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B1G CCG: THE Ohio State University vs NW’ern: Sat, Dec. 19 in Indianapolis, Noon on Fox

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I love being an OSU fan, but watching a team like NU step up yesterday is what CFB is all about for me.

We have been celebrating all week bringing in a class with 18 kids rated 4 stars or better. We do something like this every year.

In the past five years NU has signed a total of 3 four star recruits.

I don't care how many of our starters were out or that Justin Fields didn't have his go-to receiver available, we replaced everyone who was missing with a kid rated higher than anyone on their roster. Yet those kids shut us down for an entire half. That's grit. (And save the responses about how we kept shooting ourselves in the foot. Everybody they play shoots themselves in the foot.)

And we beat them on the backs of a kid we didn't even sign in one of those stellar classes, but rather transferred from one perennial playoff team to another (I'll save the rant about how the playoff is ruining CFB).
 
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Thinking about how the game played out, I honestly wonder how much they have been able to practice over the past few weeks. Effective practice anyway. Ohio State obviously keeps any medical stuff, including COVID, close to the vest, and they've clearly been fighting it for a while. I wonder if they've been fighting so hard to keep the numbers as low as possible, that they haven't been doing much practicing.

If they had not practiced at all over the past two weeks, would this game have looked much different? I think one could argue that this is exactly what a team would look like without practice. Timing off. Positioning off, on both offense and defense (early on at least).

It's just a thought experiment of course. I doubt we'll ever know what really went on in the WHAC over the past few weeks. I figure there was some practice, but possibly reduced to just position groups and film. This could be another explanation of the performance, especially in the passing game.
 
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I think a lot of it was just coming out flat and unmotivated. First 5 games, we have been great first half and lackluster 2nd half team; yesterday's was complete opposite. I saw zero emotion from either side of the ball during the first half. Almost as we just expected to walk out on the field and score at will. Finally got punched in the mouth and had to actually adjust. Shame it took all half and some of the 3rd quarter to realize that.

No way we hang with Clemson or Bama. I am a huge fan and look forward to every Saturday, however we are not one of the 4 best teams this year. I am tired of being embarrassed
 
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Zander42 said:
Thinking about how the game played out, I honestly wonder how much they have been able to practice over the past few weeks. Effective practice anyway. Ohio State obviously keeps any medical stuff, including COVID, close to the vest, and they've clearly been fighting it for a while. I wonder if they've been fighting so hard to keep the numbers as low as possible, that they haven't been doing much practicing.

If they had not practiced at all over the past two weeks, would this game have looked much different? I think one could argue that this is exactly what a team would look like without practice. Timing off. Positioning off, on both offense and defense (early on at least).

It's just a thought experiment of course. I doubt we'll ever know what really went on in the WHAC over the past few weeks. I figure there was some practice, but possibly reduced to just position groups and film. This could be another explanation of the performance, especially in the passing game.
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Saw a comment from Day somewhere that they had practiced for much of the time with the players who ended up being out and that this made things more problematic. This surprised me because it suggests they didn't test positive until close to game time.

It also doesn't help that since week three they have had a week off between every game they have played. Perhaps that is now a routine of its own which might help getting ready for the playoffs.
 
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Newlander said:
I think a lot of it was just coming out flat and unmotivated. First 5 games, we have been great first half and lackluster 2nd half team; yesterday's was complete opposite. I saw zero emotion from either side of the ball during the first half. Almost as we just expected to walk out on the field and score at will. Finally got punched in the mouth and had to actually adjust. Shame it took all half and some of the 3rd quarter to realize that.

No way we hang with Clemson or Bama. I am a huge fan and look forward to every Saturday, however we are not one of the 4 best teams this year. I am tired of being embarrassed
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Boo him^^^
 
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Newlander said:
I think a lot of it was just coming out flat and unmotivated. First 5 games, we have been great first half and lackluster 2nd half team; yesterday's was complete opposite. I saw zero emotion from either side of the ball during the first half. Almost as we just expected to walk out on the field and score at will. Finally got punched in the mouth and had to actually adjust. Shame it took all half and some of the 3rd quarter to realize that.

No way we hang with Clemson or Bama. I am a huge fan and look forward to every Saturday, however we are not one of the 4 best teams this year. I am tired of being embarrassed
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Who hurt you? I mean, I don’t really give a fuck, but you must have a hard time leaving the house.
 
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Newlander said:
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No way we hang with Clemson or Bama. I am a huge fan and look forward to every Saturday, however we are not one of the 4 best teams this year. I am tired of being embarrassed
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I think the Bucks are the third or fourth best team, but I am also concerned about playing Clemson. They looked sharp yesterday and Bama is an enigma. Who knows, though, we might be ready for Clemson (we won't get Bama in the semi of course). If we get blown out, who cares - this whole year has been disastrous and we haven't even had a real football season. Get them next year. Still a good year - won another B1G championship. But since the instant last year's playoff game ended with Clemson's interception, I've had this rematch with them on my mind.

Would be happy with OSU - Oregon in the "Rose" Bowl.
 
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Zander42 said:
Thinking about how the game played out, I honestly wonder how much they have been able to practice over the past few weeks. Effective practice anyway. Ohio State obviously keeps any medical stuff, including COVID, close to the vest, and they've clearly been fighting it for a while. I wonder if they've been fighting so hard to keep the numbers as low as possible, that they haven't been doing much practicing.

