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- Thread starter 3yardsandacloud
- Start date
Exactly XC,
Style points don't mean a damn thing when you're playing on the road in the Big Ten in November.
Style points don't mean a damn thing when you're playing on the road in the Big Ten in November.
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EvanstonCat
Banned
Hello Bucks
Just thought I'd pop in and say hello before our tilt this weekend. I hope its a competitive game and that none of our players are hurt.
Good luck and all the best! :)
Just thought I'd pop in and say hello before our tilt this weekend. I hope its a competitive game and that none of our players are hurt.
Good luck and all the best! :)
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lvbuckeye
Silver Surfer
exactly... some douchebag Lousiville fan over on GBW is going on and on about how Rutgers beat Illinois 33-0 at the beginning of the season, and using that as the basis for his argument that the 'Ville is really better than Ohio State and TSUN, but what he fails to realize is that 1) this ain't the same Illinois team that Rutgers played at home in September, and 2) Tressel shut the O down in the second half.WoodyWorshiper;653805; said:
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Canton
Close shave vs. Illinois may open Buckeyes? eyes
Monday, November 6, 2006
By Todd Porter REPOSITORY SPORTS WRITER
The test Ohio State had waited for all season finally arrived. No matter the grade, the Buckeyes passed and kept their national title and outright Big Ten championship hopes alive Saturday against upset-minded Illinois.
There is one quiz left before the country's Nos. 1 and 2 teams play for a spot in the BCS national title game in Glendale, Ariz. in January. Ohio State will head to Northwestern on Saturday and try to avoid one last pitfall before playing Michigan.
The Wolverines had their own scare. Michigan survived a Ball State rally inside the Wolverine 5 in the final minute of a 34-26 win over David Letterman's hapless alma mater Saturday.
It's safe to say Ohio State Head Coach Jim Tressel wasn't thrilled with the "November to Remember" theme the Buckeyes created this past weekend.
But the closest win of the season against two-win Illinois was enough to make Ohio State the unanimous No. 1 team in the writers' poll for the first time this season. West Virginia's loss to Louisville convinced two media members to vote the Buckeyes No. 1 for the first time this season.
It is the first time in three years the Associated Press poll has a unanimous No. 1. The last team was Oklahoma in 2003, and it lost the next week in the Big 12 championship game.
Ohio State already had all the first-place votes in the coaches' poll.
Perhaps the Illinois scare is what the Buckeyes needed. They hadn't been tested for four quarters, until now. They hadn't been in a close game, until now. Sure, Penn State raised OSU's awareness, but there was never a real doubt of them losing a conference game at home.
Can a pulse raise when the final was 28-6 against the Nittany Lions? The game never came down to an onside kick.
"A win is a win, no matter how you cut it, whether you score 50 points or 17, it doesn't matter," quarterback Troy Smith said. "Playing here in their environment, on their stage, that's tough. We survived, and we won, and some days that's enough."
In Saturday's close call, Smith looked human. He had 22 touchdown passes coming in, and finished with none for the first time all season. He was picked off once and threw for a season-low 108 yards.
When Tressel led Ohio State to the 2002 national title, Saturday's win against Illinois was the norm. That team survived close game after close game.
This year, Ohio State leads the nation in margin of victory.
"I don't know what being an overwhelming favorite does for us," Tressel said. "It doesn't spot us any points or give us any first downs."
But Saturday's close call does give Tressel tangible evidence to use this week. If the Buckeyes didn't think they could get knocked off against Illinois, well, Northwestern is coming off a victory against Iowa. Go ahead and look ahead to that Michigan game.
It might not mean as much.
Reach Repository sports writer Todd Porter at (330) 580-8340 or e-mail: [email protected]
OHIO STATE AT NORTHWESTERN
Saturday, 3:30 p.m.
Ryan Stadium, Evanston, Ill.
TV Channel 5
MICHIGANATINDIANA
Saturday, 3:30 p.m.
Memorial Stadium, Bloomington, Ind.
TV ESPN
Close shave vs. Illinois may open Buckeyes? eyes
Monday, November 6, 2006
By Todd Porter REPOSITORY SPORTS WRITER
The test Ohio State had waited for all season finally arrived. No matter the grade, the Buckeyes passed and kept their national title and outright Big Ten championship hopes alive Saturday against upset-minded Illinois.
There is one quiz left before the country's Nos. 1 and 2 teams play for a spot in the BCS national title game in Glendale, Ariz. in January. Ohio State will head to Northwestern on Saturday and try to avoid one last pitfall before playing Michigan.
