3yardsandacloud
Administrator Emeritus
2006-07 BCS National Championship Game Preview
The #1 Ohio State Buckeyes
vs.
The #2 Florida Gators
written by:
BB73, BuckeyeRyn, Buckeyeskickbuttocks, Bucklion, DaddyBigBucks, daddyphatsacs, Deety, FKAGobucks877, jwinslow, LordJeffBuck, osugrad21, OSUsushichic, PrincessPeach, and 3yardsandacloud
Link to 2006-07 Florida Gators - Additional Information
The #1 Ohio State Buckeyes
vs.
The #2 Florida Gators
written by:
BB73, BuckeyeRyn, Buckeyeskickbuttocks, Bucklion, DaddyBigBucks, daddyphatsacs, Deety, FKAGobucks877, jwinslow, LordJeffBuck, osugrad21, OSUsushichic, PrincessPeach, and 3yardsandacloud
Link to 2006-07 Florida Gators - Additional Information
After a 51-day wait between football games, this year's Ohio State football team will have an opportunity to register some very impressive accomplishments with a victory on January 8th.
If the Buckeyes win the Championship Game in Glendale, they will:
Become the first team to win two BCS Championship Trophies
Become only the third team to ever be ranked AP #1 from the pre-season until the end of the year (others listed below)
Become only the second Ohio State team to win thirteen games in a season (14-0 in 2002)
Become only the second tOSU team to win at least 20 consecutive football games
Become the first tOSU team to have a Heisman winner and a National Championship in the same season
Become the first team to win 5 BCS Bowl games
Become only the second team to win five AP #1 vs. AP #2 football games
Become the first #1 team to defeat three #2 teams in the same season
The 2006 Ohio State Buckeyes were the 8th team to play in a pair of AP #1 vs #2 matchups in the same season, and will be the first team to ever play in three of those matchups in a single season.
Only 5 teams have won a pair of AP #1 vs AP #2 games in the same season; the previous 4 all won the National Championship.
Teams that won more than one AP #1 vs. AP #2 games in the same season:
1943 Notre Dame.....defeated #2 Michigan, and #2 Iowa Pre-Flight
1945 Army..............defeated #2 Notre Dame, and #2 Navy
1963 Texas.............defeated #1 Oklahoma, defeated #2 Navy (Cotton Bowl)
1971 Nebraska.........defeated #2 Oklahoma, and #2 Alabama (Orange Bowl)
2006 Ohio State.......defeated #2 Texas, and #2 Michigan, playing #2 Florida in the BCS Championship
Here are the records for teams that have played in more than one AP #1 vs. AP #2 football matchups:
Notre Dame.......5-2-2
Ohio State........4-0
Texas..............4-1
Nebraska..........3-2
Florida State.....3-3
Miami...............3-3
USC.................3-3
Army................3-0-1
Alabama...........2-1
Penn State.......2-1
Oklahoma.........1-6
Florida.............0-2
Navy...............0-3
Michigan..........0-4
While Ohio State's school-record of 22 straight wins was from 1967-68-69, there was also a 22-game unbeaten streak in the Chic Harley era of 1915 through 1918.
Longest tOSU football winning and unbeaten streaks:
22 - 1967-69 - all win
22 - 1915-18 - includes a tie at Auburn in 1917
19 - 2005-06 - all wins (current streak)
19 - 2002-03 - all wins
19 - 1973-74 - includes a tie at TSUN in 1973
The Buckeyes are attempting to become the first tOSU team to be #1 from 'wire-to-wire' throughout the season. Such a feat would be very special; here are the only teams that have accomplished it in the AP poll, which started in 1936:
#1 from Wire-to-Wire in the AP poll
1943 Notre Dame - (first poll taken in October, after most teams had played 2 or 3 games)
1945 Army - (first poll taken in October, after most teams had played 2 or 3 games)
1999 Florida State - (first team to go from pre-season #1 all the way to the final poll)
2004 USC - (matched FSU's feat)
Note - 1971 Nebraska and 1972 USC were not truly "wire-to-wire", as neither team was #1 in the pre-season AP poll for those years. The pre-season AP poll started in 1950.
Only four Buckeye squads have finished the season unblemished, while four others got their first loss in a Bowl game. The game with Florida will determine which of these 2 lists that the 2006 Buckeyes will join.
tOSU teams that finished with a perfect record:
1944 - finished 9-0 (AP #2, behind Army)
1954 - finished 10-0 (AP #1)
1968 - finished 10-0 (AP #1), winning a #1 vs. #2 matchup in the Rose Bowl against USC
2002 - finished 14-0 (AP #1), winning a #1 vs. #2 matchup in the Fiesta Bowl over Miami
tOSU teams that were undefeated until their bowl game:
1920 - finished 7-1, lost Rose Bowl to Cal
1970 - finished 9-1 (AP #5), lost Rose Bowl to Stanford
1975 - finished 11-1 (AP #4), lost Rose Bowl to UCLA
1979 - finished 11-1 (AP #4), lost Rose bowl to USC
Since the BCS started with the 1998 season, Ohio State is the only team that has won 4 BCS Bowl Games.
Records (before 1-1-2007) of teams who have played in at least 2 BCS games
Ohio St............4-0
USC................3-1
Miami (Fla.)......3-1
Oklahoma.........2-2
Florida.............2-1
Texas..............2-0
LSU.................2-0
Wisconsin.........2-0
Florida State.....1-5
Michigan..........1-2
Georgia............1-1
Tennessee.......1-1
Nebraska.........1-1
Notre Dame......0-2
Florida's recent football history is much better than their all-time performance. The Gators have only had one undefeated season: a 5-0-1 mark in 1911. Prior to the start of Steve Spurrier's head coaching stint in 1990, their only top-10 finishes in a major poll occurred in 1983 and 1984 (they were 11th in the Coaches Poll when Spurrier won the Heisman as the Gator QB in 1966).
During Spurrier's tenure from 1990 through 2001, the Gators won at least 9 games for 12 straight years, and were ranked in the final AP poll's top-10 for all but two of those 12 years. They won their only National Championship in the pre-BCS year of 1996, with the help of the Buckeye win over Arizona State in the Rose Bowl and their win in the Sugar Bowl rematch against rival Florida State. All six of their SEC titles prior to this year came during the Spurrier years.
Comparing records against the conference of the opponent, however, favors the SEC team. Florida is 8-4 all-time against current members of the Big 10, including 5-3 in Bowl games (7 of which were in the state of Florida). Ohio State is 7-9-2 against current SEC teams (including a well-documented 0-7 in bowls), or 3-8-1 against teams in the SEC when the games were played.
With less than a week to go, it seems difficult to grasp that we all will have survived a more than seven-week layoff. On Monday evening, two groups of young men will settle it all on the field of play and remove every bit of speculation, opinion and punditry from the equation.
We will have a champion. At least, that is, until next year.
If the Buckeyes win the Championship Game in Glendale, they will:
Become the first team to win two BCS Championship Trophies
Become only the third team to ever be ranked AP #1 from the pre-season until the end of the year (others listed below)
Become only the second Ohio State team to win thirteen games in a season (14-0 in 2002)
Become only the second tOSU team to win at least 20 consecutive football games
Become the first tOSU team to have a Heisman winner and a National Championship in the same season
Become the first team to win 5 BCS Bowl games
Become only the second team to win five AP #1 vs. AP #2 football games
Become the first #1 team to defeat three #2 teams in the same season
The 2006 Ohio State Buckeyes were the 8th team to play in a pair of AP #1 vs #2 matchups in the same season, and will be the first team to ever play in three of those matchups in a single season.
Only 5 teams have won a pair of AP #1 vs AP #2 games in the same season; the previous 4 all won the National Championship.
Teams that won more than one AP #1 vs. AP #2 games in the same season:
1943 Notre Dame.....defeated #2 Michigan, and #2 Iowa Pre-Flight
1945 Army..............defeated #2 Notre Dame, and #2 Navy
1963 Texas.............defeated #1 Oklahoma, defeated #2 Navy (Cotton Bowl)
1971 Nebraska.........defeated #2 Oklahoma, and #2 Alabama (Orange Bowl)
2006 Ohio State.......defeated #2 Texas, and #2 Michigan, playing #2 Florida in the BCS Championship
Here are the records for teams that have played in more than one AP #1 vs. AP #2 football matchups:
Notre Dame.......5-2-2
Ohio State........4-0
Texas..............4-1
Nebraska..........3-2
Florida State.....3-3
Miami...............3-3
USC.................3-3
Army................3-0-1
Alabama...........2-1
Penn State.......2-1
Oklahoma.........1-6
Florida.............0-2
Navy...............0-3
Michigan..........0-4
While Ohio State's school-record of 22 straight wins was from 1967-68-69, there was also a 22-game unbeaten streak in the Chic Harley era of 1915 through 1918.
Longest tOSU football winning and unbeaten streaks:
22 - 1967-69 - all win
22 - 1915-18 - includes a tie at Auburn in 1917
19 - 2005-06 - all wins (current streak)
19 - 2002-03 - all wins
19 - 1973-74 - includes a tie at TSUN in 1973
The Buckeyes are attempting to become the first tOSU team to be #1 from 'wire-to-wire' throughout the season. Such a feat would be very special; here are the only teams that have accomplished it in the AP poll, which started in 1936:
#1 from Wire-to-Wire in the AP poll
1943 Notre Dame - (first poll taken in October, after most teams had played 2 or 3 games)
1945 Army - (first poll taken in October, after most teams had played 2 or 3 games)
1999 Florida State - (first team to go from pre-season #1 all the way to the final poll)
2004 USC - (matched FSU's feat)
Note - 1971 Nebraska and 1972 USC were not truly "wire-to-wire", as neither team was #1 in the pre-season AP poll for those years. The pre-season AP poll started in 1950.
Only four Buckeye squads have finished the season unblemished, while four others got their first loss in a Bowl game. The game with Florida will determine which of these 2 lists that the 2006 Buckeyes will join.
tOSU teams that finished with a perfect record:
1944 - finished 9-0 (AP #2, behind Army)
1954 - finished 10-0 (AP #1)
1968 - finished 10-0 (AP #1), winning a #1 vs. #2 matchup in the Rose Bowl against USC
2002 - finished 14-0 (AP #1), winning a #1 vs. #2 matchup in the Fiesta Bowl over Miami
tOSU teams that were undefeated until their bowl game:
1920 - finished 7-1, lost Rose Bowl to Cal
1970 - finished 9-1 (AP #5), lost Rose Bowl to Stanford
1975 - finished 11-1 (AP #4), lost Rose Bowl to UCLA
1979 - finished 11-1 (AP #4), lost Rose bowl to USC
Since the BCS started with the 1998 season, Ohio State is the only team that has won 4 BCS Bowl Games.
Records (before 1-1-2007) of teams who have played in at least 2 BCS games
Ohio St............4-0
USC................3-1
Miami (Fla.)......3-1
Oklahoma.........2-2
Florida.............2-1
Texas..............2-0
LSU.................2-0
Wisconsin.........2-0
Florida State.....1-5
Michigan..........1-2
Georgia............1-1
Tennessee.......1-1
Nebraska.........1-1
Notre Dame......0-2
Florida's recent football history is much better than their all-time performance. The Gators have only had one undefeated season: a 5-0-1 mark in 1911. Prior to the start of Steve Spurrier's head coaching stint in 1990, their only top-10 finishes in a major poll occurred in 1983 and 1984 (they were 11th in the Coaches Poll when Spurrier won the Heisman as the Gator QB in 1966).
During Spurrier's tenure from 1990 through 2001, the Gators won at least 9 games for 12 straight years, and were ranked in the final AP poll's top-10 for all but two of those 12 years. They won their only National Championship in the pre-BCS year of 1996, with the help of the Buckeye win over Arizona State in the Rose Bowl and their win in the Sugar Bowl rematch against rival Florida State. All six of their SEC titles prior to this year came during the Spurrier years.
Comparing records against the conference of the opponent, however, favors the SEC team. Florida is 8-4 all-time against current members of the Big 10, including 5-3 in Bowl games (7 of which were in the state of Florida). Ohio State is 7-9-2 against current SEC teams (including a well-documented 0-7 in bowls), or 3-8-1 against teams in the SEC when the games were played.
With less than a week to go, it seems difficult to grasp that we all will have survived a more than seven-week layoff. On Monday evening, two groups of young men will settle it all on the field of play and remove every bit of speculation, opinion and punditry from the equation.
We will have a champion. At least, that is, until next year.
Date and Time
Date: Monday, January 8th, 2007
Time: 8:00 EDT Kick-off @ 8:30
Location: University of Phoenix Stadium (Glendale, AZ)
Constructed: 2006
Seating Capacity: 63,000 - 73,000
Playing Surface: Natural Grass
Broadcast Information:
TV Broacast: FOX: Thom Brennama (play-by-play), Alvarez and Charles Davis (analyst), and Chris Myers (sideline). Chris Rose will be the Studio Host and Jimmy Johnson the Studio Analyst.
