Game Thread Illinois 28, Ohio State 21 (final)

[MondayAMGenius]

Just want to say one last thing,, Thanks Seniors!! Get one more pair of Gold Pants!!

 

[bgantz]

Disappointed doesn't even cover how I feel right now, more like empty. This sucks. Congrats to the Illini. I just hope that the juniors on this team feel bad about this loss. If there was anyone on this team contemplating a jump to the NFL I hope this brings them back for next year. That's about the only thing I could see that would be positive from this loss. Hope the team regroups and gets after it against pond SCUM next week. I'm also hoping the other 1 loss teams in the top 10 implode in the next few weeks. To my fellow Buckeye fans it's gonna be hard but let's try to keep our heads up, stay classy, and as always GO BUCKS!

You basically took the words out of my mouth. A couple hours have passed, and I'm still stunned...just stunned that the bad game finally happened to us. I was beginning to believe this season was going to be way more magical than we ever thought. I also am hoping this fires up Laurinaitis, Gholston, Jenkins, etc to return to make another run next year.

 

[kinch]

One more thing about this loss: Maybe it will make the juniors more hungry to win it all next year, and the ones thinking about leaving early will come back for their senior year.

Okay, you may be right (cue Billy Joel). They certainly would have a better chance than Henne and Hart. . .

Love the bright side. . .

Oh, and

Edit: Oh, and everyone, please feel free to rep me for this BRILLIANT post.

 

[NFBuck]

I have a feeling this thread is about to be temporarily locked.

If that happened, we'd probably have to deal with these people starting bitchfest threads.

 

[shetuck]

I just read his blog and he isn't exactly what I'd call way out of line.

Maybe you read the comments, but I don't. You won't get anywhere reading the comments of people that inhabit places like that.

*inhabit* is the perfect word.

what say we all change our avatar's to match BuckeyeMike's in honor of scUM week?

 

[GoBucks459]

yes they must come back they got worked today and that is not how they should leave ohio stadium forever

 

[BengalsAndBucks]

Vindicating last years debacle would have earned US a little more respect on the national scene.

Fortunately, for many people here there are much more important things than respect. People are always going to find a reason to dislike us. You know why? Cause we are ALWAYS RELEVANT. No one hates Syracuse, because Syracuse never means shit. Look at the teams that everyone loves to hate. The Yankees, the Patriots, the Spurs, the Colts, the Buckeyes. Notice anything in common? Championships.

If you care so much about what other people think of you, start rooting for Harvard. No one gives a shit about their athletics, but at least people respect their academics. And PLEASE stop pretending your a Buckeye fan.

 

[smith288]

YOU GTFOH - YOU AREN'T ON THE TEAM ZOOKBOY..you want to defend shitty play and look forward to playing an interconference game, then fine. WTF, WEEEE don't even have a conference championship.

Calling the team on bad performance does not mean lack of support for the Buckeyes. I just refuse to give the Illini credit where credit is not due. WEEEEE suxed and because WEEEEEE suxed, WEEEEEEE lost a chance at the NC. And yeah, being 10-1 and losing that fine opportunity is a damn shame.

Beating a 10-3 team who lost to Appy isn't all that exciting in the big scheme of things. Vindicating last years debacle would have earned US a little more respect on the national scene.

Boo Frickin hoo. There is more to this world than the OSU loss. You must lead a horribly negative life.

I was as upset as the next guy about the game but dude, lighten up. You have your health (or do you?)

 

[Big Papa]

I will give Zook credit, most teams would have been deflated after the first Buckeye drive, they came out and responded. They played a great game plan, very few penalties and frustrated us. What part of that doesn't credit Zook?



The Illini are now 8-3, and are close to being 9-2, what about this loss should make us 1-10? I'll agree we played our worst game today, but I think you're taking a lot of credit away from the team we played. This isn't the same Illinois team as three years ago, Zook has done a lot of good and he's brought a style of defense that really frustrates us. We made a lot of mistakes today, the three picks, missed tackles and poor play calling decisions, but the Illini did put up four touchdowns in the shoe, that's something no one else has done this year.

Another note, this is a big10 team, they get a taste of us every year, sooner or later they are going to see something and try it. We need to change things up.



Yes, I will be satisfied with going to the Rose Bowl and beating scUM, so many years that was all I wanted. I would have loved a NC this year, but we were expected to finish third or fourth in the big10, and to be in some nobody bowl, now we're looking at a chance at the Rose Bowl, what is there to be ashamed of?

