2007 Preseason and Regular season Polls

[Mike80]

I thought BC looked like poop. I was thinking last night that if we played BC, our defense would crush Ryan. He may get lucky 1-2 times, but they can't run the ball and our defensive line would eat up their O-line. I don't think we need to crush Penn State, we just need to win. Even if they do jump us. Their schedule isn't that great down the road. They have Florida State (4-3, 1-3), @ Maryland (4-3, 1-2), @ Clemson (5-2, 2-2), & Miami FL (5-3, 2-2). Our Schedule is much better. @ Penn St (6-2, 3-2), Wisc (6-2, 2-2), Illinois (5-3, 3-2) & @ scUM (6-2, 4-0).

I think if both teams win out. Our schedule would suggest to the voters that we are the better team. But as everyone knows, we just need to be #1 or 2 to go to the big game. So either way, I think our remaining schedule should keep us up in those two slots, regardless.

Sorry it just had to be posted

 

[MD Buckeye]

No way BC jumps us, unless we get beat. Which isn't happening

 

[Steve19]

The announcers were flushing BC when they pulled the game out. It was certainly not an emphatic win and it would have been seen by about any pollster due to its Thursday night slot.

On the other hand, people are making the case that there is so much crappy talk about us not deserving our ranking, if its close against Penn State, pollsters might bring BC close enough to catch us the following week, if we play another squeaker, or even drop us this week.

Anything is possible, but I would be very, very surprised if we won and lost any ground on BC. Nobody has any illusions about it being easy to win in Happy Valley.

 

[DaddyBigBucks]

... Nobody has any illusions about it being easy to win in Happy Valley.

Most of us are expecting a defensive battle like we usually have with them, especially there. But there is a small part of me that is ignoring the history of this series and is looking for something more.

Last week, the offensive line played most of the game better than they've played in years. Seriously... years. The last 200+ we had out of a running back was one game by MoC in early 2002. Before that was one game by Wiley in '98. And Beanie did it against a defense that was better than average in differential rushing defense coming into the game.

Then we had a series of plays that are among the worst in living memory. The players have said that they got unfocused.

You saw what happened after that as well as I did. They got their focus back, and when they got the ball with 3 and 1/2 minutes left, they put the game away right down the Spartans' throats.

The offensive line built momentum in that game. They lost it for awhile, but there is a chance that they will learn a valuable lesson from that. They even gave us a reason to believe that they learned that lesson before the game ended.

Taking the OL's momentum into Happy Valley, what can we expect? What if Kirk Barton is as fired up as he seems to exact retribution on PSU for the injury he sustained in the '05 game. What if Alex Boone is as fired up as he seems to gain redemption for the lessons that Tamba Hali taught him when he came in for Kirk in that game?

The game in the trenches is won and lost on emotion. Just ask anyone who's played there. Do we have reason to believe that the Buckeyes are reaching an emotional apogee right now? They've certainly given us reasons to believe it. We certainly have historical reasons to believe it.

What if the offensive line goes out Saturday night and OWNS the Nittany Kittens? What if the running game makes a mockery of Penn State's #9 ranking in Rushing Defense? It's happened to good rushing defenses before. Why not us? Why not now?

What if the offensive line (and TB) prepare like men possessed and pick-up the furious Penn State blitzes. What if TB makes violin strings out of the Nittany Kitten's vulnerable safeties?

And what if the defense finally pitches the shut-out they've earned on several occassions this year?

What if we finally pay them back for '94? We'd never run the score that high, but what if they knew we could've?



I picked 23-13 for this game. After all that I've written here, I'm sticking with that pick. What I've outlined above is something that comes from my feel for the emotional direction of both teams. My 23-13 pick came from an analysis of both teams. I'm a numbers guy, my mind is usually closer to the truth than my gut.


But the last time I analyzed a game based on my feel for the emotional direction of both teams was when I said we'd "brutally pound" Northwestern. Here's hoping that my gut goes 2-for-2 this year.

 

[MD Buckeye]

Most of us are expecting a defensive battle like we usually have with them, especially there. But there is a small part of me that is ignoring the history of this series and is looking for something more.

Last week, the offensive line played most of the game better than they've played in years. Seriously... years. The last 200+ we had out of a running back was one game by MoC in early 2002. Before that was one game by Wiley in '98. And Beanie did it against a defense that was better than average in differential rushing defense coming into the game.

Then we had a series of plays that are among the worst in living memory. The players have said that they got unfocused.

You saw what happened after that as well as I did. They got their focus back, and when they got the ball with 3 and 1/2 minutes left, they put the game away right down the Spartans' throats.

The offensive line built momentum in that game. They lost it for awhile, but there is a chance that they will learn a valuable lesson from that. They even gave us a reason to believe that they learned that lesson before the game ended.

Taking the OL's momentum into Happy Valley, what can we expect? What if Kirk Barton is as fired up as he seems to exact retribution on PSU for the injury he sustained in the '05 game. What if Alex Boone is as fired up as he seems to gain redemption for the lessons that Tamba Hali taught him when he came in for Kirk in that game?

The game in the trenches is won and lost on emotion. Just ask anyone who's played there. Do we have reason to believe that the Buckeyes are reaching an emotional apogee right now? They've certainly given us reasons to believe it. We certainly have historical reasons to believe it.

What if the offensive line goes out Saturday night and OWNS the Nittany Kittens? What if the running game makes a mockery of Penn State's #9 ranking in Rushing Defense? It's happened to good rushing defenses before. Why not us? Why not now?