National Radio Broadcast: ESPN Radio: Brent Musburger (play-by-play), Bob Davie (analyst), Kirk Herbstreit (analyst) and Lisa Salters (sideline)
Satellite Radio Broadcast: XM Satellite Radio: XM Sports Nation: Channel 144
Local Radio Broadcast: Ohio State Radio Network (1460TheFan in Columbus): Paul Keels (Play-by-play), Jim Lachey (Analysis), and Marty Bannister (Sideline)
Time: 8:00 EDT Kick-off @ 8:30
Location: University of Phoenix Stadium (Glendale, AZ)
Constructed: 2006
Seating Capacity: 63,000 - 73,000
Playing Surface: Natural Grass
Broadcast Information:
TV Broacast: FOX: Thom Brennama (play-by-play), Alvarez and Charles Davis (analyst), and Chris Myers (sideline). Chris Rose will be the Studio Host and Jimmy Johnson the Studio Analyst.
National Radio Broadcast: ESPN Radio: Brent Musburger (play-by-play), Bob Davie (analyst), Kirk Herbstreit (analyst) and Lisa Salters (sideline)
Satellite Radio Broadcast: XM Satellite Radio: XM Sports Nation: Channel 144
Local Radio Broadcast: Ohio State Radio Network (1460TheFan in Columbus): Paul Keels (Play-by-play), Jim Lachey (Analysis), and Marty Bannister (Sideline)
Tale of the Tape
Code:
[font=courier]
.............................Ohio State..............Florida
Record.......................12-0....................12-1
Conference...................Big Ten Champs..........SEC Champs
Jerseys......................White (away)............Dark (home)
Bench........................East....................West
BCS Standings................1 (1.000)...............2 (0.945)
Harris Poll..................1 (2824)................2 (2670)
AP Poll......................1 (1625)................2 (1529)
Coaches Poll.................1 (1550)................2 (1470)
NCSS SOS Rank:...............20 (66-57-0) (.537).....1 (81-46-0) (.638)
Overall Winning Streak.......19 Games................6 Games
Conference Winning Streak....14 Games................3 Games
Home Winning Streak..........12 Games................15 Games
NCAA Team National Ranks:
Rushing Offense..............18 (180.08).............36 (160.61)
Passing Offense..............33 (229.7)..............26 (237.8)
Total Offense................15 (409.75).............21 (398.08)
Scoring Offense..............7 (36.33)...............32 (28.85)
Rushing Defense..............16 (93.50)..............6 (74.46)
Pass Efficiency Defense......8 (100.84)..............6 (100.31)
Total Defense................13 (273.00).............10 (268.77)
Scoring Defense..............2 (10.42)...............6 (13.46)
Net Punting..................28 (37.02)..............8 (38.22)
Punt Returns.................42 (10.10)..............39 (10.47)
Kickoff Returns..............84 (19.08)..............116 (16.88)
Turnover Margin..............9 (.92).................47 (.23)
Pass Defense.................29 (179.50).............51 (194.31)
Passing Efficiency...........4 (165.93)..............11 (151.90)
Sacks........................10 (3.08)...............54 (2.23)
Tackles For Loss.............T-10 (7.33).............60 (5.62)
Sacks Allowed................10 (1.17)...............49 (1.69)
NCAA Individual National Ranks:
Rushing......................21 Antonio Pittman (97.58)......NR
Passing Efficiency...........4 Troy Smith (167.87)...........22 Chris Leak (146.76)
Total Offense................32 Troy Smith (228.33)..........39 Chris Leak (211.69)
Receptions Per Game..........42 Ted Ginn Jr. (4.92)..........74 Dallas Baker (4.31)
.............................89 Anthony Gonzalez (4.08)......80 Andre Caldwell (4.23)
Receiving Yards Per Game.....56 Ted Ginn Jr. (65.08).........38 Dallas Baker (69.00)
.............................73 Anthony Gonzalez (60.25).....NR
Interceptions................T-20 James Laurinaitis (.42)....4 Ryan Smith (.62)
.............................T-43 Malcolm Jenkins (.33)......16 Reggie Nelson (.46)
Punting......................NR..............................25 Eric Wilbur (42.18)
Punt Returns.................26 Ted Ginn Jr. (11.08).........19 Brandon James (11.55)
Kickoff Returns..............73 Ted Ginn Jr. (20.41).........97 Brandon James (17.50)
Field Goals..................85 Aaron Pettrey (.67)..........NR
Scoring......................T-53 Antonio Pittman (6.50).....NR
.............................62 Aaron Pettrey (6.42).........NR
All-Purpose Runners..........36 Ted Ginn Jr. (117.58)........NR
.............................55 Antonio Pittman (107.25).....NR
Sacks........................27 Quinn Pitcock (.73)..........48 Derrick Harvey (.62)
.............................41 Vernon Gholston (.63)........T-88 Jarvis Moss (.46)
Tackles......................46 James Laurinaitis (8.33).....NR
Tackles For Loss.............T-32 Vernon Gholston (1.17).....NR
.............................T-77 Quinn Pitcock (1.00).......NR[/font]2006-07 Florida Gators Offensive Preview
Returning starters: 6
A tremendous season for two worthy teams all comes down to one game. Head coach Urban Meyer is seeking a national title in just his second season, a feat accomplished by only 6 other coaches (titles in year 1 or 2), including 2 Buckeyes, current coach Jim Tressel and legendary coach Paul Brown. Meyer is Ohio born and Ohio raised, was a DB at the University of Cincinnati and earned a Masters degree at Ohio State while being a graduate assistant coach for 2 years under Earle Bruce (1986-1987). So Meyer is keenly aware of everything about Ohio State, including all of the grand tradition, and is eager put himself into elite company by knocking off the Buckeyes in the title game.
This year's offense at Florida has had its ups and downs, but the team has put together a nice season. The Gators finished just outside the top 20 nationally (#21) in yards per game with 410.3. Their rushing average of 160.3 ypg ranks 36th nationally, and their passing average of 237.8 ypg puts them 26th, and indicates a nice offensive balance. The Gators didn't pile up points like they did in the Spurrier era, but they did average 28.8 points per game, good enough for 32nd nationally. The Gators were also effective at controlling the ball (20.3 first downs per game, 27th nationally) and moving the chains (43.2% conversions on 3rd down, 26th nationally), though Ohio State's 51.3% conversions on 3rd down is a relative strength against the Gators. Perhaps the biggest weakness as a team is total penalties (offense and defense), however, as Florida racked up 110 ... only Akron had more, and their 838 penalty yards is 5th worst in the country. Clearly the Gators will have to play disciplined football and stay in manageable 3rd downs to be successful in the BCS game.
Quarterbacks
QB #12 Chris Leak (6-0, 210, SR, Independence HS, Charlotte, NC)
Well the Chris Leak era has certainly been an interesting one, and he is now Florida's all-time leader in passing attempts, completions, and yardage. However the results on the field, mainly 11 regular season losses and only 1 bowl win in his first 3 years was not satisfying to many Gator faithful. He had beaten Florida State 2 out of 3, however, and became only the 4th Florida QB since 1955 to lead the Gators in passing for 4 years. He came into the 2006 season ready to cement his legacy in the Gator history books, and leave his mark on the institution. Obviously, the results on the field have been much better this season. He set career marks this season in completion percentage (62.9%), yards per attempt (8.30) and efficiency rating (146.76). He also threw for more TDs, threw for more yards and took 10 less sacks than a year ago. His 13 INTs this season were troubling and give him a career total of 42, which is probably one of his weakest numbers. However it's difficult to argue with a 12-1 record, an SEC title and a trip to the BCS title game in 2006.
Leak began the season with a solid outing against Southern Miss, throwing for 248 yards and 3 TDs. He annihilated the Central Florida defense for a career high 352 yards and 4 TDs the following week, and followed that with 199 yards and 3 pivotal TDs against Tennessee, giving the Gators their first big win of the season. Leak threw a pair of TDs against Kentucky and Alabama in relatively comfortable wins the following 2 weeks, and punctuated those efforts by beating LSU the next week, despite throwing for only 155 yards and not throwing for a TD for the first time in 2006. Then came the game he'd like to forget, against Auburn. He threw for only 108 yards and a TD, as the Gators took the loss and were dealt a seeming blow to their SEC and national title hopes. Leak quickly rebounded by guiding a win at Georgia, throwing for 163 yards and a TD, winning his 3rd game over the Bulldogs, more than all but one team has managed the past 4 years. He then seemingly regressed a bit as he played an ugly game against Vanderbilt, throwing for 237 yards and a TD but also tossing 3 INTs as the Gators barely escaped with a 25-19 win. He did run for a pair of scores that game. The following week was the showdown with South Carolina and Steve Spurrier, where Leak threw for 254 yards and a TD, and the Gators won on a blocked extra point. After light duty in the following game against Western Carolina, Leak played very well against archrival Florida State, throwing for 283 yards, 2 TDs, and no INTs as he beat the Seminoles for the 3rd time on 4 tries, and became only the 2nd Florida QB to win in Tallahassee twice. Finally, in the SEC championship game, he threw for 189 yards, threw a TD and ran for another as the Gators wrapped up the SEC with a 38-28 win over the game Razorbacks. When USC lost, the Gators were in business. Leak threw at least one TD in all but one game, but also threw an INT in all but 3, so it should be very exciting to watch what happens in the BCS title game. And though his rushing numbers aren't all that impressive on paper, he can be elusive, and can make a big play running the ball, as evidenced by his 45 yard run against Alabama, the longest run for a Florida QB since 1977. The Buckeyes need to be mindful of that threat as well.
The backup is Tim Tebow (#15), and to call him a "highly touted" freshman would be so understated it might be insulting. He's lived up quite well to the billing thus far, and has been a spark at key times for the Gators. He has played in every game, throwing for 357 yards and 4 TDs, and rushing for 430 yards and 7 scores, good enough to lead the team in TDs and be 2nd in yardage rushing. He's the quintessential multiple threat, and when he lines up he can hit a big pass or give a much-needed boost to the running game. His only significant passing stats came against Central Florida, where he was 6 of 9 for 81 yards, and against Western Carolina, where he went 10 of 12 for 200 and 2 TDs. His highlight in the passing game had to be against LSU however, where he hit for 2 TDs in his only 2 pass attempts, significantly contributing to a big Gator victory. Running the ball he has scored TDs against Auburn, LSU, Alabama and South Carolina, and he gained 73 yards on only 6 carries against Kentucky. Basically, if the coaching staff stays according to the pattern they did in the SEC schedule, Tebow will be involved in about a dozen plays or so, running and/or throwing, and he will be in there on big 3rd downs (especially 3rd and short or 3rd and medium) and in the red zone. This is one area where the Buckeyes will really have to do their homework and plan accordingly. For Tebow, his future at Florida looks amazingly bright.
QB Rating: A-
Head-to-Head: Florida vs Ohio State QBs
Leak (P/R): 207/329 (62.9%), 2729 yards, 22 TDs, 13 INTs, 146.8 rating; 74/23, 3 TDs.
Smith (P/R): 199/297 (67.0%), 2507 yards, 30 TDs, 5 INTs, 167.9 rating; 62/233, 1 TD.
Smith burned Michigan for the 3rd time, won the Heisman Trophy, and may well have been the best offensive player in college football this year. He has already won a BCS bowl game, and is ready for battle one final time, trying to lead the Buckeyes to a championship in his final game. Leak is a solid player who can make things happen, but he is too turnover prone to put him in the same category as Smith. Tebow is a very exciting player to watch, and will be an important factor in this game in some way, significantly increasing the rating for the Gators at this position. The Buckeyes also have an experienced backup in Justin Zwick that they can turn to if necessary. Overall, the Buckeyes get the edge based on Smith's stellar, award-winning season, but the Gator QBs will make some big plays and hold their own most likely.
Edge: Ohio State
Running Backs
RB #21 DeShawn Wynn (5-11, 230, SR, Reading HS, Cincinnati, OH)
RB #33 Kestahn Moore (5-10, 205, SO, Mansfield Summit HS, Arlington, TX)
Florida obviously doesn't rely on the running game as much as most other teams, and they have had a bit of a running-back-by-committee approach this season. Wynn started 6 of the 12 games and led the team for the 2nd straight year with 630 yards. His production was about the same as last season, when he led the team with 621 yards. His highlight this year came against Tennessee, when he gained 104 yards, becoming the first back to gain 100 against Tennessee since 2004. He also gained 104 yards the following week against Kentucky. His production the past 2 games has been very minimal, gaining 10 yards on 9 carries against Florida State and -2 yards on a single carry in the SEC championship game. He isn't much of a receiving threat, catching only 6 passes all year. It will be important for the Gators to establish some sort of rushing attack to keep the Buckeyes honest, and Wynn, the Ohio product, will have extra motivation and is the most likely to do so.
Moore has started 3 games, gaining a total of 275 yards, also almost identical to 2005, when he had 277. He had 3 carries for 32 yards against Arkansas in the SEC championship game, and will probably see the field some in the bowl game. Like Wynn, he isn't much of a receiving threat, though he can catch the occasional pass. Behind him is fellow sophomore Marcus Manson (#2), who has carried it just 4 times all year.