No one here is happy with the loss, but there's not a lot we can do about it, bitching and complaining on a forum filled with people who survived the cooper era and some who can even recall watching woody win NC's doesn't change anything, it salts the wound.

Man, I could not say it any better OCBF. This was the game that scared me the most on the schedule. The Illini are a much better team that years past and the play of Juice really scared me, and proved to be for good reason. He reminded me a lot of Troy in that game. Illinois had to play a perfect game to win and that is what they did. Their defense frustrated Todd all day and had him rattled in the pocket, making uncharacteristicly bad throws. Anyway, congrats to Illinois, they deserved to win that game.

As far as the Bucks, I am disappointed, but I still love this team and the way they play. I have all the confidence in the world that they will beat scUM in The Game next week and go on the play (most likely) in the Rose Bowl and win that game as well. Being #1 had to be a lot of pressure on this young team. The Bucks losing is the worst thing that could have happened from a scUM perspective. This team will come out focused and pissed off next week and will feast on some weasel.

 

[shetuck]

Yeah, that game sucked, and it really blows getting beat by Zook, but look at a few things: We weren't even ranked in the top 10 to start the season. We've played beyond expectations up to this point. Also, if we want our conference to be more competitive, then we can't expect to will every game every year. It's just not going to happen. We are spoiled, spoiled fans! We're still playing with a first-year starter at QB. He's been unbelievable up to this point. He had a bad game, as did many other players on the team. We are Ohio State. Tressel is our leader. We will bounce back, whether it's next week or next year. Our team is young. They are prone to make mistakes once in a while. You can't be perfect all the time.

Some advice: Don't go reading the blogs and talking heads and then report back here about how much they suck. No one cares. Don't email Mark May or anyone else bitching about their commentary. It does NO GOOD. Be classy Buckeye fans, please.

Now let's beat those weasels up north!

GPA ^

 

[Buckeyedynasty]

Never leave a fellow Buckeye hanging.....EVER!

 

[Kiki_Buckeye]

Fortunately, for many people here there are much more important things than respect. People are always going to find a reason to dislike us. You know why? Cause we are ALWAYS RELEVANT. No one hates Syracuse, because Syracuse never means shit. Look at the teams that everyone loves to hate. The Yankees, the Patriots, the Spurs, the Colts, the Buckeyes. Notice anything in common? Championships.

If you care so much about what other people think of you, start rooting for Harvard. No one gives a shit about their athletics, but at least people respect their academics. And PLEASE stop pretending your a Buckeye fan.

That's not necessarily true. Most of the teams in the SEC get alot of respect year to year. The Buckeyes are good, but most people outside of Buckeye nation don't think much of our team or the Big Ten.

 

[OWUBuckeye51]

hey...at least we didnt lose to a service academy...

My brief thoughts on the game without having read all of the 86 pages in this thread:
1) not sure why we went away from the run in the second half...I know we were down, but you gotta feed Beanie 25+ every game.

2) Illinois dominated the line of scrimmage on both sides of the
ball...Boeckman was off balance today and erratic, and most of it was due to excellent DB play by UI and solid DL play.

3) This looks reeks of Michigan State in 1998 - my only hope is we finish out the season like the 1998 squad did.

4) Give Juice credit - Tress wasn't going to let Juice beat us with his legs - he did so with his arm and then used his legs in the second half when our D was dog tired from being on the field for the entire game.

5) Sure would have been nice to have solid officiating, which was about as poor as the way we played today...negate UI's first TD (fumble into the end zone) and Rejus Benn's pick on the wide open touchdown...

Bottom line...credit to the Fighting Zookers, they deserved it today and the stars aligned...

it is on like King Kong next week - scUM week...the team has to put this loss behind them, move on, and do whatever they can to beat _ichigan...let's win the Big 10 outright...

 

[Zem]

Mel Kuiper said on espn radio that Illinois' offensive coordinator is one of the top coordinators in the country. Also that he will be a head coach soon. It wouldn't suck if it happens next year.

They lose almost their entire starting offensive line, so it could be a very different game next year in the trenches.

 

[ytownbuckeye]

it felt like the national championship game the last 8 mins watching illinois get first down after first down after first down while we helplessly lined up in nickel and 3 down linemen sets. their blockers got to our linebackers and we didn't tackle well.