The Wolverines had their own scare. Michigan survived a Ball State rally inside the Wolverine 5 in the final minute of a 34-26 win over David Letterman's hapless alma mater Saturday.
It's safe to say Ohio State Head Coach Jim Tressel wasn't thrilled with the "November to Remember" theme the Buckeyes created this past weekend.
But the closest win of the season against two-win Illinois was enough to make Ohio State the unanimous No. 1 team in the writers' poll for the first time this season. West Virginia's loss to Louisville convinced two media members to vote the Buckeyes No. 1 for the first time this season.
It is the first time in three years the Associated Press poll has a unanimous No. 1. The last team was Oklahoma in 2003, and it lost the next week in the Big 12 championship game.
Ohio State already had all the first-place votes in the coaches' poll.
Perhaps the Illinois scare is what the Buckeyes needed. They hadn't been tested for four quarters, until now. They hadn't been in a close game, until now. Sure, Penn State raised OSU's awareness, but there was never a real doubt of them losing a conference game at home.
Can a pulse raise when the final was 28-6 against the Nittany Lions? The game never came down to an onside kick.
"A win is a win, no matter how you cut it, whether you score 50 points or 17, it doesn't matter," quarterback Troy Smith said. "Playing here in their environment, on their stage, that's tough. We survived, and we won, and some days that's enough."
In Saturday's close call, Smith looked human. He had 22 touchdown passes coming in, and finished with none for the first time all season. He was picked off once and threw for a season-low 108 yards.
When Tressel led Ohio State to the 2002 national title, Saturday's win against Illinois was the norm. That team survived close game after close game.
This year, Ohio State leads the nation in margin of victory.
"I don't know what being an overwhelming favorite does for us," Tressel said. "It doesn't spot us any points or give us any first downs."
But Saturday's close call does give Tressel tangible evidence to use this week. If the Buckeyes didn't think they could get knocked off against Illinois, well, Northwestern is coming off a victory against Iowa. Go ahead and look ahead to that Michigan game.
It might not mean as much.
Reach Repository sports writer Todd Porter at (330) 580-8340 or e-mail: [email protected]
OHIO STATE AT NORTHWESTERN
Saturday, 3:30 p.m.
Ryan Stadium, Evanston, Ill.
TV Channel 5
MICHIGANATINDIANA
Saturday, 3:30 p.m.
Memorial Stadium, Bloomington, Ind.
TV ESPN
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Fitz Celebrates First Big Ten Win (Football)
Win bittersweet for struggling team
Steve Silver
Media Credit: Tommy Giglio/The Daily Northwestern
Sophomore Tyrell Sutton had a season-high 28 carries for 168 yards and one touchdown in Northwestern's first Big Ten victory of the season, Pat Fitzgerald's first as a head coach.
Media Credit: Tommy Giglio/The Daily Northwestern
C.J. Bach�r completed 19 of 29 passes for 218 yards and one touchdown in NU's win.
By Steve Silver
The Daily Northwestern
After dominating Iowa in nearly every statistical category, Northwestern celebrated by singing the school's fight song with the small gathering of NU fans in the crowd.
But the singing was ripe with a bittersweet melody as the Wildcats picked up their first Big Ten victory, 21-7 over the Hawkeyes, with just two games remaining the season.
"It's always bittersweet when you know you are going home in December," said sophomore running back Tyrell Sutton, who carried the ball a season-high 28 times for 168 yards and one touchdown. "You would rather be out there practicing and getting ready for another game than be at home watching other teams playing in a bowl game."
Although it was no consolation for almost reaching a bowl game, Saturday's performance shines a bright light of hope on the future of the program.
The Cats appear to have settled on a quarterback as redshirt sophomore C.J. Bach�r had his best outing of the season, completing 19 of 29 passes for 218 yards and one touchdown.
But he also threw two interceptions.
"He's got some pocket poise out there," Fitzgerald said when asked about Bach�r. "He's been out now for a few weeks. He still has to make some better decisions to give us a chance to win for next week when we play the No. 1 team in the country.
"We can't give them a short field, we can't give them turnovers to seize momentum in our house. I'm really happy with the way we are moving the ball on offense and I really hope he has been the catalyst that is making that happen."
With Bach�r under center, former quarterback Andrew Brewer moved to wide receiver - igniting the conference's worst offense to gain a season-high 443 total yards.
Brewer accounted for a total of 47 all-purpose yards as he ran, caught and even attempted to throw the ball.
With the passing game in-sync, NU's rushing attack posted 225 yards on the ground - 79 yards more than their per-game average.