Of course one of the things that makes Meyer's offense difficult to defend is the unorthodox style of the rushing attack. In addition to Tebow, whose contributions to the rushing attack are outlined above, freshman wideout Percy Harvin (see below) also contributes in a big way, especially recently. He has 36 carries for 406 yards and 2 scores total, but the past 2 games have been especially productive for Harvin, as he gained 86 yards on 4 carries against Florida State and 105 yards on 6 carries against Arkansas, scoring a TD in each and being named the MVP of the SEC championship game. Look for Harvin to try and ignite the Gator rushing attack at some point as well as Tebow, and both of those players will help alleviate any deficiency in the rushing attack.
RB Rating: B-
Head-to-Head: Florida vs Ohio State RBs
Wynn: 124/630 yards, 5 TDs, 5.1 YPC; 6 rec/58 yards, 0 TDs, 9.7 YPR
Moore: 52/275 yards, 2 TDs, 5.3 YPC; 8 rec/58 yards, 1 TD, 7.3 YPR
Pittman: 232/1171 yards, 13 TDs, 5.0 YPC; 13 rec/116 yards, 0 TDs, 8.9 YPR
C Wells: 102/567, 7 TDs, 5.6 YPC; 2 rec/16 yards, 0 TDs, 8.0 YPR
It was a great year for Pittman, getting the ball often and piling up yardage and double digit TDs. Wells is a bruiser and has proven to be an excellent player in short yardage situations as a freshman. He'll only get better. Since the offenses are different, obviously the statistics will be skewed here, but beyond that Pittman is a player that makes the OSU offense run, and he is perhaps the most under-appreciated back in the country, given his numbers and talent. The depth and strength of the Buckeyes at this position clearly wins out, but when one considers Tebow and Harvin as major contributors to the rushing attack, then the gap between the teams in terms of running games as a whole and explosiveness in particular closes significantly.
Edge: Ohio State
Wide Receivers
WR #81 Dallas Baker (6-3, 206, SR, Northfield Mt. Hermon HS, New Smyrna Beach, FL)
WR #5 Andre Caldwell (6-1, 202, JR, Jefferson HS, Tampa, FL)
WR #6 Jemalle Cornelius (5-11, 176, SR, Fort Meade HS, Fort Meade, FL)
WR #8 Percy Harvin (5-11, 178, FR, Landstown HS, Virginia Beach, VA)
Dallas Baker was named 1st team all-SEC, and with good reason, and he has been one of the better receivers the Gators have had. He is a fine player, with a combination of size, speed, and experience that makes it very difficult to slow him down or cover him with one player. He's eclipsed the 100 yard mark 3 times (against Southern Miss, Kentucky, and Vanderbilt), and has scored at least one TD in 8 of Florida's 12 games. Recently, he had 5 catches for 84 yards and a TD against Florida State, but was not as big of a contributor in the SEC title game (2 catches, 25 yards). He caught at least 40 yards worth of passes in every other game except Western Carolina, where he presumably yielded for less experienced players, so it is evident that he is a constant and significant contributor in the passing game, and he will doubtlessly be a big part of the gameplan in the bowl game.
Caldwell returned from injury in 2005 and has also been very good, highlighted by a 8 catch, 124 yard effort (with a TD) against the Seminoles. He also caught 8 passes each against Georgia and Vanderbilt, and caught 4 against Tennessee, so he also comes to play in big games. He had 3 catches for 31 yards in the SEC title game. The senior Cornelius has also utilized his experience and turned in a productive season. He was more involved earlier in the season, catching for 70+ yards in 3 of the first 5 games, but was a regular contributor throughout. He had 4 catches against Florida State, but none in the SEC title game, so it will be interesting to see how involved he is in the title game.
If the experienced receivers have lost a bit of their production recently, it is certainly at least partially due to the emergence of the freshman Harvin, who has recently shown an explosive streak in both the receiving and rushing attacks, and has been named to pretty much every freshman award team. Though he caught 4 passes for 99 yards and a TD against UCF early in the season and 6 for 91 against South Carolina a month ago, it is the past 2 games where he has made his mark the most, gaining 86 on the ground and scoring a TD against Florida State, and detonating Arkansas in the SEC title game, gaining 105 on the ground and catching 5 passes for 62 yards, scoring a pair of TDs and being named MVP of the SEC title game. It is evident that Florida will try and get him involved early and often, as he may be their best big-play threat.
This is the group that is expected to see the field for the most part in the bowl game...Riley Cooper (#86) has 3 TD receptions, but those were all against Western Carolina, and he has just 4 catches total.
WR Rating: A
Head-to-Head: Florida vs Ohio State WRs
Baker: 56 catches, 897 yards, 9 TDs, 16.0 YPR
Caldwell: 55 catches, 571 yards, 5 TDs, 10.4 YPR
Cornelius: 29 catches, 473 yards, 3 TDs, 16.3 YPR
Harvin: 25 catches, 367 yards, 2 TDs, 14.7 YPR
Ginn Jr.: 59 catches, 781 yards, 9 TDs, 13.2 YPR
Gonzalez: 49 catches, 723 yards, 8 TDs, 14.8 YPR
Robiskie: 29 catches, 383 yards, 5 TDs, 13.2 YPR
Hartline: 16 catches, 243 yards, 2 TDs, 15.2 YPR
This is quite a group of players on both sides, and this one will dominate the water cooler conversation leading up to the bowl game the most. In addition to the talent at the top, both teams are 4 deep, both have a nice combination of size, speed, experience, and explosiveness, and both will claim they are a better unit, one would imagine. The emergence of Harvin has given the Gators a big weapon, but the steady play of Hartline and Robiskie has opened up plenty of space for Ginn and Gonzalez as well. Any argument made for one side can be countered by the other, so this one appears it will be decided on the field. Ultimately, whichever team has more playmakers will probably win this game, as big plays will play a pivotal role in a close game with quality defensive play as this one will have. The proof, as they say, will be in the pudding with this battle.
Edge: Even
Tight Ends
TE #84 Tate Casey (6-6, 242, JR, Longview HS, Longview, TX)
TE #7 Cornelius Ingram (6-4, 225, SO, Hawthorne HS, Hawthorne, FL)
Florida is a team that makes good use of the TE position. Casey is a battering ram, good at blocking in both pass and run situations, and can sneak downfield enough to make an occasional catch, particularly in the red zone. He is a player that will see the field a lot in all situations, but is not as much of a threat in the vertical passing game. By contrast, the younger Ingram is undersized for the traditional TE, but has come out of virtually nowhere to pull down 16 catches over the past 4 games. He has become a bona fide downfield weapon and basically acts as an extra receiver, so the Buckeyes will have to take notice of who is on the field where and when at this position and act accordingly. The TEs could be a headache for the Buckeyes in the title game if the Gators mix them up and utilize them effectively, and the emergence of Ingram has made that a distinct possibility.
TE Rating: A
Head-to-Head: Florida vs Ohio State TEs
Casey: 6 catches, 58 yards, 2 TDs, 9.7 YPR
Ingram: 26 catches, 322 yards, 1 TD, 12.4 YPR
Nicol: 13 catches, 151 yards, 3 TDs, 11.6 YPR
Casey is a fine blocker and a good player. The emergence of Ingram has worked out stunningly well for the Gators, as the Buckeyes have to look at an entirely different dimension of the interior passing game now that he is a vertical weapon. Nicol is a solid player and a decent blocker, but has not contributed much in the passing game. The edge here is clear.
Edge: Florida
Offensive Line
LT #75 Phil Trautwein (6-6, 308, JR, Eastern HS, Voorhees, NJ)
LG #63 Jim Tartt (6-3, 315, SO, Wakulla HS, Sopchoppy, FL)
C #79 Steve Rissler (6-3, 305, SR, Riverview HS, Sarasota, FL)
RG #67 Drew Miller (6-5, 305, JR, Riverview HS, Sarasota, FL)
RT #73 Carlton Medder (6-5, 320, JR, South Lake HS, Clermont, FL)
This unit had just 17 combined starts entering the 2006 season, so the line was a source of some anxiety entering the campaign. This unit quickly developed into a solid group, however, and what is most impressive is that Florida was able to use the same starting 5 players in 12 out of their 13 games, with only Tartt missing one start due to injury against Vanderbilt. They are an interchangeable and adaptable group, meaning they have all played different positions along the line and they are able to slide over when the need arises. This unit made significant improvement in their pass blocking from a year ago, as they allowed just 22 sacks this season, down from 35 last season. They also are very effective at run-blocking, and have adapted well to the style of their QBs. Though this unit isn't an "all-star" bunch per se, lacking some of the hype that other schools on the Buckeye schedule have generated (Texas and Michigan come to mind), they did garner their share of post-season awards. Trautwein and Miller were named 2nd team all-SEC by the coaches, and Rissler was named 1st team All-SEC. Overall this is a very solid group, and they will play hard against the Buckeyes. How well they can handle the Buckeye front 7 will be one of the biggest keys to the game.
Freshman Ronnie Wilson (#70) started in Tartt's place in the Vanderbilt game, and could see some action in a reserve role in the title game. A group of young and talented players, like freshmen Eddie Haupt (#69), Maurice Hurt (#74), and Carl Johnson (#57), and sophomore Jason Watkins (#77) provide relatively inexperienced depth. Keeping the starting unit healthy for one more game will be important for the Gators.
OL Rating: B+
Head-to-Head: Florida vs Ohio State OL
Both of these lines are very solid, and have been proficient in both the rushing and passing games. The Buckeyes had 2 players named 1st team all-conference by the coaches in Datish and Downing, with Barton being honorable mention, while the Gators had one 1st teamer and 2 on the 2nd team. The Buckeyes had better results on the ground, whereas Florida piled up more passing yards, and the Buckeyes scored more points. Both units were productive, if unspectacular at times, and both are extremely important to how the BCS title game will play out. In the end, it is difficult to see either team as significantly superior to the other.
Edge: Even
Overall Offensive Analysis
The Gators have had a very successful 2006, based partially on their efficiency on offense. Though they didn't pile up yards and points to the same extent as the days of Spurrier lore, they had a solid season, and helped lead the team to 12 victories in 13 tries, and gained an SEC championship. Leak, already leading in many statistical categories, is looking to cement his legacy with a national title, something very few QBs are able to do, and a feat which would elevate him in the minds of many of the Gator faithful and the Florida archives. The running game has been inconsistent, but the unorthodox style and contributions from other positions (QB, WR) still make it a potent weapon. The passing game has been very good, with a line of receivers that goes 4-deep and the emergence of a pass-catching TE. The line has been solid, if unspectacular, and one should expect the same type of effort against the Buckeyes. The key for the Gators will be for Leak to limit the turnovers, for the running game to generate some big plays, and for the passing game to open up downfield and on the wings. If the Gators can stay in 3rd and manageable situations, it gives Leak more options, gives the coaches more options to use Tebow, and opens up the potential for big plays downfield. If the Buckeyes can control the early downs, then the Gators will be more limited in what they can do, and the Buckeyes will have the advantage. Like the Michigan game, 3rd downs, penalties, turnovers, and big plays will probably ultimately decide this one, and the battle of the QBs will factor in significantly as well.
Overall Offensive Rating: B+
A tremendous season for two worthy teams all comes down to one game. Head coach Urban Meyer is seeking a national title in just his second season, a feat accomplished by only 6 other coaches (titles in year 1 or 2), including 2 Buckeyes, current coach Jim Tressel and legendary coach Paul Brown. Meyer is Ohio born and Ohio raised, was a DB at the University of Cincinnati and earned a Masters degree at Ohio State while being a graduate assistant coach for 2 years under Earle Bruce (1986-1987). So Meyer is keenly aware of everything about Ohio State, including all of the grand tradition, and is eager put himself into elite company by knocking off the Buckeyes in the title game.
This year's offense at Florida has had its ups and downs, but the team has put together a nice season. The Gators finished just outside the top 20 nationally (#21) in yards per game with 410.3. Their rushing average of 160.3 ypg ranks 36th nationally, and their passing average of 237.8 ypg puts them 26th, and indicates a nice offensive balance. The Gators didn't pile up points like they did in the Spurrier era, but they did average 28.8 points per game, good enough for 32nd nationally. The Gators were also effective at controlling the ball (20.3 first downs per game, 27th nationally) and moving the chains (43.2% conversions on 3rd down, 26th nationally), though Ohio State's 51.3% conversions on 3rd down is a relative strength against the Gators. Perhaps the biggest weakness as a team is total penalties (offense and defense), however, as Florida racked up 110 ... only Akron had more, and their 838 penalty yards is 5th worst in the country. Clearly the Gators will have to play disciplined football and stay in manageable 3rd downs to be successful in the BCS game.
Quarterbacks
QB #12 Chris Leak (6-0, 210, SR, Independence HS, Charlotte, NC)
Well the Chris Leak era has certainly been an interesting one, and he is now Florida's all-time leader in passing attempts, completions, and yardage. However the results on the field, mainly 11 regular season losses and only 1 bowl win in his first 3 years was not satisfying to many Gator faithful. He had beaten Florida State 2 out of 3, however, and became only the 4th Florida QB since 1955 to lead the Gators in passing for 4 years. He came into the 2006 season ready to cement his legacy in the Gator history books, and leave his mark on the institution. Obviously, the results on the field have been much better this season. He set career marks this season in completion percentage (62.9%), yards per attempt (8.30) and efficiency rating (146.76). He also threw for more TDs, threw for more yards and took 10 less sacks than a year ago. His 13 INTs this season were troubling and give him a career total of 42, which is probably one of his weakest numbers. However it's difficult to argue with a 12-1 record, an SEC title and a trip to the BCS title game in 2006.
