BCS predictions/discussion/Knock Em' Off

[Steve19]

Maybe Mike Hart gets his wish anyway. When TSUN lost yesterday, they not only lost any sense of pride they might have exited the season with, they deprived us of a real chance to demonstrate a solid win in our last game.

We beat them this week and we'll just hear "so what?" After all, "Ohio State lost at home to an unranked Illinois team that Missouri beat and TSUN lost to Appalachian State". Lose to TSUN and we'll drop below #20. I hope I am wrong but I really do think it is all over, because the nation is convinced that the Big Ten is as bad as the MAC.

This is a "wake-up call" year with some important lessons for Ohio State and the Big Ten about perceived schedule strength and winning games against the minnows. Ohio State needs to really reconsider ever scheduling three Ohio teams again, especially a Div 1-AA team who then goes out and embarrasses us by losing 3 more games against Div 1-AA teams.

Getting the opportunity to play in the NC game isn't about reality. It's about perceptions. Unbeaten we could not be denied even though we are severely doubted across the country.

Why is there so much opposition to our playing in the NC game? Who brings more fans? Who has a bigger alumni association? Ohio State is good business. So, what's up?

I think the answer to that question is unfortunately traceable directly to last year. The two teams that played the "Game of the Century" embarrassed themselves (and every analyst that sung their praises) in the NC and Rose Bowl games last year.

In the wacky world of perceptions, it doesn't matter that our middle order teams beat the SEC middle order teams. Ohio State and TSUN did not take care of business after everyone sung their praises. Then, TSUN lost to Appalachian State. If there is one thing that an analyst doesn't like, its being embarrassed. Ford said that openly on one ESPN program I saw this year.

When the top two Big Ten teams embarrassed themselves, they embarrassed every analyst who drank the Kool-Aid. Fool me one, shame on you. Fool me twice...

I wish it were very different and I desperately hope I am wrong, but it is very hard to believe that anything less than running, or nearly running, the table in Big Ten bowl games is going to rescue the damaged brand image of this conference.

For that reason, it is likely that if every team above us in the current rankings loses, it will not put us in the NC game. Not because of a conspiracy or desire to gang up on us, but because we got them all to drink the Kool-Aid last year and then we embarrassed ourselves and them.

What we need to do is win this week and then win convincingly in the Rose Bowl. Do that and I think we can start next year ranked #1.

 

[Jaxbuck]

Keep in mind we are still looking at the human polls - not the one that counts.

Looking again I am a bit more pessimistic. If Georgia wins out they could very well jump us.

By beating UK and GT? I don't see that(assuming we win 11/17).

 

[Pheasant]

......

Why is there so much opposition to our playing in the NC game? Who brings more fans? Who has a bigger alumni association? Ohio State is good business. So, what's up?

I think the answer to that question is unfortunately traceable directly to last year. The two teams that played the "Game of the Century" embarrassed themselves (and every analyst that sung their praises) in the NC and Rose Bowl games last year.
......

In 2002 most of the "experts" thought tOSU was the second best team in the Big 10 and had no business playing against the Canes for the championship- remember how they were going to run right past us on every offensive play? I think it speaks to a much more general lack of respect for the Big 10's old school reputation. tOSU simply insn't fast enough to play with the speed schools from every conference outside of the Big 10 and Big 12. I just read an ESPN article about tOSU's 2008 recruiting class that basically said the recruits we have coming from south Florida should scare the Big 10 and the rest of the country because we will finally get some speed. People think we lost to Florida because they were faster than us.
When the little 9 teams make a run and get on the national radar you NEVER hear about their lack of speed, because they don't have the 3 yards and a cloud of dust reputation. They're fresh and new, not the usual midwest powers using their slow, plodding and methodical gameplan to bore the other team into submission.

 

[lvbuckeye]

is it wrong for me to secretly hope that we end up in the Citrus Bowl so we can face an SEC team?

*awaits dings*

 

[OregonBuckeye]

is it wrong for me to secretly hope that we end up in the Citrus Bowl so we can face an SEC team?

*awaits dings*

Yes.

 

[RugbyBuck]

Folks, The Game is the Championship. The national championship is just a value-added extra. Yes, we were close to playing in that game again this year, but this was supposed to be a rebuilding year for us. This team has greatly surpassed expectations. We still get to play and win the Game that matters next week. Next year we can and, I think, will play for the BCS championship. Right now, though, I really don't give a vulvarene's ass what the sports pundits think, say, or write. It's 11/11 and Michigan still sucks. This is the Game that I wait all year to see. This is the Game that's Important.

 

[Archiesarmy]

As much as I hated losing to Florida last year, I loved the fact that we beat Michigan to play for the NC. I've watched the Bucks since the 60's and there were some hard losses. Bragging rights against them is just a step below a national championship!

 

[msj2487]

it is over...

THAT AIN'T TRUE!!! THAT'S GARBAGE!! THE EDITOR THAT LET THIS COME OUT IS GARBAGE!

