Game Thread Game Two: #1 Ohio State 24, #2 Texas 7 (9/9/06)

[BB73]

Maybe its the haze of a hang over or maybe your just too stupid to get it.

The consensus is that Ohio State is a top 3 team. Ranked above Texas in EVERY poll Ive seen. Why is that? Sure as hell isnt becasue the buckeyes are returning two starters on defense.

Maybe your just to dull to put it together.

A Texas fan could point out that if VY was still around, they'd be #1 on everybody's preseason poll.

They're not #1, but if VY was the QB, their defense would be good enough to have a #1 ranking in the preseason.

Just another way of looking at things.

 

[bukIpower]

Yeah I know its exactly why I said that buckeyeboy... lol I knew they'd hit me with it so why not get it outta the way.

Bottom line is we return the meat of our defensive line that helped anchor the #1 rush defense. We'll be better in the middle with both our starters being there. Not to mention I think they counted Richardson as our 2nd returning starter (with Pitcock) so with patterson who started last year we have 3 returning starters among our line not just 2. I think our D-line will be among the best if not the best in the nation. especially at Defensive Tackle.

It'll be a ton easier for Ohio State to stop the run than it will be for Texas thats for sure. The passing game will be too much of an emphasis for Texas most likely. Ohio State will be given the chance to play a lot more freely.

I have no doubt also that Texas would be the clear cut #1 if they have Vince, and personally I'd give our team little chance in this game if Vince would've came back. He meant THAT much to them, and add Ramonce having troubles right now and you have an offense losing their top 2 threats.

 

[sandgk]

SI.com - Mandel
1 - Ohio State
2 - Texas

Lindy's Power Rankings
2 - Ohio State
4 - Texas

ESPN - Maisel
1 - Oho State
4 - Texas

CFN - National Title Contenders
5 - Ohio State
1 - Texas

That's four rankings already released (Pat Forde at ESPN, Sporting News, NationalChamps.net needs a 'scrip - but has released theirs).

3 to 1 Ohio State ranked over Texas. Frankly, all that means is that the game in Austin is big, very big. But, the few votes for the home team is very similar to the favoring that Texas received going into last years contest. I'm on record as stating that the outcome will be similar, in that the visiting team will prevail - thus retaining its higher ranking.

(EDIT - It is also worth noting that these rankings were for the most part written before the mid-May arrest of Ramonce Taylor. The outcome of which still stands in the balance.)

 

[UTMNC]

All here agree that the tOSU offense made improvements from the UT game and your bowl game, every Div. 1 school in the U.S.A. and Canada can make that claim. To the SAME degree that an offense can improve, the same hold's true for the defense. Gene Chizik will have the majority of his MNC starting defense returning with a whole full year, and spring and fall practices to master his defensive schems. Your predicting that your offense will play better in 2006, well GREAT, it will do so against an improved defense that STATISTICALLY is better than your offsense. Your trying to prove something you don't have the number's for and it can't be done. You act like tOSU is the only team in college that made adjustment's on both side's of the ball, well guess what, UT improved every single game last year aside from the Ok. State game where they relaxed.

 

[campies]

The reason y'all are a consensus top 3 team (and ahead of Texas to boot) is due to the fact that a) your team is very good, primarily on offense, though very compentently on defense/special teams, and b) the field is so wide open next year that your team is as reasonable as a few others for the top spots, from which no team seperates themselves. All that said, Texas is still generally rated in the top 5 of most polls. Clearly, as aforementioned, we have a team that would be a consensus number #1 had #10 returned. With that not being the case, it just isn't justifiable to rate us at the top with such an unknown at a major position.

However, that is presently a formality, as we have the defense, and other offensive weapons in place for a justified #1 ranking, provided our freshmen quarterbacks can play to an above-average, exceptional level, even if that level is not elite. Think Chad Henne as a true freshman at the reigns, and we've got another national title contender. Since that's an unknown, you can't bank on it with any sense of certainty, but you CAN take it on good faith that that its a strong possibility given the nature of this team and the talent of these players.

 

[bukIpower]

no Doubt it campies... Any team can be argued for #1 but what Chad Henne had that you don't is Braylon Edwards. Chad did not do as well as he should've done last year as a result of losing Edwards.

I KNOW texas returns some kids on defense but losing 4-5 starters (most likely your 3 most talented defensive players) especialy when you'll be going against a Offense returning all but one of its skilled position weapons is hardly what I think would be an IMPROVED defense. Your arguing stats that were gained by players who WON'T BE THERE. Stats don't mean a thing here. I'm not saying Texas can't stop Ohio State cuz they did last year and could this year. However what I am saying is Texas fans talk about Ginn/Gonzo/Smith what about our running game??? If your defense played well against USC then damn, good luck in our upcoming game because our QB creates another Demension Matt Lienhard didn't have. You Struggled when a team was able to maintain balance (USC) and Ohio State presents that challenge this year. Not to mention we have a 3rd area USC didn't have and thats the QB running with the football. I'm not saying we're as talented or more talented as USC but we will present a challenge like USC did. That challenge being which part of their game do we try and stop first? Were as with us its a bit more simpler on defense... Stop the run, make the freshman QB beat us.

Lets face it, your defensive secondary wont' be as good early on because you do lose 2 key players and that can certainly be said for our defense as well. However when the opposing team (Texas) loses their 2 best play makers as well as 2 very talented offensive lineman its not nearly a problem.

I don't believe I ever stated Texas couldn't stop our offense but I rather implied that just simply saying "oh well this player will be better than last years starter" or "We did decent against you last year" would be a HUGE mistake and you'll be very upset if you think Ohio State will be as inept offensively as we were last year.