Leak began the season with a solid outing against Southern Miss, throwing for 248 yards and 3 TDs. He annihilated the Central Florida defense for a career high 352 yards and 4 TDs the following week, and followed that with 199 yards and 3 pivotal TDs against Tennessee, giving the Gators their first big win of the season. Leak threw a pair of TDs against Kentucky and Alabama in relatively comfortable wins the following 2 weeks, and punctuated those efforts by beating LSU the next week, despite throwing for only 155 yards and not throwing for a TD for the first time in 2006. Then came the game he'd like to forget, against Auburn. He threw for only 108 yards and a TD, as the Gators took the loss and were dealt a seeming blow to their SEC and national title hopes. Leak quickly rebounded by guiding a win at Georgia, throwing for 163 yards and a TD, winning his 3rd game over the Bulldogs, more than all but one team has managed the past 4 years. He then seemingly regressed a bit as he played an ugly game against Vanderbilt, throwing for 237 yards and a TD but also tossing 3 INTs as the Gators barely escaped with a 25-19 win. He did run for a pair of scores that game. The following week was the showdown with South Carolina and Steve Spurrier, where Leak threw for 254 yards and a TD, and the Gators won on a blocked extra point. After light duty in the following game against Western Carolina, Leak played very well against archrival Florida State, throwing for 283 yards, 2 TDs, and no INTs as he beat the Seminoles for the 3rd time on 4 tries, and became only the 2nd Florida QB to win in Tallahassee twice. Finally, in the SEC championship game, he threw for 189 yards, threw a TD and ran for another as the Gators wrapped up the SEC with a 38-28 win over the game Razorbacks. When USC lost, the Gators were in business. Leak threw at least one TD in all but one game, but also threw an INT in all but 3, so it should be very exciting to watch what happens in the BCS title game. And though his rushing numbers aren't all that impressive on paper, he can be elusive, and can make a big play running the ball, as evidenced by his 45 yard run against Alabama, the longest run for a Florida QB since 1977. The Buckeyes need to be mindful of that threat as well.
The backup is Tim Tebow (#15), and to call him a "highly touted" freshman would be so understated it might be insulting. He's lived up quite well to the billing thus far, and has been a spark at key times for the Gators. He has played in every game, throwing for 357 yards and 4 TDs, and rushing for 430 yards and 7 scores, good enough to lead the team in TDs and be 2nd in yardage rushing. He's the quintessential multiple threat, and when he lines up he can hit a big pass or give a much-needed boost to the running game. His only significant passing stats came against Central Florida, where he was 6 of 9 for 81 yards, and against Western Carolina, where he went 10 of 12 for 200 and 2 TDs. His highlight in the passing game had to be against LSU however, where he hit for 2 TDs in his only 2 pass attempts, significantly contributing to a big Gator victory. Running the ball he has scored TDs against Auburn, LSU, Alabama and South Carolina, and he gained 73 yards on only 6 carries against Kentucky. Basically, if the coaching staff stays according to the pattern they did in the SEC schedule, Tebow will be involved in about a dozen plays or so, running and/or throwing, and he will be in there on big 3rd downs (especially 3rd and short or 3rd and medium) and in the red zone. This is one area where the Buckeyes will really have to do their homework and plan accordingly. For Tebow, his future at Florida looks amazingly bright.
QB Rating: A-
Head-to-Head: Florida vs Ohio State QBs
Leak (P/R): 207/329 (62.9%), 2729 yards, 22 TDs, 13 INTs, 146.8 rating; 74/23, 3 TDs.
Smith (P/R): 199/297 (67.0%), 2507 yards, 30 TDs, 5 INTs, 167.9 rating; 62/233, 1 TD.
Smith burned Michigan for the 3rd time, won the Heisman Trophy, and may well have been the best offensive player in college football this year. He has already won a BCS bowl game, and is ready for battle one final time, trying to lead the Buckeyes to a championship in his final game. Leak is a solid player who can make things happen, but he is too turnover prone to put him in the same category as Smith. Tebow is a very exciting player to watch, and will be an important factor in this game in some way, significantly increasing the rating for the Gators at this position. The Buckeyes also have an experienced backup in Justin Zwick that they can turn to if necessary. Overall, the Buckeyes get the edge based on Smith's stellar, award-winning season, but the Gator QBs will make some big plays and hold their own most likely.
Edge: Ohio State
Running Backs
RB #21 DeShawn Wynn (5-11, 230, SR, Reading HS, Cincinnati, OH)
RB #33 Kestahn Moore (5-10, 205, SO, Mansfield Summit HS, Arlington, TX)
Florida obviously doesn't rely on the running game as much as most other teams, and they have had a bit of a running-back-by-committee approach this season. Wynn started 6 of the 12 games and led the team for the 2nd straight year with 630 yards. His production was about the same as last season, when he led the team with 621 yards. His highlight this year came against Tennessee, when he gained 104 yards, becoming the first back to gain 100 against Tennessee since 2004. He also gained 104 yards the following week against Kentucky. His production the past 2 games has been very minimal, gaining 10 yards on 9 carries against Florida State and -2 yards on a single carry in the SEC championship game. He isn't much of a receiving threat, catching only 6 passes all year. It will be important for the Gators to establish some sort of rushing attack to keep the Buckeyes honest, and Wynn, the Ohio product, will have extra motivation and is the most likely to do so.
Moore has started 3 games, gaining a total of 275 yards, also almost identical to 2005, when he had 277. He had 3 carries for 32 yards against Arkansas in the SEC championship game, and will probably see the field some in the bowl game. Like Wynn, he isn't much of a receiving threat, though he can catch the occasional pass. Behind him is fellow sophomore Marcus Manson (#2), who has carried it just 4 times all year.
Of course one of the things that makes Meyer's offense difficult to defend is the unorthodox style of the rushing attack. In addition to Tebow, whose contributions to the rushing attack are outlined above, freshman wideout Percy Harvin (see below) also contributes in a big way, especially recently. He has 36 carries for 406 yards and 2 scores total, but the past 2 games have been especially productive for Harvin, as he gained 86 yards on 4 carries against Florida State and 105 yards on 6 carries against Arkansas, scoring a TD in each and being named the MVP of the SEC championship game. Look for Harvin to try and ignite the Gator rushing attack at some point as well as Tebow, and both of those players will help alleviate any deficiency in the rushing attack.
RB Rating: B-
Head-to-Head: Florida vs Ohio State RBs
Wynn: 124/630 yards, 5 TDs, 5.1 YPC; 6 rec/58 yards, 0 TDs, 9.7 YPR
Moore: 52/275 yards, 2 TDs, 5.3 YPC; 8 rec/58 yards, 1 TD, 7.3 YPR
Pittman: 232/1171 yards, 13 TDs, 5.0 YPC; 13 rec/116 yards, 0 TDs, 8.9 YPR
C Wells: 102/567, 7 TDs, 5.6 YPC; 2 rec/16 yards, 0 TDs, 8.0 YPR
It was a great year for Pittman, getting the ball often and piling up yardage and double digit TDs. Wells is a bruiser and has proven to be an excellent player in short yardage situations as a freshman. He'll only get better. Since the offenses are different, obviously the statistics will be skewed here, but beyond that Pittman is a player that makes the OSU offense run, and he is perhaps the most under-appreciated back in the country, given his numbers and talent. The depth and strength of the Buckeyes at this position clearly wins out, but when one considers Tebow and Harvin as major contributors to the rushing attack, then the gap between the teams in terms of running games as a whole and explosiveness in particular closes significantly.
Edge: Ohio State
Wide Receivers
WR #81 Dallas Baker (6-3, 206, SR, Northfield Mt. Hermon HS, New Smyrna Beach, FL)
WR #5 Andre Caldwell (6-1, 202, JR, Jefferson HS, Tampa, FL)
WR #6 Jemalle Cornelius (5-11, 176, SR, Fort Meade HS, Fort Meade, FL)
WR #8 Percy Harvin (5-11, 178, FR, Landstown HS, Virginia Beach, VA)
Dallas Baker was named 1st team all-SEC, and with good reason, and he has been one of the better receivers the Gators have had. He is a fine player, with a combination of size, speed, and experience that makes it very difficult to slow him down or cover him with one player. He's eclipsed the 100 yard mark 3 times (against Southern Miss, Kentucky, and Vanderbilt), and has scored at least one TD in 8 of Florida's 12 games. Recently, he had 5 catches for 84 yards and a TD against Florida State, but was not as big of a contributor in the SEC title game (2 catches, 25 yards). He caught at least 40 yards worth of passes in every other game except Western Carolina, where he presumably yielded for less experienced players, so it is evident that he is a constant and significant contributor in the passing game, and he will doubtlessly be a big part of the gameplan in the bowl game.
Caldwell returned from injury in 2005 and has also been very good, highlighted by a 8 catch, 124 yard effort (with a TD) against the Seminoles. He also caught 8 passes each against Georgia and Vanderbilt, and caught 4 against Tennessee, so he also comes to play in big games. He had 3 catches for 31 yards in the SEC title game. The senior Cornelius has also utilized his experience and turned in a productive season. He was more involved earlier in the season, catching for 70+ yards in 3 of the first 5 games, but was a regular contributor throughout. He had 4 catches against Florida State, but none in the SEC title game, so it will be interesting to see how involved he is in the title game.
If the experienced receivers have lost a bit of their production recently, it is certainly at least partially due to the emergence of the freshman Harvin, who has recently shown an explosive streak in both the receiving and rushing attacks, and has been named to pretty much every freshman award team. Though he caught 4 passes for 99 yards and a TD against UCF early in the season and 6 for 91 against South Carolina a month ago, it is the past 2 games where he has made his mark the most, gaining 86 on the ground and scoring a TD against Florida State, and detonating Arkansas in the SEC title game, gaining 105 on the ground and catching 5 passes for 62 yards, scoring a pair of TDs and being named MVP of the SEC title game. It is evident that Florida will try and get him involved early and often, as he may be their best big-play threat.
This is the group that is expected to see the field for the most part in the bowl game...Riley Cooper (#86) has 3 TD receptions, but those were all against Western Carolina, and he has just 4 catches total.
WR Rating: A
Head-to-Head: Florida vs Ohio State WRs
Baker: 56 catches, 897 yards, 9 TDs, 16.0 YPR
Caldwell: 55 catches, 571 yards, 5 TDs, 10.4 YPR
Cornelius: 29 catches, 473 yards, 3 TDs, 16.3 YPR
Harvin: 25 catches, 367 yards, 2 TDs, 14.7 YPR
Ginn Jr.: 59 catches, 781 yards, 9 TDs, 13.2 YPR
Gonzalez: 49 catches, 723 yards, 8 TDs, 14.8 YPR
Robiskie: 29 catches, 383 yards, 5 TDs, 13.2 YPR
Hartline: 16 catches, 243 yards, 2 TDs, 15.2 YPR
This is quite a group of players on both sides, and this one will dominate the water cooler conversation leading up to the bowl game the most. In addition to the talent at the top, both teams are 4 deep, both have a nice combination of size, speed, experience, and explosiveness, and both will claim they are a better unit, one would imagine. The emergence of Harvin has given the Gators a big weapon, but the steady play of Hartline and Robiskie has opened up plenty of space for Ginn and Gonzalez as well. Any argument made for one side can be countered by the other, so this one appears it will be decided on the field. Ultimately, whichever team has more playmakers will probably win this game, as big plays will play a pivotal role in a close game with quality defensive play as this one will have. The proof, as they say, will be in the pudding with this battle.
Edge: Even
Tight Ends
TE #84 Tate Casey (6-6, 242, JR, Longview HS, Longview, TX)
TE #7 Cornelius Ingram (6-4, 225, SO, Hawthorne HS, Hawthorne, FL)
Florida is a team that makes good use of the TE position. Casey is a battering ram, good at blocking in both pass and run situations, and can sneak downfield enough to make an occasional catch, particularly in the red zone. He is a player that will see the field a lot in all situations, but is not as much of a threat in the vertical passing game. By contrast, the younger Ingram is undersized for the traditional TE, but has come out of virtually nowhere to pull down 16 catches over the past 4 games. He has become a bona fide downfield weapon and basically acts as an extra receiver, so the Buckeyes will have to take notice of who is on the field where and when at this position and act accordingly. The TEs could be a headache for the Buckeyes in the title game if the Gators mix them up and utilize them effectively, and the emergence of Ingram has made that a distinct possibility.
TE Rating: A
Head-to-Head: Florida vs Ohio State TEs
Casey: 6 catches, 58 yards, 2 TDs, 9.7 YPR
Ingram: 26 catches, 322 yards, 1 TD, 12.4 YPR
Nicol: 13 catches, 151 yards, 3 TDs, 11.6 YPR
Casey is a fine blocker and a good player. The emergence of Ingram has worked out stunningly well for the Gators, as the Buckeyes have to look at an entirely different dimension of the interior passing game now that he is a vertical weapon. Nicol is a solid player and a decent blocker, but has not contributed much in the passing game. The edge here is clear.
