Game Thread Illinois at tOSU - Nov 3rd, 3:30 pm ESPN

[SEREbuckeye]

Boarding a plane leaving Alaska, headed to Columbus Thursday evening. This will be my first time back home since 2007 (military life has kept me "traveling").

Im super pumped, Ill finally be able to take my wife to her first Buckeye game and mine in almost 8 years. Sitting in C-Deck, but I really dont give a shit because I will still be in the Shoe with my fellow Buckeye brethren.

Hopefully I can catch a few of you guys on the tailgate scene.

 

[ant80]

Boarding a plane leaving Alaska, headed to Columbus Thursday evening. This will be my first time back home since 2007 (military life has kept me "traveling").

Im super pumped, Ill finally be able to take my wife to her first Buckeye game and mine in almost 8 years. Sitting in C-Deck, but I really dont give a shit because I will still be in the Shoe with my fellow Buckeye brethren.

Hopefully I can catch a few of you guys on the tailgate scene.

Welcome back!

 

[stowfan]

Boarding a plane leaving Alaska, headed to Columbus Thursday evening. This will be my first time back home since 2007 (military life has kept me "traveling").

Im super pumped, Ill finally be able to take my wife to her first Buckeye game and mine in almost 8 years. Sitting in C-Deck, but I really dont give a shit because I will still be in the Shoe with my fellow Buckeye brethren.

Hopefully I can catch a few of you guys on the tailgate scene.

Dress warmly,.....oh wait your coming in from Alaska

 

[MililaniBuckeye]

OSU was going to blowout UAB, Indiana, and Purdue also... This team has shown a tendency to play down to its competition and I don't see that changing this season. No chance this inexperienced bunch isn't looking ahead to Wiscy and tsun,

If there wasn't a bye week after the Illini game I could agree. But with the bye week I think UFM will make sure the Illini has our team's undivided attention this week.

Wasn't the same thing said after the Indiana game as well? That and the PSU offense was a tailor made offense for tOSU defense to shut down as compared to the offenses Indiana and Purdue ran.

Although we got a scare score-wise in the Purdue game, the defense played well for the most part aside for the debacle on the game's first play. An even though PSU's offense was the kind our defense can more easily shut down, defenders still have to make tackles and play their assignments. And don't forget that PSU still has far better players than does Illinois.

If our defense simply doesn't blow assignments and they wrap up on tackles, I think we completely throttle Illinois.

 

[fanaticbuckeye]

Hopefully I can catch a few of you guys on the tailgate scene.

Also making a trip, though not as lengthy as you or NFBuck. I will be the one on the red Ohio State shirt. See you there!

 

[Palpie]

http://www.thechampaignroom.com/201...buck-the-most-interesting-turtle-in-the-world

 

[Fremont Buckeye]

Although we got a scare score-wise in the Purdue game

Down by eight with 43 seconds left and the backup QB qualifies as more than a scare, espceially for the people on here that were calling for a blow-out in that game.

the defense played well for the most part aside for the debacle on the game's first play.

I will give you that. Since sans the first play and the kick return (special teams breakdown & hold) the defense only gave up 1 TD in 59 minutes, which is excellent.

An even though PSU's offense was the kind our defense can more easily shut down, defenders still have to make tackles and play their assignments.

That and those defenders are 18-22 year old kids, so while I wish that they all do everything in a game to their best ability and all goes well, but at the end of the day they are still just 18-22 year old kids playing a game and I don't hold them to unrealistic expectations of shutting teams down a game-to-game basis.

And don't forget that PSU still has far better players than does Illinois.

Didn't forget. Well aware PSU has better players than Illinois, but that doesn't matter. tOSU had better players than Illinois in 07, Purdue in 09 and 11. I guess that is why they play the games on the field and not on paper.

If our defense simply doesn't blow assignments and they wrap up on tackles, I think we completely throttle Illinois.

I hope that is the case, but I am not going to hold those kids to those kind of expectations. I will just be happy with a "W". Although I would prefer a blowout so I can relax a bit more during the games, but I certainly do not expect one on a week to week basis.

 

[Dryden]

at the end of the day they are still just 18-22 year old kids playing a game and I don't hold them to unrealistic expectations of shutting teams down a game-to-game basis.

I do. Alabama does it. Notre Dame is doing it. Historically, Ohio State has done it for over six decades. It is not unrealistic to expect that dominance to continue.

The day we accept anything less than dominance on the defensive side of the ball because they're 'just 18-22 year old kids' is the day we become Wisconsin.

 

[DaddyBigBucks]

Urban Meyer's Record in Games Preceding a Bye Week

Florida


W/L______Date_________PF___Opponent_____PA_____Location
L______10-16-2010______7____Miss. St._____10_____Gainesville, FL
W_____09-26-2009_____41______Ky_________7______Lexington, KY
W_____10-11-2008_____51_____LSU________21_____Gainesville, FL
W_____09-06-2008_____26____The U________3_____Gainesville, FL
L_____10-06-2007_____24______LSU________28_____Baton Rouge, LA
L_*___10-14-2006_____17_____Auburn______27_____Auburn, AL
L_____11-12-2005_____22____USC east_____30_____Columbia, SC
L_____10-15-2005_____17______LSU_______21_____Baton Rouge, LA

* = Florida's only loss of 2006


Utah


W/L______Date_________PF___Opponent_____PA_____Location
W_____10-01-2004_____28___New Mexico_____7_____Albuquerque, NM
W_____11-01-2003_____45____Air Force_____43_____Colorado
W_____09-11-2003_____31_____Cal_________24_____Salt Lake City, UT



Bowling Green


W/L______Date_________PF___Opponent_____PA_____Location
W_____09-21-2002_____39_____Kansas______16_____Lawrence, KS
W_____08-29-2002_____41____Tenn.Tech_____7_____Bowling Green, OH
W_____10-20-2001_____16_____Akron_______11_____Akron, OH
W_____09-08-2001_____35_____Buffalo_______0_____Bowling Green, OH


This is in stark contrast to Urban's record in games following a bye week, posted in the Wisconsin game thread.