"This is the expectation of our football program," coach Pat Fitzgerald said. "This is the expectation."
Winless at Kinnick Stadium since 1996, NU took control of the game with its first possession.
After NU's defense forced Iowa to punt at midfield, the Cats needed just five plays to move the ball 80 yards for quick score.
A pass interference call against sophomore receiver Ross Lane gave the offense an opportunity to attempt a deep pass as Bach�r connected with Brewer for a 48-yard strike.
"I actually got jammed on the line, so I was fighting off a linebacker," Brewer said. "I actually think the safety lost me. I just ran down and ran my rout and was like 'Wow, I am pretty open, I hope he gets me the ball.'"
Sutton then capped off the drive with a five yard touchdown run, which all but set the tone of the game in NU's favor.
Aside from an interception that Iowa converted into a touchdown late in the third quarter, NU's defense held the Hawkeye's offense in check.
Senior quarterback Drew Tate, ranked 15th in the nation prior to the game, completed 18 of 27 passes for 147 yards with two interceptions, had no touchdowns, and was sacked twice.
No Hawkeye rush gained more than 100 yards as Iowa posted just 264 total yards of offense - the second-least amount of yards NU has allowed all season.
"With the offense scoring points and moving the ball, it just makes it easier to go out there and play hard," said junior defensive end Mark Koehn who recorded two tackles, one sack and forced one fumble.
But celebrations over the NU's first Big Ten win will be short as they must now focus on this weekend's match-up with No. 1 Ohio State.
Fitzgerald said the Cats will have to duplicate their effort against Iowa to stay competitive with the nation's top team.
"We are already expected to lose by probably a spread of 50 points," Sutton said. "So we are going to go out there and have fun and hopefully give the seniors a memorable last two games at home. And potentially ruin the one-two party."
Fitz Celebrates First Big Ten Win (Football)
Win bittersweet for struggling team
Steve Silver
Sophomore Tyrell Sutton had a season-high 28 carries for 168 yards and one touchdown in Northwestern's first Big Ten victory of the season, Pat Fitzgerald's first as a head coach.
C.J. Bach�r completed 19 of 29 passes for 218 yards and one touchdown in NU's win.
By Steve Silver
The Daily Northwestern
After dominating Iowa in nearly every statistical category, Northwestern celebrated by singing the school's fight song with the small gathering of NU fans in the crowd.
But the singing was ripe with a bittersweet melody as the Wildcats picked up their first Big Ten victory, 21-7 over the Hawkeyes, with just two games remaining the season.
"It's always bittersweet when you know you are going home in December," said sophomore running back Tyrell Sutton, who carried the ball a season-high 28 times for 168 yards and one touchdown. "You would rather be out there practicing and getting ready for another game than be at home watching other teams playing in a bowl game."
Although it was no consolation for almost reaching a bowl game, Saturday's performance shines a bright light of hope on the future of the program.
The Cats appear to have settled on a quarterback as redshirt sophomore C.J. Bach�r had his best outing of the season, completing 19 of 29 passes for 218 yards and one touchdown.
But he also threw two interceptions.
"He's got some pocket poise out there," Fitzgerald said when asked about Bach�r. "He's been out now for a few weeks. He still has to make some better decisions to give us a chance to win for next week when we play the No. 1 team in the country.
"We can't give them a short field, we can't give them turnovers to seize momentum in our house. I'm really happy with the way we are moving the ball on offense and I really hope he has been the catalyst that is making that happen."
With Bach�r under center, former quarterback Andrew Brewer moved to wide receiver - igniting the conference's worst offense to gain a season-high 443 total yards.
Brewer accounted for a total of 47 all-purpose yards as he ran, caught and even attempted to throw the ball.
With the passing game in-sync, NU's rushing attack posted 225 yards on the ground - 79 yards more than their per-game average.
"This is the expectation of our football program," coach Pat Fitzgerald said. "This is the expectation."
Winless at Kinnick Stadium since 1996, NU took control of the game with its first possession.
After NU's defense forced Iowa to punt at midfield, the Cats needed just five plays to move the ball 80 yards for quick score.
A pass interference call against sophomore receiver Ross Lane gave the offense an opportunity to attempt a deep pass as Bach�r connected with Brewer for a 48-yard strike.
"I actually got jammed on the line, so I was fighting off a linebacker," Brewer said. "I actually think the safety lost me. I just ran down and ran my rout and was like 'Wow, I am pretty open, I hope he gets me the ball.'"
Sutton then capped off the drive with a five yard touchdown run, which all but set the tone of the game in NU's favor.