Edge: Florida
Offensive Line
LT #75 Phil Trautwein (6-6, 308, JR, Eastern HS, Voorhees, NJ)
LG #63 Jim Tartt (6-3, 315, SO, Wakulla HS, Sopchoppy, FL)
C #79 Steve Rissler (6-3, 305, SR, Riverview HS, Sarasota, FL)
RG #67 Drew Miller (6-5, 305, JR, Riverview HS, Sarasota, FL)
RT #73 Carlton Medder (6-5, 320, JR, South Lake HS, Clermont, FL)
This unit had just 17 combined starts entering the 2006 season, so the line was a source of some anxiety entering the campaign. This unit quickly developed into a solid group, however, and what is most impressive is that Florida was able to use the same starting 5 players in 12 out of their 13 games, with only Tartt missing one start due to injury against Vanderbilt. They are an interchangeable and adaptable group, meaning they have all played different positions along the line and they are able to slide over when the need arises. This unit made significant improvement in their pass blocking from a year ago, as they allowed just 22 sacks this season, down from 35 last season. They also are very effective at run-blocking, and have adapted well to the style of their QBs. Though this unit isn't an "all-star" bunch per se, lacking some of the hype that other schools on the Buckeye schedule have generated (Texas and Michigan come to mind), they did garner their share of post-season awards. Trautwein and Miller were named 2nd team all-SEC by the coaches, and Rissler was named 1st team All-SEC. Overall this is a very solid group, and they will play hard against the Buckeyes. How well they can handle the Buckeye front 7 will be one of the biggest keys to the game.
Freshman Ronnie Wilson (#70) started in Tartt's place in the Vanderbilt game, and could see some action in a reserve role in the title game. A group of young and talented players, like freshmen Eddie Haupt (#69), Maurice Hurt (#74), and Carl Johnson (#57), and sophomore Jason Watkins (#77) provide relatively inexperienced depth. Keeping the starting unit healthy for one more game will be important for the Gators.
OL Rating: B+
Head-to-Head: Florida vs Ohio State OL
Both of these lines are very solid, and have been proficient in both the rushing and passing games. The Buckeyes had 2 players named 1st team all-conference by the coaches in Datish and Downing, with Barton being honorable mention, while the Gators had one 1st teamer and 2 on the 2nd team. The Buckeyes had better results on the ground, whereas Florida piled up more passing yards, and the Buckeyes scored more points. Both units were productive, if unspectacular at times, and both are extremely important to how the BCS title game will play out. In the end, it is difficult to see either team as significantly superior to the other.
Edge: Even
Overall Offensive Analysis
The Gators have had a very successful 2006, based partially on their efficiency on offense. Though they didn't pile up yards and points to the same extent as the days of Spurrier lore, they had a solid season, and helped lead the team to 12 victories in 13 tries, and gained an SEC championship. Leak, already leading in many statistical categories, is looking to cement his legacy with a national title, something very few QBs are able to do, and a feat which would elevate him in the minds of many of the Gator faithful and the Florida archives. The running game has been inconsistent, but the unorthodox style and contributions from other positions (QB, WR) still make it a potent weapon. The passing game has been very good, with a line of receivers that goes 4-deep and the emergence of a pass-catching TE. The line has been solid, if unspectacular, and one should expect the same type of effort against the Buckeyes. The key for the Gators will be for Leak to limit the turnovers, for the running game to generate some big plays, and for the passing game to open up downfield and on the wings. If the Gators can stay in 3rd and manageable situations, it gives Leak more options, gives the coaches more options to use Tebow, and opens up the potential for big plays downfield. If the Buckeyes can control the early downs, then the Gators will be more limited in what they can do, and the Buckeyes will have the advantage. Like the Michigan game, 3rd downs, penalties, turnovers, and big plays will probably ultimately decide this one, and the battle of the QBs will factor in significantly as well.
Overall Offensive Rating: B+
2006-07 Florida Gators Defensive Preview
Returning Starters: 6
The Buckeyes will be greeted in Glendale by a Florida defense that is considered one of the fastest, and most opportunistic squads in the country. Led by Tatum award winner Reggie Nelson, the Florida defense finished up the regular season among the nation's elite in most major defensive categories. In fact, they were in the top 10 in scoring defense (13.5 points per game), rushing defense (74.5 yards per game), total defense (268.8 ypg), and passing defense efficiency (100.3 rating). They held Arkansas, who boasts the nations 4th best rushing offense (230.6 YPG) to a very respectable 132 yards on 35 carries in the SEC title game. They limited Heisman runner up Darren McFadden to 73 yards in the contest. Florida has held its opponent to under 100 yards rushing in 9 of their 13 games this season.
Over the last half of the season, this Florida defense became very stingy on 3rd down allowing their opponents to convert only 27% (18 of 66) of the time. These are the kind of stats that I find telling about a defense, they are signs of a maturing squad as a whole. Meyer has this defense playing a very fast, physical brand of football heading into the clash vs. the Buckeyes. If they don't show up in a big way in this contest, some of the Florida fans are going to wish that Michigan got in instead of the Gators.
Defensive Line
DE #94 Jarvis Moss (6-6, 251, R-JR, Denton, Texas/Ryan)*
DT #95 Ray McDonald (6-3, 280, R-SR, Belle Glade/Glades Central)***
DT #20 Joe Cohen (6-2, 296, SR, Melbourne/Palm Bay)***
DE #91 Derrick Harvey (6-5, 262, R-SO, Greenbelt, Md./Roosevelt)*
Leading the way for the Gators along the defensive line will be sophomore Derrick Harvey. Harvey, a second team All-SEC pick this season, led the Gators with 10 tackles for a loss, 8 sacks, and 2 fumble recoveries. He was 2nd on the team with 2 QB hurries. In addition, Harvey has recorded 31 tackles on the season, and also forced a fumble. Harvey is still a bit raw, but is budding with talent. He is a streaky player, but he has the capability to make life hell on opposing QB's. Against Kentucky and Auburn he turned in 2 sack performances. He went through a 6 game span earlier this season where he had 8 sacks, which is outstanding. What should be alarming for Florida fans is the fact that he hasn't recorded a sack since the Vanderbilt game, which dates back 4 games. It should be interesting to see which Derrick Harvey shows up against Ohio State. Getting the start at the other end spot will be junior Jarvis Moss. On the season, Moss has a total of 54 tackles, including 9 for a loss, and 5.5 sacks. He leads the team with 12 QB hurries, 3 forced fumbles, and is tied for the team high with 2 blocked kicks. Moss has also broken up 4 passes this season. Moss has a flair for making the big plays in big games. He blocked 2 kicks in the contest vs. South Carolina, including a last second field goal attempt, which enabled Florida to hold on to a 17-16 victory. Moss has excellent speed, great size, and is a possible first round draft pick this spring. He is very disruptive, look for him to be chasing down OSU "Heisman" trophy winner Smith quite a bit this week.
Getting the start at one of the defensive tackle slots will be senior Ray McDonald. McDonald, a first team All-SEC pick this season, is one of the unquestioned leaders of this Florida defense. On the season, McDonald has a total of 33 tackles, including 4.5 for a loss, and 3 sacks. McDonald has also broken up 5 passes, recovered a fumble, and blocked a kick this season. McDonald helped seal a win for the Gators against Georgia when he recovered a fumble and took it back to the house early in the second half, which ended up being the game winning touchdown for Florida. McDonald has the athleticism to play end, and has enough power to play inside. He has the ability to penetrate through blocks and get into the backfield, something that could disrupt the OSU running game. Getting the start at the other tackle spot for the Gators will be junior Joe Cohen. On the season, Cohen has a total of 26 tackles, including 2 for a loss, and half of a sack. He has also forced a fumble this season. Cohen has good size and power, he's much less flashy, but plays steady football. Off the bench, look for senior tackle Steven Harris see quite a bit of action in this contest. On the season, Harris has a total of 14 tackles, including 4.5 for a loss, along with 1.5 sacks. Harris has also broken up 2 passes this season.
DL Rating: A-
Overall DL Analysis
Florida has adapted very well along the defensive line after the loss of arguably their best defensive lineman, Marcus Thomas, who was kicked off the team earlier this season for violating team and university policy. They have received very good play from their front 4, especially the defensive ends. Harvey and Moss both possess excellent athleticism and speed, but are probably a bit weaker physically than the ends that OSU faced against Michigan. What also should be noted about this defensive line is the fact that they are a streaky bunch. Through the meat and potatoes portion of their SEC schedule they were absolutely lights out, recording 19 sacks over a 7 game span. What I alluded to above though is the fact that they have really slowed down from a sack production standpoint over the last 4 games. In fact, this unit as a whole (including backups) has tallied a total of 2 sacks in their last 4 games combined, which isn't very good at all. If they can't pressure Smith, Florida doesn't have much of a chance in this contest.
Head-to-Head: Florida vs Ohio State DL
Both teams feature a bunch of very good football players up front. The best overall player on either line is All-American Quinn Pitcock. Pitcock has the ability to penetrate double teams as well as anyone in the country. What is best about him is his unselfish demeanor, he simply cares about winning. He'll be a top 20 pick in this years NFL draft. Couple him with David Patterson and you have arguably the best defensive tackle tandem in the country. We'll give the nod to OSU at the tackle spot. From an end standpoint Florida probably get's the slight edge, but you cannot discount Vernon Gholsten with his 7.5 sacks, and 14.5 tackles for a loss. From an overall front 4 standpoint OSU gets the slight edge overall. They have more sacks on the season (ranked 10th in the country, compared to Florida at 49th), and tackles for a loss (ranked 10th, compared to Florida at 60th).
Edge: Ohio State
Linebackers
SLB #13 Brian Crum (6-3, 235, R-SR, Woodbine, Ga./Camden County)***
MLB #40 Brandon Siler (6-2, 235, JR, Orlando/Orlando Evans)**
WLB #30 Earl Everett (6-3, 234, SR, Webster/South Sumter)***
Leading the way at linebacker for the Gators is junior MLB Brandon Siler. Siler, a 2nd team All-SEC pick this season, is 2nd on the team with 73 tackles. In addition, he recorded 9 tackles for a loss, 3 sacks, 3 pass breakups, 3 QB hurries, a forced fumble, as well as a fumble recovery. Siler is among the top inside linebackers in the country. He has excellent quickness, and possesses excellent awareness. He is also a skilled open field tackler. Expect to see Siler flying all over the field against the Buckeyes.
Getting the start at one of the outside linebacker spots will be senior Earl Everett. Everett, a 1st team All-SEC pick (coaches) this season, leads the Gators with 78 tackles. In addition, he has 6 tackles for a loss, along with a sack. Everett also has 4 QB hurries, as well as 2 pass breakups. Everett is the leader of this Florida linebacker unit. He was named the SEC player of the week following his 11 tackle performance against Tennessee, leading a Gators defense which limited the Vol's to a very impressive -11 yards rushing. Everett has excellent speed, athleticism, and as the ability to chase down just about everything on the field. He is also very good in pass coverage, especially when covering backs or tight ends. His biggest weakness is his inability to fight off blocks. He plays more of a finesse brand of football, the Buckeyes would be best served to attack him directly. The final outside linebacker spot will be held down by senior Brian Crum. On the season, Crum has a total of 30 tackles, including 3 for a loss, and half of a sack. He has also broken up a pass, and recorded a QB hurry. Crum is the weak link of this Gator unit, he is an average linebacker at best.
LB Rating: B+
Overall LB Analysis
The combo of Siler and Everett is one of the better linebacker tandems in the country. They both are very skilled athletes, and have the ability to run down just about anything that is on the field. Where they both are a bit weak is when they are attacked directly. Fast linebackers usually have the problem of shedding blocks, especially against a physical football team. This is exactly how I think the Buckeyes will attack this unit, by going right at them. Crum is the weak link of this trio, his lack of big play ability brings down an otherwise exceptional unit down a peg or two. Look for the Buckeyes to attack them with Iso's and quick hitter off-tackle plays, much like the way they attacked Michigan. Doing this allows the Buckeyes to neutralize the speed element of the Florida linebackers, and prevents them from camping out in the backfield, which long drawn out plays often invite.
Head-to-Head: Florida vs Ohio State LBs
The Buckeyes have the best player out of both units in James Laurinaitis. All that he has managed to do this year is lead the Buckeyes with 100 tackles, 5 interceptions, and 3 forced fumbles. Did I mention that he won the Bronko Nagurski trophy, and 1st team All-American honors? After that Everett and Siler probably have to be considered the #2 and #3 best players out of this group. Their speed, and playmaking ability shadows everyone but Laurinaitis on the Buckeye linebacker unit. Marcus Freeman continues to improve for the Buckeyes, but he's not at the level of the previously mentioned 3. Just to save argument, we'll call the rest of the unit a wash. When you put everything together in these units, and you compare rushing defense (Florida is ranked 6th nationally, OSU is ranked 16t) a slight edge has to be given to Florida in this category.