What if the offensive line (and TB) prepare like men possessed and pick-up the furious Penn State blitzes. What if TB makes violin strings out of the Nittany Kitten's vulnerable safeties?

And what if the defense finally pitches the shut-out they've earned on several occassions this year?

What if we finally pay them back for '94? We'd never run the score that high, but what if they knew we could've?



I picked 23-13 for this game. After all that I've written here, I'm sticking with that pick. What I've outlined above is something that comes from my feel for the emotional direction of both teams. My 23-13 pick came from an analysis of both teams. I'm a numbers guy, my mind is usually closer to the truth than my gut.


But the last time I analyzed a game based on my feel for the emotional direction of both teams was when I said we'd "brutally pound" Northwestern. Here's hoping that my gut goes 2-for-2 this year.

Seriously....you need to stop because I'm getting fired up at work lol. GOD I WANT THIS GAME TO GET HERE NOWWWW. I can't wait for our Bucks to make a statement and shut these critics up (not that it will even with a win). I'm so tired of hearing about the "White out" and that the Bucks aren't deserving of a #1 ranking. I seriously hope tOSU Buckeyes take the field tomorrow night and completely destroy those Nittany Lions. I don't expect this, but I would love a 45-0 score, or something along that nature. I'm almost as pumped up as I get for games against scUM........all I can say is......(and someone better answer me)

O-H!!!!

LETS GO BUCKS!!

 

[Best Buckeye]

I O

 

[schwab]

24-6 Good Guys

 

[bukIpower]

How do you give a GPA award cuz that was deserving of one! I have had similar thoughts this weekend.. I try to stop the thinking because my brain tells me it's goin to be a struggle, but part of me (and this is actually the first time this yera I've felt this way) is thinking we really make a statement something like 31-3 or something like that.

The way the offensive line has surged the last couple games has been awesome. Beanie is surely finding the holes (MoW not so much, but I think thats just lack of vision or something) and he's been such a force to bring down. You couple our 5 lineman who average 6'6" 305 and put them up against a Penn State D-line that is 1. Missing their best D-tackle 2. Missing a reserve end 3. Starting a Freshman/Sophomore at the tackles and finally 4. a Line that has both D-ends under 265 and this has the makings to be a rough game for penn state.

sure they have Lee/Connor but what good will that do if our left side (Boone/Rehring) cave in a undersized defensive line? It's hard to make tackles when you have lineman on you.

This game is going to come down to 2 things and that's A) Who won't turn the ball over and B) who can run the ball!?????

Well if you run the ball effectively you can reduce the risk of turnovers and lets ask ourselves who has the best chance to succeed in running the football? A team with a 240 pound running back, a healthy o-line, a healthy full back platoon, and also 2 other backs to help out? Or Does the advantage fall with two backs who weren't suppose to contribute as much as they have, who lost their starting fullback, who have been alternating right gaurds all year, and who's starting tailbacks don't have the make up to grind the game out and get those tough 4 yard carries?

I'll take my money on Beanie, the 6'6" 305 average o-line, the playaction deep ball threats, the quality back ups, and great blocking fullbacks.

Penn State is dinged up in the places it needs to be healthy in a game like this. You gata be able to run the ball, and with the way our defense has played I don't like their odds right now against us. I would love to shut them the fuck out. Go bucks!

 

[xcrunner]

Our defense is going to be so fired up today.
I think it's realistic to think that this might finally be our first shutout !!!
Morelli will be crying by the end of the day.

 

[Jaxbuck]

I agree with the vibe DBB is talking about.

It felt like MSU was going to be the game we came out and took a team that was supposed to be a test for us behind the woodshed. They let it(a serious beat down) slip away and I think they are pissed about it.

As a matter of fact I think this team is just pissed period and as a couple of us have been saying for a while now, thats why I'm no longer wondering "if" we'll win games the rest of the way. I'm just going to sit back confident we will and enjoy the ride.

When you have a team thats has as much or more talent than any you'll face your only real fear is let down game/complacency. The UF game was a terrible price to pay but I think we bought a fulll season "don't worry about motivation" pass with it.

The best talent in the B10 + season long burning need for redemption that gets more intense as the finish line comes into sight = no need for fans to be anything but confident.

 

[Buckeneye]

The UF game was a terrible price to pay but I think we bought a fulll season "don't worry about motivation" pass with it.

Agreed. I guess the UF game was a necessary evil; however I have a feeling the emotions created from that loss will linger much longer than this season.

 

[Big Papa]

Is there a bigger moron analyst than Doug Flutie?? He was just fellating BC and saying that tOSU could get jumped if OK, LSU, BC and tOSU all win out. I fuckin' hate that guy. Is there any national announcer (other than Herbie) that says anything positive about the Buckeyes??

 

[MD Buckeye]

Is there any national announcer (other than Herbie) that says anything positive about the Buckeyes??

Not unless they're a former Buckeye, such as Herbie & Robert Smith

 

[Zurp]

Is there any national announcer (other than Herbie) that says anything positive about the Buckeyes??

If you count radio, then there's Bill King. He's on Rivals Radio - Sirius 123. There's also a website you can listen online. (There's a thread in the general college football forum.) He has said that Ohio State's schedule hasn't been much, yet, but that it doesn't mean they aren't a great team.

 

[starBUCKS]

Not unless they're a former Buckeye, such as Herbie & Robert Smith

Herbie is never overly hyped on the Bucks.... and I don't know about Robert Smith either, he's not exactly our favorite son.