Aside from an interception that Iowa converted into a touchdown late in the third quarter, NU's defense held the Hawkeye's offense in check.
Senior quarterback Drew Tate, ranked 15th in the nation prior to the game, completed 18 of 27 passes for 147 yards with two interceptions, had no touchdowns, and was sacked twice.
No Hawkeye rush gained more than 100 yards as Iowa posted just 264 total yards of offense - the second-least amount of yards NU has allowed all season.
"With the offense scoring points and moving the ball, it just makes it easier to go out there and play hard," said junior defensive end Mark Koehn who recorded two tackles, one sack and forced one fumble.
But celebrations over the NU's first Big Ten win will be short as they must now focus on this weekend's match-up with No. 1 Ohio State.
Fitzgerald said the Cats will have to duplicate their effort against Iowa to stay competitive with the nation's top team.
"We are already expected to lose by probably a spread of 50 points," Sutton said. "So we are going to go out there and have fun and hopefully give the seniors a memorable last two games at home. And potentially ruin the one-two party."
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Team Left Waiting For Next Year After Promising Win
Patrick Dorsey
By Patrick Dorsey
The Daily Northwestern
IOWA CITY, Iowa - There it was again, that familiar tune.
No, not coach Pat Fitzgerald explaining away another loss.
A much sweeter tune, at least in the minds of Northwestern fans:
The fight song.
They were singing it after the game Saturday, the team and its few fans who made the trip to the land commonly known as corn country.
For them, it was their first parade since the Big Ten season began. And who doesn't love a parade?
But, with all apologies to the players, coaches and fans, here's where I rain on it. Sort of.
Two things came to mind after watching NU essentially dominate one of the Big Ten's top football programs - in a 21-7 win that saw the Wildcats own both sides of the ball.
No. 1: This team certainly has a lot of hope.
No. 2: It's a shame they have nothing to hope for this season.
Think about it.
Saturday's game looked easy. The week before - a 17-3 loss to Michigan - looked like a moral victory. And, a monumental gag notwithstanding, the Michigan State Experience proved the Cats could get it done almost as well as last year.
So where was this all season?
Why did it take this team so long to figure out: 1) The quarterback should throw the ball, 2) the running back - especially the reigning "Sporting News" Offensive Freshman of the Year - should run the ball, and 3) blitzing is good, while "bubble coverage" for its defensive backs is bad?
Do some of those things, and maybe New Hampshire never happens. Or Nevada. Or Purdue. And by winning just two of those games, maybe the Michigan State lead isn't too scary to keep.
Then maybe we're booking late-December plane tickets by now, or at least not writing off the possibility.
So there's the rain. It had to fall on this parade. There's really no excuse - not even lack of coaching experience - for this team's limp opening of the season, or for being eliminated from bowl contention with three games left for the first time since 2002.
But here comes the sunshine, in the form of the aforementioned hope:
This truly could be a turning point.
The question about next week's game against No. 1 Ohio State used to be: Will they lose by 40, 50 or 60?
Now, there's serious talk of an upset - however unlikely it might be.
The real hope, though, is for next year, when only a few seniors - including injured linebacker Nick Roach and banged-up cornerback Marquice Cole, who have been out or limited the past couple of weeks - leave the program.The Cats found their quarterback in C.J. Bach?r, whether they admit it or not. They still have running back Tyrell Sutton, who said last week that he isn't going anywhere despite some suggestions that he should.
If the defense stays strong in its last two games, they might be fine without dismissing any coaches.
Their new coaches seem to be getting the hang of things, be it offensive coordinator Garrick McGee's playcalling or Fitzgerald's late-game decision making.
They have a favorable schedule that features Northeastern, Nevada, Duke, Eastern Michigan, Illinois, Indiana and Minnesota.
And they have that one signature win - on the road, no less - against a team that isn't very good, but still miles better than Miami (Ohio) or Eastern Michigan.
It's been party line not to talk about anything more than the next game, next play, and all that "one week at a time" stuff.
But, as a surprisingly honest defensive end Mark Koehn said when asked about next year, "It is hard not to talk about that."
Because next year Koehn and the Cats should be singing the sweeter tune more often.
Team Left Waiting For Next Year After Promising Win
Patrick Dorsey
By Patrick Dorsey
The Daily Northwestern
IOWA CITY, Iowa - There it was again, that familiar tune.
No, not coach Pat Fitzgerald explaining away another loss.
A much sweeter tune, at least in the minds of Northwestern fans:
The fight song.
They were singing it after the game Saturday, the team and its few fans who made the trip to the land commonly known as corn country.