Edge: Florida
Secondary
LCB #22 Reggie Lewis (5-10, 196, R-SR, Jacksonville/First Coast)***
FS #1 Reggie Nelson (6-1, 193, JR, Melbourne/Palm Bay/Coffeyville (Kan.) J.C.)*
SS #19 Tony Joiner (6-0, 208, JR, Haines City/Haines City)**
RCB #28 Ryan Smith (5-10, 165, JR-Utah Transfer, Diamond Bar, Calif./Bishop Amat Memorial/Utah)
Leading the way in the secondary for the Gators is junior All-American Reggie Nelson. Nelson, the winner of this years Jack Tatum award, is looking to cap off a monster junior season when he goes up against Buckeyes. On the season he has a total of 50 tackles, including 2 for a loss. He is 2nd on the team with 6 interceptions, and tied for the team lead with 2 blocked kicks. Nelson has also broken up 5 passes, and recovered a fumble this season. There is a pretty good chance that this will be Nelson's last game as a Gator, because he is projected to be a top 20 pick in this years NFL draft. The guy is flat out good he has almost freakish athletic ability, and excellent field awareness. Although he's not the biggest guy on the block, the kid isn't afraid to come up and hit someone either. Smith will have to know where Nelson is at all times, he is an absolute playmaker. Getting the start at strong safety for the Gators will be junior Tony Joiner. On the season, Joiner is 3rd on the team with 58 tackles, including 4.5 for a loss. Joiner has also picked off 2 passes, broken up 5 others, recorded a safety, and recovered a fumble. Joiner isn't quite the athlete that his counterpart Nelson is, but he is a very solid safety overall, especially in run support. One of his better characteristics is his ability to make open field tackles, something that will be very important for the Gators against a very skilled set of play-makers on the Buckeye offense.
Getting the start at one of the corner spots will be junior Ryan Smith. Smith, a 3rd team All-American, and 1st team All-SEC pick, leads the Gators with 8 interceptions. In addition, he has also recorded 52 tackles, including 3.5 for a loss. Smith has also broken up 7 passes, and is tied for the team lead with 2 blocked kicks. Smith followed Urban Meyer over from Utah when he took the head coaching gig at Florida and it has paid dividends for him. His 8 interceptions are tied for 3rd nationally. He isn't the biggest guy on the block, but he is solid in coverage. He has good speed, and is surprisingly effective in run support. He's going to need to have a monster game against the Bucks, something that All-American Leon Hall had a very difficult time doing. The other corner slot will be occupied by senior Reggie Lewis. On the season, Lewis has a total of 27 tackles, including 1.5 for a loss. Lewis has also picked off 3 passes, and broken up 6 others this season. Lewis isn't quite the corner that Smith is, look for the Buckeyes to attack his side of the field.
DB Rating: B+
Overall DB Analysis
I'm sure that there are some Florida fans out there who question why this secondary only gets a B+ rating on this preview, especially given the fact that the Gators have Ronnie Lott with Deion Sanders' speed at free safety (at least that is what they think . Nelson is a hell of a safety, but he doesn't make up an entire secondary. Him and Smith have the highest combined interception total of any other tandem in the country this season. Smith had a whale of a season, but as I've said before in the past, the truly great corners don't get the ball thrown at them often, obviously teams see a weakness in him. He has made them pay for the most part, but Florida hasn't faced a batch of receivers that they'll see with OSU. Leon Hall for Michigan also had gawdy numbers heading into the OSU contest. I think we all know how badly the Buckeye receivers made him look. Lewis and Joiner are average players in the secondary, they are the two weak spots that the Buckeyes will look to exploit. Sure they are fast (hell, isn't even the Florida waterboy fast?), but so is about every other player on the field in this contest. This Florida secondary is also vulnerable to the long pass. They have given up a 48 yard pass 3 times this season. Their pass defense numbers are a bit skewed, especially given the fact that they held 1-AA powerhouse Western Carolina (yeah, that is a real team) to 35 yards passing for the whole game. Combined, they are ranked 51st in the country in passing yards (194 YPG). If you take the Western Carolina game out of the mix the average goes to 207 yards per game, which would rank them at 71st in the country. They allowed 210 yards or more passing in 6 of their games, including 298 against Vanderbilt, and 275 against South Carolina. Although the pundits want you to believe that these guys are all world, this is the weakness of this Florida team, hands down.
Head-to-Head: Florida vs Ohio State DBs
Florida has the best overall player on the field in Nelson, after him we'll give the nod to Malcom Jenkins, who was a 1st team All-Big Ten performer this season. He had 4 interceptions on the season, a number that could have been higher if teams would have thrown the ball in his direction more. After that we'll call the Smith boys (Ryan from Florida, and Antonio from OSU) a push. Both were first team all conference performers this season. We'll call Joiner and Brandon Mitchell a wash just for arguments sake. Overall I give the edge to Ohio State when it all boils down. Ohio State finished the season ranked 29th against the pass (179 YPG). Interception wise both teams were about even (OSU-21, Florida-20). I'm just not sold on Florida's set of corners, I think that OSU will be able to put up big yards on them.
Edge: Ohio State
Overall Defensive Analysis
Well, after a long layoff that has seemed like an eternity to most, the time has finally come. I'm sure that most Buckeye fans are sick to tears of hearing about how fast this Florida team is, and how the Buckeyes haven't seen this kind of speed. Speed can only take a team so far, there are many other things that factor into a football game. As for this Florida defense, what else can be said? Like Michigan, they are top heavy in the front 7, they both have an All-American in the secondary, but both are vulnerable to the pass. Florida is probably a bit faster along the defensive line, but they don't have the power that Michigan has up front. This style of defense plays into OSU's strength. The Buckeyes will be able to run the ball in this contest, and they will also be able to throw the ball. Florida's secondary has given up some good sized chunks of yardage this season. What should also be alarming for Gator fans is the lack of sacks over the past 4 games. Their vaunted defensive line has been very quiet as of late. If Florida cannot pressure Troy Smith the Buckeyes are going to beat them handedly. If they are able to flush Troy out of the pocket (something that no team has been able to do all season), then they have a chance to slow down the Buckeye offense and make this a tight ball game. Still, I think that there are way too many "ifs" involved with reasoning why Florida will make it a tight game. Florida says that they are destined to be here, one could argue the same for the Buckeyes. After a storied career at OSU, Troy Smith is down to his last game as a Buckeye. Along the way he's managed to make his name on his ability to come through in the big games. At times it seems like ice flows through his veins when it matters most. Smith will soon find himself forever enshrined into that eternal fraternity at Ohio State that many seek, and very few ever accomplish. This will most likely be the last time that an OSU player ever wear's the #10 jersey. When the dust settles in this contest, one can't help but think that the men of Troy have one more left in them, and that #10 has one last chapter that he'd like to add to his epic career at OSU.
Overall Defensive Rating: A-
The Buckeyes will be greeted in Glendale by a Florida defense that is considered one of the fastest, and most opportunistic squads in the country. Led by Tatum award winner Reggie Nelson, the Florida defense finished up the regular season among the nation's elite in most major defensive categories. In fact, they were in the top 10 in scoring defense (13.5 points per game), rushing defense (74.5 yards per game), total defense (268.8 ypg), and passing defense efficiency (100.3 rating). They held Arkansas, who boasts the nations 4th best rushing offense (230.6 YPG) to a very respectable 132 yards on 35 carries in the SEC title game. They limited Heisman runner up Darren McFadden to 73 yards in the contest. Florida has held its opponent to under 100 yards rushing in 9 of their 13 games this season.
Over the last half of the season, this Florida defense became very stingy on 3rd down allowing their opponents to convert only 27% (18 of 66) of the time. These are the kind of stats that I find telling about a defense, they are signs of a maturing squad as a whole. Meyer has this defense playing a very fast, physical brand of football heading into the clash vs. the Buckeyes. If they don't show up in a big way in this contest, some of the Florida fans are going to wish that Michigan got in instead of the Gators.
Defensive Line
DE #94 Jarvis Moss (6-6, 251, R-JR, Denton, Texas/Ryan)*
DT #95 Ray McDonald (6-3, 280, R-SR, Belle Glade/Glades Central)***
DT #20 Joe Cohen (6-2, 296, SR, Melbourne/Palm Bay)***
DE #91 Derrick Harvey (6-5, 262, R-SO, Greenbelt, Md./Roosevelt)*
Leading the way for the Gators along the defensive line will be sophomore Derrick Harvey. Harvey, a second team All-SEC pick this season, led the Gators with 10 tackles for a loss, 8 sacks, and 2 fumble recoveries. He was 2nd on the team with 2 QB hurries. In addition, Harvey has recorded 31 tackles on the season, and also forced a fumble. Harvey is still a bit raw, but is budding with talent. He is a streaky player, but he has the capability to make life hell on opposing QB's. Against Kentucky and Auburn he turned in 2 sack performances. He went through a 6 game span earlier this season where he had 8 sacks, which is outstanding. What should be alarming for Florida fans is the fact that he hasn't recorded a sack since the Vanderbilt game, which dates back 4 games. It should be interesting to see which Derrick Harvey shows up against Ohio State. Getting the start at the other end spot will be junior Jarvis Moss. On the season, Moss has a total of 54 tackles, including 9 for a loss, and 5.5 sacks. He leads the team with 12 QB hurries, 3 forced fumbles, and is tied for the team high with 2 blocked kicks. Moss has also broken up 4 passes this season. Moss has a flair for making the big plays in big games. He blocked 2 kicks in the contest vs. South Carolina, including a last second field goal attempt, which enabled Florida to hold on to a 17-16 victory. Moss has excellent speed, great size, and is a possible first round draft pick this spring. He is very disruptive, look for him to be chasing down OSU "Heisman" trophy winner Smith quite a bit this week.
Getting the start at one of the defensive tackle slots will be senior Ray McDonald. McDonald, a first team All-SEC pick this season, is one of the unquestioned leaders of this Florida defense. On the season, McDonald has a total of 33 tackles, including 4.5 for a loss, and 3 sacks. McDonald has also broken up 5 passes, recovered a fumble, and blocked a kick this season. McDonald helped seal a win for the Gators against Georgia when he recovered a fumble and took it back to the house early in the second half, which ended up being the game winning touchdown for Florida. McDonald has the athleticism to play end, and has enough power to play inside. He has the ability to penetrate through blocks and get into the backfield, something that could disrupt the OSU running game. Getting the start at the other tackle spot for the Gators will be junior Joe Cohen. On the season, Cohen has a total of 26 tackles, including 2 for a loss, and half of a sack. He has also forced a fumble this season. Cohen has good size and power, he's much less flashy, but plays steady football. Off the bench, look for senior tackle Steven Harris see quite a bit of action in this contest. On the season, Harris has a total of 14 tackles, including 4.5 for a loss, along with 1.5 sacks. Harris has also broken up 2 passes this season.
DL Rating: A-
Overall DL Analysis
Florida has adapted very well along the defensive line after the loss of arguably their best defensive lineman, Marcus Thomas, who was kicked off the team earlier this season for violating team and university policy. They have received very good play from their front 4, especially the defensive ends. Harvey and Moss both possess excellent athleticism and speed, but are probably a bit weaker physically than the ends that OSU faced against Michigan. What also should be noted about this defensive line is the fact that they are a streaky bunch. Through the meat and potatoes portion of their SEC schedule they were absolutely lights out, recording 19 sacks over a 7 game span. What I alluded to above though is the fact that they have really slowed down from a sack production standpoint over the last 4 games. In fact, this unit as a whole (including backups) has tallied a total of 2 sacks in their last 4 games combined, which isn't very good at all. If they can't pressure Smith, Florida doesn't have much of a chance in this contest.
Head-to-Head: Florida vs Ohio State DL
Both teams feature a bunch of very good football players up front. The best overall player on either line is All-American Quinn Pitcock. Pitcock has the ability to penetrate double teams as well as anyone in the country. What is best about him is his unselfish demeanor, he simply cares about winning. He'll be a top 20 pick in this years NFL draft. Couple him with David Patterson and you have arguably the best defensive tackle tandem in the country. We'll give the nod to OSU at the tackle spot. From an end standpoint Florida probably get's the slight edge, but you cannot discount Vernon Gholsten with his 7.5 sacks, and 14.5 tackles for a loss. From an overall front 4 standpoint OSU gets the slight edge overall. They have more sacks on the season (ranked 10th in the country, compared to Florida at 49th), and tackles for a loss (ranked 10th, compared to Florida at 60th).
Edge: Ohio State
Linebackers
SLB #13 Brian Crum (6-3, 235, R-SR, Woodbine, Ga./Camden County)***
MLB #40 Brandon Siler (6-2, 235, JR, Orlando/Orlando Evans)**
WLB #30 Earl Everett (6-3, 234, SR, Webster/South Sumter)***
Leading the way at linebacker for the Gators is junior MLB Brandon Siler. Siler, a 2nd team All-SEC pick this season, is 2nd on the team with 73 tackles. In addition, he recorded 9 tackles for a loss, 3 sacks, 3 pass breakups, 3 QB hurries, a forced fumble, as well as a fumble recovery. Siler is among the top inside linebackers in the country. He has excellent quickness, and possesses excellent awareness. He is also a skilled open field tackler. Expect to see Siler flying all over the field against the Buckeyes.
