2005 - Pre-Season Breakdown

[Carmen Ohio]

I think most of us agree this team is poised for a national championship run barring massive injuries or a plain string of bad luck, but where are the land mines in this year's schedule? I'm not worried about Miami, Texas, Iowa and San Diego State at home... with or without a great kicking game. I am concerned with Penn State, a little about Minnesota coming off what should be a blowout at Indiana.. and of course @Michigan.

Games I think we win if tradition holds:

Miami, Texas, San Diego State, Iowa, Michigan State, Indiana, Illinois, Northwestern.

Games that will be tougher than expected:

@Penn State, @Minnesota

Games with big home field advantage for opponent:
@Penn State, @Michigan

The funny thing is if John Cooper were coaching this team I know we'd lose one of them... probably Michigan. But outside of the uncharacteristic things we did in the 2003 game, I think JT pretty much has their number and we get the win.

On the other hand If I were a Michigan fan I see six games I'd be sweating out: Notre Dame, @Wisconsin, @ Michigan State, Minnesota, @Iowa and of course Ohio State. Considering how badly they handled Stanton at home last year I'm going to assume Sparty will come out on top. I can't see them winning at Iowa, nor beating both Ohio State and Notre Dame. After the pounding we gave them I can't imagine how they'll handle what should be an even better OSU team.

Iowa has us, @Purdue, @Wisconsin and Minnesota as potential losses. After losing to OSU and taking it out on Illinois the next week I can see a loss to Purdue in a game sandwiched between two teams predicted to be the league's doormats -Indiana follows at Kinnick. I predict they'll beat Michigan and let down once again @Wisconsin or against rival Minnesota.

If this is truly a championship year it's going to come down to defense and special teams. The D should be awesome, The return game explosive but If we don't develop a good punter and a good kicker it will cost us one game. So before I see the kickers, my prediction is as follows:

Ohio State 10-1 (7-1) (@PSU, @Minn or @Mich)
Iowa 8-3 (5-3) (@OSU, @Purdue, @Wis or Minn)
Michigan 8-3 (5-3) (ND,@Wis,@MSU, Minn,@Iowa,OSU)

If we develop a great kicking game I say we run the table and go to the Rose Bowl - but I have a funny feeling we'd still get there with one loss after having beat Texas and Iowa. Likewise, If we get to the Rose Bowl without good kicking, I think we lose it.

 

[Jaxbuck]

scUM is its own season so I don't even count that when discussing how the schedule looks in a given year. They always have been and always will be our biggest and toughest game.

As for the other 10 games, the landmine is clearly @ PSU. Its now a B10 road game at night after a bye week and we're 0-2 in those the past 2 years. Both losses to a team we were much better than.

After that Iowa will be the toughest test but I think we'll get payback and no offense to UT fans but we just aren't going to lose that game at home at night.

@ Minny will be a test but one dimensional run only teams have no success against us no matter where we play them.

Make it to 5-0 and it should be clear sailing into AA for all the marbles but I've had a bad feeling about PSU for a long time now, the night game just makes it worse.

 

[NightmaresDad]

I see 5 tough games:

TX, IA, @PSU, @MN, @MI

@MI will always be the toughest. @PSU is the second toughest because we will have just played 2 tough games the previous 3 weeks, + the fact that it's going to be at night (road games at night = upset)

Iowa next, TX next, and to a lesser extent @Minny (but Ginn and M Wells on 'turf? - getoudahere!)

The nice thing about the scUM game this year is that we have a much easier schedule leading up to it than in the past - should have a well-rested and relatively healthy team as compared to '03.

jaxbucks posted: "Make it to 5-0 and it should be clear sailing into AA for all the marbles but I've had a bad feeling about PSU for a long time now, the night game just makes it worse."

Dude, i posted at the same time as you - obviously we are on the same page.

 

[scarletngray]

IMO, Iowa will be our toughest challenge, then UT, then TSUN. Texas and Iowa concern me because they are early in the season. I believe we will play both at home and so that is to our advantage.

Iowa manhandled us last year. Hopefully that will inspire the good guys to return the favor.

Go Bucks!! :osu:

 

[Yertle]

Games that will be tougher than expected:

@Penn State, @Minnesota

Games heavily favoring the home team:
@Penn State, @Michigan

In your opinion, Penn State will be heavily favored? I doubt it. I agree with your statement that it will be tougher than expected, but when I hear "Heavily Favored", I think 10+ points. I think the last time we were 10 point dogs, we were playing a team with a 34 game win streak.

Now that I think about it, I wouldn't say that Michigan will be heavily favored either.

Solid post though. I really like the analysis, but I agree with ScarletnGray, Iowa is the second toughest. They kicked our asses last year, and chalking that up to "Smith/Ginn/Gonzo/Whatever weren't in the offense yet" doesn't erase a 30 point deficit in my mind.

The way I see it, @ PSU in the night is #3.

 

[Carmen Ohio]

In your opinion, Penn State will be heavily favored? I doubt it. I agree with your statement that it will be tougher than expected, but when I hear "Heavily Favored", I think 10+ points. I think the last time we were 10 point dogs, we were playing a team with a 34 game win streak.

I don't mean heavily favored from a point spread standpoint... I'll try to edit the post to reflect that. I'm talking about teams that have an edge on us because it's at home. I can't remember the last time we blew out Penn State or Michigan on their own field regardless of how bad their teams were.

[/QUOTE] I agree with ScarletnGray, Iowa is the second toughest. They kicked our asses last year, and chalking that up to "Smith/Ginn/Gonzo/Whatever weren't in the offense yet" doesn't erase a 30 point deficit in my mind.The way I see it, @ PSU in the night is #3.[/QUOTE]With all due respect If we look at it that way then we shouldn't have beaten Michigan by 16 after the pounding we took in 03. In my opinion we should be better this year... Iowa will have more questions and we're playing them in Columbus. You'll remember that the reason we couldn't get anything going in that game is because their defensive line lived in our backfield - that whole line has graduated and our offensive line is deeper and more talented. There is also no way Iowa hangs more than 30 on us in Columbus. I'm not in the least bit worried about this game.

 

[Yertle]

I'm not in the least bit worried about this game.

I hope you're right. However, Iowa's offense could (should) be better this year.

After all, Iowa's being mentioned as a Rose Bowl contender. Whether or not that's a stretch, it's hard to blow off a team that's being mentioned in the same sentence as the phrase "potential National Champion."

I'm worried......well, maybe not right now, but I will be during the Iowa game week.

 

[Carmen Ohio]

I'm worried......well, maybe not right now, but I will be during the Iowa game week.

It's still spring... we might go full circle before the first kickoff.

 

[Zurp]

I love that we're still 5 months from the kickoff against Miami and we're already predicting the season. Ok, then. Here's my prediction: 11-2. Losses will be to Michigan, Iowa, Texas, or Minnesota. Or maybe the bowl game. Or maybe Penn State. Now that I think of it, any of those teams might beat the Bucks. Except Vanderbilt. I'm pretty sure Vandy won't beat the Bucks.