For them, it was their first parade since the Big Ten season began. And who doesn't love a parade?
But, with all apologies to the players, coaches and fans, here's where I rain on it. Sort of.
Two things came to mind after watching NU essentially dominate one of the Big Ten's top football programs - in a 21-7 win that saw the Wildcats own both sides of the ball.
No. 1: This team certainly has a lot of hope.
No. 2: It's a shame they have nothing to hope for this season.
Think about it.
Saturday's game looked easy. The week before - a 17-3 loss to Michigan - looked like a moral victory. And, a monumental gag notwithstanding, the Michigan State Experience proved the Cats could get it done almost as well as last year.
So where was this all season?
Why did it take this team so long to figure out: 1) The quarterback should throw the ball, 2) the running back - especially the reigning "Sporting News" Offensive Freshman of the Year - should run the ball, and 3) blitzing is good, while "bubble coverage" for its defensive backs is bad?
Do some of those things, and maybe New Hampshire never happens. Or Nevada. Or Purdue. And by winning just two of those games, maybe the Michigan State lead isn't too scary to keep.
Then maybe we're booking late-December plane tickets by now, or at least not writing off the possibility.
So there's the rain. It had to fall on this parade. There's really no excuse - not even lack of coaching experience - for this team's limp opening of the season, or for being eliminated from bowl contention with three games left for the first time since 2002.
But here comes the sunshine, in the form of the aforementioned hope:
This truly could be a turning point.
The question about next week's game against No. 1 Ohio State used to be: Will they lose by 40, 50 or 60?
Now, there's serious talk of an upset - however unlikely it might be.
The real hope, though, is for next year, when only a few seniors - including injured linebacker Nick Roach and banged-up cornerback Marquice Cole, who have been out or limited the past couple of weeks - leave the program.The Cats found their quarterback in C.J. Bach?r, whether they admit it or not. They still have running back Tyrell Sutton, who said last week that he isn't going anywhere despite some suggestions that he should.
If the defense stays strong in its last two games, they might be fine without dismissing any coaches.
Their new coaches seem to be getting the hang of things, be it offensive coordinator Garrick McGee's playcalling or Fitzgerald's late-game decision making.
They have a favorable schedule that features Northeastern, Nevada, Duke, Eastern Michigan, Illinois, Indiana and Minnesota.
And they have that one signature win - on the road, no less - against a team that isn't very good, but still miles better than Miami (Ohio) or Eastern Michigan.
It's been party line not to talk about anything more than the next game, next play, and all that "one week at a time" stuff.
But, as a surprisingly honest defensive end Mark Koehn said when asked about next year, "It is hard not to talk about that."
Because next year Koehn and the Cats should be singing the sweeter tune more often.
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Bucks human after all
Ted Ginn Jr. apparently doesn't spend his free time transfixed by SportsCenter or poring over the BCS standings. His Teddy-being-Teddy naivety would explain why he might have been the only one impressed by the Buckeyes' 17-10 escape from Illinois.
Hey, it's not easy to beat an 8-2 team on the road, right Junior?
"I don't know where they rank," Ginn said, oblivious to the fact the Illini are actually 2-8 and losers of five straight, "but I know they should be up there."
Oooh-K.Former Notre Dame coach and ESPN analyst Lou Holtz has a keener eye for these things and he wasn't surprised by Saturday's close shave either. Not because he thinks the 10-0 Buckeyes are overrated, but because he's stood exactly where they stood Saturday when Memorial Stadium began to close in on the nation's No. 1 team.
Holtz was a Woody Hayes assistant in 1968 when unbeaten Ohio State blew a 24-0 lead in Champaign and needed to rally behind backup quarterback Ron Maciejowski -- subbing for the injured Rex Kern -- to win 31-24.
That team went on to win a national championship and is hailed as maybe the greatest ever at the school. So why should this year's team be immune to fits of vulnerability?
Jim Tressel's 2002 national champs certainly weren't. They won seven games during that 14-0 season by a touchdown or less, including an overtime affair against huge underdog Illinois in -- you guessed it -- Champaign.
"Every time you're tested and bruised and battered, it's always good for you," Tressel said Saturday, sounding almost nostalgic. "In life and football, you learn more from suffering than from your wonderful moments."
Holtz contends a college team can reach its full potential no more than three times in a season. There was plenty of underachievement taking place this weekend, even outside of Champaign, to support that claim. No. 2 Michigan nearly crumbled in The Big House to mid-major Ball State. No. 7 Florida eked out a win over Vanderbilt.