Getting the start at one of the outside linebacker spots will be senior Earl Everett. Everett, a 1st team All-SEC pick (coaches) this season, leads the Gators with 78 tackles. In addition, he has 6 tackles for a loss, along with a sack. Everett also has 4 QB hurries, as well as 2 pass breakups. Everett is the leader of this Florida linebacker unit. He was named the SEC player of the week following his 11 tackle performance against Tennessee, leading a Gators defense which limited the Vol's to a very impressive -11 yards rushing. Everett has excellent speed, athleticism, and as the ability to chase down just about everything on the field. He is also very good in pass coverage, especially when covering backs or tight ends. His biggest weakness is his inability to fight off blocks. He plays more of a finesse brand of football, the Buckeyes would be best served to attack him directly. The final outside linebacker spot will be held down by senior Brian Crum. On the season, Crum has a total of 30 tackles, including 3 for a loss, and half of a sack. He has also broken up a pass, and recorded a QB hurry. Crum is the weak link of this Gator unit, he is an average linebacker at best.
LB Rating: B+
Overall LB Analysis
The combo of Siler and Everett is one of the better linebacker tandems in the country. They both are very skilled athletes, and have the ability to run down just about anything that is on the field. Where they both are a bit weak is when they are attacked directly. Fast linebackers usually have the problem of shedding blocks, especially against a physical football team. This is exactly how I think the Buckeyes will attack this unit, by going right at them. Crum is the weak link of this trio, his lack of big play ability brings down an otherwise exceptional unit down a peg or two. Look for the Buckeyes to attack them with Iso's and quick hitter off-tackle plays, much like the way they attacked Michigan. Doing this allows the Buckeyes to neutralize the speed element of the Florida linebackers, and prevents them from camping out in the backfield, which long drawn out plays often invite.
Head-to-Head: Florida vs Ohio State LBs
The Buckeyes have the best player out of both units in James Laurinaitis. All that he has managed to do this year is lead the Buckeyes with 100 tackles, 5 interceptions, and 3 forced fumbles. Did I mention that he won the Bronko Nagurski trophy, and 1st team All-American honors? After that Everett and Siler probably have to be considered the #2 and #3 best players out of this group. Their speed, and playmaking ability shadows everyone but Laurinaitis on the Buckeye linebacker unit. Marcus Freeman continues to improve for the Buckeyes, but he's not at the level of the previously mentioned 3. Just to save argument, we'll call the rest of the unit a wash. When you put everything together in these units, and you compare rushing defense (Florida is ranked 6th nationally, OSU is ranked 16t) a slight edge has to be given to Florida in this category.
Edge: Florida
Secondary
LCB #22 Reggie Lewis (5-10, 196, R-SR, Jacksonville/First Coast)***
FS #1 Reggie Nelson (6-1, 193, JR, Melbourne/Palm Bay/Coffeyville (Kan.) J.C.)*
SS #19 Tony Joiner (6-0, 208, JR, Haines City/Haines City)**
RCB #28 Ryan Smith (5-10, 165, JR-Utah Transfer, Diamond Bar, Calif./Bishop Amat Memorial/Utah)
Leading the way in the secondary for the Gators is junior All-American Reggie Nelson. Nelson, the winner of this years Jack Tatum award, is looking to cap off a monster junior season when he goes up against Buckeyes. On the season he has a total of 50 tackles, including 2 for a loss. He is 2nd on the team with 6 interceptions, and tied for the team lead with 2 blocked kicks. Nelson has also broken up 5 passes, and recovered a fumble this season. There is a pretty good chance that this will be Nelson's last game as a Gator, because he is projected to be a top 20 pick in this years NFL draft. The guy is flat out good he has almost freakish athletic ability, and excellent field awareness. Although he's not the biggest guy on the block, the kid isn't afraid to come up and hit someone either. Smith will have to know where Nelson is at all times, he is an absolute playmaker. Getting the start at strong safety for the Gators will be junior Tony Joiner. On the season, Joiner is 3rd on the team with 58 tackles, including 4.5 for a loss. Joiner has also picked off 2 passes, broken up 5 others, recorded a safety, and recovered a fumble. Joiner isn't quite the athlete that his counterpart Nelson is, but he is a very solid safety overall, especially in run support. One of his better characteristics is his ability to make open field tackles, something that will be very important for the Gators against a very skilled set of play-makers on the Buckeye offense.
Getting the start at one of the corner spots will be junior Ryan Smith. Smith, a 3rd team All-American, and 1st team All-SEC pick, leads the Gators with 8 interceptions. In addition, he has also recorded 52 tackles, including 3.5 for a loss. Smith has also broken up 7 passes, and is tied for the team lead with 2 blocked kicks. Smith followed Urban Meyer over from Utah when he took the head coaching gig at Florida and it has paid dividends for him. His 8 interceptions are tied for 3rd nationally. He isn't the biggest guy on the block, but he is solid in coverage. He has good speed, and is surprisingly effective in run support. He's going to need to have a monster game against the Bucks, something that All-American Leon Hall had a very difficult time doing. The other corner slot will be occupied by senior Reggie Lewis. On the season, Lewis has a total of 27 tackles, including 1.5 for a loss. Lewis has also picked off 3 passes, and broken up 6 others this season. Lewis isn't quite the corner that Smith is, look for the Buckeyes to attack his side of the field.
DB Rating: B+
Overall DB Analysis
I'm sure that there are some Florida fans out there who question why this secondary only gets a B+ rating on this preview, especially given the fact that the Gators have Ronnie Lott with Deion Sanders' speed at free safety (at least that is what they think . Nelson is a hell of a safety, but he doesn't make up an entire secondary. Him and Smith have the highest combined interception total of any other tandem in the country this season. Smith had a whale of a season, but as I've said before in the past, the truly great corners don't get the ball thrown at them often, obviously teams see a weakness in him. He has made them pay for the most part, but Florida hasn't faced a batch of receivers that they'll see with OSU. Leon Hall for Michigan also had gawdy numbers heading into the OSU contest. I think we all know how badly the Buckeye receivers made him look. Lewis and Joiner are average players in the secondary, they are the two weak spots that the Buckeyes will look to exploit. Sure they are fast (hell, isn't even the Florida waterboy fast?), but so is about every other player on the field in this contest. This Florida secondary is also vulnerable to the long pass. They have given up a 48 yard pass 3 times this season. Their pass defense numbers are a bit skewed, especially given the fact that they held 1-AA powerhouse Western Carolina (yeah, that is a real team) to 35 yards passing for the whole game. Combined, they are ranked 51st in the country in passing yards (194 YPG). If you take the Western Carolina game out of the mix the average goes to 207 yards per game, which would rank them at 71st in the country. They allowed 210 yards or more passing in 6 of their games, including 298 against Vanderbilt, and 275 against South Carolina. Although the pundits want you to believe that these guys are all world, this is the weakness of this Florida team, hands down.
Head-to-Head: Florida vs Ohio State DBs
Florida has the best overall player on the field in Nelson, after him we'll give the nod to Malcom Jenkins, who was a 1st team All-Big Ten performer this season. He had 4 interceptions on the season, a number that could have been higher if teams would have thrown the ball in his direction more. After that we'll call the Smith boys (Ryan from Florida, and Antonio from OSU) a push. Both were first team all conference performers this season. We'll call Joiner and Brandon Mitchell a wash just for arguments sake. Overall I give the edge to Ohio State when it all boils down. Ohio State finished the season ranked 29th against the pass (179 YPG). Interception wise both teams were about even (OSU-21, Florida-20). I'm just not sold on Florida's set of corners, I think that OSU will be able to put up big yards on them.
Edge: Ohio State
Overall Defensive Analysis
Well, after a long layoff that has seemed like an eternity to most, the time has finally come. I'm sure that most Buckeye fans are sick to tears of hearing about how fast this Florida team is, and how the Buckeyes haven't seen this kind of speed. Speed can only take a team so far, there are many other things that factor into a football game. As for this Florida defense, what else can be said? Like Michigan, they are top heavy in the front 7, they both have an All-American in the secondary, but both are vulnerable to the pass. Florida is probably a bit faster along the defensive line, but they don't have the power that Michigan has up front. This style of defense plays into OSU's strength. The Buckeyes will be able to run the ball in this contest, and they will also be able to throw the ball. Florida's secondary has given up some good sized chunks of yardage this season. What should also be alarming for Gator fans is the lack of sacks over the past 4 games. Their vaunted defensive line has been very quiet as of late. If Florida cannot pressure Troy Smith the Buckeyes are going to beat them handedly. If they are able to flush Troy out of the pocket (something that no team has been able to do all season), then they have a chance to slow down the Buckeye offense and make this a tight ball game. Still, I think that there are way too many "ifs" involved with reasoning why Florida will make it a tight game. Florida says that they are destined to be here, one could argue the same for the Buckeyes. After a storied career at OSU, Troy Smith is down to his last game as a Buckeye. Along the way he's managed to make his name on his ability to come through in the big games. At times it seems like ice flows through his veins when it matters most. Smith will soon find himself forever enshrined into that eternal fraternity at Ohio State that many seek, and very few ever accomplish. This will most likely be the last time that an OSU player ever wear's the #10 jersey. When the dust settles in this contest, one can't help but think that the men of Troy have one more left in them, and that #10 has one last chapter that he'd like to add to his epic career at OSU.
Overall Defensive Rating: A-
2006-07 Florida Gators Special Teams Preview
Returning Starters: 4
The casual fan will notice that Florida's field goal kicking this year (4 of 13) has been awful and might conclude that Florida's special teams is a weakness. While it is certainly true that a great special teams unit needs a reliable Place Kicker, the rest of Florida's special teams have been generally solid, and on occasion, exceptional.
While ESPN has show repeated replays of Aubrurn blocking a Florida punt and returning it for a touchdown, it is Florida which usually does the blocking. They've blocked a school record 8 kicks this season (5 punts, and 3 FG), none bigger than the block of a last second field goal attempt, securing a tight win over South Carolina.
Like Tressel, Urban Meyer is said to also believe that the punt is the most important play in football. So important, in fact, that Meyer himself is the primary Special Teams coach. The players have responded to his philosophy as well, holding opponent punt returners to 58 yards. That's not per game, that's 58 yards gained on returns all year. For what Florida may lack in the kicking game overall (that is, including punts, kickoffs and field goals) they certainly make up for by consistently winning the battle of field position on punts.
Special Teams
P #10 Eric Wilbur (6-2, 200, SR, Winter Park/Trinity Prep)***
K#39 Chris Hetland (6-0, 186, RSR, Leesburg, Ga./Lee County)*
K #98 Joey Ijjas (6-2, 204, RJR, Clearwater/Central Catholic/East Carolina)
PR #11 Jarred Fayson (6-0, 200, FR, Tampa, Fla./Hillsborough)
PR/KR #25 Brandon James (5-7, 180, FR, St. Augustine, Fla./St. Augustine)
KR #33 Kestahn Moore (5-10, 212, SO, Arlington, Texas/Mansfield Summit)*
LS #43 James Smith (6-1, 233, RSO, Gainesville/Buchholz)*
Kicking Game
Punter Eric Wilbur began 2006 on the Ray Guy Award watch list and has been a solid kicker his entire career at Florida, sporting a career average of 42.8 yards on 227 kicks. As a freshman he punted 66 times for a career best 44.8 average and a long of 75 yards coming against Tennessee. He hasn't been able to reach those numbers since, but he's still averaging a solid 42.2 yards on 49 kicks this year with 22 placed inside the 20, good enough for 4th in the SEC.
Kickoffs have been handled primarily by Joey Ijjas. In 57 kicks this year only 9 of them have been for touchback (16%) and two were sent out of bounds.
Chris Hetland's field goal kicking this year has been very bad. A dismal 4 of 13 with a long of 33 this year cannot fill Gator fans with confidence should this game comes down to a field goal to win it.
Kicking Rating: C-
Head-to-Head: Florida vs Ohio State Kickers
The grade here may be a little harsh, but 4 of 13 on Field Goals is simply awful and drags an otherwise decent kicking game down from what should be a more lofty rank. Wilbur has an edge over Trapasso in punting, putting more kicks inside the 20 (22 to 15) and having a higher percentage of his kicks fair caught (25% to 19%). However, that is where Florida's kicking game advantage ends. On kickoffs, Pettrey has sent 35 kicks (out of 61) in to the endzone or further for touchbacks and has not kicked any out of bounds and leads Ijjas 62.7 to 57.5 in net kicking yardage (a measure of return yards against.) When it comes to Field Goals, the advantage Ohio State has is obvious. Pettrey started the year a little slow missing his first 2 kicks, but since then has gone 8 of 9, with a long of 51, although he has not had to attempt a kick since the Illinois game. Florida's slight lead in punting is not enough to make up for the remainder of the kicking game and therefore the edge has to go to Ohio State here.
Edge: Ohio State
Return Game
Florida's punt return game is lead by Brandon James. In 29 punt returns this year, James has averaged solid 11.6 yards, with a long of 77 and a touchdown, good for third in the SEC for return men with at least 20 attempts. Reggie Nelson has been known to return a couple of punts this year. In 12 attempts, however, he has only gained 93 yards, good for a 7.3 average and with a long of 21.
James also returns kicks, leading the Gators with 20 returns for 350 yards (17.5 average) and a long of 38. Kestahn Moore has returned only 4 kicks this season for 63 total yards (15.8 average) with a long of 26.
