coming days. Until then, the least I can do is offer a streamlined version of some of my mental notes after watching the game at the Varsity Club.

• Whoa, new punt formation! Memo to staff, please put away the LSU tapes (they use a different but similar formation). Michigan learned their lesson a few years ago (I think it was UM, anyway) so there's a reason hardly any teams use this gimmick.
  
  
• Offensive line was not impressive today. Then again, we were vanilla and kept running behind left guard over and over and over again. It becomes a numbers game when the opposition overloads the box.
  
  
• Along the same lines, if you load the box you are playing with fire elsewhere. "Elsewhere" would be on the outside with Brian Robiskie. Robiskie caught a career-high 9 passes for 153 yards.
  
  
• Beanie Wells said he 'wasn't into the game'. Other players said the same. I don't even know what to say.
  
  
• It seems like our team speed has taken a drop. I guess I should have expected this in the WR corp but it's even more apparent that I expected. We need Ray Small in the worst way, for just his speed capability alone.
  
  
• Rumor central: I heard today from someone who talks with Pretorious that Aaron Pettrey is hurt. This makes sense since Aaron didn't handle kickoffs as JT said he would.
  
  
• I didn't understand the mass substitutions on the second and third series. Beanie was out on the 2nd series and we had an entire new offensive line on the 3rd. I took this as a planned move rather than the staff sending a message...and if so, I don't understand it. First game of the year and these guys are trying to find their groove. Give them time to find it.
  
  
• Impressed with Todd Boeckman. He really seemed poised and there is a gigantic difference between he and Schoenhoft IMO.
  
  
• Defense reminded me of last year's first game. No one standing out - although Lawrence Wilson was having a fine game before his awful injury - and just going through the motions.
  
  
• An actual game did nothing to change my views on the field.
  
  
• Chalk up first game jitters for the BTN. Let's hope anyway. That was an awful production with names spelled incorrectly, a scarcity of stats throughout the game, late with down and distance frequently, Roger Twibell put me to sleep, camera operation was poor and they used the entire top portion of screen real estate to show the score and time. Take a cue from ABC who has been doing this a lot longer than you and just put a little box in the upper right (or left depending on which way offense is moving) and be done with it. Otherwise, you're inexplicably reducing viewing area.

Back with more later if and when I get video of the game. 11W has a nice breakdown in the meantime.