"It's a little bit late in the season, guys are beat up and tired and you have some guys looking ahead instead of worrying about the task right in front of them," OSU defensive end Jay Richardson said. "That's going to happen. As long as you get out with a win like we and Michigan did ... you live through it."
With the showdown against the Wolverines just 12 days away, OSU finds itself needing to regroup offensively after mustering a season-low 224 yards and winning by less than three touchdowns for the first time in eight weeks.
"Guys were a little spoiled from blowing people out," Richardson said. "I was telling some of the young guys it's not always going to be like that. I remember back in 2002, this would have been a big win for us. This is a good learning experience for everybody."
For three-and-half quarters Saturday, the only story -- other than Chris Wells' need for hand transplants -- was the OSU defense. The Buckeyes were on the verge of pitching back-to-back shutouts. They had gone 10 quarters without giving up a point and 12 quarters without giving up a TD.
But then the Illini were given life. They kicked a field goal, drove 80 yards to make it a 7-point contest with 1:40 to play and made the Buckeyes simultaneously hold their breath and recover an onside kick -- now that takes some dexterity -- to save their perfect season.
"It's a good thing for us," cornerback Malcolm Jenkins said. "It's humbling. We've come down off the cloud now. We know we can be beaten.
"We felt like we were good enough and deserving enough to be No. 1, but I think we got away from the grind and knowing we have to work as hard as everyone else to defend this No. 1 spot."
Sensing that there might be some piling on this week, Tressel moved swiftly to support his team and disarm the critics. It's a lot harder to look down one's nose at the Big East pretenders after an offensive stinkeroo like this one.
"We always talk about championships being won on the road in tough conferences like ours," Tressel said. "We've got to get better, but we say that when it's 44-3.
"(The players) need to keep their heads up. They're undefeated in the Big Ten conference. At this point in the season, that's pretty good."
Bucks human after all
Ted Ginn Jr. apparently doesn't spend his free time transfixed by SportsCenter or poring over the BCS standings. His Teddy-being-Teddy naivety would explain why he might have been the only one impressed by the Buckeyes' 17-10 escape from Illinois.
Hey, it's not easy to beat an 8-2 team on the road, right Junior?
"I don't know where they rank," Ginn said, oblivious to the fact the Illini are actually 2-8 and losers of five straight, "but I know they should be up there."
Oooh-K.Former Notre Dame coach and ESPN analyst Lou Holtz has a keener eye for these things and he wasn't surprised by Saturday's close shave either. Not because he thinks the 10-0 Buckeyes are overrated, but because he's stood exactly where they stood Saturday when Memorial Stadium began to close in on the nation's No. 1 team.
Holtz was a Woody Hayes assistant in 1968 when unbeaten Ohio State blew a 24-0 lead in Champaign and needed to rally behind backup quarterback Ron Maciejowski -- subbing for the injured Rex Kern -- to win 31-24.
That team went on to win a national championship and is hailed as maybe the greatest ever at the school. So why should this year's team be immune to fits of vulnerability?
Jim Tressel's 2002 national champs certainly weren't. They won seven games during that 14-0 season by a touchdown or less, including an overtime affair against huge underdog Illinois in -- you guessed it -- Champaign.
"Every time you're tested and bruised and battered, it's always good for you," Tressel said Saturday, sounding almost nostalgic. "In life and football, you learn more from suffering than from your wonderful moments."
Holtz contends a college team can reach its full potential no more than three times in a season. There was plenty of underachievement taking place this weekend, even outside of Champaign, to support that claim. No. 2 Michigan nearly crumbled in The Big House to mid-major Ball State. No. 7 Florida eked out a win over Vanderbilt.
"It's a little bit late in the season, guys are beat up and tired and you have some guys looking ahead instead of worrying about the task right in front of them," OSU defensive end Jay Richardson said. "That's going to happen. As long as you get out with a win like we and Michigan did ... you live through it."
With the showdown against the Wolverines just 12 days away, OSU finds itself needing to regroup offensively after mustering a season-low 224 yards and winning by less than three touchdowns for the first time in eight weeks.
"Guys were a little spoiled from blowing people out," Richardson said. "I was telling some of the young guys it's not always going to be like that. I remember back in 2002, this would have been a big win for us. This is a good learning experience for everybody."
For three-and-half quarters Saturday, the only story -- other than Chris Wells' need for hand transplants -- was the OSU defense. The Buckeyes were on the verge of pitching back-to-back shutouts. They had gone 10 quarters without giving up a point and 12 quarters without giving up a TD.