Return Rating: B+
Head-to-Head: Florida vs Ohio State Returners
Statistically, James and Ginn are pretty close in punt returns with James having a slight edge (again, statistically) in average 11.6 to 11.1 with both returning one punt for six. Ginn's long is 17 yards shorter than James' long, but that's a statistic without consequence. Buckeye fans well know that hardly anyone kicks to Ginn and in many cases will accept a 25 yard shank over the potential of a Ginn return.
On Kickoff returns, again the main comparison is Ginn and James. Here, the edge has to go to Ginn, who in 3 less attempts has 347 total return yards, good for a 20.4 average. Like Moore, Anthony Gonzalez has returned 4 kicks this year, but only for 42 yards (10.5 average) and a long of 16.
Edge: Even to slight edge, Ohio State
Overall Special Teams Analysis
Both coaches are known to appreciate the critical importance of field position in football games. Both teams sport very good punters as well as very good return men. Considering that Florida's kickers have trouble getting the ball to the endzone, Ohio State should hold a starting field position advantage after scores or on the opening kick of the game (or half, depending on the coin toss). If the game comes down to a field goal, however, safe money would clearly favor Ohio State over Florida. Florida's special teams strength is not fully represented above however, as many of their plays are made preventing points and yards in the form of blocked kicks and excellent punt coverage. Still, owing to the importance of a reliable field goal kicker in big games, the overall edge here goes to the Buckeyes.
Overall Special Teams Rating: B- (again, perhaps a little harsh considering the overall play of the Special Team units as a whole, but once again the field goal kicking of Florida is a liability.)
The casual fan will notice that Florida's field goal kicking this year (4 of 13) has been awful and might conclude that Florida's special teams is a weakness. While it is certainly true that a great special teams unit needs a reliable Place Kicker, the rest of Florida's special teams have been generally solid, and on occasion, exceptional.
While ESPN has show repeated replays of Aubrurn blocking a Florida punt and returning it for a touchdown, it is Florida which usually does the blocking. They've blocked a school record 8 kicks this season (5 punts, and 3 FG), none bigger than the block of a last second field goal attempt, securing a tight win over South Carolina.
Like Tressel, Urban Meyer is said to also believe that the punt is the most important play in football. So important, in fact, that Meyer himself is the primary Special Teams coach. The players have responded to his philosophy as well, holding opponent punt returners to 58 yards. That's not per game, that's 58 yards gained on returns all year. For what Florida may lack in the kicking game overall (that is, including punts, kickoffs and field goals) they certainly make up for by consistently winning the battle of field position on punts.
Special Teams
P #10 Eric Wilbur (6-2, 200, SR, Winter Park/Trinity Prep)***
K#39 Chris Hetland (6-0, 186, RSR, Leesburg, Ga./Lee County)*
K #98 Joey Ijjas (6-2, 204, RJR, Clearwater/Central Catholic/East Carolina)
PR #11 Jarred Fayson (6-0, 200, FR, Tampa, Fla./Hillsborough)
PR/KR #25 Brandon James (5-7, 180, FR, St. Augustine, Fla./St. Augustine)
KR #33 Kestahn Moore (5-10, 212, SO, Arlington, Texas/Mansfield Summit)*
LS #43 James Smith (6-1, 233, RSO, Gainesville/Buchholz)*
Kicking Game
Punter Eric Wilbur began 2006 on the Ray Guy Award watch list and has been a solid kicker his entire career at Florida, sporting a career average of 42.8 yards on 227 kicks. As a freshman he punted 66 times for a career best 44.8 average and a long of 75 yards coming against Tennessee. He hasn't been able to reach those numbers since, but he's still averaging a solid 42.2 yards on 49 kicks this year with 22 placed inside the 20, good enough for 4th in the SEC.
Kickoffs have been handled primarily by Joey Ijjas. In 57 kicks this year only 9 of them have been for touchback (16%) and two were sent out of bounds.
Chris Hetland's field goal kicking this year has been very bad. A dismal 4 of 13 with a long of 33 this year cannot fill Gator fans with confidence should this game comes down to a field goal to win it.
Kicking Rating: C-
Head-to-Head: Florida vs Ohio State Kickers
The grade here may be a little harsh, but 4 of 13 on Field Goals is simply awful and drags an otherwise decent kicking game down from what should be a more lofty rank. Wilbur has an edge over Trapasso in punting, putting more kicks inside the 20 (22 to 15) and having a higher percentage of his kicks fair caught (25% to 19%). However, that is where Florida's kicking game advantage ends. On kickoffs, Pettrey has sent 35 kicks (out of 61) in to the endzone or further for touchbacks and has not kicked any out of bounds and leads Ijjas 62.7 to 57.5 in net kicking yardage (a measure of return yards against.) When it comes to Field Goals, the advantage Ohio State has is obvious. Pettrey started the year a little slow missing his first 2 kicks, but since then has gone 8 of 9, with a long of 51, although he has not had to attempt a kick since the Illinois game. Florida's slight lead in punting is not enough to make up for the remainder of the kicking game and therefore the edge has to go to Ohio State here.
Edge: Ohio State
Return Game
Florida's punt return game is lead by Brandon James. In 29 punt returns this year, James has averaged solid 11.6 yards, with a long of 77 and a touchdown, good for third in the SEC for return men with at least 20 attempts. Reggie Nelson has been known to return a couple of punts this year. In 12 attempts, however, he has only gained 93 yards, good for a 7.3 average and with a long of 21.
James also returns kicks, leading the Gators with 20 returns for 350 yards (17.5 average) and a long of 38. Kestahn Moore has returned only 4 kicks this season for 63 total yards (15.8 average) with a long of 26.
Return Rating: B+
Head-to-Head: Florida vs Ohio State Returners
Statistically, James and Ginn are pretty close in punt returns with James having a slight edge (again, statistically) in average 11.6 to 11.1 with both returning one punt for six. Ginn's long is 17 yards shorter than James' long, but that's a statistic without consequence. Buckeye fans well know that hardly anyone kicks to Ginn and in many cases will accept a 25 yard shank over the potential of a Ginn return.
On Kickoff returns, again the main comparison is Ginn and James. Here, the edge has to go to Ginn, who in 3 less attempts has 347 total return yards, good for a 20.4 average. Like Moore, Anthony Gonzalez has returned 4 kicks this year, but only for 42 yards (10.5 average) and a long of 16.
Edge: Even to slight edge, Ohio State
Overall Special Teams Analysis
Both coaches are known to appreciate the critical importance of field position in football games. Both teams sport very good punters as well as very good return men. Considering that Florida's kickers have trouble getting the ball to the endzone, Ohio State should hold a starting field position advantage after scores or on the opening kick of the game (or half, depending on the coin toss). If the game comes down to a field goal, however, safe money would clearly favor Ohio State over Florida. Florida's special teams strength is not fully represented above however, as many of their plays are made preventing points and yards in the form of blocked kicks and excellent punt coverage. Still, owing to the importance of a reliable field goal kicker in big games, the overall edge here goes to the Buckeyes.
Overall Special Teams Rating: B- (again, perhaps a little harsh considering the overall play of the Special Team units as a whole, but once again the field goal kicking of Florida is a liability.)
Predictions
BB73's prediction: 31-21, Ohio State
BuckeyeRyn's prediction: 31-24, Ohio State
Buckeyeskickbuttocks' prediction: 38-17, Ohio State
Bucklion's prediction: 34-26, Ohio State
DaddyBigBucks's prediction: 38-17, Ohio State
daddyphatsac's prediction: 34-17, Ohio State
Deety's prediction: 38-27, Ohio State
FKAGobucks877's prediction: ?-?, Ohio State
jwinslow's prediction: 34-20, Ohio State
LordJeffBuck's prediction: 37-17, Ohio State
osugrad21's prediction: 42-24, Ohio State
OSUsushichic's prediction: 31-21, Ohio State
PrincessPeach's prediction: 45-27, Ohio State
3yardsandacloud's prediction: 42-28, Ohio State
Last Game's Results (OSU 42 - Michigan 39)
Low score wins the year long battle of prediction supremacy! (Difference of actual score versus predicted score. 10 point penalty for picking the losing team.)
(158) Buckeyeskickbuttocks' prediction: 31-17, Ohio State (11 + 22 = 33 + 125 last week)
(174) PrincessPeach's prediction: 31-28, Ohio State (11 + 11 = 22 + 152 last week)
(188) BB73's prediction: 27-17, Ohio State (15 + 22 = 37 + 151 last week)
(194) 3yardsandacloud's prediction: 34-20, Ohio State (8 + 19 = 27 + 167 last week)
(198) (178) Deety's prediction: 35-13, Ohio State (7 + 26 = 33 + 145 last week) DNP 1 week (MSU 20)
(200) Bucklion's prediction: 27-26, Ohio State (15 + 13 = 28 + 172 last week)
(206) daddyphatsac's prediction: 23-20, Ohio State (19 + 19 = 38 + 168 last week)
(208) OSUsushichic's prediction: 28-21, Ohio State (14 + 18 = 32 + 176 last week)
(209) BuckeyeRyn's prediction: 24-17, Ohio State (18 + 22 = 40 + 169 last week)
(216) (109) FKAGobucks877's prediction: ?-?, Ohio State (0 + 0 = 0 + 109 last week) DNP 4 weeks (BGSU 23, MSU 20, Minny 19, Michigan 45 = 107)
(230) osugrad21's prediction: 24-13, Ohio State (18 + 26 = 44 + 186 last week)
(231) (210) jwinslow's prediction: 24-17, Ohio State (18 + 22 = 40 + 170 last week) DNP 1 week (NIU 21)
(235) LordJeffBuck's prediction: 20-16, Ohio State (22 + 23 = 45 + 190 last week)
(263) (198) DaddyBigBucks's prediction: 24-16, Ohio State (18 + 23 = 41 + 157 last week) DNP 2 weeks (NIU 21, Texas 44)
Adjusted scores for weeks missed. Participant must take the highest score from the week they missed:
Deety + MSU 20 = 20
jwinslow + NIU 21 = 21
FKAGobucks877 + BGSU 23 + MSU 20 + Minny 19 + Michigan 45 = 107
DaddyBigBucks + NIU 21 + Texas 44 = 65
BuckeyeRyn's prediction: 31-24, Ohio State
Buckeyeskickbuttocks' prediction: 38-17, Ohio State
Bucklion's prediction: 34-26, Ohio State
DaddyBigBucks's prediction: 38-17, Ohio State
daddyphatsac's prediction: 34-17, Ohio State
Deety's prediction: 38-27, Ohio State
FKAGobucks877's prediction: ?-?, Ohio State
jwinslow's prediction: 34-20, Ohio State
LordJeffBuck's prediction: 37-17, Ohio State
osugrad21's prediction: 42-24, Ohio State
OSUsushichic's prediction: 31-21, Ohio State
PrincessPeach's prediction: 45-27, Ohio State
3yardsandacloud's prediction: 42-28, Ohio State
Last Game's Results (OSU 42 - Michigan 39)
Low score wins the year long battle of prediction supremacy! (Difference of actual score versus predicted score. 10 point penalty for picking the losing team.)
(158) Buckeyeskickbuttocks' prediction: 31-17, Ohio State (11 + 22 = 33 + 125 last week)
(174) PrincessPeach's prediction: 31-28, Ohio State (11 + 11 = 22 + 152 last week)
(188) BB73's prediction: 27-17, Ohio State (15 + 22 = 37 + 151 last week)
(194) 3yardsandacloud's prediction: 34-20, Ohio State (8 + 19 = 27 + 167 last week)
(198) (178) Deety's prediction: 35-13, Ohio State (7 + 26 = 33 + 145 last week) DNP 1 week (MSU 20)
(200) Bucklion's prediction: 27-26, Ohio State (15 + 13 = 28 + 172 last week)
(206) daddyphatsac's prediction: 23-20, Ohio State (19 + 19 = 38 + 168 last week)
(208) OSUsushichic's prediction: 28-21, Ohio State (14 + 18 = 32 + 176 last week)
(209) BuckeyeRyn's prediction: 24-17, Ohio State (18 + 22 = 40 + 169 last week)
(216) (109) FKAGobucks877's prediction: ?-?, Ohio State (0 + 0 = 0 + 109 last week) DNP 4 weeks (BGSU 23, MSU 20, Minny 19, Michigan 45 = 107)
(230) osugrad21's prediction: 24-13, Ohio State (18 + 26 = 44 + 186 last week)
(231) (210) jwinslow's prediction: 24-17, Ohio State (18 + 22 = 40 + 170 last week) DNP 1 week (NIU 21)
(235) LordJeffBuck's prediction: 20-16, Ohio State (22 + 23 = 45 + 190 last week)
(263) (198) DaddyBigBucks's prediction: 24-16, Ohio State (18 + 23 = 41 + 157 last week) DNP 2 weeks (NIU 21, Texas 44)
Adjusted scores for weeks missed. Participant must take the highest score from the week they missed:
Deety + MSU 20 = 20
jwinslow + NIU 21 = 21
FKAGobucks877 + BGSU 23 + MSU 20 + Minny 19 + Michigan 45 = 107
DaddyBigBucks + NIU 21 + Texas 44 = 65
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