If they had not practiced at all over the past two weeks, would this game have looked much different? I think one could argue that this is exactly what a team would look like without practice. Timing off. Positioning off, on both offense and defense (early on at least).

It's just a thought experiment of course. I doubt we'll ever know what really went on in the WHAC over the past few weeks. I figure there was some practice, but possibly reduced to just position groups and film. This could be another explanation of the performance, especially in the passing game.
Click to expand...

Totally agree. When you look back at the passing offense last year, it was a lot of precision, timing routes. Not having a normal spring, summer, or fall to nail it down results in so many lost reps. Yesterday is what happens when you combine low reps/practice over the past year (especially the past month) with players you’re counting on being ruled out with less than a week to go in game prep. Sloppy, out of sync play.
 
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Grumpy Old Buckeye: Ohio State vs. Northwestern

Ohio State went to Indianapolis looking for another Big Ten title against the Northwestern Wildcats and stepped on a whole lot of rakes before finally coming from behind to win, 22-10. Some of those rakes were scattered across the lawn by the Buckeyes themselves, but they still stepped on them despite knowing where they were. Here are the things that gave me acid reflux on Saturday:

Not Jumpy Enough

It’s not the first time this season, but Ohio State blew a free first down when the offensive line stayed put on a third-and-3 on the game’s opening drive and then had to spend a timeout to avoid a delay of game. Northwestern defenders jumped into the neutral zone and all the left side of the offensive line had to do was move, get the whistle, and accept the free five yards.

Harry’s Hold

The Buckeyes lost four points early because Harry Miller felt like hugging rather than blocking or simply ignoring a Northwestern player. Justin Fields ran seven yards around the right side for an apparent touchdown, but it came back. Miller’s hold likely wasn’t necessary, as it seemed Fields would have beaten the defender on speed to get to the edge. After a short pass to Trey Sermon and a Sermon run, Justin Fields took a sack on an all-out Northwestern blitz and the Buckeyes settled for three points to cap the first drive. You can see in this photo that Fields had the held man well beaten.



Tackling Optional

Ohio State’s defense didn’t cover itself in glory on Northwestern’s first drive, failing to get off the Naval Academy-like cut blocks and get runners on the ground. The Wildcats stayed ahead of schedule and even made a few big plays in the run game, eventually punching it in for a 7-3 lead. In addition to failing to maintain sound discipline in covering cutback lanes, the tackling was poor and everyone on Northwestern looked like fourth-quarter Master Teague from last year, shedding Buckeyes on their way down the field.
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continued
 
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Um, what message board did I logon to? I went back and read over 100 pages to catch up. Gotta say this is very Walmart wolverine fan from quite a few of you. Oh boo-fucking-hoo, we didn't play well in winning our 4th consecutive outright BigTen title. My Chicken-Little-brain can't comprehend the possibility of #11 Indiana and #14 Northwestern, of all teams, giving us a hard fought game. Since when are they allowed to "want it" as much as we do? Don't they know we recruit much better than they do? Heisman caliber QB? Bench him because he isn't Superman today. For God sake, don't let him throw the damn ball. Same for the coach. 22-1-0 isn't nearly good enough. If I can see the problem from behind the safety of my remote control, maybe it's time for him to go. Yeah, yeah, we might win, but it's how we win right? Can't tackle, can't cover, poor scheme, poor play-calling ... oh God, what will happen in the playoffs? I was all torches and pitch-forks when our yearly rivalry beat down was cancelled, but Clemson ... Bama? I've lost my faith. I'd rather not even play than risk an embarrassing loss. How could my fandom endure such humilliation?


I'm not sure I want any part of the playoffs.

I want no part of getting blown out in a playoff game.

sign me up to play AM in some meaningless bowl game because without any kind of improvements we are looking at an embarrassing loss first round vs Clemson or Alabama.

This "season" is a turd, I just want it to end.

Want no part of the playoff.

Just take a knee this 2nd half and pack it in until 2021.

Regardless of what happens in this game, this team isn't ready for Clemson or Bama.

I'd be okay with calling it a year if they win this.

Just pack it in and go home.

I hope they drop out of the top 4 even if they somehow pull this off.

Still think this team belongs more than anyone on the outside looking in.

I'm okay calling it a season...but I get that the kids/coaches wanna play.

I'd rather sit out than to play either....

call it a day and get ready for next season.

No way we hang with Clemson or Bama.


So yeah, a good bit of hyperbole in my opening, but come on folks. And I be lying if I said I didn't share some of the same frustrations. But the truth is, we are blessed beyond measure as a fan base. All we ask is for an opportunity ...

... an opportunity to play at all ... something our players, staff and families fought tooth and nail to achieve.
... an opportunity to have a senior season ... a brotherhood isn't built upon a win-loss record.
... an opportunity to face any challenge ... opponent, scheduling, the unknown of the season, or pandemic.
... an opportunity to become legend ... sometimes it takes a career ... or just one game.
... an opportunity that most other teams and fan bases will NEVER get to experience.

Yes, Covid-19 has ruined a great many things, and yet there are a host of blessings if you look for them. Justin Hilliard and Trey Sermon come to mind. Not because they had a great game, but because they had that game when the brotherhood needed them. When we as fans needed them.

Who will step up in the playoffs? I don't know ... maybe no one. Maybe we do get humbled, but I do know it's worth the risk. They have earned their opportunity ... and respect, and gratitude. In this crazy year, it has been a blessing for me personally to watch the Buckeyes ... whatever happens. Now go get some boys ... Go Bucks!
 
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