But then the Illini were given life. They kicked a field goal, drove 80 yards to make it a 7-point contest with 1:40 to play and made the Buckeyes simultaneously hold their breath and recover an onside kick -- now that takes some dexterity -- to save their perfect season.
"It's a good thing for us," cornerback Malcolm Jenkins said. "It's humbling. We've come down off the cloud now. We know we can be beaten.
"We felt like we were good enough and deserving enough to be No. 1, but I think we got away from the grind and knowing we have to work as hard as everyone else to defend this No. 1 spot."
Sensing that there might be some piling on this week, Tressel moved swiftly to support his team and disarm the critics. It's a lot harder to look down one's nose at the Big East pretenders after an offensive stinkeroo like this one.
"We always talk about championships being won on the road in tough conferences like ours," Tressel said. "We've got to get better, but we say that when it's 44-3.
"(The players) need to keep their heads up. They're undefeated in the Big Ten conference. At this point in the season, that's pretty good."
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Doubt the Buckeyes? Never again
CHAMPAIGN - As hard as they tried, the Ohio State Buckeyes weren't going to make a fool out of me this time.
So what if the mighty Buckeyes were outgained by an Illinois team again competing for 11th place in the Big Ten?
So what if Heisman-wannabe quarterback Troy Smith was smacked around all day and tailback Antonio Pittman kept running into a brick wall?
So what if the top-ranked Buckeyes were an onside-kick bounce here or a wacky multi-lateral play there away from smooching their national championship hopes farewell?
So what if The Ohio State University was no tougher on Illinois than The Plain Old Ohio University had been just a few weeks earlier?
"A win is a win," Smith said after Saturday's ugly 17-10 victory over the 2-8 Fighting Illini. "My team is 10-0 right now and we have to look forward. There are gonna be critics. There are gonna be naysayers any which way you do it."
Critics? Not here. Naysayers? Not this Nadelsayer. I've learned my lesson.
Four years ago, a not nearly as hyped (but still undefeated) bunch of Buckeyes visited Memorial Stadium to play a slightly better than this (but still bad) Illinois team and escaped with an overtime victory. I was so unimpressed with then-No. 2 OSU that I proclaimed it a non-contender for the national title.
Every Buckeye save Jack Nicklaus and Dwight Yoakam promptly fired off an angry e-mail telling me I was an idiot. The team later proved the letterwriters correct - and me idiotic - by defeating Miami for the BCS version of the mythical championship.
I will not make the same mistake.
Omnipotent Ohio State only beat lowly Illinois by 7 points?
The vaunted Buckeyes defense let the anemic Illini offense drive 80 yards for a touchdown in the final minutes?
Unbeatable OSU was completely dominated at the line of scrimmage as it gained 29 second-half yards and failed to record a single first down on five of its last six possessions?
So what?
Woo-hoo! The Buckeyes are No. 1!
For much of the afternoon, I railed at Illinois coach Ron Zook for instructing backup punter Jared Bosch to boot rugby-style line drives (hang time: 0.6 seconds) away from All-American return man Ted Ginn Jr.
Likening it to having the QB (either Juice Williams or the equally lost Tim Brasic) take a knee on every play to avoid turnovers, I shared my thoughts (a little too loudly, I'm ashamed to admit) with my fellow scribes: "Come on! Play football!"
Though Bosch's low-flying scuds still seem absurd, Zook's strategy worked. Ginn, the most exciting player in college football, was a non-factor.
Also successful was Zook's defensive plan: Concentrate first on giving Pittman nowhere to run; then blitz, stunt and do everything else possible to keep Smith from getting comfortable in the pocket.
Smith was 13-of-23 for a season-low 108 yards (about half his norm) and was sacked three times. Pittman, who came in averaging a gaudy 5.5 yards per carry, needed 32 attempts to net 58 rushing yards. So although the Illini did frighteningly little on offense, they stayed close to a team favored by three-plus touchdowns.
Maybe OSU coach Jim Tressel was right about Illinois being better than its record.
Maybe, as several Buckeyes claimed, Champaign really is a tough place to play - though I hadn't seen that much red in the stands at Memorial Stadium since, well, the last time either Ohio State or Wisconsin played there.
Doubt the Buckeyes? Never again
CHAMPAIGN - As hard as they tried, the Ohio State Buckeyes weren't going to make a fool out of me this time.
So what if the mighty Buckeyes were outgained by an Illinois team again competing for 11th place in the Big Ten?
So what if Heisman-wannabe quarterback Troy Smith was smacked around all day and tailback Antonio Pittman kept running into a brick wall?