Sorry, I really couldn't resist it... but anyways I'm gonna ride the optimistic train out for the rest of this season and still hope for the best. Count me in as one who thinks we still have a legit chance at getting back to a shot at New Orleans.

I can't believe all the crap I read online today saying that we're basically completely out of the hunt, yes the chances are slim, but it's definitely not out of the question.

We still have a chance, but if we fall short because some teams didn't lose like we'd hoped, well like its already been mentioned throughout this thread, there's still a chance at 4 in a row on scUM and a trip to Pasadena. Those two wins would be just as sweet for me as getting a chance at the NC.

So heres to hope and a little luck coming our way as this season continues to wind down the twisted and unimaginable path it's been following ever since September 1st.

 

[methomps]

Scout.com: BCS Rankings - LSU 1, Oregon 2, Kansas 3

 

[DaddyBigBucks]

If it is apparent that there is interest in a vBet about whether or not OSU rises to the top-2 and gets back into the NC mix, then I'll set it up.

And I will go all-in on tOSU not cracking the top-2 by the time the final BCS rolls around. The probability is non-zero, but it is very close to infinitesimal.

 

[localyokel]

Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?

Thanks - we all needed a laugh ...

You need to rent more old movies ...

YouTube - Animal House - Bluto's Speech

Thanks for the cultural reference, guys...Soooooooooooooooooooooo many years since I've watched Animal House.

Looks like it's a #7 for OSU now. Not as much of a drop as it could have been.

 

[RB07OSU]

I would go all in on us not making it. Taking my Scarlet and Gray goggles off and being completely honest, I don't think we are in the top 2 teams in the country. I think Oregon, LSU, Oklahoma, and Kansas are all better teams. Highly unlikely we get in at this point...we have to win next week and have a TON of luck go our way. Our schedule is just way too weak to really say we should be in it anyways. What was our biggest wins? Washington, Wisconsin, and Penn St. ? We hadn't proved anything unless we could go undefeated and now with that major flaw, a win (or even convincing win) over a sub-par scUM team wouldn't prove much either unfortunately. However, it means a lot to us of course to win it and go to the Rose Bowl.

 

[Carmen Ohio]

If it is apparent that there is interest in a vBet about whether or not OSU rises to the top-2 and gets back into the NC mix, then I'll set it up.

And I will go all-in on tOSU not cracking the top-2 by the time the final BCS rolls around. The probability is non-zero, but it is very close to infinitesimal.

If (when) we beat Michigan that could be an interesting bet.

 

[MondayAMGenius]

I think Oregon, LSU, Oklahoma, and Kansas are all better teams. .

I'll give you Oregon and LSU, but goggles or no goggles I'm not so hot on the big 12 teams.

 

[NateG]

the one thing about this weeks game is that oregon gave a litmus test for games at scUm. We could really use a 20-30 point win(which could be hard with our style of offense) to help us be in a conversation with an oregon.


Posted after the Illinois game before polls came out on the illinois game thread-

"Big Picture this year.....

Probablility-Win at scUM, Rose bowl appearance against oregon or ASU

possibilities- bcs standings before week end:1. Ohio State 2. LSU 3. Oregon 4. Kansas 5. Oklahoma 6. Missouri 7. WVU 8. BC 9. ASU 10. Georgia
Georgia highest rated 2 loss team, ohio state probably falls in between 7-9
bcs teams final games:LSU- LA TECH, @ Ole Miss, Ark. prob(sec champ), Oreg- @ Ariz,@UCLA, Oreg St, Kan- @OK ST, Iowa St., Mizz, (poss Big 12 champ), OKLA- Baylor(over), @ TTU, OK ST, (prob big 12 champ) Mizz- @ Kan ST, @Kan, (poss big 12 champ) WVU- @ Cincy, UCONN, Pitt BC- @ Mary, @ Clem, Miami(FL), (poss acc champ) ASU- USC, Ariz Georg- Ken, @ Ga Tech, (poss SEC champ)

Realistically all except ASU has avg poss of losing twice, all at least reasonable poss of one loss. Would take alot but in this years college game anything is possible. Ohio State would have to beat Michigan by 20-30 to get the voters to even see them as back door worthy and then anywhere from 5-8 teams to lose. Kansas is in a dogfight right now along with BC which would keep Ohio State in the 5-7 range if both lost. With the Big 12 mess, poss. of usc helping us, Sec to play out, Big east has a mess brewing(Cincy wins vs WVU and WVU beats UCONN) and end of year rivalry games, the possibilities grow. and considering if OSU ends this week from 5-7 we need only 3-5 of those teams to lose. Not unattainable. But man i wish we woulda won to clean all this up."


To sum it up,

we are big fans of- Cincy,Arizona,Arkansas,ucla,Okla St,Oreg St, poss georgia and of course TBDTITL THE Ohio State University.