Urban was 3-5 in his 8 games at UF preceding a bye week. He was undefeated in games following a bye week going all the way back to 2001.

 

[Buckeye86]

at the end of the day they are still just 18-22 year old kids playing a game and I don't hold them to unrealistic expectations of shutting teams down a game-to-game basis.

I do. Alabama does it. Notre Dame is doing it. Historically, Ohio State has done it for over six decades. It is not unrealistic to expect that dominance to continue.

The day we accept anything less than dominance on the defensive side of the ball because they're 'just 18-22 year old kids' is the day we become Wisconsin.

This plus-

How is them being 18-22 year old kids an excuse when they are playing other 18-22 year old kids?

On top of that, the other 18-22 year old kids aren't as good at playing football as the ones at Ohio State 19 out of 20 times.

Didn't forget. Well aware PSU has better players than Illinois, but that doesn't matter. tOSU had better players than Illinois in 07, Purdue in 09 and 11. I guess that is why they play the games on the field and not on paper.

Yes, it does matter, which is why the games you point out are some of the most disappointing results in the past decade or longer.

They do play the game on the field, and when the players on the field are better than the opposition you expect to win.

 

[jlb1705]

Urban Meyer's Record in Games Preceding a Bye Week

Florida


W/L______Date_________PF___Opponent_____PA_____Location
L______10-16-2010______7____Miss. St._____10_____Gainesville, FL
W_____09-26-2009_____41______Ky_________7______Lexington, KY
W_____10-11-2008_____51_____LSU________21_____Gainesville, FL
W_____09-06-2008_____26____The U________3_____Gainesville, FL
L_____10-06-2007_____24______LSU________28_____Baton Rouge, LA
L_*___10-14-2006_____17_____Auburn______27_____Auburn, AL
L_____11-12-2005_____22____USC east_____30_____Columbia, SC
L_____10-15-2005_____17______LSU_______21_____Baton Rouge, LA

* = Florida's only loss of 2006


Utah


W/L______Date_________PF___Opponent_____PA_____Location
W_____10-01-2004_____28___New Mexico_____7_____Albuquerque, NM
W_____11-01-2003_____45____Air Force_____43_____Colorado
W_____09-11-2003_____31_____Cal_________24_____Salt Lake City, UT



Bowling Green


W/L______Date_________PF___Opponent_____PA_____Location
W_____09-21-2002_____39_____Kansas______16_____Lawrence, KS
W_____08-29-2002_____41____Tenn.Tech_____7_____Bowling Green, OH
W_____10-20-2001_____16_____Akron_______11_____Akron, OH
W_____09-08-2001_____35_____Buffalo_______0_____Bowling Green, OH


This is in stark contrast to Urban's record in games following a bye week, posted in the Wisconsin game thread.

Urban was 3-5 in his 8 games at UF preceding a bye week. He was undefeated in games following a bye week going all the way back to 2001.

While it's something to watch out for, I'm not sure it's something to be alarmed about.

Four of the five games that he lost preceding bye weeks were on the road. In all five, I'd say the gap between his team and the opponent in terms of talent and achievement was not as great is it will between Ohio State and Illinois this weekend. Illinois is a truly bad team.

I'd say the way the Buckeyes performed earlier this season against the likes of UAB, Cal, Indiana and Purdue are more cause for concern than this statistic.

 

[DaddyBigBucks]

While it's something to watch out for, I'm not sure it's something to be alarmed about.

Four of the five games that he lost preceding bye weeks were on the road. In all five, I'd say the gap between his team and the opponent in terms of talent and achievement was not as great is it will between Ohio State and Illinois this weekend. Illinois is a truly bad team.

I'd say the way the Buckeyes performed earlier this season against the likes of UAB, Cal, Indiana and Purdue are more cause for concern than this statistic.

Agree 100%

I posted this because I find the contrast interesting. Not sure what's behind those numbers, not even sure there's anything behind them. Glad the Buckeyes are playing the worst team in the league though.

 

[Muck]

Urban was 3-5 in his 8 games at UF preceding a bye week. He was undefeated in games following a bye week going all the way back to 2001.

3-1 in the last four.

Of the first four, 2 were in his first year (05) at UF and 1 was to eventual national champion LSU (07).

 

[DaddyBigBucks]

3-1 in the last four.

Of the first four, 2 were in his first year (05) at UF and 1 was to eventual national champion LSU (07).

I'll grant you that losing to LSU in '07 is not indicative of much; but if we're going to look at the opponents, let's also look at the teams against whom they went 3-1 in the last 4.

As for 2 being in his first year at UF, all that tells me is that 2 of his 3 losses that year came in weeks preceding a bye. The next year, the only game his team lost was in a week preceding a bye.

Does all of this mean anything? Maybe, maybe not. But that last bit is hard to ignore. In 2005-2006, his teams were 22-1 in games that did not precede a bye week and 0-3 in games that did precede a bye.

While these numbers don't suggest that Ohio State is vulnerable to what is arguably the worst team on their schedule this year; those last numbers make it easier for me to believe that there is a cause behind the correlation than that this is pure coincidence.

Feel free to believe that it is a coincidence. That's entirely possible.

I think it would be much more interesting however to hear from people that believe they have an explanation for these numbers that doesn't fall in the "coincidence" category.

 

[Dryden]

I think the more relevant statistic is that Illinois is 0-6 against FBS schools not named Directional Michigan and has been outscored in those losses by an average of 4 TDs.

Illinois is bad at football.