So what if the top-ranked Buckeyes were an onside-kick bounce here or a wacky multi-lateral play there away from smooching their national championship hopes farewell?
So what if The Ohio State University was no tougher on Illinois than The Plain Old Ohio University had been just a few weeks earlier?
"A win is a win," Smith said after Saturday's ugly 17-10 victory over the 2-8 Fighting Illini. "My team is 10-0 right now and we have to look forward. There are gonna be critics. There are gonna be naysayers any which way you do it."
Critics? Not here. Naysayers? Not this Nadelsayer. I've learned my lesson.
Four years ago, a not nearly as hyped (but still undefeated) bunch of Buckeyes visited Memorial Stadium to play a slightly better than this (but still bad) Illinois team and escaped with an overtime victory. I was so unimpressed with then-No. 2 OSU that I proclaimed it a non-contender for the national title.
Every Buckeye save Jack Nicklaus and Dwight Yoakam promptly fired off an angry e-mail telling me I was an idiot. The team later proved the letterwriters correct - and me idiotic - by defeating Miami for the BCS version of the mythical championship.
I will not make the same mistake.
Omnipotent Ohio State only beat lowly Illinois by 7 points?
The vaunted Buckeyes defense let the anemic Illini offense drive 80 yards for a touchdown in the final minutes?
Unbeatable OSU was completely dominated at the line of scrimmage as it gained 29 second-half yards and failed to record a single first down on five of its last six possessions?
So what?
Woo-hoo! The Buckeyes are No. 1!
For much of the afternoon, I railed at Illinois coach Ron Zook for instructing backup punter Jared Bosch to boot rugby-style line drives (hang time: 0.6 seconds) away from All-American return man Ted Ginn Jr.
Likening it to having the QB (either Juice Williams or the equally lost Tim Brasic) take a knee on every play to avoid turnovers, I shared my thoughts (a little too loudly, I'm ashamed to admit) with my fellow scribes: "Come on! Play football!"
Though Bosch's low-flying scuds still seem absurd, Zook's strategy worked. Ginn, the most exciting player in college football, was a non-factor.
Also successful was Zook's defensive plan: Concentrate first on giving Pittman nowhere to run; then blitz, stunt and do everything else possible to keep Smith from getting comfortable in the pocket.
Smith was 13-of-23 for a season-low 108 yards (about half his norm) and was sacked three times. Pittman, who came in averaging a gaudy 5.5 yards per carry, needed 32 attempts to net 58 rushing yards. So although the Illini did frighteningly little on offense, they stayed close to a team favored by three-plus touchdowns.
Maybe OSU coach Jim Tressel was right about Illinois being better than its record.
Maybe, as several Buckeyes claimed, Champaign really is a tough place to play - though I hadn't seen that much red in the stands at Memorial Stadium since, well, the last time either Ohio State or Wisconsin played there.
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Zurp
I have misplaced my pants.
At this point in the season, Ohio State doesn't need style points. They can win all of their games 17-10, for all I care.
I hope, though, that it's Jim Tressel not wanting to show future opponents (mainly Michigan) any of his plays. The only thing that eases my mind a little is that Michigan came within one possession of Ball State.
Northwestern isn't as easy as I had thought. I know Tressel knows that. But does he know that I know that he knows? I'm sure he doesn't care. The important thing is that he needs to keep his players' heads focussed on Northwestern. They watch SportsCenter. They read the papers. They know that they should trounce Northwestern, en route to the Michigan game. Hopefully, they keep their eyes on the speed bump ahead, and worry about the mountain later.
I hope, though, that it's Jim Tressel not wanting to show future opponents (mainly Michigan) any of his plays. The only thing that eases my mind a little is that Michigan came within one possession of Ball State.
Northwestern isn't as easy as I had thought. I know Tressel knows that. But does he know that I know that he knows? I'm sure he doesn't care. The important thing is that he needs to keep his players' heads focussed on Northwestern. They watch SportsCenter. They read the papers. They know that they should trounce Northwestern, en route to the Michigan game. Hopefully, they keep their eyes on the speed bump ahead, and worry about the mountain later.
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martinss01
blissfully stupid
EvanstonCat;653840; said:
welcome :)
any chance you could write up something brief about who/what you think your teams strengths and weaknesses are?
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TheStoicPaisano
But I didn't, so it doesn't
The official release from OSU AthComm.
http://graphics.fansonly.com/photos/schools/osu/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/110606.pdf
Schafer listed ahead of Boone for the time being.
http://graphics.fansonly.com/photos/schools/osu/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/110606.pdf
Schafer listed ahead of Boone for the time being.
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