I don't expect Texas to fold, far from it, but I do expect Ohio State to have more success than last year. We lost Santonio Holmes, Mangold, and Sims. However when you rotate lineman (aside from center last year) and take in account that we still have talent at reciever we are a by far better offense than last year.

 

[sandgk]

All here agree that the tOSU offense made improvements from the UT game and your bowl game, every Div. 1 school in the U.S.A. and Canada can make that claim. To the SAME degree that an offense can improve, the same hold's true for the defense. Gene Chizik will have the majority of his MNC starting defense returning with a whole full year, and spring and fall practices to master his defensive schems. Your predicting that your offense will play better in 2006, well GREAT, it will do so against an improved defense that STATISTICALLY is better than your offsense. Your trying to prove something you don't have the number's for and it can't be done. You act like tOSU is the only team in college that made adjustment's on both side's of the ball, well guess what, UT improved every single game last year aside from the Ok. State game where they relaxed.

How many Div-1 Canadian schools are there?
No Defensive statistics for 2006 have yet been written, so your contention that they are statistically better than anyone is presently baseless - yet you assert this as a numerically provable fact. That it is not, it is simply your belief.
You even have the gall to say that Buckeye fans don't have the numbers to back up what we believe, guess what, neither do you.
This raises one question in my mind - Have you begun hitting the bottle early UTMNC?
No-one ever suggested that Ohio State was the only team to make adjustments on either side of the ball, either from season to season (due to personnel changes) or throughout a season, so that is a complete straw-man.

campies - generally a good case you make there. Though, I think it is weakened somewhat when you rely on
"and other offensive weapons in place for a justified #1 ranking, provided our freshmen quarterbacks can play to an above-average, exceptional level, even if that level is not elite"
which leads to your conclusion that
"Since that's an unknown, you can't bank on it with any sense of certainty, but you CAN take it on good faith that that its {Texas being #1 again} a strong possibility given the nature of this team and the talent of these players."
As indicated by the pre-season rankings, Texas has a lot of richly-deserved respect, and, I do agree that the general theme of the early season will be a weeding out of the sheep from the goats - some contenders will be shown to be pretenders before November arrives.

 

[UTMNC]

If seeing your school ranked at top get's you through the long hot summer, great. My son's baseball team was ranked #1 in all of east Tx, by all the expert publications going into this year, guess what, very first game they got their arses handed to them. The #1 ranking has a major pitfall, it's a brutal war to stay there, and the only other way to go is down. Until tOSU proves it on the field, as much as you can't stand it, The University of Texas are the DEFENDING National Champions.

 

[BuckeyeNation27]

If seeing your school ranked at top get's you through the long hot summer, great. My son's baseball team was ranked #1 in all of east Tx, by all the expert publications going into this year, guess what, very first game they got their arses handed to them. The #1 ranking has a major pitfall, it's a brutal war to stay there, and the only other way to go is down. Until tOSU proves it on the field, as much as you can't stand it, The University of Texas are the DEFENDING National Champions.

Nobody said we can't stand it, but thanks for generalizing.

 

[sandgk]

If seeing your school ranked at top get's you through the long hot summer, great. My son's baseball team was ranked #1 in all of east Tx, by all the expert publications going into this year, guess what, very first game they got their arses handed to them. The #1 ranking has a major pitfall, it's a brutal war to stay there, and the only other way to go is down. Until tOSU proves it on the field, as much as you can't stand it, The University of Texas are the DEFENDING National Champions.

I looked up non-responsive on Google and what I got was the quote above.:tongue2:

I'm still curious - how many Div-1 Canadian schools are there?

 

[bukIpower]

UTMNC- Look man ya beat OSU in the shoe at night and after that point on I rooted for Texas big time to win it all. I have a correction and that being the DEFENDING NATIONAL CHAMPIONS has a major pitfall as well as being #1 next year. So no matter what we'll both have bulls eyes on us next year. We're in the same boat so expect both teams to be equally as motivated. It'll be a close game between us next year, but when our University is known for great defenses no matter what the loses are (Ohio State) and you're playing a team notorious for having poor QB play in big games (Texas, especially Younger QB's) I kinda like our chances. Especially since Ohio State returns an offense that is similar to the one you couldn't stop in the Rose Bowl and that was with a more talented defense than you'll have this year.

 

[UTMNC]

Hey buckIpower, I will SPARE you the talk of Texas replacing 2 defensive starters with quality replacements, if you pray tell can for the life of you SPARE ME, the talk of replacing 9, count them NINE defensive starters, P.S. don't give me that B.S. about doing so with QUALITY replacements. Take the CRIMSON blinders off. Myself, and the rest of the Longhorn nation look soooooo forward for your explanation, remember, don't give us that crap about QUALITY replacements. I shall know hold my breath..

 

[jwinslow]

I could understand cardinal red, but crimson?

no way... 9? Wait, could you repeat it? NINE?

Rod Wright, Harris, Huff, Griffin (had to be at least #3 CB if not higher)... how exactly are you getting 2?

 

[BuckeyeNation27]

Hey buckIpower, I will SPARE you the talk of Texas replacing 2 defensive starters with quality replacements, if you pray tell can for the life of you SPARE ME, the talk of replacing 9, count them NINE defensive starters, P.S. don't give me that B.S. about doing so with QUALITY replacements. Take the CRIMSON blinders off. Myself, and the rest of the Longhorn nation look soooooo forward for your explanation, remember, don't give us that crap about QUALITY replacements. I shall know hold my breath..

First, troll, it's SCARLET

Second, since when did this turn into a defensive discussion. Did you just completely duck the offensive part of it?

 

[UTMNC]

If any UT poster's are on, your going to have to pinch hit for me for a couple of hour's. I have a honey do list mounting up here, Damn, my wife forgot Im on vacation this week.